Every battery backpack sprayer and mist blower gets a score from 0 to 100% built from six factors, which maps onto the 5-point rating shown on the site (a 0% score would be 1.5 stars; a perfect score, 5). Each factor is scored against fixed reference points, not against the other products in the list, so adding a new model never moves another model’s rating. Products are grouped into battery sprayers under 4 gallons, battery sprayers of 4 gallons and up, and mist blowers, and use the same scale in every group. Two factors measure different things for sprayers and for mist blowers, as described below.
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Value | price per gallon of tank | 25% |
| Tank size | chemical tank capacity | 10% |
| Spray power | maximum pressure for sprayers, horizontal mist reach for mist blowers | 20% |
| Runtime or airflow | runtime per charge for sprayers, airflow for mist blowers | 20% |
| Features | battery included, pressure control, nozzles, metal wand, agitator and gauge (sprayers); dosage control, dusting and anti-vibration (mist blowers) | 15% |
| Warranty | warranty length | 10% |
Where the numbers come from
Tank size, pressure, runtime, airflow, reach, features and warranty come from the maker’s spec sheet, product page or manual, or the maker’s own copy on a retail listing. Where a maker’s figures conflict, the maker’s own spec page wins over its retail copy; otherwise the more conservative figure is used, and the product page says so. Prices are checked at the stores the page links to, and the lowest is used.
The factors
Value is the current price divided by the tank size, in dollars per gallon, on a log scale, so halving the price always counts the same. $120 per gallon scores zero and $25 per gallon full marks. A tool sold without a battery is scored at its price as sold, and loses the battery points under Features.
Tank size is the chemical tank capacity: 2 gallons scores zero and 5 gallons full marks.
Spray power is the maximum pump pressure for a battery sprayer, on a log scale: 30 PSI scores zero and 120 PSI full marks. For a mist blower it is the stated horizontal mist reach: 20 ft scores zero and 50 ft full marks.
Runtime or airflow is, for a battery sprayer, how long one charge lasts. A runtime in hours scores zero at 1 hour and full marks at 8 hours. A stated number of gallons per charge is turned into tank loads per charge and scored on a log scale, zero at 5 tanks and full marks at 50. When a maker gives both, the better score counts. For a tool sold without a battery, the maker’s figure for its recommended battery is used. For a mist blower this factor is the fan’s airflow: 400 CFM scores zero and 1,000 CFM full marks.
Features for a battery sprayer are 30% for a battery and charger in the box, 20% for adjustable pressure (a dial, switch or electronic panel), 15% for four or more nozzles, 15% for a stainless or brass wand, 10% for a built-in agitator and 10% for a pressure gauge, battery meter or control panel. For a mist blower they are 35% for adjustable dosage, 35% for dusting powders or spreading granules and 30% for anti-vibration mounts.
Warranty is the maker’s warranty: 1 year scores zero and 5 years full marks. Where a maker gives a residential and a commercial term, the residential term is used.
What isn’t scored
Weight, flow rate, battery voltage and capacity, nozzle count beyond the four-nozzle mark, wand and hose length, engine size, run time per fuel fill and release date are listed but not scored.
Missing data
Tank size, pressure or reach, and runtime or airflow are the figures that separate these products most, so a product whose maker doesn’t publish one of them scores zero on that factor rather than a middle score, and the product page marks it as estimated. A product with no published tank size also scores zero on value. Features score neutral (50) only when none of them is published; a feature the maker doesn’t mention otherwise counts as absent. A maker that doesn’t publish a warranty gets no warranty counted, so that factor scores zero, the same as a one-year warranty, and is marked estimated.
Ties and discontinued models
Products are ranked by score within each group. Discontinued models stay listed but rank below every current model and can be hidden with the “Hide discontinued” filter.