The best grease guns for keeping old cars healthy

Take the hassle out of greasing essential parts of a classic car
Choose between manual and battery-operated examples
Save time and stop making such a mess

Written by Ryan Gilmore Updated: 14 August 2023

If you’ve ever seen an engine used without any oil you’ll be all too familiar with the importance of proper lubrication and why a grease gun makes so much sense. Designed to make adding grease to surfaces a precise and mess-free affair, these fantastic tools were commonplace in most garages 50 years ago.

Modern cars don’t require re-greasing the same way a classic would, and a grease gun may not be an essential purchase. Older cars often came with several nipples (please don’t laugh) that needed greasing periodically to prevent expensive and catastrophic failure. If you, therefore, have an older car it’s probably a good idea to get one of these simple tools and ensure that the car continues to work.

Unlike screwdrivers and socket sets, there aren’t a lot of non-automotive uses for a grease gun. Even then other uses will be for lubricating petrol-powered garden tools and agricultural machinery, all rather specialist equipment.

The best grease guns

Draper 47807 Grease Gun

The best manual grease gun

Price: $28.71

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This simply designed Draper is the perfect entry-level option for keeping a classic car adequately greased. Using a lever system to precisely add grease, this gun will be perfect for most tasks. The lack of an adjustable nozzle will make working with awkward areas difficult but that shouldn't be an issue most of the time. This option also accepts 400g grease cartridges, a common and easy-to-find size.

Pros

Excellent value for money
Simple to use

Cons

Limited flexibility

<strong>Cartridge</strong>	400ml
<strong>Nozzles</strong>	1/8"
<strong>Weight</strong>	1.37 kg

Ryobi Cordless Grease Gun (Bare Tool)

The best cordless grease gun

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A more serious grease gun that's probably better suited to agricultural or industrial maintenance, this battery-operated option from Ryobi is a great way of providing a lot of grease in a short time frame. The 76cm hose makes greasing almost any area easy while the 210g/min flow rate and 690Bar of pressure ensure that you'll get an even coating. Ensure that you pick up the battery and charger if you don't own one already - this tool comes bare.

Pros

Powerful option
Well-made
Flexible hose

Cons

No battery supplied

<strong>Cartridge</strong>	400g
<strong>Nozzles</strong>	N/A
<strong>Weight</strong>	3.86 kg

Milwaukee M12 M12GG-0 Cordless Grease Gun

The best small cordless grease gun

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Milwaukee is like a beefed-up Ryobi. Designed for really tough jobs the brand is a top pick for most tradespeople because everything is so well made. The flexible hose is 914mm long and offers an exceptional reach while the 562 Bar pressure will ensure that the grease flow is consistent. It features a useful battery indicator and again accepts 400ml grease cartridges.

Pros

Powerful
Well made
Ergonomic design

Cons

Expensive

<strong>Cartridge</strong>	400ml, 473ml
<strong>Nozzles</strong>	N/A
<strong>Weight</strong>	3.5 kg

Sealey AK55 Push Type Mini Grease Gun

The best grease gun for impact wrenches

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If you're a regular user of impact wrenches you may be aware that you may need to keep them lubricated. The diecast aluminium head and three included nozzles will make greasing easy, as will the tiny overall size. Outside of power tool care, this will have limited use and the cartridge sizes aren't exactly common. Still, for a specific task, it's a clever choice.

Pros

Excellent value for money
Simple to use

Cons

Small cartridge size
Limited uses beyond impact wrenches

<strong>Cartridge</strong>	3oz, 85g
<strong>Nozzles</strong>	0.7, 1 and 1.4mm
<strong>Weight</strong>	250 g

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