Not all spray paint guns are the same. The right spray paint gun – one that is suited to your purpose and well-engineered – makes painting jobs super-quick and efficient.

Other models can be more trouble than they’re worth. They may require thinning of your paint material, be heavy and awkward to use, require constant refilling, be prone to messy clogging or (worst of all) have inconsistent results.

Below we review the best spray paint guns for sale in South Africa, for a range of different spray applications and budgets. Read on or jump to a section of interest, covering the best choice of spray gun for:

• affordable, general-purpose spray painting
• residential painting applications
• manual furniture and wood finishing
• metal spray painting
• automatic, industrial spray painting.

Our choice of top-rated spray paint guns in South Africa

The following top-rated spray guns are made by recognised, international manufacturers. In our experience and based on customer reviews, they offer the best combinations of performance, ease of use and affordability.

Please note that most of the equipment is imported and prices are therefore subject to change.

Best affordable spray paint gun for general-purpose use

Our recommendation for the best paint sprayer in this category is the reasonably priced Meite W77 air-atomising suction spray gun.

Priced from R2,090.

The Meite W77 is an affordable all-rounder. It is a high-quality spray gun, suitable for most painting applications – from home DIY projects through to industrial coating of furniture.

The Meite W77 is a conventional, air-atomising spray gun. This type of spray gun is usually less expensive than an airless spray gun (although it does require an air compressor, which should be factored into the cost).

It is lightweight and easy to use. It achieves a reliable, even application of paint without requiring a lot of practice.

It also does a particularly good job of coating intricate, textured or uneven surfaces. This makes it a good choice for painting cabinets, other furniture and décor items.

Reasons our customers love the Meite W77:

• unbeatable quality at an affordable price
• stainless steel nozzle and needle
• knob for easy regulation of air pressure and fluid flow
• suitable for painting large areas
• lightweight and ergonomic
• available with the choice of a suction (siphon) or pressure feed.

Best airless spray paint gun for residential applications

For contractors who focus on residential painting jobs or home owners looking to paint comparatively large surface areas, it’s worth considering an airless spray gun model.

Airless models offer faster paint application. They use less paint, which saves money, and they don’t require an air compressor (only a pump) to operate.

Our top pick for residential spray-painting applications is the Graco FTXpress.

Priced from R3,500.

Graco is one of the best-trusted names in the industry. Based in the United States, they make paint sprayers that offer unmatched performance and reliability.

The FTXpress is the brand’s entry-level airless sprayer.

It is a versatile, high-quality paint sprayer for a range of applications, including professional painting of home exteriors, roofs, decks, precast concrete wall and fencing.

Reasons this spray gun is top-rated:

• affordable price for the reliability of a Graco model
• lightweight and easy to use
• achieves high-quality, even finishes with minimal paint waste
• has a fully enclosed needle design to prevent clogging
• includes a detachable trigger guard and gun filter, for easy cleaning.

Best manual spray gun for furniture and wood finishing

Among the best spray paint guns for sale in South Africa are those in the highly rated Graco PerformAA range, which includes a choice of manual and automatic sprayers.

For heavy-duty, manual wood finishing or spraying of furniture, our “best of the best” recommendation is the Graco PerformAA air-assisted airless model.

Priced from R26,000.

This is a top-of-the-range manual spray gun. Because of its use of high-pressure, air-assisted spray technology, it achieves consistently exceptional, high-quality finishes.

The Graco PerformAA is suitable for spraying all kinds of different fluids, from low to high viscosity. For example, it is ideal for coating furniture or frames with paint, varnish, wood lacquer or top coats. It can also handle the spraying of quick-drying materials.

Reasons to consider the Graco PerformAA:

• high pressure (280 bar) air-assisted airless spray technology, for the smoothest finishes
• Graco reliability and solid, durable construction
• one of the lightest spray guns on the market
• ergonomic handle and finger rest, and an ultra-light trigger
• suitability for spraying low- to high-viscosity materials
• a reversible tip and cartridge-style components for fast, easy cleaning.

Best manual spray gun for painting metal

For spraying metal, a top choice is the Italian-made Berizzi Mach 3.

Priced from R14,000.

The Berizzi Mach 3 is a manually operated, air-assisted airless spray gun. It achieves exceptionally smooth finishes – at a competitive price.

This spray gun type creates a finer fan pattern than an airless gun. It does this by introducing a small amount of air into the fluid fan to improve atomisation (as well as being atomised at high pressure through an airless tip).

The Berizzi Mach 3 is ideal for spray-coating all types of metal items, from fencing or furniture to machinery.

Reasons for a top rating of the Berizzi Mach 3:

• exceptionally smooth, even finishes
• high-quality Italian construction
• fast and ergonomic
• compatible with air caps and nozzles from other manufacturers, among them Graco, Kremlin and Wagner.

Best automatic spray gun for industrial applications

Our most popular automatic spray gun is the Meite WA200.

Priced from R7,200.

The Meite WA200 is an automatic, air-atomising spray gun, suitable for a broad range of industrial spraying applications.

The main advantages of automatic sprayer over manual units are higher efficiency; consistency; and suitability for larger-scale production.

The Meite WA200 features a robust, hard-wearing design. It weighs just 500 grams, achieves smooth, dense finishes and is competitively priced.

Reasons for a top rating of the Meite WA200:

• a trusted automatic sprayer at an affordable price
• consistently flawless finishes
• high-quality components made of chrome-plated steel
• good durability and long life span
• compatibility with a wide assortment of different nozzles and air caps.

About us at Surface Coating Technologies (SCT)

For close on two decades, SCT has specialised in supplying spraying equipment to customers across South Africa.

We import the latest technology spray equipment from Germany, the United States, Japan, Italy and China. The models we offer range from manual spray guns suitable for residential applications and independent contractors through to large, industrial spray and coating systems.

For more information about the best spray paint guns for sale in South Africa or for help in deciding which spray gun or system best suits your needs, contact us at SCT – we’ll be pleased to help.