Best Budget-Friendly: Flo-Master by Hudson

Let’s talk garden sprayers.

Yes, there are two basic types: manual/pump sprayers and sprayers that are battery-operated.

Pump sprayers build pressure by having you pump out air into the container—they are simple to use and affordable. The downside? All that pumping! You will have to pump the unit several times to spray for just a few minutes. That isn’t bad if you just need to spray a small area . . . but could be an issue if you have larger projects (or have arthritis). 

Battery-operated sprayers are simple to use—and can spray a gallon or more of water (or weed killer) with ease. But they are more pricey.

If you are on a tight budget and just have small jobs to do, we recommend this model by Fl0-Master. We’ve used this sprayer to apply liquid ice melt to a sidewalk and were pleased with the results—the sprayer was easy to use and set-up.

What We Liked

• 1 gallon capacity is good for small jobs (watering planets, light cleaning). 

• Easy to use.

• Nozzle can adjust amount of stream.

• Easy to assemble.

What Needs Work

• A bit heavier (2.48 lbs) than other sprayers we researched.

• Manual pump may not be best choice for larger projects.

Best Lightweight: CHAPIN 20000 Garden Sprayer

When you fill up a garden sprayer with liquid (either water, liquid plant food, weed killer), it can get heavy in a hurry. That’s why many of our readers recommended a lightweight sprayer: the CHAPIN 20000. It weighs just 1.3 lbs, roughly half the weight of the Flo-Master by Hudson reviewed above. We like the quality here—and it is easy to use.

What We Liked

• Perfect for indoor plants.

• Easy to assemble.

• Good pressure—great for pretreating carpet stains.

• Made in the USA.

• 2 spray options are helpful.

• Pressure release valve.

What Needs Work

• A bit pricey for a manual pump.

Best Battery-Powered Sprayer: Scotts 190567 Lithium-Ion Battery Powered Pump

Battery-operated sprayers are great for larger yards or just bigger projects—rinsing off patio furniture, for example. You can use a sprayer to water plants (some come with adjustable heads for different water streams) or apply weed killer in spot applications. We use a battery-powered sprayer to apply liquid ice melt to our driveway in winter. 

One quick caveat: battery-powered garden sprayers are great for rinsing off dirt or dust on furniture, but they really aren’t power washers—they don’t have enough power to deep clean. That said, we found them handy for a myriad of home and garden projects that would be tiresome with a manual pump.

One brand that came up time and time again when we spoke to readers is this one by Scotts—their model 190567 is a reader favorite and an excellent choice in this category, thanks to smart design. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Generous two-gallon capacity—good for larger projects. (Other sprayers typically have one gallon capacity).

• Long battery life—about 12 full tanks per charge.

• Easy to use.

• Steady pressure.

• Adjustable 3-in-1 nozzle with different spray streams.

• See-through tank with measurement markings.

• Made in the USA.

• Stable design keeps tank from falling over.

What Needs Work

• Pricey.

• Can be heavy when filled with two gallons of liquid.

Best For Larger Projects: Rainmaker Multi-Purpose Pressure Pump Sprayer

Sometimes you need a bigger sprayer for a large project . . . those smaller sprayers with a one-gallon capacity aren’t going to cut it. In this case, we recommend this sprayer by Rainmaker. With a generous three-gallon capacity, it can handle those bigger items on your weekend to-do list.

One caveat: water can be HEAVY. One gallon of water weighs about 8 lbs. at room temperature. So this sprayer (which itself weighs 4.4 lbs. empty) would weigh close to 30 lbs. when full! So hauling this full sprayer around to water your planets also counts as a cardio workout! 

What We Liked

• Bigger capacity (3 gallons) is great for larger projects.

• Easy to keep the pressure up with manual pump.

• Fill markings on outside of bottle.

• Trigger lock for continuous spray is helpful.

What Needs Work

• Heavy when full of liquid!

• Fill opening is small.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!