On our blog we love getting insight from our readers on some of their experience with a wide variety of paint sprayers. The next case study we will look at is the Ryobi Paint Station vs. the Graco Truecoat Plus.
While Graco is among the powerhouses in the painting industry, Ryobi paint sprayers are more of a newcomer in the field. Many people choose Ryobi tools in the general because they make for a cheaper alternative then higher priced tools. Let’s see what these consumers have to say about these two sprayers.
Review of the Ryobi Paint Station
Customer: Marty Biggs
Paint Sprayer: Ryobi Paint Station RAP200G
Reason for Purchase: Mr. Biggs works as a home designer for a large real estate company in Beufort, SC. Due to the weather conditions in his part of the country, Marty is usually outside 12 months a year doing a variety of things to new homes and also repainting and redesigning older homes.
Marty wanted an inexpensive paint sprayer and he felt that the Ryobi Paint Station was a good choice as he has used other Ryobi tools in the past and feels that they are a quality brand. Here what Marty has to say in his Ryobi Paint Station review
Ryobi Paint Station Review
I am a home designer and I was looking for a product that allowed me to paint inside and outside. I have used a paint sprayer in the past; but it didn’t have the ability to work outdoors. When I saw the 8 inch wheels on the Ryobi paint station, I decided to give it a try. I thought that the wheels would make it easy to move around and I was right. I use a few Ryobi powertools on a daily basis and feel that they have improved tremendously with their products over the past few years.
The Ryobi Paint Station
The Ryobi paint station comes with a 25 foot high pressure fluid hose and 8 inch rubber wheels. No dilution is required if you are using un-thinned latex and/or oil-based materials. The items that are included in the paint station include a container lid, 1 elastic strap, pistol-grip sprayer, 515 reversible tip, external feed roller, roller, roller handle, and an operator’s manual.
Pros of the Ryobi Paint Station
Easy to move around– The best part about the paint station is that it’s easy to move around thanks to the eight inch wheels. The wheels don’t get stuck or caught in rocks outside.
No dilution required– I loved the fact that I didn’t have to dilute the un-thinned latex and oil-based materials. This saved me a ton of time and made clean-up a lot easier.
Variable pressure control– The variable pressure control prevents you from over spraying. It is specially designed to meet the pressure requirements based off of the material you are painting. This is perfect for people who are painting for the first time.
Simple instructions– I found that the operator’s manual provided easy to follow instructions. They were definitely helpful when I was initially setting up the paint station. And I was painting within less than one hour. It’s easy to clean up and put away which is great for my job. It allows me to clean up shop and move the paint station to my next location quickly.
Can be used for multiple projects and purposes– The Ryobi paint station can be used for multiple purposes. It has the ability to paint both the inside and outside of your home. A quick and inexpensive update for my clients is to repaint the shingles. The new color can add some customization and charm to the curb appeal of a home. And it doesn’t cost a lot of money. I always recommend this option for my clients who want to improve the outside of their home but can’t afford an entire paint job.
Solid customer service– Even though one of the attachments were missing when the paint station first arrived, I called Ryobi and they sent me the missing part. I loved the fact that the company responded quickly to my request.
Cons of the Ryobi Paint Station
It doesn’t come with enough options– I disliked the fact that I had to purchase separate spray tips at a local home improvement store. Even though the spray tips weren’t expensive, the spray station could still include more options.
Slightly Bulky– I love that the Ryobi Paint Station has wheels, but this is also a disadvantage to this paint sprayer. I previously owned a Wagner paint sprayer and it was easy to transport, the Ryobi Paint Station is hard to fit in the back of a smaller car and only works if you have a work truck or van available.
Overall Ryobi Paint Station Review: Overall, I would give this paint station an eight out of ten. The best feature is the fact that it’s easy to move around. But I disliked the fact that I had to purchase separate spray tips for certain projects.
Review of the Graco Truecoat Plus
Customer: Brock Flowers
Paint Sprayer: Graco Truecoat Plus
Reason for Purchase: Brock lives in New England and bought the Graco Truecoat Plus to help him with some basic DIY projects around the house. Since his house is very old, Brock wanted to repaint much of it over the Spring and Summer since he has very little time during the week. Brock has very little experience and painting besides some basic skills.
Graco Truecoat Plus Review
Last year, I finished my doctorate and bought my first home. I loved older homes because they have a lot of charm. And I decided to purchase a traditional New England styled home. I love my new place but I desperately need to change the color in some of the rooms.
The Graco Truecoat Plus spray gun comes with a 32 ounce cup and three cup liners. Both narrow and wide pattern reversible tips give you the ability to choose the pressure of the gun before you spray.
Pros of the Graco Truecoat Plus
It saves a significant amount of time– The best part about this spray gun is that it saved me a significant amount of time. I 
work a full-time job and am extremely busy. Using the spray gun allowed me to complete multiple projects in one weekend. I am relieved that I didn’t try to use traditional rollers and paint brushes in order to complete my projects.
An amazing DIY tool– Another thing that I really like about this spray gun is that it’s an amazing DIY tool. I would rather rely on myself and paint my own home versus hiring a contractor and inviting a stranger into my space.
Shoulder strap helped me feel comfortable while I painted– An added bonus of this spray gun is that it comes with a shoulder strap. The shoulder strap helped me feel comfortable while I painted. Despite the fact that I spent almost four hours painting in one day, I never felt uncomfortable or sore.
Perfectly smooth application– The application of the paint is practically perfect. Despite the fact that the spray gun saved me a ton of time, the results were great. I was definitely impressed with the fact that I could get a perfectly smooth application without spending days on the project.
Three cup liners– I loved the fact that this spray gun came with three different cup liners. This helped me get more rooms done in a shorter period of time.
Easy to clean up– I was surprised at how easy this paint sprayer was to clean up. This differs from paint sprayers that require you to fill up buckets or use a hose. The fact that it was really easy to clean up allowed me to complete rooms and move on to other projects.
Cons of the Graco Truecoat Plus
It has to be plugged in– One of the things that I didn’t like about this spray gun is that it had to be plugged in. This differs from cordless models that allow you to easily move and maneuver the machine while you paint. I think I would like to have a cordless graco paint sprayer in addition to this item as there are random times I like to go outside and paint and having a cord makes this impossible.
Limited flow control– Despite the fact that this spray gun comes with two application options, the company still needs to offer more. The amount of paint that you use and the rate at which it is applied should depend on the size of the project, the type of paint that you are using, and the item that you are painting.
Overall review of the Graco Truecoat Plus
Overall, I would give this spray gun a seven out of ten. The fact that it had to be constantly plugged in was a problem because it was hard to reach certain spots. Sometimes I had to stop what I was doing and plug the cord into an alternative outlet.
The Ryobi Paint Station vs. Graco Truecoat Plus Final Debate
While both users have different needs they each ranked their respective paint sprayers pretty high, Marty Biggs gave the Ryobi Paint Station an 8 out of 10, while Brock Flowers gave the Graco Truecoat a 7 out of 10. As you can see purchasing a corded paint sprayer can be problematic for some users as they find the cord cumbersome and it does not give the user the ability to move freely around their painting area.