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Kill Pesky Weeds With the Best Chemical Sprayers for Your Garden

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By Garden Gate Review Team
Last updated: 17 Feb 2023

Whether weeds have been eating your yard for a while, fertilizer has been a pain in the neck to spread around, or perhaps you’re just taking preventative measures against the ensuing swarm of mosquitos that summer brings. Whatever the reason may be, you need a quality chemical sprayer to help carry out the task effectively and efficiently, with as little direct contact with the chemical product as possible. Keeping it short, you should be opting for chemical sprayers, not just to make your life simpler but the goal here should always be to have control over maintaining your property for years to come. That’s why we’ve put together this buying guide, along with a couple of products based on their durability and efficiency. Every single one of these offers reliable performance and the best results for your lawn. So, without further ado, let’s get you hooked up with the best chemical sprayers in 2023!

Best Overall
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Solo Chemical Sprayer
Buy on Amazon
Check Price on Walmart
Runner-Up
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CHAPIN Chemical Sprayer
Buy on Amazon
Honorable Mention
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D.B Smith Chemical Sprayer
Buy on Amazon
Show contents
Detailing the Best Chemical Sprayers of 2023
  • 1 Solo Chemical Sprayer
  • 2 CHAPIN Chemical Sprayer
  • 3 D.B Smith Chemical Sprayer

The Best Chemical Sprayers: A Buying Guide

What To Look for When Evaluating Chemical Sprayers

Flow rate is seriously important. It’s going to dictate how effectively you use your chemical sprayer, but you don’t want a massive flow rate, either. You already know that chemicals can be extremely expensive, so you want a 0.4 or 0.5 flow rate to help you disperse it evenly across wherever it is you’re spraying, but anything over that, and you could be wasting product without even knowing it.

In accordance with that, you’ll also want to pay attention to the reach. Nobody wants chemical blowback to hit them in the face because of a minor wind. Certain units, like the Smith, can reach up to twenty feet away from the user, giving you more distance between harmful chemicals. This is especially useful if you have a diverse landscape, or you need to spray behind sheds or other hard-to-reach areas.

Our top pick is great, but the only thing it doesn’t have is a long-handled spray nozzle. The long handle not only allows you to make good on the spray length but helps you retain better control and grip. One hand on the reservoir, one hand on the spray nozzle, and you’ll feel like a professional pest control technician. Longer nozzles also tend to have accompanying components that maintain better pressure regulation, so you’ll spend less time pressurizing your tank and more time actually spraying.

Last but not least, look towards the reservoir capacity. If you have a large yard, something over an acre or so, you’re not exactly going to have a fun time with the simple one-liter capacity of our top pick, the Solo. Instead, you might opt for something with a one-gallon tank to help you keep more chemicals on you, and spend less time refilling and pressurizing your tank. Capacity matters, but it’s the least important attribute.

Having a large reservoir capacity is great, but how do you know how much chemical spray you should fill it up with? Check out the Grass Doctor’s advice in the video below.

 

 

What Else Should You Know About Chemical Sprayers?

The excellent thing about chemical sprayers is that they’re relatively cheap, regardless of what brand you go with. Even when you go for a longer hose, extended nozzle, or higher volume tank, they’re all within a fairly close price range. The main thing to look out for during shopping is brand accountability and recognition. If they’re not recognizing problems with their products, they aren’t worth your time.

Mistakes happen, both in manufacturing and during personal use. Having a rock-solid warranty from a brand you trust is key during shopping. Every chemical sprayer runs into similar problems: clogged lines, pressurization loss over time, and things of that nature, choosing a well-renowned brand’s product in this regard can minimize the issues.

When dealing with potentially hazardous chemicals it’s recommended to have two separate tanks for your chemical sprayers. One tank should be strictly for pesticides.  The second tank should be for herbicides only. It’s very important to always keep your sprayers clean and in good working condition. Here are three simple steps to help you to keep your tanks clean:

  • Safely empty all the chemicals that are left in the tank.
  • Weekly you should fill up the tank with soapy water and rinse.
  • Spray the soapy water completely just like you would with chemicals. This will effectively clean all your sprayer parts within such as the tank, nozzle, and hose.

Our main goal is to always provide you with open, honest, unbiased reviews and insight into the chemical sprayers that you want. We are not taking any sponsorship from any manufacturers, so you can rest assured that you’re getting first-hand reviews and genuine information you need with no hidden agenda.

If you’ve already completed your own research, and you’re feeling ready to purchase a chemical sprayer, please check out all the products listed above for our top chemical sprayer picks. If you’d like to know more before deciding, read our benefits of a chemical sprayer below.   

What Are the Benefits of Chemical Sprayers?

You don’t have to manually put chemicals on your lawn any longer. Chemical sprayers help you evenly disperse your necessary yard chemicals so you’re not coming into direct skin-to-skin contact with these harmful substances. Do they help your lawn? Yes. Will they do anything nice for your skin? Definitely not. For safety’s sake, a sprayer is your best friend.

But it does more than that. That even distribution also lets you minimize waste. When you place chemicals on your lawn by hand, you’re using concentrated amounts, and even then there’s a need to use containers to pace things up. On the other hand, sprayers can help save you money, and compared to less efficient methods, they’ll pay for themselves within a year.

We wouldn’t recommend getting electric-operated chemical sprayers for your yard. These have become popular in recent years, but you really only need a manually pressurized sprayer to get the job done. For that reason, chemical sprayers are one of the most low-maintenance pieces of lawn gear that you’ll ever own.

Lastly, you can also reach further with your sprayer, and cut down your overall time spent on the task at hand. Regardless of the nozzle length, just about every sprayer can reach a minimum of ten feet in front of you, while most can reach between fifteen and twenty-five. You cover more ground, and with that distance, you’re also able to get into hard-to-reach spots that would otherwise elude you.

Detailing the Best Chemical Sprayers of 2023

1

Solo Chemical Sprayer

– Best Overall
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Buy on Amazon
Check Price on Walmart

This pressure-activated sprayer is basically up for any task because it has such simplistic moving parts – wear and tear should be the last of your concerns. Simply apply pressure on the red trigger at the ergonomic handle and grip, and you’re maintaining your yard like never before. You get a total of one liter of internal capacity, as well as a drip guard to ensure nothing gets on your hands or lands in concentrated doses to kill any healthy grass.

 
 
Key Features

We’re big fans of non-electric sprayers because the task doesn’t have to be overly complicated or include extension cables running through the yard. The only issue with the Solo sprayer is that the drip guard makes it difficult to adjust the nozzle projection, but the nozzle itself gets just about every single drop of solution out of the basin so you’re not left with an awkward volume at the end. Either way, it’s durable and simple to use; we’re vouching for it!

 
Pros
  • Produces a very fine mist
  • Holds more than enough liquid
  • Continous spraying ability with the lock-on trigger
  • Multi-angle nozzle ensures effective and controlled spraying application
Cons
  • The nozzle swivles up or down – a bit hard to adjust
  • There’s no pressure relief value
2

CHAPIN Chemical Sprayer

– Runner-Up
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Buy on Amazon

One full gallon in your tank and a translucent exterior to actively monitor your remaining chemical volume. That’s all pretty great, but Chapin’s real star of the show is its price point. If you’ve never owned a chemical sprayer in the past, this is the perfect introductory unit to help you understand just what you’re dealing with. You get a rather far-reaching spray with an agreeable spray rate, as well as an in-tank filter to help keep everything as smooth as possible. The long-reaching nozzle and pressure handle also help with farther reach. You’ll love spraying your yard with this good boy!

 
 
Key Features

Chapin is often compared to Smith, and for good reason. It maintains good pressure and has clear volume markings! However, it’s going to clog after every third use if you’re not actively taking care of it regularly. So, it’s important that you proactively take care of the tank. In a nutshell, the CHAPIN 20000 Chemical Sprayer gets the job doneand mimics the same reach and flow rate as competitors. If you’re willing to put the time into maintenance, this is a great pick!

 
Pros
  • It has an adjustable, easily-maneuvering nozzle
  • The wand is easy to reach into bushes/small trees
  • Has a convenient funnel top
Cons
  • Not 100% safe to use with toxic subtances
3

D.B Smith Chemical Sprayer

– Honorable Mention
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Buy on Amazon

This one gets a little more technical than the Solo sprayer, but does exactly what you need it to with little-to-no problems along the way. You get an extended nozzle that helps you keep a safe distance from the chemical product, while also letting you reach into narrow areas and higher spaces. You simply fill the container up, pressurize it and spray wherever you need to. No electricity, just a simple solution that lets you conquer the yard, and spray pesticides and bug killers like it’s nobody’s business. 

 
 
Key Features

Even though you’re instructed to clean out the nozzle and chemical basin after every use, nobody really does that. Smith anticipated that and somehow made this super easy to not clog, even after extended use. The only problem is that when it does eventually clog, it’s a right pain in the rear to unscrew, clean it and replace it. If the valve breaks, it’s cheaper to buy an entirely new unit than it is to get replacement parts, which is the one area Smith lacks in. This Chemical Sprayer by Smith will work fantastic with soluble fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, pesticides, and more! It is sturdy and strong and won’t get dinged up by knocks, impact, or drops. The poly wand is 15″ long and flexible. TIt’he nozzle extends its reach, improving the overall maneuverability!

 
Pros
  • Comes with a poly-adjustable nozzle
  • It’s very light-weight, low-costing sprayer
  • Super-easy to clean/Rarely clogs
  • It’s corrosion-free
  • Seamlessly packs a very heavy-duty built
Cons
  • The spray nozzle needs readjustment after each use
  • The hoze is permanently attached instead of screwing on

People Also Asked

Q: Manual Chemical Sprayers vs. Electric Sprayers: Which one is better?

A: The electric garden sprayers are a relatively new phenomena as compared to manual chemical sprayers. However, they're definitely worth a try. Especially since they provide the ease to carry out longer spraying sessions in wider areas without breaking a sweat. They're more expensive and weigh more than your manual sprayers.  

Q: How long do chemical sprayers last?

A: While the answer lies in a bit of grey, the life of your sprayer ultimately depends upon its sturdiness, built, and the wear-and-tear it goes through. Normally, even the most distinguished sprayers would only last for maximum 1-3 years, given that you've used them with care. 

Q: Can I use my paint sprayer to disinfect/sanitize?

A: You can do that but we won't suggest it. See, the atomization produced by most paint sprayers is very ardent, making the disinfectants, sanitizers, and other chemicals less-effective. It'll also cause the disinfectant to become airborne, harming the people nearby. However, if it ruffles your truffle, you can always use a chemical spray as your paint spray. 

Q: How often should I wash my sprayer?

A: While many of us get lazy about this, you should ideally wash your sprayer right after each session. However, even if you are to leave the chemical inside overnight, make sure your sprayer isn't pressurized or it may turn into a lethal hazard. 

Garden Tools
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By Garden Gate Review Team
The Garden Gate Review Team’s product reviews and in-depth guides are here to help you choose the best products for a beautiful and bountiful garden and backyard. The content is created by The Garden Gate Review Team. Garden Gate’s editorial staff is not involved. Garden Gate is reader-supported: When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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