Best Garden Sprayer: Backpack or Hand Pump | Expert Advice & Comparison | 2022 Buyer’s Guide

Whether you have a garden, a backyard, or an orchard, you need to keep them healthy by applying insecticides, fungicides, or herbicides. It is a rule of thumb that whatever pesticide you choose, the solution has to be applied properly to be efficient. If you have the right tool, spraying the correct amount of pesticides will be a breeze. Any spraying equipment comprises three components: a tank, a pump, and a nozzle. A tank is designed to hold the solution, a pump delivers pressure, while a nozzle directs a stream of water.

That said, garden sprayers are not created equal and differ in size, design, and extra features. The shape of a nozzle is very important. For spot treatments, go with a solid-cone nozzle, while a flat spray nozzle has a uniform spray pattern.

What is the best garden sprayer? Hand pump sprayer & backpack sprayer

You should first decide on the type of garden sprayer: backpack or handheld. If you need to spray a large area, you should better buy a backpack sprayer. This equipment typically boasts high capacity and holds 4 to 6 gallons of solution. It is pretty convenient because you can do the whole job in one sitting. For small area coverage, you will be better off with a handheld option as the capacity of such sprayers varies from 1 to 3 gallons.

A handheld garden sprayer is made with a handle so you can carry it at your side. The device pressurizes the air in the container using a pump, which requires manual action. The main advantages of hand sprayers are portability and lower price. They are just perfect for those who are not going to spend much time killing pests and fungus and simply want to do a little spraying.

However, hand sprayers have a good many drawbacks and this is what I dislike them for. From my experience, they operate awfully slowly, which has always annoyed me so much. The device lacks power and it is hard to maintain constant pressure. But again, if you are going to use it occasionally, you will hardly notice these shortcomings.

As for backpack garden sprayers, they have much more advantages than drawbacks. Such a device has a large container that sits on your back, allowing for hands-free operation. In this sense, a backpack sprayer is more comfortable and efficient.

This type of garden equipment has either a motorized pump or a manual lever. But the main strength of backpack sprayers is that they can keep a consistent output level for a long time and, more importantly, produce the smallest possible insecticide droplets.

They are powerful, need to be refilled less often and offer easier pressure control. The only disadvantage I see is the higher price. Also, I wouldn’t recommend this option to people suffering from back pain or similar issues.

Hand Pump Sprayer vs. Backpack Sprayer | Core Features & Comparison

Now, let’s move to specific models. In order to do our testing, we have picked the two most popular garden sprayers on the market, representing each type: the handheld and backpack. These are the Oregon Knapsack Backpack Pressure Garden Sprayer and the handheld garden sprayer. We have singled out key decision-making factors and compared the products based on these criteria.

Capacity

The overall impression is that both products are well-made and have spacious tanks. The Oregon sprayer has a capacity of 16-20 litres, which is sufficient to cover a lawn or a large garden. Although this may not be enough for commercial use, I think that the capacity of 16-18 litres is just perfect for homeowners.

Larger sizes mean greater weight and pressure on your back. At the same time, it is more versatile. You can mix up smaller quantities or fill the tank full, depending on your needs.

The small-capacity sprayer comes with a 5 litre (1.3 gallon) water tank. It is ideal for small jobs and measures only 27 cm in length with a weight of about one kilogram (without a liquid solution). Both products feature level indicators, with the difference that the ANSIO has a translucent container while the Oregon sprayer has a semi-translucent body. As you can see, these are two different categories of products and your choice entirely depends on how much insecticide you are going to apply at a time.

Power

If you are looking for a powerful garden sprayer, the Oregon is exactly what you need. Once pressurised with about four pumps, one pump every five seconds will keep the device spraying continuously. The sprayer offers a max working pressure of 0.2 to 0.3 MPa and a max pressure of 1.0 MPa. Another benefit is that you have two choices of nozzles, and both are adjustable. With the hand-pump sprayer, it was not hard to pump and build up pressure, partially thanks to its ergonomic D-shape handle. However, the device holds a max pressure of 3 bars but I feel like the pressure is not strong enough.

Efficiency

What surprised me about the ANSIO is how easily and evenly it distributes the insecticide over a target area. Uncommonly for a hand garden sprayer. We appreciated its angled spray nozzle, making it easy to spray in hard-to-reach areas, such as the leaf undersides.

And yet, the Oregon has turned out to be the most efficient, reliable, and flexible option. It has a suitable pump mechanism, and a flexible 6-foot hose and is great for spraying large areas. It feels like a truly professional sprayer, and I was impressed with it. Made with a tank safety lid valve, it has no leaks at all, just as advertised.

Convenience

The handheld model has a convenient shoulder strap. When we filled the tank full, it got quite heavy to carry for a long time, so I believe it was a good idea to include a strap. Also, the water tank has a hole with a diameter of about 35 mm, making it easy to fill and clean the container. Keep in mind that proper maintenance and cleaning are crucial and must never be ignored because you have to deal with toxic substances.

The Oregon backpack includes a shoulder strap, which makes it even more versatile. What I particularly like about this product is its ergonomic shape. The tank's backside fits perfectly against my back, so I could carry it for a long time without feeling any discomfort.

Comparison Table: Best Backpack Sprayers in the UK

Expert Opinion: Travis Steglich, Farm Supply Consultant

“There are a couple of things that you want to do before you worry about putting out any type of pesticide or attempting to use it. One thing is to make sure that all the parts work, the top screws down correctly, and the pump is free to do the pumping. One of the things that I always recommend for the customer to do is to open the tank that holds the chemicals. Take some water — it does not have to be a lot — pour it in and rinse out the container. Because during manufacture these sprayers have a lot of milling that's done on them. And they are little tiny pieces of plastic that will inevitably be in the bottom of this tank. They will probably all have them. And the reason you will want to get rid of them is that if you go ahead and put your pesticide in there and start using it right away, one of those little pieces will get into the cut-off valve and make it malfunction”.

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