2017 Editors' Choice Awards: Graco Cordless Paint Sprayer
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Why it made the list: The Graco Ultra puts professional-quality paint-spraying results in the hands of non-painters, in a cordless unit that's simple to use, easy to maintain, and powered by a readily available DeWalt 20V Max battery.
Play slideshowPrep-to-Finish pro painter Scott Burt of TopCoatReview recently reviewed Graco’s new handheld sprayer line, called Ultra, which comes in a couple of reasonably-priced options particularly suited to remodeling contractors. Burt likes the convenience of handheld sprayers for small jobs like built-ins, doors, and spindles, or anything else that would otherwise take a longer time with a brush and not necessarily justify pulling out a large sprayer setup. Available in either a cordless or corded version (and a cordless Ultra Max, for hot solvents), the Ultra handhelds deliver 2,000 psi of spray without the hoses. Burt likes the cup assembly of this series, which is made of two components; an open housing that holds a disposable, clear flexible liner makes priming as simple as squeezing the air out via a small valve on top of the cup. Because of this setup, the sprayers can be used at any angle, including upside down. The FFLP tip – a new tip series from Graco particularly useful to pro painters because of its compatibility with other airless sprayers – allows users to work at a lower pressure, producing less overspray and a better-defined fan pattern. Pressure can be dialed in between 500 and 2,000 psi, offering extra control. The Ultra Corded model (17M359) comes with a case, the RAC X FF LP 514 tip, and four liners. Cost: $400. The Ultra Cordless, model (17M363) comes with a case, the RAC X FF LP 514 Tip, four liners, two DeWalt 20V Max batteries, and a charger. Cost: $500. Burt says you can expect to get about four cups (approximately one gallon) worth of paint on a single charge.
This article first appeared in the Tools of the Trade 2017 Editors' Choice Awards
