When I was offered the chance to review a garden sprayer, I must admit that I wasn't really too sure what to expect.
But when the 5-litre pressure sprayer from Speak and Jackson was delivered to my door, I resisted the urge to wear it on my back and pretend to I was "Ghostbusting" and headed out to the garden instead.
On a shockingly hot day in a garden somewhere in Essex, I set about watering my tired-looking foliage in a way that would be more efficient than just throwing the hose around.
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Spear and Jackson have a reputation for making first-class garden equipment such as lawnmowers, hedge trimmers, blowers and string trimmers, but I got to know and love the brand with this inexpensive and easy-to-use pressure sprayer.
The sprayer can be used for chemicals or fertilisers on weeds and pests or even fence treatments, but not being the most green-fingered of gardeners I choose to water thirsty plants in a heatwave instead.
The pump action sprayer is easy to use and remains lightweight even when full. With its adjustable nozzle, I was spraying away in no time at all, and the push lock and the pressure release safety stopped it from dribbling water on me as I made my way around the garden.
I oscillated between a fine mist and full spray, mostly for my own entertainment, and with the instructions printed on the bottle, even a garden novice like me was spraying like a pro in minutes.
I must admit I was worried about accidentally turning the thing on myself and getting soaked but the lockable trigger system made sure this didn't happen.
According to the details on the website, the hose length measures 1.3 metres the wand is 56cm long. This gave me more than enough scope to reach everywhere I wanted to, and with an adjustable shoulder strap, it felt comfy while I swanned up and down the garden, soaking everything in sight.
The pump action has enough pressure to feel more precise than a hose, but not the hand-shaking trigger friction that comes with more powerful pieces of equipment like a jet washer for example.
There are printed diagrams or a printed diagram guide on the bottle to help you manage the operational functions and the pressure release valve is located on the shoulder side of the bottle near the handle. One added feature is the lockable trigger for continuous spraying, so you don’t need to keep your hand squeezed on the trigger which again is great for reducing hand and finger fatigue.
There is a handy storage slot in the handle to store the wand in a horizontal position when not in use to prevent drips and the compact dimensions make it super easy to store away when not in use.
I thought the Spear and Jackson 5-litre Pressure Sprayer was a great piece of kit for the garden, and available for just £11.99 on Amazon, it was cheaper than I found it in Robert Dyas and Screwfix.
One thing I will say though, is that you need to remember to tighten everything up before you spray. I didn't the first time and ended up with damp feet, so lesson learned.
