I recently decided to jump into the airbrushing hobby. I had a box full of un-primed miniatures, both purchased and printed, and I was dreading having to deal with the logistics of rattle can primers. But, I did not want to spend a lot of money for that level of task, especially if I didn’t know if I would enjoy airbrushing in general, and want to excel in it to any degree that would justify the outlay costs. That line of thinking brought me to Spraygunner, and I decided to try out their NO-NAME BRAND cordless airbrush kit. As you will read below, I was pleased with my experience!
If you are curious how we rated the product below you can find more information here.
- All-In-One solution
- Very inexpensive
- Smartly executed
- Easy entry into airbrushing or portability
- Experiences may vary
- Need extra batteries
- None
The NO-NAME BRAND cordless airbrush by Spraygunner is a great all-inclusive solution for entry-level airbrush hobbyists, or those looking for a mobile-friendly solution.
Critical Hits
The biggest barrier to entry in the airbrush hobby is the amount of equipment one needs to begin. First, you need an airbrush. Then you need an air compressor. Finally, you need various hoses and fittings to mate the two. As an added consideration, not all of those things are cheap.
The NO-NAME BRAND cordless airbrush by Spraygunner completely solves that issue. The solution includes a serviceable starter airbrush and a portable, battery-operated, small form factor compressor. The kit also includes all the fittings needed to mate the two. In fact, you can mate the airbrush directly to the compressor and hold the complete solution in your hand. However, I find it to be a better experience when you utilize the included air hose. Whatever you prefer, you will find everything you need is included in this kit. That’s a fantastic accomplishment.
Saves
If an all-inclusive solution is the best aspect of the NO-NAME airbrush, the second-best aspect is the price! All-inclusive often also means expensive, but that is not the case here. In fact, the least expensive option available on the Spraygunner website is just $65 at time of writing (found here). The set that I personally recommend, because it comes with 2 USB-C rechargeable batteries (more about that later), is currently out of stock but would only run you $80 (found here). That’s roughly the cost of a mid-level airbrush from Badger or GSI. It would be very difficult to find a decent compressor for under $100. Ultimately, it’s like buying an airbrush and getting the compressor and attachments for free. Beat that!
Given the economics of that transaction, you might be expecting a poor execution. Again, you’d be wrong! The NO-NAME BRAND airbrush has a respectable feature set. According to Spraygunner’s “honest specs” the solution has a “…max pressure of 20-25 PSI.” Indeed, that range is on par or higher than recommended by many paint manufacturers. That said, the included “startairbrush.com” airbrush is handsomely fashioned and employs a MAC valve, so you can turn down the PSI at the brush, when necessary. The included braided air hose is quite flexible. The compressor is programmed with smart technology to only run when the brush lever is actuated. All these features make for an experience that far surpasses the price.
It’s obvious that price and form combine here to allow a new hobbyist to experience the hobby cheaply, without the inherent problems of poor quality. I imagine this is also a feasible solution for a seasoned hobbyist to combine with a better airbrush and make their kit portable. The compressor is very consistent in its performance at higher charge levels, to the point where I can’t imagine it not serving an intermittent hobbyist on-the-go. That said, I am not at that experience level yet, so, I may be incorrect in that assessment. Which brings me to an important point…
Fails
Like most things, how you plan to employ the NO-NAME BRAND cordless airbrush will determine how useful you find it. I currently only need an airbrush to prime miniatures that I have purchased or 3D printed. A larger needle might have been better employed for that purpose, but, honestly, for the price I spent, I can afford to spend a little more time spraying as a trade off. I found truth in Spraygunner’s “honest specs” when they said that “When fully charged, it will constantly run for over 30 minutes. [However], we estimate a 1.5 to 2 hour work period for this compressor on a single charge, considering that when working on a project, the airbrush will be turned on and off constantly…” But, my specific implementation was more constant than intermittent, so, I found the charge to be closer to the former. Finally, if you are an accomplished airbrush hobbyist, with a superior airbrush and conventional compressor, you may have already provided yourself with the tools that best fit your skill level, and this solution might not fit your own needs. So, your experience will vary.
But, based on my experience above, I highly suggest buying the kit with at least two batteries. They don’t seem to like USB-C chargers that support super-fast charging, but standard chargers will bring you back to full in about an hour, in my experience. It’s highly conceivable that you can have one battery going while one is charging. Thus, you’ll never have a lengthy interruption in your painting session. However, I just don’t think one battery will cut it for most experiences.
Critical Misses
There are no serious design flaws or limitations to the NO-NAME BRAND cordless airbrush. Thus, there’s no compelling reason to avoid this product.
The Hero’s Journey
Who is best suited to buy the NO-NAME BRAND cordless airbrush by Spraygunner? As it turns out, a person like me! Someone who is new to airbrushing, and wanted to get into the hobby easily and inexpensively. Also, someone who didn’t have lofty goals for the product, other than to do some mass priming, and maybe work on getting a good zenithal highlight before doing a slap-chop paint job on some miniatures. Perhaps this is also a good solution for an intermediary hobbyist to take their airbrush of choice outside or on the road. But alas, I’ll have to improve my own skills a bit before I can attest to that.
