The best sandblasters, compared.
Top pick: AUTOOL HTS558 Best value: BGS 3244 – About £14.87, the lowest price among handheld guns that publish airflow, name an oxide, and have at least 500 reviews. Updated 20 October 2026.
In this UK comparison that almost always means a gun on a compressor you already own. What matters is whether the gun meters dry media at an air volume your compressor can hold. A stated pressure is not enough on its own. Which media that leaves you is on the [sandblaster media](/hub/compressors/sandblaster/sub/sandblaster-media) page. A chassis or a flat panel is a different job from spot rust. For a home user the useful split is the drive and the feed. A siphon gun, including the Metabo SSP 1000, the BGS 3244, the AMTOVL, the Bohaner and the LIYOU, only works if the venturi lifts the grit.
In this UK comparison that almost always means a gun on a compressor you already own. What matters is whether the gun meters dry media at an air volume your compressor can hold.
36 products checked · 62 hrs invested · +22,800 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you blasting?
The AUTOOL HTS558 at £339.99 is a closed-loop walnut blaster for inlet-valve carbon, supplied with 2 kg of 1.0 mm shell and five adapters. The air pump is not included. Across 111 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.4. The listing says to replace the grit after every 10 vehicle cleanings, and to turn the engine off and turn the crankshaft so the intake valve is closed. One UK review repeats that the valves must be closed. Working pressure and airflow are not on the UK listing, the listed weight is 11.79 kg, and goggles are not in the UK bullet list. A single walnut clean at a UK specialist is already priced in the hundreds of pounds, so this machine only starts to make sense if you will do the job more than once and you can guarantee the valve is shut. It does not replace a handheld gun on a bracket.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Repeated inlet-valve carbon cleaning when you can confirm the valve is closed and you will supply the air pump.
Less suitable: Spot rust, a car panel, or a one-off clean that a specialist already prices in the hundreds of pounds.
Specifications
Common questions
What abrasive is supplied?
2 kg of walnut sandblasting grit, stated diameter 1.0 mm. The listing says to replace it after every 10 vehicle cleanings.
Is the air pump included?
No. The listing says to use a high-pressure air pump, and that the pump is not included.
What must be true of the engine before you blast?
The listing says turn the engine off and turn the crankshaft so the intake valve is closed. One UK review repeated that the valves must be closed.
The Metabo SSP 1000 (601569000) at £21.79 is a siphon gun that publishes 7 bar and 300 litres per minute, with a hardened steel nozzle and a listed weight of 0.55 kg. Across 1,084 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.3, the largest file in this set. Metabo’s own page describes small areas and corners, and the maker’s note asks for oil-free, condensate-free air and a hose bore of at least 10 mm. The UK technical-details field says hand-powered, which conflicts with the 7 bar bullets, so that field is not the power source. Most of the review text behind this listing is not a UK-only file. A compressor sold as a tank in litres is not the same thing as 300 l/min at 7 bar; if yours cannot approach that, the gun drops off. Container size is not printed. In this set it is the top pick when your compressor can approach that published air figure.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Spot rust and corners when your compressor can approach 300 l/min at 7 bar.
Less suitable: A small compressor that cannot hold that airflow, or anyone who needs a hopper size printed on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
What air supply does Metabo state?
The listing states 7 bar and 300 litres per minute, with a hardened steel nozzle and a weight of 0.55 kg.
Is the power source hand power or compressed air?
The technical-details field says Hand-Powered. The bullets and the product name say compressed air at 7 bar. Those two lines conflict.
What is in the box?
The included-components line is only the part number 601569000. A metal suction cap is named in the bullets.
The InoKraft basic kit at £42.99 is the same style of gravity gun: a 900 cc hopper, ceramic nozzles, a quick connector, and goggles, stated for 60–120 psi. Across 13 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.3, a thin sample next to the premium kit’s 64. A review on this listing says the premium kit is the one that adds the water separator and a longer nozzle, so the £7 gap is that hardware. Air consumption is not printed. One review mentions a Euro adapter in the box, which you still have to check against a UK Euro or PCL coupling. The media guide names soda and glass beads. Thirteen reviews cannot show how the body holds up, and there is still no separator if the air from your compressor is wet.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own a separator and you want the cheaper InoKraft hopper for the same sort of spot work.
Less suitable: Wet shop air, or anyone treating 4.3 from 13 reviews as a larger sample than the premium kit.
Specifications
Common questions
How is this kit different from the premium InoKraft listing?
This basic kit is £42.99 with a 900 cc hopper, ceramic nozzles, a quick connector, and goggles. A review on this listing says the premium kit is the one that adds the water separator and a longer nozzle.
What compressor pressure is stated?
The listing says 60–120 psi. Air consumption in cfm is not printed.
Does it include safety goggles?
Yes. The bullets include goggles. Reviews still say a full-face cover is needed once you blast.
The Bohaner A-091 at £13.99 states a minimum of 6 cfm at 80 psi, with four ceramic nozzles and one iron tip on a siphon gun listed at 0.4 kg. Across six amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.2, too small a sample to rank against the Metabo’s 1,084. A maximum pressure is not printed. One UK review said it seemed a direct replacement for the gun in a Clarke cabinet; the listing does not name Clarke or a cabinet model, so that is one buyer’s fit, not a specification. Media is not named. Six reviews at 4.2 are not evidence that the ceramic tips outlast a season. It is a cheap kit with a usable air sentence and almost no history.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A spare siphon gun when your compressor can hold at least 6 cfm at 80 psi and you accept a six-review file.
Less suitable: Anyone ranking 4.2 from six reviews above guns with hundreds of reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
What air supply is stated?
The listing says a minimum of 6 cfm at 80 psi. A maximum pressure is not printed.
What nozzles are in the kit?
Four ceramic nozzles and one extra iron nozzle tip, plus the siphon gun.
Will it fit a blast cabinet?
One UK review said it seemed a direct replacement for the gun in a Clarke cabinet. The listing itself does not name Clarke or a cabinet model.
The InoKraft premium kit at £49.99 is a gravity gun with a 900 cc hopper, ceramic nozzles, an extension nozzle, and an oil-water separator in the box. Across 64 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.0. The listing says it works with most 60–120 psi compressors and does not print a cfm figure, so a tank size on its own does not tell you whether the gun will keep flowing. Reviewers describe a plastic body, grit thrown around the work, and a quick connector whose profile is not named on the spec table. The media guide names soda, glass beads, and aluminium oxide. The included goggles are eye cover, not an air-fed helmet. A hopper around this size is a spot tool: reviewers in this set time a full hopper in a few minutes. Buy it when you want the separator in the same box, and leave it if you need to work overhead or you cannot match a compressor to an airflow.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already have a compressor in the stated 60–120 psi band and you want the separator in the same box for spot work.
Less suitable: Overhead work, a chassis or a flat panel, or a compressor you cannot match to an airflow figure.
Specifications
Common questions
What pressure does the listing state?
The listing says the kit works with most 60–120 psi air compressors. It does not print a cfm figure.
Is an oil-water separator included?
Yes. The premium kit lists an oil-water separator, a 900 cc hopper, an extension nozzle, ceramic nozzles, a quick connector, and safety goggles.
Which abrasives does the listing name?
The abrasive guide names soda, glass beads, and aluminium oxide. The listing does not say ordinary sand is suitable.
The AMTOVL TL935aAVLUK at £17.95 is a siphon gun with a suction pipe and five nozzles: two steel, one ceramic, and two iron. Across 102 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 3.9. Neither pressure nor air consumption is printed, and one review says a large compressor is required, which is not a figure you can match. The technical details say hand-powered, while the title is an air sandblasting gun. Nozzle diameters and a media list are absent, so the ceramic tip is a spare rather than a specification. At 0.7 kg it sits in the entry band without the air line the Metabo and BGS listings print. One hundred and two reviews show a mid score. They do not show which of the five nozzles lasts.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A spare siphon gun if you already know your compressor’s output and you accept that this listing does not state it.
Less suitable: A first gun, because you cannot match it to a printed cfm or bar figure.
Specifications
Common questions
Which nozzles are included?
Five: two steel, one ceramic, and two iron. Diameters are not printed.
What pressure or airflow is stated?
Neither pressure nor air consumption is printed. One review says a large compressor is required.
Why does the power-source field say hand powered?
The technical details say hand_powered. The title and bullets describe an air sandblasting gun with a suction pipe. The field conflicts with the product.
The BGS 3244 at £14.87 is a gravity gun with a 600 cm³ container, a 5 mm steel tip, a 6.3 mm inlet, and a stated air use of 453 litres per minute. Across 632 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 3.8. Working pressure is not in the spec table; reviewers cite about 6–8 bar. The listing names brown aluminium oxide in grain 46–100, and the body is stated as ABS at 0.62 kg. UK reviews say the feed suffers when the gun points up, which is what a gravity hopper does. The same file describes bare metal at close range and a 25 kg bag used on one axle, so the small container is not a chassis tool. The item-type line says air sander, which is the wrong category name for this gun, and alloy rims were a disappointment for reviewers here. In this set it is the best value when you want the lowest price among guns that publish an airflow, name an oxide, and have several hundred reviews, and you will keep the gun level or pointing down.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Cheap spot work on thick metal, with the gun level or pointing down, if the compressor can approach 453 l/min.
Less suitable: Overhead joints, alloy wheels, or a flat car panel.
Specifications
Common questions
What media and nozzle does BGS state?
Brown aluminium oxide, grain 46–100 (106–425 µm), a 5 mm steel tip, and a container up to 600 cm³.
How much air does the listing claim?
Air consumption is stated as 453 litres per minute, with a 6.3 mm (1/4 inch) inlet. Working pressure is not in the spec table.
Can it point upwards?
UK reviews say results are poor when the gun points up, because the media is gravity fed. Other positions were fine for those reviewers.
The LIYOU gun at £10.99 is a gravity hopper of 30 oz (900 ml) with a 5 mm metal nozzle, a 1/4 inch NPT inlet, and a stated air use of 8.8–10.6 cfm. Across 374 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 3.5, the weakest large file among the cheap guns. The title says 90 psi; the bullets say 44–116 psi and an operating range of 60–100 psi. Several UK reviews say media does not flow, that the hopper exit is tiny, and that the securing screw makes it smaller. A minority say it removed paint or light rust, so the gun is not universally dead, but the blocked feed is the pattern. The listing also names sand among the abrasives, which is the wrong instruction under UK blasting rules. At this price the missing flow is the part that costs you the afternoon.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Almost nobody in this set, unless you already plan to return it if the grit path is blocked.
Less suitable: A first sandblaster, or anyone following the listing’s sand suggestion.
Specifications
Common questions
What pressure and airflow does the listing state?
The title says 90 psi. The bullets say 44–116 psi, an operating range of 60–100 psi, and air consumption of 8.8–10.6 cfm.
How big is the hopper and the nozzle?
Capacity is stated as 30 oz (900 ml). The nozzle is 5 mm. The inlet is 1/4 inch NPT.
Do UK reviews say it feeds media?
Several UK reviews say media does not flow, that the hopper exit is tiny, and that the securing screw makes it smaller. A minority say it removed paint or light rust.
The HoldOneLight JWUK-PW at £26.28 is a wet sandblasting lance for a pressure washer, not a gun for an air compressor. Across 50 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 3.5. The listing states a maximum of 5,000 psi and 60 °C, a 3 m hose, and four ceramic nozzles. UK reviews report acceptable progress on a Kärcher K7 and on a petrol washer around 240 bar, and they report that a 120 bar domestic washer did not lift the media. A Kärcher often needed an adapter. The listing names dry silica sand and washed river sand, which conflicts with the UK ban on sand as a blasting abrasive. The 5,000 psi line is a washer ceiling, not an air-compressor requirement. In the review that worked, the sand hose was kept above the lance and out of the water.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You own a strong pressure washer, around a Kärcher K7 or a petrol washer near 240 bar, and you will not follow the sand instruction.
Less suitable: A compressor-only workshop, a 120 bar domestic washer, or anyone buying it as a dry blasting gun.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this run from an air compressor?
No. It is a wet sandblasting attachment for a pressure washer, with a 1/4 inch quick connector. The stated maximum is 5000 psi and 60 °C.
What is in the box?
A 3 m hose, a 16 inch water wand, a 15 3/4 inch sand wand, goggles, four hose clamps, four ceramic nozzles, and two rubber bands.
Which washers did reviewers say it needs?
UK reviews report acceptable progress on a Kärcher K7 and on a petrol washer around 240 bar. A 120 bar domestic washer did not lift the sand. A Kärcher often needed an adapter.
The Ejoyous kit at £69.50 is a gun, a 15 ft hose, and a hopper the listing says can hold up to 50 lb, with 120 psi in the title and no airflow figure. Across three amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 2.6. The compressor line is “1 or larger”, with no unit. The only UK review in the file says the gun worked, that only one white nozzle was supplied, and that the nozzle had already worn out. Listed media are steel grit, glass beads, and pecan shell. At 2.47 kg it costs more than the Metabo and both InoKraft kits while showing three reviews. A 50 lb hopper is a different feed from a 900 cc cup, and one worn nozzle is not a kit you can keep blasting with.
Pros
Cons
Best for: No clear buyer in this set until a larger review file shows that spare nozzles exist and the compressor demand is a real number.
Less suitable: A first kit, or anyone reading a 50 lb hopper as proof of a stronger gun.
Specifications
Common questions
What comes in the kit?
A spray gun, a 15 foot hose, and a hopper the listing says can hold up to 50 lb.
What compressor does it ask for?
The listing says a 1 or larger air compressor and a title pressure of 120 psi. It does not define the unit of 1, and it does not print airflow.
What did the UK review say about the nozzle?
The only UK review in the file says the gun worked, that only one white nozzle was supplied, and that it had already worn out.
For this comparison we scored ten amazon.co.uk listings checked on 19 October 2026. The weights are Amazon evidence, listing fit, review outcome and value. This is not a lab test. A stated psi or bar figure is not a measured nozzle pressure, and kit goggles are not scored as an air-fed helmet.
Amazon evidence
30%Star points from the amazon.co.uk rating, floored and capped, plus a bonus for review volume. Under 10 reviews is a deduction. A 4.3 from 13 reviews is not treated as a 4.3 from 1,084.
Listing fit
45%Whether the listing publishes pressure and airflow, a feed that matches the description, a named nozzle, and an abrasive other than sand. Contradictory pressure lines and a hand-powered field on an air gun are deductions.
Review outcome
15%A large file that names a usable job and a limit scores higher than a thin file. A repeating blocked-feed theme, or a three-review file whose only nozzle wore out, scores low.
Value
10%Shelf price in GBP against a compressor gun with a published airflow and an abrasive other than sand. A low price does not score when reviews say the grit path is blocked or the file is three reviews.
Match the drive to the job, then the published airflow to the compressor you already own. A stated psi figure without an air volume does not tell you the gun will keep flowing. Sand is not a lawful blasting abrasive. A 900 cc hopper is for spots, not a chassis.
A sandblaster in this comparison throws abrasive at a surface. For a home user the useful split is the drive and the feed. A gravity hopper, such as the InoKraft kits at about £49.99 and £42.99, holds about 900 cc and is stated for 60–120 psi. It points badly upward. A siphon gun, including the Metabo SSP 1000, the BGS 3244, the AMTOVL, the Bohaner and the LIYOU, only works if the venturi lifts the grit.
A tank in litres is a buffer. The Metabo asks for about 300 l/min at 7 bar. If the compressor cannot approach the published air figure, the gun drops off.
COSHH 2002 Schedule 2 bans sand and other free-silica abrasives in blasting apparatus. Kiln-dried paving sand is still sand. HSE uses 1% free silica as the practical line.
UK reviews on the BGS say the feed suffers when the gun points up. A gravity hopper is for a gun you can keep level or pointing down.
Gravity hoppers in this set are the InoKraft kits, about 900 cc, stated 60–120 psi. Siphon guns include the Metabo, BGS, AMTOVL, Bohaner and LIYOU. The HoldOneLight is a wet pressure-washer lance. The AUTOOL is a closed-loop walnut machine and the pump is not included. Match 300 l/min at 7 bar on the Metabo, 453 l/min on the BGS, or the cfm line where one is printed. InoKraft does not print cfm.
Do not blast with sand. Ceramic tips outlast soft steel until they oval. Moisture clumps media: the InoKraft premium includes a separator and the basic kit does not. Metabo asks for dry air and a hose bore of at least 10 mm. UK lines are often Euro or PCL. A listing that only says 1/4 inch or quick connector has not named the profile, so budget an adapter. Kit goggles are eye cover, not an air-fed helmet.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want short bursts on a bracket or in a corner, and your compressor can approach 300 l/min at 7 bar. The Metabo SSP 1000 at about £21.79 publishes both figures and has 4.3 from 1,084 reviews. Container size is not printed. Skip it if the compressor cannot hold that flow.
You will keep the gun level or pointing down. The BGS 3244 at about £14.87 states 453 l/min, a 5 mm steel tip and brown aluminium oxide, with 3.8 from 632 reviews. Working pressure is not in the spec table. It is the wrong pick for overhead joints.
You will do the job more than once and you can confirm the intake valve is closed. The AUTOOL HTS558 at about £339.99 is a closed-loop walnut blaster with 2 kg of 1.0 mm shell. The air pump is not included. It does not replace a handheld gun on a bracket.
The top pick is the Metabo SSP 1000 at about £21.79: 4.3 from 1,084 amazon.co.uk reviews, with 7 bar and 300 l/min published together. The hand-powered technical field conflicts with the air gun. The best value is the BGS 3244 at about £14.87, the lowest price among handheld guns here that publish an airflow, name an abrasive other than sand, and have at least 500 reviews. Keep that gun level. A low price is not value when UK reviews say the grit path is blocked.
BGS 3244
About £14.87, the lowest price among handheld guns that publish airflow, name an oxide, and have at least 500 reviews.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Sources taken from the research digest. amazon.co.uk prices and star lines were checked on 19 October 2026. Stated pressures and airflow figures are listing claims, not measurements at the nozzle.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the UK listings checked on 19 October 2026. We did not lab-test these sandblasters. A stated pressure is not a measured nozzle result, and kit goggles are not an air-fed helmet.
