You have had enough of the typical paintbrush and paint roller, you want to maximize efficiency, after some research you determine using a paint sprayer can save you time and energy. I have been down this path in the past, I have watched video after video just imagining what it would be like to get my hands on a paint sprayer. Of course, I didn’t want to spend a fortune on one so I opted out for a good HVLP spray gun.
Initially, I purchased the Wagner Flexio 590, and I taught myself how to use the sprayer properly. After a year or so, I found the HomeRight Super Finish Max spray gun, I eventually clicked add to cart and in no time it was at my doorstep.
I have owned my Wagner Flexio paint sprayer for almost 2 years, and I have owned the HomeRight Super Finish Max for 6 months. I have experience with both sprayers and I want to express my personal opinion about what I like and dislike about each sprayer. Furthermore, I am going to go into detail about the new models that Wagner provides that are very similar to my Flexio 590 version.
Wagner Flexio 590
When I purchased the Wagner Flexio 590 it came in a plastic black storage box and it included:
- iSpray Nozzle (Designed for walls and siding)
- Detail Finish Nozzle and parts (Designed for small project and a smooth finish)
- The Sprayer Handle (Includes the engine turbine, this is the main piece)
- 2 Paint Containers and Suction Tubes (for each nozzle)
- Cleaning Brush Tool
- Petroleum Jelly (lubricant for nozzle attachement)
- Spare Nozzle Head for iSpray Nozzle
- Extra Turbine Filters
- Manual
- Practice Spray Sheet
I will briefly explain how the Wagner Flexio 590 works, going over the parts and what nozzle I use most.
iSpray Nozzle
When I first purchased this paint sprayer I started by using the iSpray nozzle, which is much larger and can hold a lot more paint. Since I paint furniture this was a huge mistake. I was spraying too much paint and wasting a lot of paint. The iSpray Nozzle is designed for painting walls and exterior siding. I would use it for both of those projects and also any projects where you need to cover a lot of area with paint, like if you were painting a large fence as an example. Avoid spraying stains and thin products through the iSpray Nozzle.
The iSpray Nozzle on the older model that I have has a red adjustable spray width lever on the tip of the nozzle that you can slide one way or the other, this makes your spray a pattern a thinner spray, or a wider spray. The newer models, like the new 590 or the 3000, have a similar red adjustable piece just behind the nozzle spray tip that you slide one way or the other to adjust the spray pattern width. In simple terms, the spray pattern width is how wide your paint will spray coming out of the gun, it is not the direction of the spray.
When it comes to the direction of your spray, this is when you adjust your horizontal and verticle spray tip piece. This is where both your paint and air is coming out of the sprayer. The older Flexio 590 has multiple pieces that connect, which is called the adjustment ring, while the new models have one large yellow cap that you attach. Both models have the ability to twist, you can set your sprayer up to spray vertically or horizontally, but keep in mind that when your paint sprayer is set up horizontally it sprays paint vertically, this means you paint horizontally. When your spray tip on the sprayer is set vertically it sprays paint horizontally, made for spraying a project vertically. It sounds super confusing and this is where most people make mistakes when they start spraying with a spray gun. Above is a screenshot from the Wagner manual my Sprayer came with, it explains quite well. If still confused, you can watch my YouTube video and it will give a much better visual understanding of how you set up the spray patterns.
Detail Finish Nozzle
The Wagner Detail Finish Nozzle is much smaller than the iSpray nozzle and is designed for smaller projects. I use this one when I spray my furniture, it provides me with a smooth finish and I can also spray my water-based poly with it too. This Detail Finish Nozzle can be used on trim and cabinets, really any smaller project that does not require a lot of paint and when you are seeking a smoother finish.
There is no red adjustable lever piece for spray width on the Detain Finish Nozzle, you only have the blue cap that can be twisted for different spray patterns, vertical or horizontal, which I explained above in the iSpray section.
When Using Both Spray Nozzles
On both nozzles, there is a material control setting. The older model has the same control knob on both nozzles and it can be found behind the trigger, this knob spins clockwise for more paint and spins counter-clockwise for less paint coming from the gun as you spray. I keep my material flow as low as I can when I spray with the detail nozzle so I don’t have dripping paint lines. How this setting works is that the adjustment knobs are limiting how far back your trigger can be pulled back, making less or more material able to flow out.
The main part of the gun includes the handle and the turbines. The turbines suck air into the gun which eventually makes its way through the sprayer and out through the air cap ears, which the air is also helping spray the paint. On both newer and older Flexio models you have a spray dial on top of the spray gun, this ranges from 1-9 and is called the “X-boost Power Dial”. The higher in number the more air power, designed for thicker products like latex paints. The lower the number it is designed for stains and thin oil-based products. However, after much use, I tend to keep my settings around the 7 mark on the dial when I paint furniture with paint and then water-based polyurethane. When the settings are super low the paint clumps out of the sprayer and it would ruin your painting project.
I test spray before every project to make sure settings are working properly. It can change depending on the product being used, temperatures you are spraying in, and how much you thin a product before spraying.
HomeRight Super Finish Max
When I purchased the HomeRight Super Finish Max it came in a cardboard box and it included:
- 3 Brass Spray Tips (1.5mm Blue, 4mm Red, 2mm Green)
- 2 Air Caps (Yellow: Wide Spray, Black: Fine Spray)
- 450 Watt Paint Sprayer
- Small Wrench for Spray Tips
- Large Paint Container
- Paint Container Cap
- Manual
- Cleaning Brush
If you didn’t know, I have already conducted a full detailed review of the HomeRight Super Finish Max that you can read here. I have also done a full video on the sprayer that you can find in that article review, so feel free to check it out. I will still go over the gun quickly in this article below.
This sprayer includes one spray nozzle but it has 3 different spray tips for different materials. The blue spray tip is for stains and polyurethanes, which would be thinner products. While the red is for thick primers and latex paints. And for the spray tip I use, the green one, it is designed for chalk paints, latex paints, and milk paints. I have also used water-based polyurethane in it and had great results. The spray tips are installed using the included wrench, in my YouTube video you can watch the full process.
There are 2 spray caps included with this spray gun, one is yellow and one is black. I only use the black one because it is designed for fine spraying, great for my furniture projects. The yellow is a wide spray cap, which is great for walls and fences outdoors, basically, if you don’t care as much about a smooth fine finish and want to paint faster then use the yellow air cap.
When spraying this paint sprayer, the patterns are the same as the Wagner Flexio paint sprayers. So, if you set your sprayer air cap horizontally, the paint will spray in a tall vertical spray, and this is great for going back and forth on a project. If you spray up and down with a vertical spray this means all that paint is going to add up and drip super quickly. And vice-versa for a vertical set up.
When it comes to power and flow control, there is one dial on the spray gun. This has a + and a – which is quite straightforward to follow, the more you go up to the plus the more paint, dialing towards the minus the less paint. I like to start low and begin making my way up.
Without any more explanation and mini reviewing of each paint sprayer, let’s get into the detailed comparison of these sprayers.
Wagner Flexio 590 Vs HomeRight Super Finish Max
Physical Appearance
When you look at these guns they are obviously quite different looking. The Wagner Flexio series is yellow, black, and red while the HomeRight Super Finish Max is all blue and black. The main difference between the Wagner and HomeRight is that the nozzle on the HomeRight is not removable. You can only remove the paint container, the air caps/spray tips are interchangeable. While the Wagner has 2 spray nozzles used for different products, they are both removable.
Overall, the shape of the gun is slightly different from one another. However, they both have turbines in the back of the sprayer and they both hold and suction paint in the same way. They are likely simialry designed in this fashion because after doing more research on these 2 products I found out that HomeRight is owner by Wagner. So similar technology is used to design and operate each sprayer.
A negative about the HomeRight is that since there is only one paint container for the Super Finish Max you can’t choose to use a small container. But the Wagner Flexio Detail Finish Nozzle has a smaller container, which I prefer for smaller projects. When the container is larger you are wasting a lot of product during the cleaning phase. I think it would be a big plus if there was a smaller container option for the HomeRight sprayer.
Performance and Ease of Use
A major difference between these sprayers is that you can choose the sprayer power on the Wagner using the X-Boost power dial, but there is not a power dial on the HomeRight. They both have flow dials choosing how much paint leaves the sprayer, but I feel this material flow dial on the HomeRight changes the power feeling as you dial it too, at least it feels like it. This could just be how much air is allowed through as well making the spray feel like more power.
To compare how easy the sprayers are to use as a beginner I have to give it to HomeRight. The setup is easier and to get paint to spray cleaner/smoother is also easier. You can change the dial on the HomeRight and this makes the paint outcome change dramatically, so you just search for the proper setting. On the Wagner, if your paint is too thick or thin your issues are hard to fix on the gun itself. The Wagner needs the proper paint-to-water formula, but the HomeRight is more forgiving and you can get away with thicker paints.
They both can spray great results, I have had success with both on my furniture projects, but you need to practice with both. I have the older Wagner Flexio 590 and clearly, the flow dial was an issue because the new models have a new material flow dials. But I would always keep the flow as low as I could or I would spray too much at a time. The paint sometimes spits out as you start painting, so I would spray the wall before my project to prevent clumps of material. This likely has to do with the spray tips. The Wagner spray tips are plastic while the HomeRight spray tips are brass. Brass seems to win, which makes it easier to get a smoother spray result with less spitting from the sprayer. This is more of an issue with thin materials in the Wagner sprayer, I have bad results when using polyurethane, every time you stop spraying for a few seconds, when you begin again it sprays out huge clumps. While the HomeRight does not have such an issue, I still always start my spray about a foot away from my project then move towards it. The Wagner is just wasting a lot more product when compared to the HomeRight.
Cleaning Process
The Wagner Flexio 590 is the winner when it comes to cleaning. Having the ability to remove the nozzle completely and take it to the sink is amazing. Just to explain the recommended way these sprayers are meant to be cleaned, first, you empty your paint from the sprayer paint container back into the original paint product can. Then you rinse the container out with water, fill it up with water and spray the water through the gun as if you were using the gun. You can spray into a large bucket or out on the grass, but this will get a bit of paint on your lawn.
The reason why I chose Wagner as a complete winner when it comes to cleaning is that you do not have to follow those steps, they take longer and they can get messy. Since the Wagner nozzles are removable from the main part of the sprayer (where the turbines are), you can just soak the nozzle in water and use the brush cleaning tool. With warm water put through the sprayer, it completely cleans it out and it can be ready for your next project.
This process is so much faster than the HomeRight, you have to go through it to truly understand the difference. Also, if you are spraying inside during the winter and you can’t go outside to spray the water out to clean, you have to use the bucket method. The bucket works, but it can also shoot the water up into the air making a huge mess. My video will explain and show you both of the cleaning processes.
My solution for making the HomeRight a better candidate for cleaning is having 2 paint containers, so I ordered an extra one. Since the containers have sealable tops, they are designed to hold the paint and keep them fresh for multiple coats, but I realized it made no sense to only have one because you need another container or their rapid cleaning tool to clean the sprayer out or the insides will clump up with dry paint between coats. It still needs to be sprayed out with this method but it speeds things up.
Cost
When it comes to the prices of these products I can say that when I purchased the HomeRight Super Finish Max it costed me less to buy than the Wagner Flexio 590 did. It is best to compare the prices online yourself so here are links to the latest prices for both below:
Wagner Flexio 590 – CLICK FOR LATEST PRICE
HomeRight Super Finish Max – CLICK FOR LATEST PRICE
Wagner Flexio 590 vs HomeRight Super Finish Max Comparison Chart
Wagner Flexio 590 | HomeRight Super Finish Max | |
Spray Nozzles | (2) iSpray and Detail Finish | (1) Non-Removable Nozzle |
Air Caps | Both Wide and Fine | Both Wide and Fine Available (2 Nozzles) |
Spray Tips | One Plastic | Three Brass Spray Tips |
Material Flow Dial | Trigger Knob Adjustment (older model was poor quality) | A Plus & Minus Dial (hard to read) |
Power Adjustment | X-Boost Power Dial (9 settings) | No power dial setting |
Storage Box | Black Plastic Box Included | Cardboard Box Only |
Power Cord Length | 6 feet | 20 inches |
Cleaning Difficulty | Easy and Quick (nozzles are removable) | Slow Process (must spray water) |
What’s The Verdict?
In my opinion, for an easier sprayer as a beginner, the HomeRight Super Finish Max wins. If you are new and have never used a paint sprayer before you are more likely to get better results with HomeRight faster than you would with the Wagner Flexio 590. I feel this is because the brass spray tips make the spray results smoother and easier to achieve. While if you improperly thin paints in the Wagner you will get terrible results.
However, when it comes to speed and efficiency, I can paint a project in much less time using the Wagner Flexio 590 because my cleaning times are cut in half. If you have ever used a paint sprayer, you would know cleaning is typically what takes the most time. Time is important to me, so I like using the Wagner for the quick cleaning process. This comes in handy during the winter months, when I can go outside to quickly spray the water out.
Both paint sprayers can produce great results, I feel when it comes to painting the HomeRight Super Finish Max sprays paint smoother and it is easier/quicker to get the settings correct. The Wagner Flexio requires more practice/test sprays to get the paint and settings correct. Although for water-based polyurethane, I can get great results with both sprayers quickly and efficiently.
Overall, when it comes down to it I like both of these HVLP spray guns, and since I have so much experience with both of them I know how to get great results no matter which sprayer I am using. I remember the first time I used the HomeRight I could remember how easy it was to use, I think that is a huge plus for new buyers. For me, if I were to choose a paint sprayer I think I would just pick up my Wagner Flexio 590 because I can get things done faster, but deep down I think the results with the HomeRight Super Finish Max are just better.
The real choice is up to you to decide what option sounds better. Both will work great, but what characteristics catch your eye most?
Where to Buy These Paint Sprayers?
You can find both of these paint sprayers on Amazon. I have the older Wagner Flexio 590 that is available on Amazon, but you may as well get the newer edition here – New Wagner Flexio 590 Paint Sprayer. You can click here to see the HomeRight Super Finish Max on Amazon. Keep in mind these are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission if you buy the products from these links.
I hope this detailed comparison of each sprayer has helped your decision-making, if you enjoyed this information make sure to head over to my YouTube channel to leave a comment and subscribe to the channel.