Paint Sprayers That Actually Transform Furniture Finishes
You know that thrift store dresser sitting in your garage? The one with good bones but a finish that looks like it survived a house fire? There's a reason it's still sitting there. Brushes leave streaks. Rollers leave texture. And those aerosol spray cans from the hardware store - they splatter, run out halfway through, and somehow make furniture look cheaper than when you started.
A friend recently transformed a mid-century credenza using a spray gun that cost less than the dresser itself. Eight hours of work, three coats of polyurethane, finish so smooth it looked factory-fresh. The secret wasn't technique. It was a 1400-watt turbine motor sitting on the workshop floor, connected to her hand by 25 feet of hose. The spray gun itself weighed maybe a pound.
Here's the thing nobody tells you about paint sprayers: the $500 ones and the $40 ones both say "HVLP technology" on the box. High Volume, Low Pressure. Professional results. But one puts a motor in your hand along with the paint reservoir and trigger mechanism. The other keeps all that weight on the floor where it belongs.
Try spraying a dining table and six chairs with a handheld unit and you'll feel the difference in your forearm by chair number three. The motor heats up. Your hand cramps. The spray pattern gets inconsistent as the turbine struggles to maintain pressure.
Floor-mounted systems solve this through basic physics. The turbine stays cool because it's not crammed into a plastic housing attached to a spray gun. It delivers consistent air pressure because it's not asking a 400-watt motor to do 1400 watts of work. And your hand stays comfortable because you're holding a pound of equipment instead of three pounds plus paint.
The technology hasn't fundamentally changed since Fuji introduced turbine-based HVLP systems in the 1980s. What's changed is manufacturing cost, which now puts serious workshop equipment within reach of weekend furniture refinishers. You can get a two-stage turbine system for what you'd spend on a decent orbital sander.
This is documentation of what actually exists between those aerosol cans and professional spray booths - what the wattage numbers mean, why motor placement matters, and what you're actually getting at different price points.
Why Motor Placement Changes Everything
Walk into any professional cabinet shop and you'll notice something: nobody's holding a motor while they spray. The turbine sits on the floor, sometimes in another room entirely. There's a reason for this that has nothing to do with convenience.
A spray gun needs consistent air pressure to atomize paint properly. When that pressure drops or fluctuates, you get spattering, uneven coverage, orange peel texture. Handheld sprayers pack the turbine, motor, and spray mechanism into a single unit you hold like a hair dryer. Compact. Portable. And fundamentally limited by physics.
The motor generates heat. In a handheld unit, that heat builds up inside the plastic housing with nowhere to go. After 20 minutes of continuous spraying, the turbine starts working harder to maintain pressure. The spray pattern suffers. Some cheaper units will actually shut off to prevent overheating.
Stationary systems separate these functions. The turbine sits in a ventilated metal case on your workshop floor. It can run for hours without heat buildup affecting performance. The hose - typically 11 to 25 feet - carries pressurized air to a spray gun that weighs less than a can of paint.
This matters most on larger projects. Refinishing a bedroom dresser might take 45 minutes of actual spray time across multiple coats. A dining set? Two to three hours minimum. The equipment either maintains consistent pressure through that entire session or it doesn't.
What HVLP Actually Means
High Volume, Low Pressure sounds like marketing speak, but it's actually a technical specification that emerged in the 1980s to reduce overspray waste. Traditional spray guns used high pressure to atomize paint - effective, but roughly 50% of the material ended up floating through the air instead of landing on the furniture.
HVLP technology flipped this: high volume of air moving at low pressure (typically under 10 PSI at the air cap). More paint reaches the surface. Less drifts away as overspray. Cleanup takes minutes instead of hours because you're not scraping dried paint mist off every surface in your garage.
The catch? Generating high air volume requires motor power. A 400-watt motor can produce HVLP pressure, but it struggles with thicker materials. Most latex paints need thinning by 10-20% to spray properly through lower-powered units. Polyurethanes often require even more dilution.
Higher wattage turbines - 600 watts, 1400 watts, up to 1800 watts in professional systems - handle unthinned materials. You pour paint straight from the can into the reservoir and start spraying. The time savings compounds over multiple coats and multiple projects.
Stationary Systems: What You're Actually Paying For
Fuji 2202 Semi-PRO 2

- 1400-watt two-stage turbine motor
- 25-foot hose with air control valve
- Metal turbine case with integrated gun holder
- Bottom-feed spray gun (1-quart capacity, 1.3mm air cap)
- Fan pattern adjustable from 1-inch circular to 12-inch oval
The Semi-PRO 2 represents Fuji's entry point into serious workshop equipment. That 1400-watt motor means spraying latex paint, oil-based polyurethane, or shellac without thinning. The two-stage turbine design uses bypass technology - air flows through two separate impellers, building pressure while staying cooler than single-stage systems.
The metal housing isn't just durability theater. It helps dissipate heat and provides enough mass that the unit doesn't vibrate across your workshop floor during use. The integrated gun holder is the kind of detail that matters after you've knocked over a spray gun full of stain twice.
Bottom-feed systems (where paint draws up from a bottle below the gun) work better than gravity-feed cups for furniture work. You can rotate the feed tube inside the bottle to spray at any angle - straight down onto a tabletop, sideways for chair legs, even overhead for undersides. Gravity-feed cups only work in limited orientations before the paint stops flowing.
The adjustable fan pattern is where spray technique actually happens. Narrow circular patterns for spindles and detailed work. Wide oval patterns for flat surfaces. The ability to adjust between these extremes while spraying means fewer passes and more consistent coverage.
Wagner 0529021 FLEXiO 890

- 600-watt turbine motor
- 11.5-foot hose
- Two nozzles (iSpray for coverage, Detail Finish for precision)
- Integrated storage case design
- X-Boost power dial on gun handle
Wagner positioned this as the middle ground between handheld convenience and stationary power. The 600-watt motor handles most furniture finishes with minimal thinning. Not quite the raw power of Fuji's 1400-watt system, but enough for weekend refinishing projects.
The dual-nozzle setup addresses a real problem: switching between large surface coverage and detailed work. The iSpray nozzle moves quickly across dresser tops and cabinet faces. The Detail Finish nozzle handles trim, spindles, and carved details. Swapping between them takes maybe 30 seconds.
That X-Boost dial on the handle adjusts air pressure without walking back to the turbine unit. Useful when you're mid-project and realize the current setting is leaving too much texture or not enough coverage.
The toolbox-style storage case means everything stays together instead of ending up in three different drawers. Small detail, but it's the difference between setting up in five minutes versus 20.
Wagner Spraytech 0518080 Control Spray Max

- 570-watt two-stage motor
- 20-foot hose
- Single spray gun with adjustable pattern
- Viscosity cup included for material testing
- Two-cup system (1-quart metal, 1.5-quart plastic)
This sits between Wagner's handheld units and their FLEXiO line. The 570-watt motor positions it closer to serious equipment than hobby gear, but that power level means most latex paints benefit from 10-15% thinning.
The viscosity cup is actually useful, not just a throwaway accessory. You fill it with your paint, time how long it takes to drain through a specific hole, and use that measurement to determine if thinning is needed. Takes 30 seconds and prevents the frustration of loading unthinned paint into a sprayer that can't atomize it properly.
Having both a metal and plastic cup matters more than you'd think. Metal for solvents and harsh finishes. Plastic for water-based materials and when you need the extra capacity for larger surfaces.
The 20-foot hose gives you range without the bulk of Fuji's professional-grade system. Long enough to spray a bookshelf without moving the turbine unit, short enough that you're not constantly managing excess hose on the floor.
Handheld Systems: Where Portability Makes Sense
HomeRight C800766 Finish Max

- 400-watt motor (built into spray gun)
- 2mm brass spray tip and nozzle
- 27-ounce paint capacity
- Weight: 2.76 pounds
- Three spray patterns (horizontal, vertical, round)
The Finish Max represents what handheld HVLP technology actually delivers: legitimate spray capability in a package that fits in a toolbox. That 400-watt motor won't handle unthinned latex or heavy-bodied polyurethanes, but it manages thinned chalk paint, milk paint, stains, and sealers without issue.
The brass tip matters. Cheaper handhelds use plastic nozzles that wear out after a few projects or warp slightly from solvent exposure. Brass maintains its precision and tolerates both water-based and solvent-based materials.
At 2.76 pounds, you'll feel it after 20 minutes of continuous spraying. But for small projects - a nightstand, a set of picture frames, a small cabinet - that's not a limiting factor. Where handhelds fall short is on furniture that requires 45+ minutes of spray time. Your hand fatigues. The motor heats up. The spray pattern starts getting inconsistent.
The 27-ounce capacity is actually generous for this category. Enough for two coats on a small dresser without refilling. The foam splash guard prevents backflow, which is where many budget handhelds fail - paint flows backward into the motor housing and creates cleanup nightmares.
VONFORN VF803

- 700-watt motor (built into spray gun)
- Four nozzle sizes (1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 3mm)
- 1200ml paint capacity
- Cleaning and dust-blowing attachments included
- Three spray patterns
The VONFORN sits in an interesting middle ground: handheld form factor with stationary-level power. That 700-watt motor approaches what you'd find in entry-level stationary systems. The tradeoff is weight - this unit is heavier in your hand than traditional handhelds, but it handles thicker materials better.
Four nozzle sizes address the material viscosity problem directly. The 1mm nozzle for thin stains and sealers. The 3mm for latex paints. Having the right nozzle eliminates most thinning requirements, which saves time and avoids the color-shifting that sometimes happens when you add water to pigmented finishes.
The dust-blowing attachment is a legitimately useful addition. Before spraying furniture, you need the surface completely clean. Tack cloths work, but compressed air works better. Being able to blow off dust, then switch to the spray nozzle without changing tools streamlines the workflow.
The cleaning connector attaches directly to a faucet for backflushing paint residue out of the internal passages. This is the kind of practical engineering that separates decent tools from frustrating ones. Cleaning paint sprayers thoroughly takes discipline. Making it easier means it actually happens.
What the Wattage Numbers Actually Mean
Motor wattage correlates directly with three things: material viscosity handling, spray consistency over time, and how long the equipment runs before heat becomes a problem.
A 400-watt motor generates enough air volume for HVLP operation, but it's working near its maximum capacity doing so. Add the resistance of thick paint, and the motor bogs down. The spray pattern weakens. Atomization suffers. This is why handheld units require thinning for most paints.
600-watt motors provide headroom. They're not maxed out during normal operation, which means more consistent pressure and less heat buildup. Most furniture finishes spray adequately with minimal thinning at this power level.
1400-watt systems operate with significant power reserves. They handle unthinned latex paint, thick polyurethanes, even elastomeric coatings without strain. The motor maintains full pressure for hours of continuous operation. This excess capacity is what professionals actually pay for.
The two-stage designation refers to how the turbine builds pressure. Single-stage turbines use one impeller spinning at high RPM. Two-stage systems use two impellers in series - air passes through the first impeller, then immediately through a second one. This doubles the pressure while generating less heat than trying to achieve the same pressure with a single high-speed impeller.
Three-stage and four-stage systems exist for industrial applications, but for furniture refinishing, two-stage turbines represent the practical upper limit. More stages add cost and complexity without proportional benefit for typical workshop use.
The Material Viscosity Problem
Paint thickness is measured in seconds using a viscosity cup - literally timing how long it takes for a specific volume to drain through a calibrated hole. Thin stains might measure 20 seconds. Heavy latex paint could be 35 seconds or higher.
HVLP spray guns atomize materials most effectively within a specific viscosity range, typically 20-25 seconds on a standard viscosity cup. Below that, the material sprays but doesn't have enough body for good coverage. Above that, the spray gun can't break the paint into fine enough droplets.
Lower-powered turbines struggle with materials over 25 seconds. You either thin the paint with water or appropriate solvent, or you get poor atomization and spattering. Higher-powered turbines push that threshold to 30-35 seconds, which encompasses most furniture finishes in their factory-mixed state.
This is why viscosity cups matter. You test your material, see it's draining at 32 seconds, and know immediately whether your 570-watt sprayer will handle it or if you need to add 10% thinner. Takes 30 seconds and prevents wasted time and materials.
Spray Pattern Control: What Actually Matters
Every HVLP sprayer advertises adjustable spray patterns. What varies is how much control you actually have and how easily you can adjust it mid-project.
Basic systems offer three positions: horizontal fan, vertical fan, and circular. You twist a dial or rotate the air cap. This covers most furniture work adequately. Horizontal fan for dresser tops and flat panels. Vertical fan for narrow surfaces like chair legs. Circular for spot work and detail.
Higher-end systems add continuous adjustment between these positions. The Fuji Semi-PRO 2's dedicated fan control lets you dial in any pattern width from 1 inch to 12 inches. Mid-way through spraying a dresser, you realize the 8-inch pattern is too wide for the drawer fronts. Turn the knob, narrow it to 5 inches, keep spraying. No stopping to change air caps or flip switches.
The material flow control is separate from pattern control and equally important. It adjusts how much paint flows through the gun per second. Too much flow and you get runs and sags. Too little and coverage suffers, requiring extra passes that waste time and material.
Professional spray guns separate these controls completely: one knob for fan pattern, one for material flow, one for overall air pressure. Consumer systems often combine functions to simplify operation, but this limits fine-tuning capability.
Gravity Feed vs. Bottom Feed: When It Actually Matters
Gravity-feed systems put a cup on top of the spray gun. Paint flows down into the gun mechanism by gravity. Simple. Lightweight. And completely useless for spraying table legs from underneath or table tops from directly above.
Bottom-feed systems draw paint up from a bottle below the gun using air pressure differential. The feed tube inside the bottle rotates, so you can spray at any angle without losing material flow. Overhead, sideways, inverted - doesn't matter.
For furniture refinishing, this flexibility matters constantly. You're spraying chair rungs from below, tabletops from above, and cabinet sides from the side. Gravity-feed guns force you to work at limited angles or constantly adjust your body position awkwardly.
The weight difference is real but overrated. A 1-quart gravity-feed cup adds about 2.5 pounds sitting on top of your spray gun. A bottom-feed bottle of the same capacity adds maybe a pound, and that weight is distributed better ergonomically.
Most convertible systems let you switch between gravity and bottom feed by swapping the cup assembly. The capability is useful, but in practice, most people choose one configuration and stick with it. Bottom-feed for furniture work. Gravity-feed for automotive applications where you're always spraying downward.
What Cleaning Actually Requires
Paint sprayer manufacturers always claim "easy cleanup" in their marketing materials. The reality: cleaning a spray gun properly takes 10-15 minutes regardless of design. The question is whether the design makes that time more or less frustrating.
The paint passage runs from the reservoir through the pickup tube, through the gun body, through the needle valve, and out the nozzle. Every inch of that passage needs complete paint removal after each use. Leave residue, and it dries into a blockage that ruins your next spraying session.
Water-based materials clean with water and mild detergent. Solvent-based finishes require appropriate solvents - mineral spirits for oil-based paints, lacquer thinner for lacquers, denatured alcohol for shellac. The sprayer doesn't care which you use, but you need to match the solvent to the material or you're just pushing gummy residue around.
The practical difference between systems comes down to disassembly. Professional spray guns break down into maybe 8 pieces that separate easily by hand. Budget handhelds sometimes require tools and careful attention to spring alignment during reassembly.
The VONFORN's faucet-attachment cleaning system represents a middle path: backflush water through the system to remove bulk paint, then disassemble for detailed cleaning. This prevents the worst of the buildup without requiring complete teardown after every use.
Some furniture refinishers keep two spray guns - one for water-based finishes, one for solvent-based materials. This eliminates cross-contamination concerns and reduces per-project cleaning time since you're not constantly switching between material types.
The Overspray Reality
HVLP technology reduces overspray compared to conventional spray guns, but "reduces" doesn't mean "eliminates." Furniture spray booths in professional shops use exhaust fans and filter systems for a reason - atomized paint still ends up airborne.
In a home garage or workshop, this means masking off everything within 6-8 feet of your spray area. Drop cloths on the floor. Plastic sheeting on walls. Cardboard boxes over anything you don't want to repaint accidentally. The time investment in prep work often exceeds the actual spraying time.
Some refinishers build temporary spray booths from PVC pipe and plastic sheeting. A box fan with a furnace filter provides exhaust. This contains overspray while providing ventilation. Total material cost runs maybe $40, which is worth it if you're refinishing furniture regularly.
The air control valve on longer hoses helps reduce overspray by fine-tuning pressure at the gun. Higher pressure atomizes better but creates more airborne particles. Lower pressure keeps more paint on the target but can cause spattering if set too low. The optimal setting varies by material and requires experimentation.
When Handheld Makes Sense
Despite everything above, handheld sprayers have legitimate use cases. Small projects. Occasional use. Limited storage space. Budget constraints. These aren't compromises - they're practical considerations that genuinely favor handheld design.
A nightstand needs maybe 20 minutes of actual spray time across all coats. A handheld unit handles this without any of the limitations showing up. The motor doesn't have time to heat up. Hand fatigue doesn't develop. The lower power level doesn't matter because you're using properly thinned material anyway.
Craft projects, small repairs, touch-up work - these applications don't justify a $500 floor unit. A $40 handheld covers them adequately, stores in a shoebox, and doesn't create the psychological pressure of expensive equipment sitting unused.
The practical dividing line sits around 45 minutes of continuous spray time. Below that threshold, handheld limitations remain manageable. Above it, those limitations compound into real problems that affect finish quality and user experience.
The Setup Reality Check
None of these systems spray well straight from the box. They spray. The results are technically paint on furniture. But achieving that factory-smooth finish requires setup and testing.
Material thinning ratios vary by brand, even within the same paint type. One manufacturer's latex might spray perfectly at 10% water addition. Another requires 15%. The only way to know is testing on scrap material before touching your actual furniture.
Air pressure adjustment takes similar experimentation. Too high and you get excessive overspray plus dry spray (paint drying before it hits the surface, creating a rough texture). Too low and you get spattering and uneven coverage. The sweet spot exists somewhere in between, and it shifts based on material viscosity, ambient temperature, and humidity.
Spray technique matters as much as equipment. Distance from surface (typically 6-10 inches). Trigger timing (start moving before pulling trigger, release before stopping movement). Overlap percentage between passes (usually 50%). These variables affect finish quality more than wattage ratings or nozzle sizes.
This is why many refinishers keep detailed notes on materials and settings that worked. "Minwax polyurethane, 15% mineral spirits, 2.0mm nozzle, pressure at 7, distance 8 inches" becomes a recipe you can repeat instead of rediscovering through trial and error.
What Professional Finishers Actually Use
Cabinet shops and furniture restoration studios tend to cluster around specific equipment for reasons that have nothing to do with brand loyalty. Fuji turbine systems appear in professional workshops disproportionately. So do certain models from Apollo and Graco. This isn't accident or marketing - it's reliability data accumulated over thousands of hours.
Professional use means 20-30 hours per week of continuous operation. Equipment either survives this or it doesn't. The turbines that hold up share common characteristics: metal housings, oversized motors running below maximum capacity, easily replaceable parts, and designs that allow for field maintenance.
The spray guns in professional use are often convertible between gravity and bottom feed, use standard air cap sizes, and can be completely disassembled with basic tools. These aren't convenience features - they're requirements for equipment that needs to keep working regardless of what breaks or wears out.
Warranty claims provide another data point. Commercial equipment warranties typically cover parts but not labor, because professionals can service their own tools. Consumer equipment often includes full replacement warranties because the expected use pattern doesn't justify repair capability.
This separation matters for furniture refinishers operating between these categories. You're not running a cabinet shop, but you're also not spraying one piece per year. The question becomes whether you need equipment built for professional duty cycles or whether consumer-grade tools will handle your actual usage pattern.
The Upgrade Path That Actually Makes Sense
Most furniture refinishers start with a handheld unit under $50. This establishes whether spray finishing actually interests them and teaches basic technique without significant financial commitment. Some discover they prefer brush finishing and the handheld sits unused. Others immediately recognize the advantage and start planning upgrades.
The logical second step is a mid-power stationary system in the $150-250 range. This provides genuine power increase while staying in hobbyist-friendly pricing. The Wagner FLEXiO 890 occupies this space deliberately. So does the Control Spray Max. These units handle regular weekend use without the cost jump to professional equipment.
The third tier - systems like the Fuji Semi-PRO 2 - represents the transition to serious workshop capability. You buy this level when furniture refinishing has become a regular activity that justifies $500 equipment investment. Or when you've experienced the limitations of mid-tier systems enough times to know exactly why you need more power.
Very few furniture refinishers jump directly to professional equipment. The learning curve is the same regardless of equipment cost, so starting with less expensive tools while developing technique makes sense. The exception is people coming from professional backgrounds who already know they'll use the capability and want to skip the intermediate steps.
Storage and Portability Considerations
Stationary HVLP systems occupy roughly the same footprint as a shop vacuum - a cube about 14 inches per side. Add the hose, spray gun, and accessories, and you need dedicated storage space. The integrated storage designs from Wagner solve this partially by keeping everything together, but you're still storing a substantial box.
Handheld units fit in drawers or on shelves like power tools. This matters in small workshops or garages where every square foot counts. The portability advantage extends to job sites or working in different locations. Throwing a handheld sprayer in a car takes seconds. Transporting a stationary system requires planning.
Some refinishers keep both: a stationary unit for workshop projects and a handheld for on-site work or small jobs. The cost difference has compressed enough that this approach makes sense for anyone working regularly enough to justify it.
The hose length on stationary systems provides working radius but also creates trip hazards and storage complications. That 25-foot hose on the Fuji system lets you spray anywhere in a two-car garage from a single turbine position. It also ends up tangled, kinked, or in the way unless you develop storage discipline.
Current Market Observations
HVLP technology has reached commodity status in the handheld category. Multiple manufacturers produce functionally identical units at $35-45 price points. They share component suppliers, similar power specs, and near-identical feature sets. Choosing between them often comes down to warranty terms or color preferences rather than performance differences.
The stationary category shows more differentiation. The gap between a $200 Wagner system and a $500 Fuji system represents genuine engineering differences - motor design, turbine construction, materials quality, expected lifespan. These differences show up in sustained performance rather than initial impressions.
Professional-tier systems from Fuji, Apollo, and others start around $800 and extend past $1,500. These include features like five-stage turbines, 35-foot hoses, pressure gauges, bleeder valves, and spray guns with stainless steel components throughout. For furniture refinishing, these capabilities exceed practical requirements unless you're operating a commercial finishing operation.
The used market for HVLP equipment remains active but risky. Turbine motors either work or they don't, with little middle ground. A used system that works properly represents genuine value. One with a failing motor becomes worthless immediately, and diagnosing turbine condition requires operation under load.
What the Numbers Actually Tell You
Every sprayer specification sheet lists wattage, pressure, flow rate, and nozzle size. These numbers predict performance if you understand what they measure.
Wattage indicates motor power, which correlates with air volume generation. Higher wattage means more air, which means better atomization of thicker materials.
Pressure at the air cap determines material atomization and overspray characteristics. HVLP standards specify 10 PSI maximum at the cap for compliance. Most systems operate between 5-9 PSI in practice.
Flow rate measures how much material passes through the gun per minute at full trigger pull. Higher flow rates cover surfaces faster but increase run and sag risk. Lower flow rates provide more control but require more passes for adequate coverage.
Nozzle size (measured in millimeters) directly affects material compatibility. 1.0mm nozzles for thin stains and sealers. 2.0-2.5mm for most furniture finishes. 3.0mm and above for heavy latex paints and thick coatings.
These specifications interact in complex ways that prevent simple comparisons. A 570-watt motor with a 2.0mm nozzle might outperform a 700-watt motor with a 1.5mm nozzle on latex paint, while underperforming on thin stains. Matching the equipment specifications to your typical materials matters more than maximum ratings.
Comparison Table
| Model | Motor Type | Wattage | Hose Length | Weight | Nozzle Size(s) | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuji 2202 Semi-PRO 2 | Stationary | 1400W | 25 ft | ~1 lb (gun only) | 1.3mm (expandable) | $500-550 |
| Wagner FLEXiO 890 | Stationary | 600W | 11.5 ft | 16 oz (gun only) | Two nozzles | $150-200 |
| Wagner Control Spray Max | Stationary | 570W | 20 ft | Variable | Adjustable | $100-150 |
| HomeRight Finish Max | Handheld | 400W | N/A | 2.76 lbs | 2mm brass | $35-45 |
| VONFORN VF803 | Handheld | 700W | N/A | Variable | 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 3mm | $35-50 |
The Actual Decision
That thrift store dresser is still sitting in your garage. You've read about turbine stages, wattage ratings, and nozzle sizes. None of that matters until you decide whether you're refinishing one piece of furniture or building a new hobby.
One piece? A handheld unit handles it fine. The HomeRight Finish Max or VONFORN VF803 will get you through the project at minimal cost. You'll learn whether spray finishing appeals to you without significant investment.
Regular refinishing as a weekend activity? The mid-tier stationary systems make sense. Wagner's FLEXiO 890 or Control Spray Max provide enough power for consistent results without professional-tier pricing.
Serious workshop use or the beginning of a side business? The Fuji Semi-PRO 2 represents the entry point into equipment that won't limit your capability as your skills develop.
The equipment doesn't create furniture refinishing skills. It enables them. Or limits them. Understanding which category your usage pattern falls into matters more than any specification comparison.