Craftsman vs Field King Sprayer: V20 CMXCAFG190682 vs 190515 ProMax

In the Craftsman vs Field King sprayer comparison, I pick the Craftsman CMXCAFG190682 for most buyers: it has a two-position High/Low flow switch, a manual that names the exact model and a three-year limited warranty. Pick the Field King 190515 if you want a pre-set 40 PSI design on a steel frame stand and no High/Low flow selector to manage. I trained in plant protection, so I read a sprayer’s manual before its sales page. Below I cover flow control, battery, nozzles, carrying, cleaning and storage, with the shutdown steps first.

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Craftsman vs Field King Sprayer: My Short Answer

The Craftsman CMXCAFG190682 is my pick because its manual prints a flow and pressure chart for each of its four nozzles on Low and on High, and the switch lets me move between the two. The Field King 190515 is the simpler machine: Field King calls it pre-set at 40 PSI, and it sits on a steel frame stand when I put it down. Both are 4 gallon battery backpack sprayers from the same maker group, and the table puts them on the same rows.

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Two rows decide it: flow control, which is a switch on one sprayer and a pre-set design on the other, and the manual, which names one model and covers a family of sprayers for the other.

What Is Actually Different

Both sprayers come from one maker group. The manual for the Craftsman backpack sprayer says it is “Manufactured under license and distributed by The Fountainhead Group, Inc.”, and the Field King 190515 is a Fountainhead Group product too, so much of the safety text in the two manuals reads alike. The differences sit in the controls, the battery platform and the paperwork.

The Craftsman manual’s Package Contents lists the sprayer, the battery and the charger, so I treat the CMXCAFG190682 as a complete kit, even where a Craftsman page says Tool Only. The manual’s own list names four CMCB battery models, and those four are the packs to use.

The manual that comes with the Field King backpack sprayer is a family manual for its electric backpack sprayers, with an 18V lithium-ion badge on its cover. Field King’s listing gives the 4 hour runtime, and its maker page gives the 1 year warranty.

Before Any Hands-On Task: The Full Shutdown

Every task in the sections below, from the first fill to a nozzle swap, starts with the same shutdown, so the box comes first on this page. Both manuals add steps of their own, and where a manual is stricter than the box, the manual wins.

Relieve pressure only with your exact manual’s procedure, as the box says, and never toward a person or a pet. The Craftsman manual says not to attempt to clear a clog without first removing the battery, while the Field King family manual does not state that step for clog work, so the box adds it for both sprayers.

Flow Control: High/Low Switch vs Pre-Set 40 PSI

The Craftsman gives you two settings and a chart; the Field King gives you one pre-set design. Before you change a nozzle on either sprayer, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box above.

According to Craftsman’s manual, the High setting “uses nominal battery voltage to power the electric diaphragm pump” and the Low setting reduces the voltage supplied to the pump, which the manual calls “more ideal for precision spraying when low drift or chemical use is needed”. Its nozzle flow chart, given for water or a similar liquid and “may vary by 10%”, lists the low-volume narrow fan at 0.22 gpm and 20 psi on Low and 0.32 gpm and 42 psi on High. The manual says to turn the switch to Low whenever you fit a low-flow nozzle, warns that ignoring the chart may damage the pump and void the warranty, and flags the full cone nozzle on High as one that can damage the pump with frequent use.

After the full shutdown, I fit the yellow low-volume narrow fan nozzle and set the switch to Low first, as the chart requires, and the red indicator light tells me which setting is active once the pump is on.

Field King describes the 190515 as pre-set at 40 PSI. Its family manual says the pump is “optimized” for 40 psi but capable of a wide range of pressures and flow rates, and that a pressure switch turns the pump off when the shut-off is closed. The manual also says to keep the power switch off whenever the tank is empty, because with no liquid the pump will not turn off. Treat 40 PSI as the maker’s design point, not a ceiling and not a setting to aim for. I compare the pre-set model with its variable-flow sibling in my Field King 190515 and 190723W guide.

Nuyttens and colleagues measured droplet size on a test rig of agricultural nozzles and found that nozzle type, size and pressure each change the droplet spectra (1). Their nozzles were boom nozzles, not a backpack wand, so I read the finding as a reason to follow the nozzle maker and the label, and not as a figure for either of these sprayers.

I do not rank the two sprayers on pressure, since each figure is its maker’s own and the two makers print them differently.

Winner: the CMXCAFG190682, because its manual prints a flow and pressure chart for each nozzle on Low and on High.

Battery, Charger and What Is in the Box

Both sprayers run on a lithium-ion pack that slides on, and both manuals tell you to take the pack out before servicing. Before you change or charge a pack, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box above. My list of battery powered backpack sprayers compares seven models by fit and battery.

The pack on the Craftsman 20V backpack sprayer slides on rails into a sealed, water-resistant compartment with a metallic latch, and a push-button gauge shows three white lights for a pack between 100 and 75 percent. Its manual says to charge only in Craftsman chargers, to charge only within the temperature range it prints, which also protects battery life. It prints no charge time. I put the Craftsman beside the DEWALT in my comparison of DEWALT and Craftsman backpack sprayers.

The Field King backpack sprayer battery is an 18V 2.1 Ah pack, and the listing says it charges in 3.5 hours. The family manual says a slow charger should not take more than 3.5 hours for that pack and a fast charger, for sprayers so equipped, no more than 90 minutes. It adds that you should remove the pack from the charger once it is full, because batteries should not be stored on the charger, and that you should charge it at least once every 3 months when it is not in use.

A four-LED gauge on the Field King shows the charge when you hold its button, and the lights stay on for 5 seconds. Once the charger shows full, I press that gauge button and lift the pack off the charger, since the manual says batteries should not be stored on it.

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OSHA’s fact sheet on lithium-ion battery safety, written for workplaces and not for garden tools, says these batteries can present chemical hazards, stored electrical energy and thermal runaway, and it points to the maker’s instructions for storage, use, charging and maintenance (2). That is why the manual of your exact sprayer, not this page, decides how you charge.

Winner: Craftsman for buyers who already use Craftsman batteries, and the Field King 190515 for buyers who want slow and fast charger times printed.

Nozzles, Wand, Shut-Off and Filters

Each sprayer ships with four nozzles and a 21 inch poly wand, so the difference is in what surrounds them. Before you pull a nozzle, the basket or a filter, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box above.

The Craftsman gives you a foaming nozzle, a poly adjustable cone nozzle, a low-volume wide fan nozzle and a low-volume narrow fan nozzle, and its flow chart tells you which switch setting each one wants. The wand stores horizontally in the carry handle, and the shut-off has a lock for continuous spraying. Held against the drip line of a young plum, the 21 inch wand puts the nozzle low and clear of the trunk. Rotating the lock on the shut-off holds the lever for a long pass along the alley, and with a glove on I can find the lock without looking.

Field King ships with a brass adjustable nozzle, a low volume flat fan, a high volume flat fan and a foaming nozzle, and the listing says it also accepts tee jet nozzles and has Viton seals. Its manual describes three filters: a strainer basket in the tank opening that removes coarse debris such as leaves and grass, an in-tank filter at the bottom for fine debris, and a filter in the shut-off. The basket sits in the top opening, so I can see leaves and grass stop there before anything reaches the tank.

Both manuals ask for care with a clog. Craftsman says to remove and disassemble the nozzle assembly, to clean the openings without sharp tools and not to hit the nozzle against a surface. Field King says the same about disassembly and sharp tools, and adds that after heavy use rinsing may not be enough and the nozzle may need a small brush. Both manuals prohibit operating the sprayer without its in-tank filter properly installed.

Winner: a split decision: the Craftsman for the chart that ties each nozzle to a switch setting, and the Field King for accepting tee jet nozzles.

Weight, Straps and Carrying

I do not compare weights here, because the weight on each listing carries no stated basis (empty, with the battery or without it), and a comparison on mixed bases misleads. Before you fill, lift, put down or carry either sprayer, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box above.

The Craftsman photo below shows padded shoulder straps and a waist belt, and the Field King listing describes a fully padded back harness. After the shutdown and with the Craftsman filled to the graduation, I adjust the straps and the waist belt before the first step, and I stop and rest when my shoulders tire.

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Field King’s listing describes a powder-coated steel frame, and when I set the sprayer down on the shed floor, the frame stand keeps the tank upright and off the dirt. The Craftsman manual says to carry the sprayer by the handle or harness only, and the Field King family manual says to carry it by the handle only; neither allows carrying it by the hose, the shut-off valve or the wand.

Winner: Field King 190515 for setting the sprayer down on its steel frame stand; no winner on weight, because neither figure has a stated basis.

First Water Test, Filling and Cleaning

Fill, test and clean only after the full shutdown in the shutdown box above. The label of whatever you put in the tank decides what you may spray, what you wear and how you clean up, and the sprayer’s manual decides everything about the machine.

On the Craftsman I do the first fill with clean water through the basket up to the tank graduation, power off, and I put the battery in last while I watch the joints, the order its manual gives for a plain-water test.

Both manuals list liquids that must never go in the tank. Craftsman says never to use flammable or combustible chemicals, caustics, bleach, acids, hot water or pressure producing chemicals. Field King says never to use flammable or combustible liquids, caustics, acids or hot water, and that liquids other than water based or water soluble solutions may damage the sprayer and will void its warranty. Field King’s listing adds that the sprayer is not designed for use with wettable powders. My list of battery sprayers for pesticides sorts models by tank and battery.

Craftsman’s manual asks for at least goggles, gloves and protective clothing, and adds that everyday eyeglasses are not safety glasses and that you should wear certified eye protection (ANSI Z87.1, CAN/CSA Z94.3). Field King’s family manual asks for at least goggles, gloves and protective clothing. Wear what the label requires and the manual’s minimum on top of it.

Two reviews of pesticide handlers explain why that last sentence matters. Garrigou and colleagues reviewed how well coveralls protect agricultural pesticide users and concluded that the real effectiveness of protective equipment may be over-estimated (3). Sapbamrer and Thammachai pooled 121 articles on handlers and found goggles and gloves among the items worn least (4). Both studies cover agricultural handlers, not home gardeners, so I use them for one point: wear what the label requires, every time.

Wind decides where spray lands, and the Kansas State Extension publication on spray drift, written for field and boom sprayers and not for a backpack wand, says that higher pressures make many more small droplets that drift (5).

The Craftsman manual’s cleaning steps include a powered rinse: empty the tank as the chemical’s maker directs, rinse the tank, then spray clean water through the sprayer for at least 30 seconds and spray it out. The Field King family manual gives the same 30 second spray. Send the rinse water where the product label directs, and complete the full shutdown again in the shutdown box before you release the remaining pressure, open the tank, remove the cap or basket, or dry the tank upside down with the cap and basket off.

After spraying clean water, I complete the full shutdown again and then follow the Field King cleaning steps through to drying the tank upside down with the cap and basket off.

If anyone is exposed to a product, the label’s first-aid section and Poison Control (America’s Poison Centers) are the instruction.

Winner: the Craftsman, because its manual says to remove the battery before you clear a clog, a step the Field King family manual does not state.

Storage, Warranty and Manuals

Before you store either sprayer, finish the full shutdown in the shutdown box above, then clean and dry it. Both manuals say to store the sprayer and the battery indoors in a warm, dry place out of direct sunlight, never to store the sprayer with chemicals in any part of it, and not to store it where freezing temperatures will occur, because frozen water can damage the pump and other parts and void the warranty.

The Craftsman manual also warns against charging or storing the battery in a hot metal shed and says a long-term pack belongs charged, in a cool dry place, out of the charger. Store the pack that way, off the sprayer.

The Craftsman manual gives a three year limited warranty from the date of purchase, with its own terms for each battery model, and a 90 day money back guarantee, and it names the CMXCAFG190682 on its cover. Field King’s maker page gives 1 Year Limited, and its manual is the 2018 family edition. A longer term on paper does not change how either sprayer should be cleaned or stored.

Winner: Craftsman CMXCAFG190682 again, because it carries the longer warranty term and a manual that names the exact model.

Choose the Craftsman CMXCAFG190682 If

The Craftsman 4 gallon backpack sprayer suits a buyer who wants to set the flow to match the nozzle and who values a manual written for this exact model. It is the sprayer I put first for most households with a mid-sized yard. I go through the whole kit in my review of Craftsman’s backpack sprayer.

• You want a Low and a High setting and a printed chart that says which nozzle goes with which.
• You already own one of the four Craftsman batteries the manual lists: CMCB202, CMCB204, CMCB206 or CMCB209.
• You want a three year limited warranty term from the manual.
• You want the battery and charger in the box, as the manual’s Package Contents lists them.

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Choose the Field King 190515 If

The Field King ProMax backpack sprayer suits a buyer who wants the simplest controls and a sprayer that stands up on its own. Skip it if you want a Low setting for a low-flow nozzle, or a manual that prints the model number. I cover the ProMax on its own in this Field King’s backpack sprayer review.

• You want a pre-set 40 PSI design with no High/Low selector to set.
• You want a steel frame stand under the tank when you put the sprayer down.
• You want the Field King backpack sprayer battery charger times, slow and fast, printed in the manual.
• You want a sprayer that accepts tee jet nozzles, as the listing says.

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Where I Land on These Two Backpack Sprayers

Both sprayers hold 4 gallons, carry four nozzles and a 21 inch wand, and come from one maker group, so the choice rests on small things you notice every time you fill, switch and clean. I put the Craftsman first because its switch and nozzle chart give me one more deliberate decision, and its manual names the sprayer it describes. Either way, complete the full shutdown before every hands-on task, and let the label decide what goes in the tank. For most buyers the Craftsman vs Field King sprayer decision comes down to a High/Low switch and a model-named manual against a pre-set 40 PSI design on a steel frame. I compare seven options in my list of 4-gallon battery backpack sprayers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, the Craftsman CMXCAFG190682 or the Field King 190515 backpack sprayer?

The Craftsman CMXCAFG190682 is the better backpack sprayer for most buyers, because its manual names the exact model, prints a nozzle flow chart for Low and High, and gives a three year limited warranty. The Field King 190515 suits a buyer who wants a pre-set 40 PSI design on a steel frame stand.

Do the Craftsman CMXCAFG190682 and the Field King 190515 use the same battery?

The Craftsman CMXCAFG190682 and the Field King 190515 do not use the same battery according to their manuals, which name different packs. Craftsman’s manual lists the CMCB202, CMCB204, CMCB206 and CMCB209 packs, while Field King’s family manual describes an 18V 2.1 Ah pack, so use only the pack your own sprayer’s manual names.

Should you remove the battery from the Craftsman CMXCAFG190682 after you spray?

You should remove the battery from the Craftsman CMXCAFG190682 after you spray, because its manual says to remove the battery pack when the sprayer is not in use and before servicing. Complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box above first, and store the pack fully charged in a cool dry place out of the charger, as the manual describes.

Is the Field King 190515 a fixed pressure sprayer?

The Field King 190515 is a fixed pressure sprayer in the sense that Field King describes it as pre-set at 40 PSI, with no flow dial or High/Low selector to turn. Its family manual says the pump is optimized for 40 psi but can work across a wide range of pressures, so treat 40 PSI as a design point.

How long does the Field King 190515 battery take to charge?

According to Field King’s listing, the 190515 battery charges in 3.5 hours, and the family manual says a slow charger should not take more than 3.5 hours for the 2.1 Ah pack. The manual also lists a fast charger at no more than 90 minutes for sprayers equipped with one, so the charger in your box sets the time.

References

1. Nuyttens D, Baetens K, De Schampheleire M, Sonck B. Effect of nozzle type, size and pressure on spray droplet characteristics. Biosyst Eng. 2007;97(3):333-345.
2. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Lithium-ion Battery Safety. Fact Sheet DTSEM FS-4480. US Department of Labor; January 2025.
3. Garrigou A, Laurent C, Berthet A, et al. Critical review of the role of PPE in the prevention of risks related to agricultural pesticide use. Saf Sci. 2020;123:104527.
4. Sapbamrer R, Thammachai A. Factors affecting use of personal protective equipment and pesticide safety practices: a systematic review. Environ Res. 2020;185:109444.
5. Wolf RE. Strategies to Reduce Spray Drift. MF-2444. Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service; March 2000.

Safety Note: Read your sprayer’s manual and the product label before you open any container. The label is the law: it tells you what protective equipment to wear, how and where you may use the product, what weather it allows, how long to stay out of the treated area, how long to wait before you harvest, how to protect bees and other pollinators, and how to dispose of leftovers and the empty container. Using a registered pesticide in a way its label does not allow is against federal law. This page never gives an amount of product, a dilution or a mixing order: the label does. Wear the protective clothing and equipment the label requires, put it on before you open the container, and wear the eye protection and gloves it names whenever you mix, load, spray, clean the tank or clear a nozzle. Protective equipment lowers your exposure; it does not make spraying safe. Wear every respirator the label requires, of the type it names, and follow the respirator maker’s fit, use and care instructions. Before you clean or store the sprayer, or wire a 12V pump, complete the shutdown below first. Before you mix or load, complete the shutdown below, including its emergency exception. Mix and load outdoors, away from other people (including children), pets and livestock, and where a spill cannot reach a well, a drain or other water. Stand upwind, never use your mouth to siphon a product, keep the fill hose above the liquid so it cannot siphon back into your water supply, and never leave the sprayer unattended while you fill it. Mix only what the job needs, and do not store leftover mix in the sprayer. Never point the wand at yourself, another person or a pet, and never test a spray against your hand. Emergency first: if a battery becomes unusually hot, swells, hisses, gives off an unusual odor or smokes, stop using the sprayer without handling or removing the battery, keep people away and follow the battery manual’s emergency instructions; if it smokes, burns or presents immediate danger, move away and call 911 or the fire department without finishing the routine shutdown. Otherwise, before you open the tank, fill it, change or clean a nozzle, clear a clogged nozzle, clean or rinse the sprayer, adjust or repair anything, charge or change the battery, load, unload, transport, store or leave the sprayer, or lift, put on or take off a backpack unit, complete the shutdown. During normal spraying, move only as your manual and the product label permit, and never ride while operating a hand-held wand or lance. Battery sprayer: release the trigger or close the wand valve, then switch the pump off. Relieve all trapped pressure using only your exact manual’s procedure and a discharge destination consistent with the product label, without opening the tank or loosening any part beforehand unless that procedure expressly requires it, and never toward yourself, another person or an animal. Then remove the battery. 12V vehicle sprayer: first stop and secure the vehicle as its manual directs, then release the trigger, close the wand or boom valve and switch the pump off. Relieve all trapped pressure using only your exact manual’s procedure and a discharge destination consistent with the product label, without opening the tank or loosening any part beforehand unless that procedure expressly requires it, and never toward yourself, another person or an animal. Then disconnect the pump’s 12V supply at the connection your manual specifies, and reconnect it only after the work is complete, every part is secured and the pump switch is off. Wear the label’s protective equipment while you clean the tank, the strainer or a nozzle. Clear a clogged nozzle only with the method in your exact manual, never with your mouth and never by blowing into it. Refit every part and check for leaks with clean water before product goes back in. For the first water test, complete the shutdown first, fill the tank with clean water and close it as your manual directs, connect the power only when you are ready, and watch the wand, hose, fittings and tank seams for leaks without touching pressurized parts; complete the shutdown again before you open the tank, fix a leak or add product. Wind, heat and fine droplets carry spray off target: the label may be stricter than any extension guideline, and extension sources give different wind figures, so no single number fits every situation. Do not spray during a temperature inversion, and do not assume that calm air, early morning or evening is suitable. Do not spray just before rain. Keep children, pets and other people out of the area while you spray and off the treated area for as long as the label says, and remove toys and cover pet food and water dishes first. The label’s pollinator wording decides when you may spray around flowering plants, and early morning or evening is not automatically suitable. A sprayer that has held weed killer should stay a weed-killer sprayer: extension services advise a dedicated sprayer, and rinsing may not remove every residue. Follow the product label’s instructions for rinsing empty containers, handling rinse water and disposing of them, and never reuse an empty pesticide container; for leftover product, call your state pesticide agency or a household hazardous waste program, and never pour it down a sink, a toilet or a storm drain. Store pesticides in their original containers, locked up and out of the reach of children, away from food and animal feed, and keep pesticides and fertilizers apart. If someone is exposed, follow the first-aid section of the label, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 and keep the label with you; call 911 in an emergency. If product spills, keep people and animals away and follow the label’s emergency directions; try to contain a small spill only if the label says that is safe and you have the protective equipment it requires, and otherwise get help (the emergency number on the label, Poison Control if anyone is exposed, 911 for a fire, immediate danger or a large spill). Use only the battery and charger the maker supplies or lists for your exact sprayer, charge and store the battery as your manual describes, and do not use a damaged battery or charger: lithium-ion batteries can overheat and catch fire. Wire a 12V pump the way your manual says and use the fuse it lists. On an ATV or UTV, wear the helmet and protective gear the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends, get hands-on training, sit only in the positions the manufacturer designed, never ride with more passengers than there are seats, and in a UTV fasten the seat belts and keep every part of your body inside the vehicle; stay within the rack and tow capacity in your vehicle’s owner’s manual, and remember that sloshing liquid shifts weight and changes how the vehicle handles; Montana State University Extension advises against riding and spraying if you have to hold a wand or lance. Stop at once, complete the full shutdown and inspect if the sprayer leaks, loses pressure or runs without spraying, and restart only as the manual allows. If a battery becomes unusually hot, swells, hisses, gives off an unusual odor or smokes, do not handle or remove it: keep people away, follow the battery manual’s emergency instructions, and if it smokes or burns, move away and call 911 or the fire department. Before you fill the tank, complete the shutdown, and fill it only to the level your manual allows. Carrying a full tank is tiring: rest when you are tired.