Dulux PaintPod Compact October 2009

Dulux PaintPod Compact

This is the smaller sibling to Dulux’s PaintPod Roller system. Both release paint onto the roller at the press of a button, but the Compact is cheaper (£44.99 RRP versus £69.99), smaller and lighter. You simply clamp the battery-powered header unit on to the pot of special paint. 

Is the Compact really worth the extra expense over a traditional roller and tray, especially as it lacks the big PaintPod’s self-cleaning system? We gave it a try, with rather mixed results.

Paint on PaintPod roller

On the positive side, it can cover large areas quickly once it’s up and running, and leaves a very smooth finish. It almost banishes the spatter effect of a traditional roller, but not quite – if you’ve left paint on the roller and then move it suddenly, it will slop paint.

Working out how much paint is on the roller takes a little getting used to. Initially, we found it difficult to judge. This improved with practice, but the difference between well-loaded and over-loaded is only a couple of seconds’ button-pushing. And a traditional roller is inevitably much lighter; our arms began to droop three-quarters of the way across a not enormous ceiling.

Dulux brushes

We also tried out Dulux’s set of ‘Perfect Edge’ painting brushes for the edging (£3.69 from B&Q). These left a very smooth finish, with their non-drip claim proving to be well-founded. But we didn’t think the innovative triangular-shaped brush offered any advantage with awkward corners.

After washing off the roller head, you attach the tubing to a tap via the supplied fitment and then pipe water through for 10 minutes or so. It’s less messy than cleaning a traditional roller and tray, but just as lengthy.

The Compact is available from B&Q, Homebase, Focus and selected independent stores, and comes with a one-year guarantee – though this doesn’t cover its tubing.

Pros: Excellent finish after one coat, speedy when painting large areas
Cons: Takes a long time to dismantle and clean, heavy roller