The Best Lawn and Garden Sprayers

Looking for a lawn and garden sprayer can be a hassle. There are so many models and features to sort through.

On top of that, regulations and application techniques keep changing. Staying on the leading edge of the technology to produce the best lawns and gardens seems to take a lot of work.

Fortunately, getting educated on what to look for in the best lawn and garden sprayers takes a lot less work.

Read on to find out all the key features of lawn and garden sprayers and what you should look for when making a decision.

Traits of the Best Lawn and Garden Sprayers

With new models being introduced regularly, picking the best lawn and garden sprayers can be tricky. A lot of options span different price points. The following list compiles all the features to look for when making an ideal selection for your needs and budget.

Pressure

The first thing the best lawn and garden sprayers need to be considered worth your time is pressure. Pressure get the product out of the tank and onto the plants, simple enough. however, pressure can be generated in a variety of ways. Each has some pros and some cons.

Pressure ratings become important when working in large areas. A sprayer that can affect a 25 ft radius means a lot less moving and lot more spraying. But pay attention to adjust spray pressure down when working with delicate or up-close work.

Powered

Powered sprayers make for easy and reliable work. The onboard pump takes energy and creates a manageable spray. Powered sprayers excel at giving precise coverage and feature ratings for flow rate.

Knowing the flow rate helps plan how many refills will be needed for an area of coverage. The flow rate will also help determine a more exact amount of time to finish that coverage.

Battery vs Gasoline

Powered sprayers feature either a battery pack (look for rechargeable lithium-ion) or gasoline fed tank. Gasoline powered sprayers tend to the heavy side and are mostly found in wheeled varieties with tanks above the 3-gallon backpack sizes.

Battery power excels in portability and lower noise. The batteries last through the day and can be charged at night, which gives a lifecycle of several years even under heavy use. Sadly, even the best lawn and garden sprayers with battery power will be pricey.

Gasoline power offers a cheaper alternative but given the weight of the pump, should only be employed for larger jobs.

Hand Pump

For the more hands-on approach, hand pumps create a compression force in a tank to provide pressure. This is why they are also called compression sprayers.

The tank can be primed with either a vertical pump charged periodically, or a level mounted option popular with backpack designs.

Weight

Weight matters, as anyone who has spent a day lugging anything across a field knows. How to get that weight around and keep the work from being overly taxing means smaller tools, or better distribution.

The following represent common options for dealing with weight in the best lawn and garden sprayers.

Backpack

Backpack worn tanks and pumps offer a great way to carry a fairly heavy load with maximum mobility and precision. Tanks range from 1 qt to up to 3 gallons.

Side and rear mounted levers make for easy hand pump compression or mounting for powered sprayers.

Backpack designs differ in the straps and how well the tanks shift to keep the liquid from sloshing.

Handheld

Handheld sprayers top out at 2 gallons and make for quick work in smaller areas. The tanks can be carried or set down and make getting up close to plants more convenient.

One-Hand

One-handed sprayers attach to a hose or a very small tank. These use a suction to pull the solution into the nozzle and mix with water.

Hose mounted sprayers make for easy changing of solutions for small area projects.

Small tank sprayers usually rely on handpump compression but some have small battery pumps.

Click Here to view our Backpack and Handheld Sprayers!

Wheeled

Wheeled sprayers carry loads from above 3 gallons all the way into the 10s of gallons. The wheels may be side mounted on an axle or built into the tank for maneuverability and storage.

Wheeled tanks can be difficult to get into smaller rows but make large jobs much easier since the move the most mass with the least effort. 

View our Trailer Lawn Sprayers here! We also carry portable wheeled sprayers. 

Capacity

The best lawn and garden sprayers combine the most efficient capacity at the lowest weight. The capacity of tanks should be sufficient to get a job done without too many refills or sacrificing maneuverability to distribute weight.

Working with multiple chemicals or loads also means repurposing tanks between passes. Pick the tank capacity that works for your solution regiment to minimize waste.

Adaptability

some sprayers only come with one nozzle or wand and so you will need to choose the best unitasker for your needs. Others have the ability to swap nozzles and wands for each type of solution or purpose you intend.

Shopping for the best wands has its own ins and outs which we cover over here.

When budget conscious, go for what you need now. Otherwise, consider what options will let you expand as your needs, and plants, grow.

Cleaning

The best lawn and garden sprayers will be easy to clean and rotate solutions through without hassle. Complicated latches and difficult to reach into or around tanks make for long cleaning sessions.

Some powered sprayers come with setting for cleaning which will help blow out the nozzles when swapping solutions or storing.

Durability

A side note on cleaning is durability. You want something that will hold up to a lot of uses and a lot of cleaning. Be careful of picking up disposable thin plastic tanks which work great for a while, then discolor or melt under heat and use.

More Supplies and Reviews

Looking for more agricultural supplies? We have a whole lot to offer and only so much space to explain it all. Check out our Buyer's Guide for an overview of information and products.