The Best Paint Sprayers from Powermate — Buyers Guide, Review, and Comparison
Designed for enthusiastic amateur sprayers and pneumatic newbies alike, the Powermate spray gun range offers blemish-free deliveries and affordable access to the cream of power-painting techniques. Powermate’s extensive product range includes specialized units for automotive and large-scale projects, as well as budget machines and multi-purpose guns. Because the Powermate series all feature a metal build, you’re assured robustness.
- 9.5 cfm at 50 psi.
- Lightweight aluminum construction.
- Complete with a cleaning brush and gun wrench
- Includes regulator and pressure gauge.
Top Powermate Paint Sprayers
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Best Semi-Pro Gun
|
Best Semi-Pro Gun
|
Features
|
Check Price at Amazon Powermate PX P010-0037SP Review Powermate PX P010-0037SP Review | |
|
Best Budget
|
Best Budget
|
Features
|
Check Price at Amazon Powermate 010-0012CT Review Powermate 010-0012CT Review | |
|
Best Multi-Use
|
Best Multi-Use
|
Features
|
Check Price at Amazon Powermate Px P010-0036SP Review Powermate Px P010-0036SP Review | |
|
Best Heavy Duty
|
Best Heavy Duty
|
Features
|
Check Price at Amazon Powermate 010-0013CT Review Powermate 010-0013CT Review | |
|
Best for Automotive
|
Best for Automotive
|
Features
|
Check Price at Amazon Powermate 010-0014SP Review Powermate 010-0014SP Review | |
|
Best Gravity Fed
|
Best Gravity Fed
|
Features
|
Check Price at Amazon Powermate 010-0032PM Review Powermate 010-0032PM Review |
Powermate Spray Gun Buying Guide
Powermate products may lack the potential for upgrades and customizations that higher-end machines allow, but they offer a solid option for the keen amateur who wants a US-manufactured spray gun that isn’t a DIY-centric turbine model.
The Powermate Brand
Powermate could be the largest paint sprayer manufacturer you’ve never heard of, at least in respect to its parent company.
Powermate is owned by MAT Holdings Inc., a business operating from Long Grove, Illinois that generates eye-watering annual revenues in excess of $1.5 billion. That puts MAT on par with the painting-industry big boys — Wagner, SprayIt, and Graco — but without the fame or recognition.
MAT has 31 subsidiaries including ProForce, Industrial Air Contractor, Magna Force, MasterForce, Black Diamond, and naturally, Powermate.
An original equipment manufacturer (OEM), this umbrella company also makes sprayers for third-parties. These guns are sold under in-house brand names associated with home-improvement centers, hardware stores, and farm co-ops.
As a result, you can find identical compressor-powered products under a plethora of different brands.
Operating since 2007 (originally as ‘Coleman’), Powermate’s focus is the air tools niche. It produces compressors, grinders, impact wrenches, and paint sprayers.
While the majority of its painting guns may lack the extreme durability and flexibility associated with the professional market, they provide sufficient capacity for the keen DIY enthusiast. The main issue is that, unlike true top-end units, there is little chance to adapt your machine with additional nozzles, tips, needles, or cups. Basically, what you buy is what you get.
The Powermate Paint Sprayer Product Line
The Powermate line-up of compressor-powered guns includes six products ranging from the budget-end 010-0012CT model through to the tradesman-level P010-0037SP sprayer.
Common features across the gun series are stainless steel construction, metal cups, and 0.25-inch NPS plugs. Typically, these units are designed for specific job purposes or job sizes. Again, this comes down to the inability to tailor each gun through additional parts and accessories.
Why Choose a Powermate Paint Sprayer?
While some pro-users may find the guns somewhat basic, these units may appeal to tradespersons as an affordable back-up option — having a spare means preventing downtime on time-sensitive projects.
In addition to the above, there are other benefits to owning a Powermate gun:
- A US-based company.
- Easy on the wallet.
- Require little knowledge to operate.
- Compatible with most compressors.
- The backing of a large company.
- Robust and durable metal construction.
Our Pick of the Best Powermate Paint Spraying Guns
With a 1.4 mm nozzle and promising ultra-fine atomization, this machine is designed to deliver thinner mediums, such as lacquers, enamels, and automotive paint. If your plan is to latex your living room walls, this isn’t the gun for you.
Paint is gravity-fed from a 20-ounce (591 ml) aluminum paint cup and the unit promises reduced overspray and efficient paint transfer. A stainless steel needle permits the use of both water and solvent-based mediums.
Two metal control dials on the housing allow you to alter both the air input rate and the volume of paint delivery, meaning you can tailor your address to suit your base material.
For peace of mind — and to prevent moans from your wife — the paint container boasts a screw lid. The likelihood of severe spillage is lessened and you should save time on post-project cleanups.
- Angled at the pro-user.
- Ideal for a fine finish.
- Balanced aluminum construction to reduce fatigue and increase accuracy.
- Complete with a gun wrench, extra filter, and cleaning brush.
- Low overspray.
- Includes pressure gauge and regulator.
- Not suitable for viscous mediums.
- Small trigger.
- Cup’s screw lid can be a challenge to attach.
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
No more costly than a cheap night out, the 010-0012CT from Powermate is a back-to-basics spray gun that will work off the smallest of compressors. Requiring just 2.4 cfm at 40 psi, its compressor requirements fall within the scope of most home-style pneumatic units.
That said, the unit incorporates an internal mix spray nozzle that the manufacturer states will deliver latex mediums. Although users find this isn’t the case in real-world applications.
Furthermore, with a straightforward nozzle and no ability to change the air power input, it’s far from ideal for fine finishing work such as automotive respraying.
Siphon-fed from a one-quart (946 ml) cup, you can adjust the volume delivery via a rear-mounted dial. As the trigger space is remarkably small, people who lack finger dexterity may find it difficult to use this gun, gloved hands may also prove problematic.
- No ergonomic handle or knurled grip assists.
- Tight space to fit fingers on the trigger.
- Not ideal for fine finishing work.
- Cannot control airflow.
- No gradient markings on the flow control.
- Lack of metal cup options.
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
Incorporating a 1.8-mm nozzle, this unit is as suited to spraying high viscosity materials such as latex and chalk-based paints as it is propelling thinner liquids like stains and sealers. Furthermore, with the ability to change the airflow, volume delivery, and pattern style, the experienced user can tailor the gun to perfectly suit the medium.
Unusually, a touch of a button allows you to switch the one-quart (946 ml) aluminum cup from siphon-feed to gravity feed without using tools. Switch effortlessly between higher volume delivery modes to finer atomization work.
A stainless steel needle permits the use of solvent and waterborne paints. Plus when your work is complete, straightforward dismantling and the inclusion of a gun wrench and brush mean rapid and thorough cleaning.
- Handle increases grip and reduces vibration.
- Includes a cleaning brush, a wire, and a gun wrench.
- Requires 5-8 cfm at 50-60 psi.
- Robust construction promotes longevity.
- Versatile, ideal for multi-use pro applications.
- No additional smaller tips for the ultimate fine finish.
- The black paint coating is liable to chipping.
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
The stand-out feature of this gun is its suitability for high, medium, and low viscosity coatings (although it will not deliver the finish required for automotive use). This is facilitated through a novel three-way system: siphon-feed/external mix for stains, pressure-feed/external mix for basecoats, and a pressure-feed/internal mix for latex paints.
The aluminum gun and one-quart (946 ml) cup have a brushed chrome finish — which may appeal to those users who consider aesthetics important. That said, if using this machine for intense use as it was designed, it’s questionable how long this attractive look will last.
Pleasingly, the 010-0013CT allows you to adjust both airflow and volume delivery through two straightforward dials. Although, I would suggest that experienced pneumatic spray gurus may find the lack of spray pattern choice disappointing.
- Suited to intense use.
- Novel three-way delivery system.
- Adjustable air and volume control.
- Minimal pressure requirement, 2.4 cfm at 40 psi.
- 0.8-mm nozzle.
- No choice of spray patterns.
- Small trigger.
- Unsuitable for car finishing work.
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
As it’s designed to propel thin to medium viscosity paints from its 1.8-mm tip, it’s not just a vehicle finisher, but will also function as a furniture stainer or sealer. In fact, it’s useful for any application where a truly blemish-free, even coat is essential.
The one-quart (946 ml) siphon-feed container features a unique quick-release lever. This means no awkward unscrewing with gloved or paint-drenched hands and the ability to rapidly replenish the cup and continue with the job in hand.
The external-mix stainless steel nozzle permits the use of water and solvent-based paints for sealing and automotive work respectively. Plus, an air requirement of 5 cfm at 40 psi means this gun is compatible with most home compressors.
A durable plastic-coated handle increases traction in the palm and provides the accuracy that fine-finish applications demand. Furthermore, with both an aluminum gun and paint cup, the 010-0014SP is lightweight at 2.83 pounds, which reduces fatigue on longer jobs
Additionally, both air and medium flow-control dials mean paint delivery is tailorable to the base-materials requirements.
- Non-bleeder gun.
- Ideal for automotive and fine-finish projects.
- Quick-release container.
- Super-fine atomization.
- Choice of spray patterns.
- Not suitable for viscous mediums.
- Front-heavy.
- Requires careful replacement of the container to prevent drips.
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
The 010-0032PM Powermate incorporates a top-mounted one-quart acrylic container for easy cleaning and lightweight wielding. Requiring just 2.4 cfm at 40 psi, this unit is ideal for the home-compressor user.
The unit comes complete with a 1.4-mm stainless steel needle and tip, so it’s most suited to thinner mediums such as lacquers, stains, and enamels. That said, users note it’s liable to overspray, and with no pneumatic control, it lacks the finesse for automotive projects.
While the small two-finger operation may be fatigue-inducing on larger jobs, users with substantial digits may welcome the freedom the top-mounted paint cup provides.
Furthermore, the machine includes an adaptor for Powermate’s Quick-Connect-System (QCS) — a useful feature if you own other Powermate tools.
- Affordably priced.
- Gravity-fed.
- Robust metal construction.
- Choice of spray patterns.
- QCS compatibility.
- 1.4-mm tip.
- Discontinued in 2019 so finding parts may be a challenge.
- Lacks the accurate finish required for automotive work.
- No air pressure control.
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
Conclusion
Affordable, user-friendly, and with a model to suit most spraying applications, the Powermate product line is worthy of consideration by hobbyists and casual pneumatic painting enthusiasts alike.
The range includes some satisfyingly robust and practical units, from the seriously budget 010-0012CT through to the multi-purpose P010-0036SP model.
However, perhaps it’s the semi-pro Powermate P010-0037SP with its low overspray, in-line gauge, and adjustable air pressure dial that’s top of the pile.
Admittedly, the inability to customize or upgrade Powermate spray guns may deter tradespersons. But for the beginner or enthusiastic amateur painter, the
Powermate spray gun line up is worth consideration.
Powermate FAQs
Q: What’s the Difference Between a Coleman Powermate Paint Sprayer vs a Powermate Sprayer?
There is no difference. Coleman was rebranded to become Powermate — the paint sprayers are still made by the same company.
Q: Do Powermate Sprayers Need a Compressor?
Yes. All Powermate spray guns need a pneumatic power source. The company doesn’t manufacture turbine or hydraulic units.
Q: Can I Respray My Car With a Powermate Gun?
Yes, although not all units have the fine atomization and finish for this application. The best gun for vehicle work is the Powermate 010-0014SP model.
Q: What is the Wattage of the Powermate Spray Guns?
As the entirety of the Powermate product line runs on compressors, there’s no wattage considerations.
Q: Can I Use Solvents In Powermate Sprayers?
Yes. Both the internals and cups of the Powermate range can withstand the use of solvent mediums.
Q: How Much Does a Powermate Spray Gun Cost?
The Powermate range delivers affordably priced units for the enthusiastic amateur sprayer. Costs range across different models depending on their features, but as an example, check out their budget model the Powermate 010-0012CT.