Best Airless Paint Sprayers for Home Use in the UK | 2022 Comparison & Buyer’s Guide

Airless paint sprayers offer multiple benefits, which is why they are so popular among professionals and DIY enthusiasts. They give even application, shoot out paint at high pressure, and cope with thick paints. Airless sprayers are also a great choice for outdoor and large-scale painting projects.

How Airless Paint Sprayer Works

When compared to a brush and a roller, an airless paint sprayer applies paint twice as fast while giving you a smooth, flawless finish. This is achieved by the fact that such a sprayer pumps paint directly from a bucket or a can, thus facilitating the whole process.

This paint is pumped at high pressure, comes through a hose and is forced through a gun tip. The latter converts the paint you are spraying into small particles, ensuring even coverage. They cover 15 m² in 2-3 minutes. There are different tips designed for different types of liquids from varnish and lacquer to latex and other thick paints. Note, however, that you will not be able to completely cover the surface in a single shot, so you will need to do a few sprays.

Airless Paint Sprayers Compared

When selecting your airless paint sprayer, first consider how it is powered. Basically, there are three types of airless paint sprayers: gas-powered, air-powered, and electric.

• Gas-powered options are ideal for outdoor jobs and places without a power outlet at hand, while air-powered models have the advantage of delivering high pressures — up to 9000 PSI.
• Electric airless paint sprayers are the most widespread and popular type, and understandably so. They are convenient, require little maintenance, and come in more configurations, something that makes them highly efficient.

A great example of electric models is Wagner airless paint sprayers. This brand is well-known among both professional contractors and the general public. Today, Wagner is a market leader in advanced, top-quality paint applicators, with its product range including heat guns, rollers, sprayer selectors, and sprayers. As for the latter, we recommend a line of ControlPro sprays that comprises four models. This is actually the new generation of airless paint sprayers that are made with high-efficiency airless (HEA) technology delivering professional results.

What’s so good about HEA technology? It reduces overspray by more than 50% as compared to regular airless sprayers. At the same time, this technology allows the tool to spray softer and ensures a more consistent finish. Due to reduced spraying pressure, the device requires less effort to operate. This advantage is particularly helpful for beginners and those who need to work on long-hour projects.

How Airless Paint Sprayers Differ

Now, let’s move on to the differences between the four models from the Wagner brand. All of them have a spray pressure of 11 MPA or 110 bar and are suitable for wall, ceiling, wood, and metal paints including anti-corrosion products. What they differ in is the paint volume, hose length, power consumption, and design.

Intended for small to medium projects, Control Pro 250 M and Pro 250 R models feature a paint flow rate of 1.25 litre per minute, a 9-meter hose, and 550 watts of power consumption. They cover 15 m² in 3 minutes.

Control Pro 350 M and Pro 350 R sprayers are intended for medium to large projects. These models offer a 1.5 litres per minute flow rate, a 15-meter hose, and consume 600 watts of power. They cover 15 m² in 2 minutes.

• The wattage rating measures how much power the tool can draw, on the one hand, and how much energy it consumes, on the other hand. Therefore, models with higher wattage spray out the paint faster but are less energy efficient.

The length of the hose is essential for those who deal with large jobs, such as fences or painting any outdoor surfaces. Sprayers with higher paint volume are more suitable for larger projects and work great with thick coatings like lacquers.

In terms of design, all of them are compact stand-mounted units. However, Control Pro 250 M and Pro 350 M differ from Control Pro 250 R and Pro 350 R in that the former is made of metal while the latter ones are built with plastic. Put simply, “M” stands for metal and “R” means resin. Except for the Control Pro 350 M model which is engineered with a metal trolley, all three others are designed with carrying handles.

Last but not least, a good airless paint sprayer should come with the right tips. Tips are an important accessory as they control the width of the pain pattern and the speed of painting. For hard-to-reach spots like high ceilings, there are tip extensions available.

All four Control Pro models are supplied with 311 and 517 HEA reversible nozzles created for high and low-viscosity liquids as well as a filter kit.

If you need a budget electric paint sprayer for under £250 you may like a compact 200W Wagner sprayer with a 3.5 m hose that covers 15 m² in 5 min.

Best-Selling Airless Paint Sprayers in the UK | Comparison Table