Makita DUS158 18V Backpack Sprayer Review: 15 Litres of Effortless Weed Control

Introduction

Makita’s cordless sprayer lineup keeps growing, and the DUS158 is the backpack-oriented entry in the family: an 18V unit with a 15-litre tank. After putting a few full tanks through it on some stubborn weeds, it comes across as a comfortable, long-running tool aimed at anyone with a decent amount of ground to cover.

Using It in the Field

The tank was filled with a glyphosate and amitrol mix for a heavy ivy problem, run at a full 15-litre load. Draining a complete tank at full power took roughly 14 minutes of continuous spraying, which is a useful baseline for planning how much mix to make per session.

Battery life is the standout. After powering two full tanks plus another two-thirds of a tank, the battery indicator still showed four bars. With a 5Ah battery, well over a dozen tanks are possible, so a full day of spraying on a single charge is realistic.

Design and Build Quality

The unit weighs around 6kg empty, and a full 15-litre load pushes the carried weight to about 21kg. Straps attach to a stainless loop at the top of the tank, the back is nicely cushioned, and there are no pump handles or hard edges digging into your back. The straps can be clipped together so they do not drag when carrying the unit by its top handle.

The battery compartment is one of the nicer touches: a sprung piece of plastic gently pushes the battery out when you release the latch, and there is a seal around the compartment. The tool is IP54 rated, so water ingress around the electronics is not a major concern.

Spray Heads and Output

Two heads come in the box. There is a multi-directional twin-head nozzle and a more standard weed-killer spray head. In testing, the standard head pushed out over a litre and a half per minute, while the twin head managed just over a litre per minute, so head choice meaningfully affects how fast you work through a tank.

The lance is not extendable, but it is the same length as the extendable lance on Makita’s smaller non-backpack sprayer when that one is fully extended, so reach is effectively comparable. The trigger handle includes a lock for continuous spraying. Under the lid there is a filter screen to keep debris out of the pump, plus a 200ml measuring cup and a drain hole for easy emptying and rinsing.

Things to Consider Before Buying

A few practical points are worth weighing up. The lid nozzle area can drip a bit, and the battery insertion method is less elegant than the pop-in design on Makita’s smaller sprayer, which also accepts the battery on both sides. None of these are dealbreakers, but they are noticeable if you have used the handheld version.

It is also worth knowing what this sprayer is designed for. These units are intended as agricultural sprayers for fertilizers, herbicides, and similar products used around farms and orchards. They are not designed for acids, bleaches, or the harsh chemicals used for treating concrete, and long-term seal life with such chemicals is not guaranteed.

Buying Advice

Makita makes this 15-litre model alongside 7-litre and 10-litre versions in both 18V and 12V ranges, so there is a size for most needs. Availability varies by region since Makita imports different models to different markets, so check what is actually offered where you live. For anyone spraying herbicides on a larger property, the 15-litre tank and all-day battery runtime make this the version to prioritize.

Conclusion

The Makita DUS158 is a comfortable, well-built 15-litre backpack sprayer that turns hours of weed spraying into a far less miserable task. Small annoyances like the dripping lid nozzle and the slightly awkward battery insertion are easy to live with given the runtime, comfort, and IP54 sealing on offer. For orchard, farm, or large-garden herbicide work, it is a genuinely practical upgrade over manual pump sprayers.