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We review some of the best electric fence sprayers on the UK market today.
Table could not be displayed.Having a large garden and often being asked to help family friends maintain theirs means I’ve picked up quite a few different garden gadgets over the years. From leaf blowers to lawn mowers, I’m a great believer that having the right tools means that the work is easier and that the results are usually better. I recently decided that my front and back garden fences needed a makeover, so started looking into the various tools available. The fences around my parents’ large garden were also looking the worse for wear, so a paintbrush wasn’t the solution!
After a little research in my local DIY store, I realised that an electric fence sprayer would be a great help. At first, I was confused by the options available and I discovered that the devices could actually be useful for other jobs around the home and garden. For example, some electric fence sprayers can adapt for horizontal work such as spraying garden decking. This made buying one very attractive as I’d certainly get my use out of it. With such large areas to cover it was important that I got the best electric fence sprayer for my needs.
I had a few things in mind when I started researching fence sprayers, but didn’t realise how flexible they could be. For example, I knew that I needed to cover large areas in as little time as possible to save time. A large reservoir was on my wish list from the start. However, I didn’t realise that the tools could be used to spray different types of stains and paints, so I needed to consider the exact type of projects and maintenance I’d be using it for.
Electric Fence Sprayer Reviews
I’d never used any kind of electric paint sprayer before, so started by looking at the most popular models to get an idea of what was available. The manufacturer names weren’t ones I was familiar with, so I realised I was going to have to carry out a comparison of electric fence sprayers to understand what was best for my needs.
Prices of the models I tested varied between forty and seventy pounds. Budget is always a factor when buying any tools or gardening equipment of course, but I never look for the cheapest models. I like to make decisions based on features, how easy things are to use and their reliability. In terms of electric fence sprayers, I was looking for a tool that could deliver a good quality finish in as little time as possible. During the review tests I gained an understanding of the importance of being able to control the flow of paint accurately, and other key features.
Wagner Electric Paint Sprayer
The Wagner W 100 is one of the most popular models currently available. At just seventy pounds it was within the budget I had in mind for an electric fence sprayer, so it was a great place to start my review. I was impressed from the moment I opened the box, and liked the look and feel of it. It was light and comfortable to hold but felt robust and like it would withstand regular use.
The instructions for the Wagner electric paint sprayer were very clear and I was able to set it up and be ready for the first test in around ten minutes. As it was my first time using a fence sprayer I played close attention to the safety advice and took the time to understand how to adjust the paint flow. The mechanism to attach and remove the paint pot from the handle has a satisfying ‘click’ and feels solid. I’d only really considered these tools as electric fence sprayers but reading the instructions for the Wagner W 100 I realised it could be useful for other projects. This sprayer can be used on metal as well as wood, and you can use it for interior painting projects as well as exterior ones.
Key Features and Specification
The capacity of the reservoir on an electric paint sprayer was something I had concerns about at the start of my reviews. I was worried that I’d have to stop to top up the paint every few minutes and that this would make the job long and tiresome. The Wagner W 100 has an 800 ml capacity, and I found this to be enough for the projects I was working on.
As I was new to paint spraying I took some time to experiment with different spray patterns by adjusting the front nozzle. This didn’t take long to get used to, and I found I could achieve a smooth even flow quite easily. Atomisation power is key to this. After a few tests I was ready to start on my rear garden fence. I didn’t use any special kind of product and simply filled the reservoir with good quality fence paint. Some types of paint have to be diluted with water, so it’s worth checking before filling the reservoir. The results were very impressive! The quality of coverage was excellent and I was able to spray six fence panels in around twenty minutes. There was some slight clogging of the nozzle towards the end, but this was easily wiped clean with a damp cloth.
Looking at the full technical specification, the Wagner offers 65 watts of atomisation power and a paint delivery rate of 0 – 110ml/min. A professional painter might want to spray at a faster rate and with a larger reservoir capacity, but I was perfectly happy with results from the Wagner and it was a lot faster than painting by hand. The manual referred to ‘HVLP technology’ and I had no idea what that was at first. A little research told me this is ‘high-volume, low-pressure’ spraying. In practical terms this reduces the amount of over-spray, making delivery of the paint more accurate and efficient.
Maintaining my garden decking is another laborious chore I don’t look forward to, so I was pleased that sprayers like the Wagner W 100 can adapt to horizontal work. Staining decking by hand is heavy on my knees and back! Cleaning and preparing the decking still took some time, but spraying gave a great finish and saved hours.
It was the most expensive in my review, but the Wagner paint sprayer really delivered and I couldn’t fault it. Cleaning the device took around ten minutes and it was looking like new again and ready for the next time.
Pros
- A quality product that feels like it will stand the test of time.
- Excellent value for money.
- Clear instructions, easy to follow even if your first time using a paint sprayer.
- Adjustable paint flow is easy to control for an even finish.
- Easy to clean.
Cons
- Paint reservoir could be an issue for larger projects.
- Not the cheapest fence sprayer available.
Tacklife Paint Sprayer
Tacklife is an American company offering a range of power tools, testing tools and garden appliances and equipment. Strangely, the instructions for this paint sprayer seemed to be translated from a foreign language and are a little vague. It’s very reasonably priced and would suit someone with a budget of around fifty pounds, but I struggled to get it working effectively.
There are four plastic nozzles in the box and a copper one which doesn’t seem to fit the device. I tried the Tacklife website and watched some videos for clarification on fitting the copper nozzle, but nothing helped. Customer Support didn’t respond to my query, so I had to test the unit as best I could.
Key Features and Specification
The idea behind the four nozzles is that the Tacklife paint sprayer can be adapted for different types of paint. It’s a nice theory but I found it made things too complicated. A chart tells you which nozzle to select depending on the material you’re spraying and the type of project. For example, the 3mm nozzle is for applying low viscosity primer to external walls. I’d rather do a little testing and water the paint down if necessary than have to try and make decisions about the right nozzle.
The 900 ml reservoir is a little larger than the Wagner fence sprayer’s, but I found it more difficult to fill. In fact, I ended up spilling paint over the front of the device on the first attempt. Controlling the delivery of the paint wasn’t easy with the Tacklife. I’m no expert of course, but even taking it slowly I found it hard to get any accuracy. The process was frustrating and I’m sure I used a lot more paint on four panels than I did working with the Wagner sprayer. As I made progress there was sometimes the occasional splutter with large blobs of paint firing from the device.
I didn’t get off to a good start with the Tacklife paint sprayer, and if I’d tested this model first I may have given up and stuck with my roller and paintbrushes. It feels as if the manufacturers have tried to design a device suitable for all kinds of painting projects but it just falls short of basic functionality.
Pros
- Reasonably priced.
- Good build quality.
Cons
- Lack of clear instructions.
- Range of nozzles make it complex to use.
- Hard to control paint flow accurately, finish varies between too thin and large blobs.
- Feels heavy and awkward to hold after half an hour.
Meterk Electric Spray Gun
I like to include budget models when I carry out any kind of product review, and the Meterk spray gun fits into this category. The specification compares well with others on paper, but it’s the cheapest electric spray gun I could find. Unfortunately, my first impressions were that it’s made of cheap plastic and the trigger mechanism to release the paint feels like it could snap easily.
The fence panels in my parents’ garden needed a new coat of paint, so I had a great place to test the Meterk device. It comes with three different nozzles and the spray can be adjusted for horizontal, vertical or circular spray patterns. The components fit together well, and with clear instructions I was ready to start work quickly. Everything was fine at first but after a couple of minutes the device just stopped spraying. It was loaded with the same branded fence paint used in my previous tests and I certainly wouldn’t say it was thick. Fortunately it was easy to strip down and clean, so I did this and was ready to start again. After a few minutes the same happened and it just wouldn’t apply the paint. To make matters worse it had somehow leaked paint around the nozzle and was a mess to clear up.
Key Features and Specification
This was the best looking electric fence sprayer in my review and reminded me of a Black and Decker power tool with its orange and black styling. Unfortunately, it didn’t match up on quality. It’s a 400 W device and uses HVLP technology so compares well on technical specification. Based on my practical experience I believe the design and construction let it down.
The Meterk fence sprayer is light to hold and it sits well in the hand. If it had continued to spray it wouldn’t have been difficult work, but I just can’t judge based on its poor performance. I did clean it up again and check the screw threads and case for damage just in case it was faulty, but there were no visible signs. It might be suitable for very light work such as spraying a skirting board indoors but for something like a garden fence project it just didn’t seem to be fit for purpose.
Pros
- Budget paint sprayer.
- Looks good and is comfortable to work with.
Cons
- Failed to consistently deliver a flow of paint.
- Body leaked paint for no apparent reason.
- Cheap plastic construction.
Ginour Paint Sprayer
Ginour is a Chinese manufacturer producing a wide range of power tools for distributing internationally. The instructions provided with this paint sprayer were very poor so I searched for help on the website. This was no help as the ‘Manual’ page was blank. Not a good start!
The Ginour paint sprayer looks very similar to the Wagner W100, but it doesn’t have the same quality feel. It’s around thirty pounds cheaper, so seemed a good option for someone on a budget. Unfortunately, it just didn’t perform well in my test and the money-saving would be a false economy. The Ginour fence sprayer reminded me of a child’s toy hair dryer rather than a garden tool.
I went to my parents’ house to freshen up their front garden fence for this test. I filled the reservoir with Cuprinol One Coat Sprayable Fence Treatment and set to work. I was only able to do so because of my experience with the other electric fence sprayers, and the lack of instructions would’ve made it very difficult otherwise. The device made a lot of noise, and this didn’t give me great confidence. It didn’t seem to have the power to extract the paint from the reservoir, so I added some water to thin the mixture. This helped a little, but it cut out after a couple of minutes and felt very hot.
Key Features and Specification
The Ginour sprayer has a 400W motor, so I’m not sure why it seemed to lack power in my test. The paint reservoir is very large at 1300ML, so possibly that makes it harder to suck up the paint. I found the reservoir cumbersome and preferred the smaller ones in my tests.
An unusual feature of the Ginour sprayer is that there are two ways to adjust the flow of the paint. In addition to the usual trigger mechanism, there’s a flow control knob. In my brief trial, I found it awkward to adjust this and prefer the simple trigger method. The maximum flow rate of 800ml per minute compares well with other models.
Three nozzle attachments come with this tool so it can be adapted for horizontal, vertical and circular spray patterns. Switching between them is quick and easy and I liked the mechanism.
Pros
- Budget electric fence sprayer, competitively priced.
- Spray patterns can be changed by switching nozzles.
Cons
- Lack of clear instructions and support.
- Seemed to lack power in my test and made a lot of noise.
- Large paint reservoir can make it difficult to hold.
- Difficult to control the flow of paint for an even finish.
Buyer’s Guide
An electric fence sprayer wasn’t something I felt I needed before this exercise. Having experienced how versatile they are and how much time they can save I can see the value now. Once you get used to the process of spraying an even coat of paint, the finish is far better than that a roller or brush can produce.
The key is finding the right fence sprayer for your needs, and one that is reliable and easy to use. I was quite shocked during this review how much the products varied. Some I took to instantly and could work with easily whilst others just didn’t seem to function for more than a few minutes. Good instructions and support are as important as design and build quality in many ways.
The following are some of the key features to consider and compare if you’re thinking of buying a fence sprayer.
Motor Power
Although one of the key features of an electric sprayer, I didn’t feel motor power made that much difference if you intend to use the tool for small projects around the home. Around 300 W is adequate unless you need to spray large areas very quickly. Being able to control the delivery of paint accurately was more important to me.
Paint Reservoir Capacity
A larger reservoir means you can paint for longer without having to stop to top it up, but it also makes a sprayer heavier and more awkward to hold. I found 800 ml perfectly adequate.
Adjustable Spray Coverage
To get the most from your sprayer you must be able to adjust and control the delivery rate of the paint. A wide coverage setting is fine for simple projects like painting fence panels, but you need fine control for spraying skirtings and furniture.
Conclusion and Final Verdict
The Wagner Electric Paint Sprayer stood out from the others in my review. It was the first such device I’d ever used, but I was able to set it up very quickly without any problems. The finish on the panels sprayed was far better than the others produced and there were no clogging or reliability issues. The other fence sprayers in my comparison were cheaper but I was happy to pay for the quality of the Wagner.
