Wasted $400 on a cheap paint sprayer that clogged every 10 minutes

I bought a Harbor Freight HVLP sprayer last spring thinking I'd save some cash painting my personal truck. Figured I could do a decent single-stage job for under $200 total. That thing clogged on me three times before I even got the first coat done. I spent more time taking it apart and cleaning it than actually spraying paint. The finish came out orange peel city because the gun couldn't keep a consistent pattern. Ended up having to sand it all down and borrow my buddy's Devilbiss gun to fix it. That $400 in wasted material and my weekend was just gone. Anyone else get burned by going too cheap on a gun?

3 comments

3 Comments

emmam897d ago

Isn't that just the story of trying to save money on everything these days lol?

elliotm576d ago

The amount of times I've convinced myself a $40 gadget will somehow save me enough money to pay for itself is honestly embarrassing. My kitchen is full of specialty appliances I bought because they'd "save me money on takeout" and now they just collect dust. At this point my thriftiness is just expensive procrastination wrapped in good intentions.

juliarodriguez6d ago

Oh come on, don't sell that $40 gadget short (especially if it's an air fryer or Instant Pot). I've actually saved a ton on takeout by using my silly little appliances, you just gotta actually use them more than once. Though I will admit my spiralizer was a total bust, so maybe it's a mixed bag (leaning toward your side of the argument, actually).