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Sweater season may be upon us, but that doesn't mean you need to relegate the best water guns to your cupboards. Super Soakers and water pistols tend to fall in price as the temperature drops, so it's a good time to invest in new ones ahead of next year.
In other words, we've got suggestions spanning a range of price points and age-ranges – there should be Super Soakers and water pistols listed below to fit any need. Basically? It's time to let loose the hounds of (water) war!
November 18, 2025: This page's format has been given an overhaul to provide more informative breakdowns of our choices, alongside some new entries that our team has been testing recently.
Benjamin has written about water guns, Super Soakers, and toys for years. He also spent a significant chunk of his childhood dedicated to destroying the foe (AKA his friends) with a water pistol in hand. He's currently reviewing the entry-level SpyraGo, and his go-to weapon of water warfare is the SpyraThree.
Quick list
If classic pump-action water guns aren't gonna cut it, you need the SpyraGo in your arsenal. Although it's a little pricier than other entries on this list, it outperforms them with ease.
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Buying for multiple children, but hoping not to spend too much? This is a great option in terms of value for money, and it impresses thanks to an ingenious reload system.
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Keen to cut loose? You can't do much better than this when it comes to water guns. The Hydro Frenzy can fire two streams in random directions, so there's no escaping its wrath.
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This futuristic blaster may have a higher price tag, but it's also the most impressive water gun you'll have ever seen. Auto-reloads and pinpoint accuracy help it excel.
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For those who like to battle up close, the Twister is ideal. It fires a jet of water in a double helix pattern, so it's near-impossible to avoid. A must-have for backyard games.
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The world's first water bomb thrower is utterly magnificent; this massive launcher will put the fear into your foes in short order, and it should soak them too.
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Best water gun overall
If you want the ultimate blend of power, accuracy, and sheer cool-factor, it doesn't get much better than the SpyraGo. This is one of the most impressive water pistols I've ever seen; it leaves all others in the dust.
Even though Spyra makes more impressive blasters (like the high-end SpyraThree that I'll discuss later), this one strikes the best balance between cost and performance. It's light enough to be handled by kids but advanced enough to delight adults, so is an easy recommendation as one of the best water guns.
✅ You want great performance and accuracy: This blaster will make you feel like an expert marksman, and your foes will fear you. There's no need to worry about pumping this up either, because it's electronic and fires high-speed blasts of water at the squeeze of a trigger.
✅ You want an all-ages blaster: Thanks to its lightweight design, kids, teens, and adults will be able to handle the SpyraGo with ease.
❌ You want to keep costs down: Unfortunately, all those bells and whistles come at a cost. You'll be spending around $54 / £45 on this one.
❌ You're buying for very young children: I wouldn't say being squirted by the SpyraGo hurts, but it's much more forceful than dollar-store equivalents. It's not ideal for kids under 6 as a result.
Features & design: The SpyraGo feels like Star Trek vomited all over a Super Soaker. It boasts an incredibly futuristic look that wouldn't be out of place on a spaceship, has an LED display, and includes an unnecessarily snazzy slider that snaps forward to reveal the water tank. Crucially, it doesn't fire paltry jets of water; it catapults blobs of H20 at an impressive speed.
This water pistol is incredibly lightweight despite all that technology, though. It's easy to use no matter whether you're a third-grader or an adult, and it's charged via USB-C cable.
Performance: My jaw dropped when I used the SpyraGo for the first time. Rather than spitting a slightly underwhelming stream of water like most dollar-store equivalents, it fires a high-speed blast with incredible accuracy. This is one of the few water pistols where you can hit a pinpoint target rather than spraying in that general direction. Oh, and don't worry; being hit by the SpyraGo doesn't hurt.
Although all these bells and whistles come at a literal cost (the Go is more expensive than most Super Soakers), my goodness does it earn that $50/£40 price tag. Its shots are so much more precise than the majority of its competition, it has a respectable capacity, charges via USB-C cable rather than batteries, and is lightweight enough that you can run around without it feeling like a lead weight after half an hour. Sure, it's not as good as its big brother, the SpyraThree. But for what you're paying, it's one of the best water guns by far.
"After trying the SpyraGo, I don't think I ever want to go back to other water pistols. This puts the vast majority to shame, and you'd struggle to find one at this price point with the same build-quality, accuracy, and performance."
Best water guns for siblings
The problem with most water pistols is that there's usually only one – and you're often paying through the nose to get anything that isn't a glorified squirt gun. It's even worse if you're buying for multiple kids, because 'one' doesn't divide very well and stocking up on more gets expensive. That's what's so appealing about these Super Soakers; they're two for the price of one, and are actually good on top of that.
They also fix one of my biggest gripes with the best water guns – the faff of having to wait while your blaster refills slowly from the tap, bucket, or hose. That's precious time which could be spent drenching everyone else, and I'm sure we could agree that's just not cricket. However, the Dunk-Fill sidesteps all that by... well, doing what it says on the tin. You simply dunk the things and off you go.
✅ Your kids argue over who gets what: Because both blasters are identical, there's no way to argue about which one is better.
✅ You find reloading a drag: A clever mechanism solves the age-old problem of waiting around to refill your blaster.
❌ You want something powerful: These are smaller blasters that don't necessarily have the power of rivals.
❌ You'd like a classic, no-frills blaster: You can get cheaper toys that are filled up the old-fashioned way.
Features & design: As the name suggests, you reload these blasters by dunking them into a body of water… and that's it. OK, so it's not quite as simple as that. You actually have to make sure they're dunked upright, and you'll need a bucket or something similar so the tank is totally submerged. But so long as you follow that simple rule, it works like magic. Seriously – each Dunk-Fill packs an ingenious door in the canister's bottom that opens when you thrust it into a body of water, loading the blaster in seconds. It then shuts when you lift the blaster up, so none of your precious cargo escapes.
These canisters give the blaster a sci-fi look that helps them stand out from the crowd. Sure, the pump-action mechanism isn't anything special. But the toy's silhouette makes them feel more dynamic than they are.
Performance: Yes, the Dunk-Fill system is clever. But most importantly, these blasters are lots of fun to use as well. Both are good old-fashioned pump-action water guns so are easy to get the hang of regardless of age, and they don't require much strength to activate either. Buying for a younger H20 warrior? They should be able to take this in their stride.
While that means the Dunk-Fill 2-Pack blasters aren't going to match other entries on this list at a distance, they'll still do the job nicely at short to mid-range. These are proper workhorse water guns, albeit better due to how quickly they can be reloaded.
As mentioned before, the inclusion of a second, identical blaster for the same price makes this ideal as a choice for siblings too. Basically, you shouldn't have arguments over who gets what.
"No matter whether you're hunting down cheap blasters, old-fashioned water guns, or an option that'll be perfect for siblings prone to arguing, the Dunk-Fill 2-Pack should do the trick. An innovative reloading system is the icing on the cake."
Best water gun for young kids
If you're shopping for younger water warriors and want to avoid splashing out both literally and figuratively, the Hydro Frenzy is an excellent choice. Besides being very straightforward to use, it brings a touch of carnage to backyard battles that can level the playing field.
Although you can fire it in 'normal' mode, remove the barrel to reveal a secondary function – two flexible tubes. The pressure from firing causes these 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.
✅ You want a good all-rounder: Alongside classic blasting, this water gun shakes things up with its secondary fire mode that sends jets everywhere.
✅ You enjoy a little chaos: Those two tubes fire water all over the place in completely random patterns, resulting in glorious carnage.
❌ You want something simple: If you'd rather get something more 'point and shoot,' you can find better options out there.
❌ You'd like something more advanced: Modern developments have left this classic kind of blaster behind.
Features & design: The Hydro Frenzy isn't just about mayhem, nor is it a bog-standard water pistol – this is a three-in-one blaster with a couple of very different settings. You can lock the barrel's two tubes in place for a traditional jet of water, or pull the nozzle back to let them loose. Do so and they'll dance all over the place when you fire, shooting at random in practically every direction. Adjust the nozzle again for an even wider blast radius.
In terms of looks, this Super Soaker is pretty classic; it's an in-your-face blend of white, orange, and green, with a sizeable but rounded tank at the back. There are no fancy stocks or triggers here.
Performance: I'll admit, I expected this blaster to be a gimmick when I first broke it out of the box. Closer inspection revealed how wrong I was. For starters, yes – freeing the two tubes and firing results in a delightfully mad shower of H20 that made me want to cackle. It's one heck of a trump card in backyard battles, because there's next to no way of avoiding it.
However, there's more to it besides the mode listed above. Sliding the barrel forwards secures those tubes and allows you to fire 'normally.' 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.
"When combined with a reasonable price tag under $20 / £20, you're getting a lot of fun for your money here. Those wanting a more memorable Super Soaker will find this to be one of the best water guns for the job. It's a fantastic all-rounder too." Read more: Super Soaker Hydro Frenzy review
Best water guns for adults
There are water guns, and then there's the SpyraThree. This is the most impressive water pistol I've ever seen, hands down – and it's not even close.
Designed with a "what if we made Super Soakers for grown-ups" mentality, it's a weapon of mass water destruction that is unbelievably accurate, fast-firing, and fun to use. It fills up quickly thanks to a clever retrieval system that's as easy as pushing a button, too, so you'll dominate the game if you bring this to a water fight.
✅ You want the ultimate water gun: This makes all other blasters look like they're made with tape and string.
✅ You want something accurate: I've never used a more accurate water gun than this, and the addition of alternate fire modes helps aid your aim.
❌ You want something cheap: All this tech comes at a literal cost.
❌ You're buying for younger children: Because it fires balls of water at high velocity, this may not be suitable for young kids. It isn't going to necessarily hurt, but it isn't gonna tickle either.
Features & design: The SpyraThree gets all sci-fi up in the water gun industry, and it almost looks like something you'd find on the set of an Alien movie (if it weren't for the bright blue or red coloring). That extends to a digital display showing how much ammo you have left.
Alongside this fancy tech is an auto-refill feature where you dunk the end of the blaster into water and hit a button, multiple fire modes (single-shot League, Burst, and the spray-n-pray Open), and fast USB-C charging. This does make the SpyraThree kinda weighty, but not to the point it's uncomfortable. Speaking of which, a textured rubber grip helps in that regard.
Performance: Time for a little honesty – I was sceptical about the SpyraThree before my review sample arrived. I had my doubts that it could outperform high-end Super Soakers despite the marketing fluff, and it was pricey enough to make me wince. Then I pulled the trigger. Oh boy, was I wrong.
This is the Mona Lisa of water guns; it's a marvel. The accuracy and speed of each shot left me speechless, while the fancy tactical display (not to mention the premium build material) makes it feel every cent of its price. I was able to knock down targets across my garden practically every time, all while being able to tell how many shots I had left in the tank without having to guess. When combined with the drastically different fire modes, this is the complete package.
Reloading is a breeze too, though you will need a larger bucket of water to refill the SpyraThree properly.
"The SpyraThree is worth the hype – it makes every other blaster I could name look silly. Yes, the price of admission is high. But to my mind, it's worth every penny. This really is one of the best water guns ever made, and it's the kind of thing I dreamt of as a kid." Read more: SpyraThree review
Best water gun for short range
This isn't your average water gun; it's precision-engineered to cause delightful carnage on the battlefield. Rather than shooting a single stream like traditional Super Soakers, the blaster fires a double helix of H20 to drench anyone in front of you no matter how much they try and dodge.
✅ You want something very easy to use: It's almost impossible to avoid being hit by this blaster, so is great for spray-and-pray play.
✅ You want to stay in the fight as long as possible: This Super Soaker has a respectable capacity, so you won't be rushing back to the tap or bucket as often.
❌ You value accuracy: You won't be much of a marksman with this water pistol.
❌ You're buying for very young children: The Twister is rather large so may be unweildy for little kids. It's also harder work to pump.
Features & design: If you want to make sure you soak as many opponents as possible, the Twister is a great choice. 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.
Performance: I expected the Twister to be a novelty when I first tried it. The elevator pitch is good, but surely it'd end up being a mess? Not so. Well, it is messy, but for all the right reasons.
Although it requires force to activate properly (meaning very young warriors should look elsewhere), this is balanced by not needing to aim. If you're not a particularly good shot and want to spray-n-pray, you'll likely get on well with the Twister.
"This unorthodox blaster will take you by surprise – it's far more effective than you'd think, and should make you a force to be reckoned with on the backyard battlefield." Read more: Nerf Super Soaker Twister review
Best heavy-duty water gun
If you take water battles very seriously and want to clean up, the SpyraGravity is worth adding to your arsenal. This is the world's first water bomb cannon, and it hurls resuable bombs up to 52 feet (or 16 meters) away. Thanks to the sheer size of the blaster, using it feels like you've rocked up with a grenade launcher.
Suffice to say, it's utterly ridiculous and therefore wonderful. While it's a bit over the top for your average backyard water fight, there's no denying how impressive this thing is.
✅ You like a bit of shock and awe: I'd run for the hills if this was brought out.
✅ You enjoy classic water bombs: For those who want to drench targets completely, this is an excellent choice.
❌ You don't want to be constantly reloading: There are only four water bombs with this blaster, so you'll have to keep collecting and refilling them.
❌ You're buying for young children: This is a heavy monster, so it'll be too much for younger kids to wield.
Features & design: This blaster is a crowdfunding success story, and it's not hard to see why – it's the first water bomb cannon. Yep, that's right; it hurls reusable silicon water bombs with the help of an electronically-powered trigger, allowing you to be a human mortar of H20 destruction. It's charged by USB-C cable as well so you don't need to worry about batteries, and it has an LED display to show how much ammo you've got left.
Performance: I think I'd just give up if I saw this being brought to the party. The chunky aesthetic when combined with its water-logged cargo is intimidating, especially after you see it fire for the first time. This doesn't just throw water bombs; it absolutely yeets them at speeds of up to 43 feet / 13 meters per second. Forget "slow and steady" where the Gravity is concerned.
Being hit by those bombs won't have you calling time, though. Because they're made of a soft silicon and seal magnetically, they spring open without any fuss and aren't going to hurt. Certainly not like a classic fabric water bomb, anyway.
The main issue I have with this one is its size, but also the lack of ammo in the box. Because you can only have four in the blaster at once, it'd be good to have more on-hand to reload mid-match. Otherwise, you'll have to be scrambling to find your discarded bombs and refill them (presumably allowing everyone else to get payback).
"Although it's not quite the slam-dunk seen with Spyra's other blasters, the Gravity is still up there with the best of them when it comes to water guns as a whole. Want maximum drenching power? This is your best bet."
How we test the best water guns
- We've covered toys and collectibles for years
- GamesRadar+ has reviewed numerous water guns
- Our team has a strict testing methodology for fairness
- All suggestions come from hands-on experience
With money being tighter than ever, it's important for you – our readers – to know that you're getting something worth both your cash and your time. That's why the GamesRadar+ team and I take our testing procedure so seriously.
Every single water gun we recommended has been hand-tested by me (the site's Tabletop & Merch Editor), one of our colleagues, or a trusted contributor with a proven track record. In other words, you know we're not just pointing you toward the first cool blaster we see; we've got first-hand experience.
Generally speaking, our process involves comparing a blaster's specs with the competition before busting it out of the box to see how it feels to hold and use. This can reveal positives or defects right off the bat, such as poorly-made grips that aren't comfortable to hold. We then fill the water guns up and set them to work with target practice in our own backyards. We're judging a few different aspects here; how accurate it is, how far it can shoot effectively, whether it leaks, and how satisfying the overall experience is.
To help break that all down into bitesize chunks, we then divide this information into distinct sections in reviews or guides like this. Here's how it tends to look:
- Introduction: We'll start off with the blaster's specifications before moving on to an overview followed by a buy if/don't buy if section that gives you our thoughts at a glance.
- Features & design: We then dive into the details with a section on what this blaster can do that others can't, accompanied by a commentary on aesthetics.
- Performance: The longest and most important section of any write-up is dedicated to what the water gun is actually like to use. How accurate is it? How fire can it fire? Will you actually enjoy the experience? We weigh in here.
- Expert verdict: We end with a TL:DR breakdown of whether this water blaster is worth your time, just to summarize.
For more on our process, be sure to check out the GamesRadar+ review policy.
Best water guns FAQ
What is the most powerful water gun?
At the time of writing, it's hard to beat the SpyraThree. Thanks to being electronic and kitted out with some impressive tech, it offers pinpoint accuracy up to 32 feet / 10 meters and has an upper range of 49 feet / 15 meters. This blaster comes equipped with three different firing modes as well, so it wipes the floor with practically everything else.
Are water guns fun for adults?
Yes, grown-ups can have a lot of fun with the best water guns too – they're not just for kids. No matter whether you're hoping to jazz up pool parties, battle your kids, or simply want to goof around in the backyard with friends, they're a great pastime.
Which water gun shoots the farthest?
After a lot of research, it seems as though the Stream Machine TL 750 might just have the longest range of all the water guns I'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.
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 I'd recommend is 10 feet unless you're opting for power (as is the case with the Super Soaker Soakzooka) or sheer soaking capability.
Does the SpyraThree hurt?
Despite firing faster and more forcefully than most water guns, the SpyraThree won't hurt if you're shot with it. You're certainly gonna feel it, but it's not painful.
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