Are ANEST IWATA Spray Guns the Best? 2 Other Brands to Consider

The ANEST IWATA Spray Gun is it the Best? 2 Other Brands to Consider - Author - Andy Potts October 27th 2020 (reading time 2 mins)

iwata spray gun

An Iwata Spray Gun - Gravity type

It's true - you get what you pay for, and when you buy an ANEST IWATA spray gun you can be sure you're getting quality and reliability. But it's not the only brand to consider. DeVilbiss and SATA also manufacture guns that may better suit your finishing needs and budget.

But, before we compare the top brands on the market, we'll take a quick look at the different types of spray gun feed system, their typical uses and their pros and cons. If we're teaching you to suck eggs, feel free to skip the section below. But if you don't know your gravity-feed your pressure-feed, take a quick look. It will help you to spend your money wisely.

What are the different methods of feeding paint into a spray gun?

Gravity-feed spray guns

iwata spray gun

The paint reservoir sits on top of a gravity-feed spray gun, hence the name. The unit is designed to produce a fine finish.

Pros:

Extremely precise
No overspray
Easy cleanup
Portable
More affordable than a pressure-feed system
No paint wasted

Cons:

The product must be able to flow well under gravity alone - not suitable for heavy-bodied coatings
Needs an add-on system for effective spraying upside down
Not well-suited to high-volume work

Suitable for:

Automotive car repairs
Touch-ups on bigger projects
Colour matching for a production layout
Small joinery projects

Suction-feed spray guns

iwata spray gun

A suction-feed system houses the paint reservoir underneath the spray gun. The air within the reservoir becomes compressed, creating a vacuum that siphons paint up and into the gun.

Pros:

Atomisation occurs naturally via the air used to feed product to the gun
Portable
Can be used upside down and at awkward angles

Cons:

Limited control over atomisation air supplied to the gun
Not well suited to heavy-bodied materials

Suited to:

Wood finishing
Specialised coatings, metallic paint and pigments
Touch-up work in metal finishing projects

Pressure-feed spray guns

A pressure feed gun houses the paint in a separate pressure tank that feeds into the gun via a hose.

Pros:

When used with a dual-regulated pressure tank, you can control fluid and air pressure separately, giving great spray control
Suited to products of any viscosity
Designed for high-volume (tanks can hold 2-40 litres)
Coatings that do not have a limited pot life can remain in the tank between spray jobs
The gun is more manoeuvrable and lighter than gravity and suction systems

Cons:

Greater outlay than gravity suction systems - requires a tank and second hose for fluid pressure
Additional kit to clean up - tank and second hose

Suited to:

Latex paints, stains, sealers, topcoats, long-life epoxies, zincs, and lacquers
High-volume production
Heavy-bodied coatings

Iwata spray gun vs 2 other brands

ANEST IWATA

ANEST IWATA is a manufacturer that believes in building equipment that is both efficient and powerful - reducing costs and environmental impact while increasing finish quality.

Two IWATA guns of particular note are the Chrome Flash and the W400, which offers unbeatable quality and reliability. Both products have fewer moving parts than equivalent models, giving them three specific advantages:

Fewer parts to go wrong or need replacing
Less incidence of downtime due to malfunction
Easier to take apart, clean and service

The Chrome Flash and W400 fall into the mid-range price bracket, offering superb value for money compared to brands like SATA.

IWATA Spray Gun - Chrome Flash highlights

Wide range of nozzle sizes to suit the majority of applications
Stainless steel internal wet parts to prevent corrosion
HTE (high-transfer efficient) technology for high application speeds and minimal overspray

Buy Iwata ChromeFlash Now>>

IWATA Spray Gun - W400 highlights

Easy to use
Superior atomisation
Lightweight and ergonomic design to reduce hand fatigue
Stainless steel internal wet parts to prevent corrosion
HTE technology for high application speeds and minimal overspray
Ideal for medium to large paint jobs in the auto & wood refinish industry

Buy Iwata W400 Now>>

DeVilbiss

Back in 1888, Toledo, Ohio physician, Dr Allen DeVilbiss did an experiment. He combined a bulb, some tubing, and the base of an oil can to create the first atomiser for healthcare. In 1907, DeVilbiss Jr. followed in his father's footsteps and designed a spray gun to meet the challenges of automotive refinishing. It was a revolutionary technology that increased productivity in manufacturing, created new jobs and produced superior quality finishes.

Today, DeVilbiss is a company that continues to manufacture high-quality spray guns. Its parts aren't always as reliable as alternative brands, but the higher-end models are good guns when used for low-volume production.

Buy Devilbiss Now >>

SATA

SATA is the Tesla of spray equipment. It manufactures high-end auto spray guns at high-end prices that won't disappoint. If you need to achieve superior quality lacquer finishes and topcoats, it's worth investing in SATA products.

Which spray gun is best for you?

Most paint shops will get everything they need from an IWATA W400 spray gun. It's a reliable gun, easy to clean and produces a high-quality finish at a reasonable price. You might want to consider a DeVilbiss for low volume production, or if a superior finish is a must, opt for a Wager or SATA.