Best water guns 2024: Save on must-have Super Soakers and water pistols

Now that the weather is thawing out and Spring is on its way, it's the perfect time to be hunting down the best water guns. Although it's not quite backyard battle territory for many of us yet (unless you live in the sunnier states, anyway), prices are often lower on Super Soakers and water pistols out-of-season. In other words, you can save a tidy amount on these hounds of (water) war if you time it right.

To make sure you're getting your hands on the most magnificent implements of H20 carnage, we've rounded up some recommendations on what we think are the best water guns available now.  There should be something to suit most age-groups and budgets here, including high-end Super Soakers and cheaper, simpler water pistols. 

Not that this list will remain static, of course. Because more water guns are hitting shelves all the time, we keep it regularly updated with all of the latest big-hitters. Basically, visit us again later if you can't find anything that floats your boat right now!

Best water guns - quick list

Want to get into the action? You can see an overview of everything featured on this list below. Just click on the link if you'd like to find out more.

Best water guns - value

A child holding the Joyin water blaster

(Image credit: Joyin)

1. Joyin 2 Pack

The best water gun on a budget

Specifications

Mechanism: Pump
Capacity: 25 fl oz (739ml)
Range: 36ft (10.6m)

Reasons to buy

+
Really cheap
+
Two-gun set
+
Good range

Reasons to avoid

-
Bulky

As with so many toys, you get what you pay for when it comes to the best water guns. Usually, anyway; the Joyin 2 Pack is different. Despite being aggressively affordable, these water pistols are surprisingly good - and you're getting two for the price of one. That makes this blaster pack ideal for families with a couple of kids (or adults that are still kids at heart).

You won't get a pang of buyer's regret after breaking them out of their packaging, either. These water pistols have an impressive range of 30-ish feet that'll challenge many a Super Soaker. And although the capacity isn't as noteworthy, it's still pretty solid nonetheless.

Just remember, the Joyin 2 Pack blasters aren't as dinky as they might appear in promo pictures. These are larger than you'd expect, so whoever's going to wield them won't feel short-changed.

Best all-round water gun

Super Soaker Hydro Frenzy in box

(Image credit: Future)
A great water gun overall, and for sheer chaos

Specifications

Mechanism: Pump
Capacity: 24 fl oz (709ml)
Range: App. 30ft (9.14m)

Reasons to buy

+
No dodging this one
+
Multiple settings
+
Surprisingly accurate in certain modes

Reasons to avoid

-
Leaks slightly

Want to bring a touch of carnage to your backyard battles? Take note of this water gun. The pressure from firing causes two flexible tubes in the barrel to twist in every direction, and that sends streams of H20 all over the place. It's brilliantly chaotic, utterly random, and impossible to dodge.

The Hydro Frenzy isn't just about mayhem, though. This is a three-in-one blaster with a couple of very different settings, so it's not a five-minute novelty. Besides the mode listed above, you can slide the nozzle forward to provide a wider blast radius or lock those tubes in place for something more traditional. The latter catapults two jets of water straight ahead, and besides being quite accurate, their range is surprisingly good. In essence, this is a great multi-purpose option.

Fully unhinged

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When combined with a reasonable price tag under $20 / £20, you're getting a lot of fun for your money here. As such, those wanting a more memorable Super Soaker will find this to be one of the best water guns for the job.

Best water guns - capacity

A girl holding the Super Soaker Hydra

(Image credit: Hasbro)

3. Super Soaker Hydra

The best water gun for capacity

Specifications

Mechanism: Handle
Capacity: 65 fl oz (1.9L)
Range: 25ft (6m)

Reasons to buy

+
No need to refill regularly
+
Easy to fire
+
Powerful

Reasons to avoid

-
Heavy

If you're keen to avoid refilling your blaster every few minutes, this particular Super Soaker is one of the best water guns there is. It offers a ridiculously large capacity of 65 fluid ounces (1.9 liters), so you're set for the long haul with this one.

Although that makes the Hydra fairly heavy, it's still straightforward for kids to fire if they're strong enough to wield it fully loaded. That's due to an easy-fire mechanism. Rather than a pump system, air pressure, or brute force, it uses a handle that you just pull to unleash a watery deluge.

And we mean deluge. This isn't a dribbling dollar-store pistol. The Hydra means business, and it's capable of utterly drenching your opponents. 

Best water guns - short range

Nerf Super Soaker Twister overview

(Image credit: Future)
One of the best short-range water guns

Specifications

Mechanism: Pump
Capacity: 37fl oz (1,094ml)
Range: App. 20ft

Reasons to buy

+
Twisting jets
+
Can soak multiple people
+
Decent capacity

Reasons to avoid

-
Needs force to work properly

This isn't your average water gun; it's precision-engineered to cause delightful carnage on the battlefield. Rather than shooting a single stream, the blaster fires a double-helix of H20 to drench anyone in front of you no matter how much they try and dodge.

It's all down to a spinning cylinder at the end of the barrel. Using the gun's pump will cause that cylinder to whirl, sending out twin jets of water that are almost guaranteed to hit something. That makes the Twister perfect for folks who charge headlong into action - it's capable of blasting multiple people at once.

This blaster slaps

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Although it requires force to activate properly (meaning very young warriors should look elsewhere), this is balanced out by not needing to aim. We're a terrible shot so ended up being grateful for that during our hands-on tests.

Best water guns - premium

Super Soaker Soakzooka

(Image credit: Hasbro)

5. Super Soaker Soakzooka

One of the best premium water guns

Specifications

Mechanism: Handle
Capacity: 55 fl oz (1.6L)
Range: 25ft (6m)

Reasons to buy

+
Lives up to the name
+
Excellent capacity
+
Easy to operate

Reasons to avoid

-
Range isn't massive

OK, now we're talking. If you want to bring out the (literal) big guns, Super Soaker has you covered with the appropriately named Soakzooka. This is a bulky blaster for when 'subtle' just won't cut it. 

Capable of carrying a massive 55 fluid ounces (1.6 liters), this is the sort of weapon that'll strike fear into the heart of your opponents. Throw in a range of around 25 feet and you can guarantee that everyone else will be running for cover sharpish. It's a monster.

However, its size doesn't mean the Soakzooka isn't suitable for the young water warriors amongst us. It's still one of the best water guns even if you're a kid thanks to an easy-to-operate firing mechanism - simply pull the handle to fire. That makes it well worth considering despite the higher price tag.

Best water guns - hot weather

Super Soaker Freezefire 2.0

(Image credit: Hasbro)

6. Super Soaker Freezefire 2.0

The best water gun for hot weather

Specifications

Mechanism: Pump
Capacity: 20fl oz (591ml)
Range: 38ft (11.5m)

Reasons to buy

+
Uses ice cubes
+
Refreshing
+
Fair range

Reasons to avoid

-
Low capacity

The best water guns are ideal for cooling down quickly in the heat of summer, but none more so than the Freezefire 2.0. Thanks to a larger tank that can hold ice cubes alongside water, it fires the chilliest barrage on this list.

Sure, you don't have to arm it with ice if you'd prefer not to. But in particularly hot weather, it's the perfect choice. Especially thanks to its impressive range. Capable of firing up to 38ft, you can stay in the shade while sniping opponents. Nobody is safe from its wrath.

This particular Super Soaker is a more manageable size, too - it's not heavy or unwieldy like some of the competition. In other words, the Freezefire 2.0 is perfect for younger water warriors.

Best water guns - multi-use

Super Soaker DartFire

(Image credit: Hasbro)

7. Super Soaker DartFire

The best combi-water gun

Specifications

Mechanism: Pump
Capacity: 40fl oz (1.1L) + 5 darts
Range: 38ft (11.5m)

Reasons to buy

+
Uses Nerf darts too
+
Fair capacity
+
Decent range

Reasons to avoid

-
Only carries 5 darts

This one does exactly what it says on the tin; alongside water blasting, it's also capable of firing darts just like the best Nerf guns. That makes it a good choice if you can't decide between the best water guns and a Nerf blaster - it solves two problems in one fell swoop.

Handily, the DartFire uses Nerf Elite darts as well. Because these are the bog-standard bullets of choice for most Nerf products, they're easy to buy in bulk. That makes stocking up on ammo nice and easy.

Not that this Super Soaker is no slouch when it comes to water battles, of course. Powered by a 40 fluid ounce (1.1 liter) capacity, the DartFire is able to blast water up to 38 feet. That's not bad going for something in this price range.

Best water guns - for young kids

Super Soaker Fortnite HC-E

(Image credit: Hasbro)

8. Super Soaker Fortnite HC-E

The best water gun for kids

Specifications

Mechanism: Trigger
Capacity: 7.4 fl oz (219ml)
Range: 9ft (3m)

Reasons to buy

+
Affordable
+
Fortnite theming

Reasons to avoid

-
Some leaking
-
Not very powerful

If you're hoping to get the best water guns without splashing out both literally and figuratively, this Fortnite-themed Super Soaker is a fair place to start. While it isn't as powerful as other blasters, it's cheap and will do the job very nicely. It's a damn sight better than dollar-store equivalents, too.

Plus, few water pistols look this cool. Based on Fortnite's Hand Cannon, it's a pitch-perfect recreation of the gun from the video game (albeit in family-friendly purple and orange). And even though it's prone to some leakage, the HC-E's low cost and awesome design make up for that.

It doesn't require pumping up either - just fill it, aim, and pull the trigger. That makes this one a great Super Soaker for children who want to get into the action as quickly as possible.

Best water guns - for Fortnite fans

Nerf Fortnite TS-R Super Soaker

(Image credit: Hasbro)

9. Fortnite TS-R Super Soaker

The best water gun for Fortnite fans

Specifications

Mechanism: Pump
Capacity: 36fl oz (1L)
Range: 10ft (3m)

Reasons to buy

+
Awesome Fortnite design
+
Decent capacity
+
Reasonable price

Reasons to avoid

-
Very poor range

Fortnite and Super Soakers are a match made in heaven, so this is arguably one of the best water guns of the bunch. Combining the video game's distinctive look with an ability to drench your friends, it's sure to go down very well for fans of the series.

While its range isn't massive (which I suppose makes sense, considering the fact that it's based on Fortnite's Tactical Shotgun), the TS-R's capacity makes up for it. Able to carry 36 fluid ounces, this isn't a one-hit wonder that'll run out after a few blasts.

The firing mechanism also ties into its identity as a shotgun - the TS-R is pump-operated. This does make it a little trickier to use for small children (and we're disappointed that the trigger is fake), but it is pretty satisfying nonetheless.

Best water guns - FAQ

Selection of Super Soaker water guns

(Image credit: Hasbro)

How much does the most powerful water gun cost?

If you're looking to get your hands on the most powerful water gun to make your friends run for cover, you can expect to pay $20 / £20 as a bare minimum for the privilege (a Super Soaker Hyrda costs roughly that amount, for example). However, top-of-the-line blasters can set you back a fair bit more so we'd expect prices to rise to the region of $30 / £30 at most. Basically, the more powerful your water pistol is, the more expensive it's going to be. 

Well, we say 'at most'. There are super-advanced blasters that'll really knock your socks off like the SpyraTwo, but those will put a significant dent in your wallet of $100 / £100 or more.

Which water gun shoots the farthest?

After a lot of research, we've discovered that the Stream Machine TL 750 might just have the longest range of all the water guns we've looked at - more specifically, it can fire "up to 70 feet", which is a whole lot more than the majority of the competition. Want a water gun that can shoot the farthest? Take a look at the Stream Machine.

30 feet is the minimum range we'd recommend

By way of context, your average water pistol can shoot a distance of 5 to 40 feet. The vast majority tend to fall around the mid-30s, and the bare minimum range we'd recommend is 10 feet unless you're opting for power (as is the case with the Super Soaker Soakzooka) or sheer soaking capability.

What is the most powerful water gun?

If you're looking for the best water gun that balances price with power, the Super Soaker Hydra is a front-runner with few rivals. Thanks to a handle pump that unleashes a deluge of water, it'll completely drench opponents in no time at all. Although it'll get through its 65 fl oz (1.9L) tank faster than you'd expect, there aren't many alternatives within the same price range that can challenge it.

More premium options offer an even stronger performance. We've yet to go hands-on with it, but the SpyraTwo has been making waves in recent years (quite literally). Indeed, the company claims that it is the "world's strongest water gun". This is thanks to an electric pump that fires pellets of water rather than the usual stream.


For more offers everyone can enjoy, be sure to check out the top board games for kids and board games for families. As for other outdoor distractions, be sure to check out the latest offers on Nerf bullets.

Benjamin Abbott
Tabletop & Merch Editor

As the site's Tabletop & Merch Editor, you'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game reviews to the latest Lego news. I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, and can normally be found cackling over some evil plan I've cooked up for my group's next Dungeons & Dragons campaign.