On NestKoo we spend a lot of time chatting about paint sprayers, and one that we’ve mentioned repeatedly is the Graco Magnum X5 paint sprayer. In this article, we delve deeper into this versatile sprayer, to help you decide if it’s a good choice for you.
When it comes to coloring your home projects, nothing seems more convenient than a paint sprayer.
And when it comes to this magical tool, no one manufactures them better than Graco. Established way back in the 1920’s, the Graco brand has firmly established its reputation for producing high-quality painting equipment the world over.
Today, we present our Graco Magnum X5 paint sprayer review. We’re not shy to tell you upfront that we love this sprayer, and it has featured in many ‘best of’ lists on this very website for all sorts of different house painting tasks.
Continue reading to discover for yourself all the hype and excitement surrounding the Graco Magnum X5.
Overview of the Graco Magnum X5 Paint Sprayer
Graco is famous for creating some of the best paint sprayers available in the current market. The Graco Magnum X5 airless paint sprayer is by no means a new device, and has in fact been around for several years. This is a good sign, however, as it is testament to it’s build quality and popularity, especially in a market where new paint sprayers seem to come and go every year.
Keeping on par with the brand’s reputation, the Magnum X5 is a tool that is miles ahead of all of its competitors in terms of execution and performance. There can be no doubt about the convenience and quality it brings to your artistry. As far as quality airless paint sprayers go, the price is also quite affordable, although whether you need this device in your toolkit will depend on how often and what sort of projects you will be painting.
The Magnum X5 is a Professional-standard Airless Sprayer, also suitable for DIY’ers
The Graco Magnum X5 is an airless paint sprayer, which as discussed in previous articles including our beginners paint sprayer buying guide, means that it draws paint directly from a bucket or can via a hose without the need for air (unlike an air sprayer or HVLP sprayer). Airless sprayers lead to better paint economy than air or HVLP sprayers as they produce less wastage, and are the best suited style to exterior and interior house painting projects.
Airless sprayers, however, are a more serious and more complicated alternative to roller/brush or cheap handheld HVLP sprayers, but getting over the learning curve is not too bad, and once you do, an airless sprayer will last you a lifetime and save you hundreds of hours and dollars on paint in the long-term. This is assuming that you will actually use it for multiple projects into the future (eg house repainting, fence/deck staining). If not, then an Airless sprayer is probably not a worthwhile investment for a single one-off project.
For avid DIY’ers, however, we honestly think that buying this unit is one of the best decisions you can ever make as you will never have to upgrade or be concerned about breakage on cheaper sprayers. Let’s explore the key features, so you can see why.
Key Features of the Graco Magnum X5
Below are the following factors that make the Magnum X5 paint sprayer one of the most popular paint sprayers in the market.
Consistency & Efficiency
The greatest strengths of the Graco Magnum X5 are its efficiency and consistency.
Each spray from it retains the same depth and density as the first. It also has a stellar carrying capacity, which lessens your reload frequency making for a more efficient painting experience.
One of the biggest problems with paint sprayers is quality control. It is often the case that these tools cannot emit sprays efficiently after a few years of use. Therefore, owners have no choice but to look for replacements, which can rack up quite an expense in the long term.
You won’t face this problem when using this product, however. The Graco Magnum X5 features a piston made from stainless steel to boost its durability. Thus, it can comfortably sustain high-pressure situations and ensure that the paint quality doesn’t falter. This feature guarantees even and vibrant distribution of color whenever you use it.
Handling & Operation
Typically, paint sprayers require a great deal of strength for proper application. Sprayers are powerful tools, and you will need to grip it firmly to tame its vibrations. Therefore, it is quite common to sprain your hands or strain them out from excessively using them. Sometimes, the pressure can really affect your arms for the worse.
Graco seems to understand this predicament and has introduced customization to the Magnum X5 paint sprayer, allowing the user tweak its pressure to give you full control. By varying and using the most suitable spray pressure as you move around your project, you can lessen the strain on your arms and wrists.
Carrying Capacity
It is often noticed that brands don’t put much thought into the chamber of paint sprayers when manufacturing it. This blunder can seriously hamper the workflow. If the chambers aren’t big enough, then the tool will require frequent refills, which can badly affect your workflow. It’s also very time-consuming and tiresome.
Graco guarantees that you will not go through this trouble when using this unit. It has the ability to spray as much as 125 gallons within a year. Moreover, it doesn’t require a dedicated tank to extract paint from. All you have to do is simply connect it to a paint bucket, and the tool will easily spray your colors, as much as 5 gallons.
Maintenance & Cleaning
Cleaning and upkeep are an integral part of using any paint sprayer. You will need to conduct maintenance on a timely basis if you want to retain its performance. An unclean tool will not be able to maintain consistency in spraying colors, and it can ruin the overall project aesthetics. Therefore, routine cleanup is a must.
Maintaining paint sprayers can be quite tricky. If it doesn’t have a user-friendly build, you might be stuck for hours setting up, cleaning and maintaining the machine. However, Graco ensures that maintaining and cleaning this paint sprayer will seem like a breeze.
The Graco Magnum X5 features an easy cleanup process that will take only a few minutes to make the tool look good as new. This is achieved via its ‘power flush’ adapter… simply plug it into a hose, and it will do the rest, leaving you with a tidy device.
Convenience & Versatility
One of the most critical factors of a paint sprayer is its ability to work in any environment. The last thing you will want is to grab such a tool that has limited mobility. Thankfully you will not face this problem when using this product due to its stellar attachments. The Graco Magnum X5 also features a long hose that can extend to 75 ft.
Unlike most of its competitors, the Magnum X5 is a versatile machine, usable in almost all environments. In saying that, in all honesty, the Magnum X5 is more suited to exterior painting, rather than interior painting. It can still be used for interior painting, but it is primarily designed to be an outdoor use device, so keep this in mind when choosing a painting sprayer for your needs.
Energy Usage
It also doesn’t consume a lot of energy to function correctly, thus making it an excellent economical choice. If you buy a paint sprayer that consumes a lot of electricity to fully function, you won’t be able to use it everywhere. To combat this problem, Graco ensures that the Magnum X5 doesn’t consume more than 110V. Therefore, it is usable with almost all power sources.
DRAWBACK | As great as the Magnum X5 is, it is designed primarily for exterior house painting.
If you are mostly doing interior house painting, you may want to consider a different paint sprayer such as the Graco Magnum X7.
Graco Magnum X5 Pros and Cons
Pros / Strengths
- Fully customizable spray pressure, including high pressure spraying
- Thinning paint not required
- Able to spray paint directly from a bucket or a bigger vessel (up to 5 gallons)
- Durable, high quality build
- Easy to maintain and clean
Cons / Weaknesses
- Cannot sustain pressure during cleaning
- Relatively long setup time before use, especially when learning to use it
- More suited to exterior painting, rather than interior painting.
Graco Magnum X5 Specifications and Price
Specifications
For a full list of Graco Magnum X5 specifications, visit the Graco website.
Price
According to Graco, the Magnum X5 retails at $399 USD (current as of January 2022).
Frequently Asked Questions
What material goes into making the base of the Magnum X5?
The Magnum X5 features a metallic base. Therefore, it is substantially more durable and sturdier than cheaper plastic sprayers, which have a tendency to break down over time especially if exposed to UV rays (sunlight) unless the plastic is UV stabilized.
Is the Magnum X5 usable on 220V power sources?
Although the Magnum X5 uses a single load line, it is still usable on a 220V power source. The Graco Magnum X5 is also available in countries that use 240V, such as Australia. All that you will have to do is get a power source adapter so that the electricity load becomes bearable for the tool. Or better yet, ensure that you buy the sprayer from a reputable seller within our own country (rather than importing it) to ensure you are buying a version of the product intended for that market and voltage.
What is the size of the fan tip of the Magnum X5?
The largest size of the tip of a Magnum X5 is .015”. If you try using a larger size than this, then the tool will not be able to function properly due to the insufficiency of power.
Can the Magnum X5 accommodate large projects like finishing cabinets and doors?
You will easily be able to work on large projects with the Magnum X5 due to its tip, which will grant you enough control and let you customize the pressure.
Are textured paints usable with the MagnumX5?
It’s strongly recommended not to use any form of textured colors when using the Magnum X5. They are too thick for the hose to transfer and spray properly.
Conclusion
Choosing a paint sprayer for your home projects can be a tricky business, especially if you are undecided about whether to use a sprayer vs roller/brush. Nonetheless, now that you have read our Graco Magnum X5 review, you now know exactly which product will help you easily accomplish this task.
This article was originally published on 25 February 2021, and updated in September 2023.
