Question about cheap vs expensive paint sprayers for a fence job

I dropped $60 on a handheld sprayer from Harbor Freight last month to paint my 150-foot fence. It worked okay for the first 20 feet then clogged like crazy. My neighbor let me borrow his $400 Graco and it finished the rest in 2 hours without any issues. Is the expensive stuff really worth it for a one-time project, or did I just pick the wrong cheap model? Anybody else had better luck with a budget sprayer?

2 comments

2 Comments

spencer_ross1mo ago

Used to be all about the budget stuff until I borrowed a buddies Graco for my fence. Night and day difference, won't go back now.

fisher.diana1mo ago

Oh man, I think this falls into that whole "buy cheap or buy right" trap that gets us every time. Like when I grabbed a $20 blender and it smoked out after three smoothies, then my cousin's $80 one still runs like new after five years. It's just one of those things where sometimes the cheap stuff is fine for a quick job but falls apart when you actually need it to work. For a fence that big, that Graco likely saved you hours of frustration and probably paid for itself in time alone.