For painting lovers out there, the layers of primer are always things to take into consideration. To save you time here are the best primer spray guns.
Believe it or not, art of work is made better with a better tool. A primer spray gun compatible with the materials used to apply your painting is always necessary.
There is no shortage of good spray gun brands available in the market, and they are not equally produced and for the same spraying conditions.
I find it a bit of fun to compile a long list of my top primer spray guns. However, at the same time, this abundant source makes it such a challenge to decide which one is best suited to your needs. The spray gun you should choose depends on which style of arts of work you want to apply.
Is it an oil-, a water-based, or an all-purpose painting? It is wise to select the spray gun which is built to perform your expected painting’s style! One thing to keep in mind, though: don’t expect paint guns and primer guns one!
Top 5 Best Primer Spray Guns Reviews 2023
What is a Primer Spray Gun?
Primers
Being the first coating applied, primer is, without doubt, a key part of finishing. Not only offering a smooth base, but it also helps cover stains and enhances the protection of the substrate.
With such an irreplaceable part in achieving the expected coating performance, no one can deny the importance of the proper application of primer.
See also: Best Stain Blocking Primer with Oils for The Superior Results in 2023.
Automotive Primers
A tool that all car painters must have. There is no better choice than an automotive paint spray gun. It provides a smooth base where they can build their cars’ top and clear coats.
Only when the application is proper can we see the stunning foundation for the top and clear coats’ applying. The rest of their work can appear clearly with a well-applied primer spraying gun.
A 1.4 MM – 1.6 MM Fluid Nozzle is highly recommended for the best paint automotive primer.
Our Top 5 Picks of The Best Primer Spray Guns
1. DeVilbiss FLG-678 – Top Pick
It is no secret that the best handheld airless paint sprayer on our list is the Graco 17D889. The DeVilbiss company who founded the spray gun has long been famous for making buildings to the highest quality standards in the UK. And the Graco 17D889 is one of its best examples. Do you say exterior and interior painting projects, excellent performance, high quality, affordability, versatility, and ease to clean? This handheld device ticks all boxes.
How can this gun help carry out a neat and professional style of painting for both exterior and interior spraying conditions? It is thanks to the enhanced paint atomization technology and compressed air and spraying technique. Moreover, the vacuum valve technology allows you to paint in any angle or direction that you need to, without any leakage.
No matter what materials used – from clear coats to high-viscosity materials, due to the stainless steel pump, you will have a smooth painting finish. You will have a hard time faulting the primer gun itself. Its pressure point of 1500 PSI is always loved by thin, latex-based primers.
Pros: It features uniform spray patterns designed with both exterior and interior painting projects (automobile work) in mind. Versatility enhanced thanks to the easily adjustable spray patterns. Easy to clean and easy to reused as much as needed. A great choice for so many primers regardless of their spraying conditions and materials used.
Cons: Thick, oil-based primers will not recommend this product.
2. DeVilbiss 802343 – The Runner-up
Taking out the 2nd place in our list of the best primer spray guns is the DeVilbiss 802343 StartingLine HVLP Gravity Spray Gun Kit (“DeVilbiss 802343”). Why do we name it an excellent primer application choice? regardless of the size of your duty – heavy or light, you can take advantage of this two-gun system.
In spite of its label as an automotive primer, it comes with the choice of two 20 oz. air cups. It means that painters can easily change the air cap to suit the material used and the spraying conditions for a large number of tasks.
Coming with a standard cleaning brush, wrench, and air adjusting valve with gauge, it is not surprising to hear that the DeVilbiss 802343 is the closest competitor to the DeVilbiss FLG-678. However, what makes it the 2nd place is some leakage issues found in plastic cups and the less overall durability compared with the DeVilbiss FLG-678.
Pros: Take the value of any performance to a much higher level to suit all DIYers and hobbyists. We can use the same primer spraying guns for base and clearcoats. Promise to offer smooth, even primer spraying results.
Cons: A lot of people complain about the leaking issues in plastic cups. Take much time to clean up with a standard kit.
3. Neiko 31216A – Best for the Money
The first thing to come to your mind when the Neiko brand is mentioned might be the quality to wonder without the price tag. But once you’ve tried it, you will get to see why the Neiko 31216A is incredibly popular in China and Taiwan. The Neiko 31216A HVLP Gravity Feed Air Spray Gun (“Neiko 31216A”) includes four nozzle tips in 1.3-, 1.5-, 1.7, and 2.0-millimeter sizes.
So primers can experience the versatility at its best. Just feel free to apply it on any material you want! You might wonder about its quality, but time will show you how it lasts. It is not exaggerating to say that the Neiko 31216A is a great HVLP Gravity Feed Air Spray Gun. It has an appealing look with an attractive price tag. However, primers should be aware of the limitations of this top gun made in China to the best built-in HVLP technology quality standards.
Pros: Dedicated primers always praise this cheap priced yet good quality product. Suitable with all primers – even the ones with heavy duty. Users can adjust the pattern width and spraying angle with ease.
Cons: Users might have a hard time with disassembly for cleaning and there is also no robust manufacturer’s website so you will need to look for instructions manually.
4. Astro 4008
A primer gun like the Astro Pneumatics Spray Gun with Cup (“Astro 4008”) being 8th position tells you how fierce our competition is. On might only know that Astro can work a paint sprayer. In this post, we will review it as a primer spraying gun. The very first impression is the simple construction. As you can see, it comes with only two major parts – air valve and a gun with a bright red handle of 1.8mm nozzle.
Thanks to its attractive red handle, primers can expect great pattern spraying width. Thanks to all the pros mentioned above, the Astro 4008 has taken the 3rd place and even has the potential to reach higher ratings. The first factor is its small size making it dwarfed by other top competitors on our list. Additionally, an Astro 4008’s owner often uses a 3 hp compressor which can offer up to 50-60 psi pressure. That’s the reason why a lot of primers complain about the faint spray patterns.
In short: for small, specialized work, the all-purpose Astro 4008 is an excellent choice. But for primer application, you have greater options.
Pros: An affordable device with a steep learning curve for both beginner primers and DIYers. Sturdy and grip construction.
Cons: There is not much good customer and operational support. Moisture build-up appears after a few limited uses. A little cumbersome assembly. Users might have trouble changing spray patterns.
5. TCP G6600-25
No product in our list is perfect. And the TCP G6600-25 is not an exception. What you need to know is that it was built for steady and sustainable performance. Consequently, it is good for individual projects in a short time for its unique features. Fortunately, what it lacks in ease-to-clean and a little weak operating pressure, it makes up for in its cheap price and other impressive features.
Among a handful of what make the TCP G6600-25 a top quality primer gun, we cannot miss to mention a large 2.5mm spray tip allowing primers to spray incredibly thick materials. Other features to love are the control knobs for full and consistent spray pattern adjustment, an air regulator, and a 1l aluminum cup.
Some might think that a 1-year warranty is another big advantage of the TCP Global Brand Professional Gravity Feed HVLP Spray Gun. Since it totally makes sense for this affordable product of TCF Global.
Pros: Well suited small indoor and outdoor projects like cabinets, tables, or desks. 1-year warranty. Great choice for any beginner.
Cons: Normal operating pressure of 30-40 psi is not strong enough for the primer application. Thicker primers require a bigger spray tip. Not built to last. Takes much time to clean.
Buyer’s Guide
We advise you to keep the spray guns and primer guns in two different places. This is the practical advice for the paint body shop, in which detailing and finishing are a regular activity part. Nevertheless, the hobbyists and DIY-ers also can use this as it will facilitate the operation; clarify preparation as well as clean up according to each case.
Before buying a primer spray gun to meet your needs, you should consider some specific things. Outstanding features include:
1. Adjustability
With the primer application, it is critical to operate at different thicknesses, spray patterns, and speeds.
2. Ease of Clean-up
You should choose the models that you don’t need to open up completely and flush after using. It will be more beneficial if you attach the primer sprayer to the garden hose.
3. Weight and Portability
Most of the primer spray guns are relatively lightweight. However, it is essential to own the one that is comfortable to handle in 10 or 15 minutes at once. Therefore, the portable sprayers (wheeled and backpack) are the desirable choice for more significant projects.
4. Special Additives and Protectants
If you want to invest a vast amount of money into your guns, you can consider some manufacture-approved materials which can prolong their lives. They can reduce the corrosion, rust and sticking.
5. Various Controls
Controlling a primer gun is so important, isn’t it? The optimal method is that you should ask a customer representative or a dealer the way to manage flow speed, pressure or pattern width.
6. Warranty
If you consider choosing a cheap primer gun on the market, a warranty of one year is enough for using one time. Even if you plan to use the product as well as pinpoint deficiencies immediately, a guarantee of 30 days is sufficient.
However, in case you want to use it for the professional purpose, you can request the manufacturer for a warranty extension. But, apparently, the cost will be enough for you to buy the other sprayer or equal to the money amount to prepare a steak dinner.
7. Country of origin
Nowadays, in the globalisation context, people still often navigate towards using products which are made from countries close to their hometown. Actually, it is challenging to differentiate the primer sprayer gun made in the USA with the others. But, if you ignore the initial saving price intention, you will find the product you like.
Spray-Gun Tips for Automotive Painting
Choosing Nozzle Setups
So, which products should be accompanied by what nozzle setups? In reality, when you want to obtain the most significant results, you should refer to a technical data sheet from a paint manufacturer. You should find more information about each product you are spraying to further understand your tools to use them profincently. Don’t worry because they tested the products thoroughly to give the best combination of needle nozzles for every product.
A generally primary rule is:
- Using a nozzle whose size from 1.7 to 2.2 will bring the best performance for a heavy-bodied primer as well primer surfacers.
- Spraying base coats by the nozzle having a size of 1.4-1.6.
- Spraying clear coats with a nozzle of 1.3 to 1.7.
- The 1.4 to 1.6 nozzle should be used for single-stage urethanes and sealers.
We want to mention this rule again as some painters don’t follow the norm and get some bad results from unorthodox ways.
In general, whenever having a single-stage urethane, or even if a clear coat which is high-solids, you had better reduce the size of the nozzle. Why do we need to do that? Because the material will be broken down into tinier particles, then you can finish more smoothly. However, a lot of manufacturers do reversely, they increase the size. So, the advice is you should consult some recommendations from the paint manufacturer and the gun company.
A much greater fluid nozzle should be used for primer surfacers. A thick primer surfacer cannot go through the small nozzle. Therefore, the repair place does not deposit any materials.
Recently, a painter has called me to complain about the primer gun he used. It was dry when spraying and had poor adhesion. The product he used was very high-built, but its bodywork wasn’t covered because the primers were flaked off.
I tackled this problem as the following. First, I asked him which fluid nozzle he used, and he said it was 1.3 type. Then, he realised by himself that with the high-solids primer, he had to use a smaller one. In fact, he should use the fluid nozzle having the size of 1.7
It is essential to understand clearly about the products as well as which application that product needs — many problems are caused by the unawareness of fundamentals when choosing the suitable equipment for products you want to spray.
Air Errors
You own the most proper spray gun for working equipped with a highly recommended nozzle, but you still cannot achieve the best performance? This situation happens whenever you buy a new gun, especially when you buy from the new brand, utterly different from the old one.
What problem? The answer is “Plenty!”
Probably, the spray gun does not have enough air to run.
“Come on. My compressor gives out above 150 PSI”, you say “How much air will you need?”
PSI is not the matte. The unit of measurement of the air which is consumed by a spray gun is cubic feet per minute as known as CFM.
A spray gun needs an air requirement ranging from 2 CFM up to 18 CFM depending on whether it is a small gun, syphon guns, or gravity-feed. But, the average is nearly 12, for most types of guns.
Regarding the 5-hp compressor, the maximum output is about 14 CFM. This means a sprayer with the medium-level air consumption can be run efficiently by this compressor. Therefore, if a D/A sanding machine or airfield is being operated by the bodyman while you are painting, the air is not sufficient for your spray gun, which makes it stop running. Of course, your work will be affected. You have to know that although your sprayer only accounts for 30 SPI of the air, it still can exceed the capacity of the compressor.
Besides, you can consider the fittings and the air hose. You will severely hamper the air flow in case you use an air hose of 1/4 inch. An air hose having the inner-diameter of 3/8 inch accompanied by a high-flow coupler will be the best choice. It makes sure to boost the air flow as well as the efficiency.
Do you remember the day when you were still a kid, you stuck a potato into the car’s tailpipe of your friend? Then, it couldn’t run correctly? This is the same as having the couplings and the small-diameter hose.
You Lean, You Clean
One more thing I want to tell you is cleaning. I know this will be the worst step in painting, but cleaning is so necessary as it makes sure the next working will go smoothly or not. As you can guess, the gun manufacturers often package cleaning tools with the guns, which includes one round-barrel brush to wipe the gun’s passages.
Before cleaning the nozzle, the needle and the air cap, you should remove them after using. Wash the gun carefully with the fresh solvent. If your gun used to spray water-based, you should wash and clean the spray gun into tap water, then the solvent.
Don’t use a paper clip, knife or the other solid metal object to clean the air cap. It might damage this part. The optimal method is using the nozzle cleaners which are made from the wood or soft brass to avoid hurting some parts.
How to Handle a Gun
Finally, you need to handle the gun properly. Each painter has a different technique as well as the operation at different speeds. However, you have to keep the gun perpendicular to the car’s surface and hold it at a proper distance to utilize its nozzles to its best extent .
Some painters do not follow the rule until they pass the panel’s end. At this period, they have an intention to twist the wrist and point the gun towards the panel’s end without moving the entire arm along the length of the board. That’s the reason why the panel’s end cannot receive a similar wet coat getting from the extension of the gun. en wet coat it would get from extending the gun the entire length of the panel.
In addition, you don’t need the paint reducer anymore. Holding the gun from 12-14 inches on the surface and hose it, the reducer will help the paint to level and flow.
Nowadays, with the HVLP technology, you had better keep the gun from the distance of surface 6-8 inches. Why should you do that? Because it will maintain the fan control as well as the materials you spray. This way can prevent the dry spray and peel.
Tell us Know about Your Pick
The DeVilbiss FLG-678 is the winner with the most remarkable feedback while the Neiko 31216A is the best for money. All the five machines are unique, with reliability and high performance.
Before buying a primer gun, it is necessary to think about what features you want. Don’t judge by the ranking or the price, let’s consider what benefits it can bring to you!
We hope you find our top product picks and buying guidelines useful. Good luck!
I am Peter Levick, with over 10 years of experience in the home improvement industry, I have become a seasoned expert in painting and paint sprayers. Through numerous DIY projects, I have developed a keen eye for aesthetics and a deep understanding of the technical aspects involved. My expertise extends to various paint sprayer systems, and I stay updated with the latest advancements. I bring a meticulous approach to every project, ensuring stunning and durable results. Clients can trust in my craftsmanship and commitment to delivering exceptional work.
