Best Portable Air Compressor for Garage Use?

[nandny6789]

I’m looking for a portable air compressor for my garage. Mostly for filling tires, blowing off dust, and occasionally using small air tools.

I don’t need anything huge, but I also don’t want to buy something underpowered.

What compressor are you guys using, and what tank size/CFM would you recommend for general garage use?

Any models you’ve had good or bad experiences with?

 

[theoldwizard1]

I’m looking for a portable air compressor for my garage. Mostly for filling tires, blowing off dust, and occasionally using small air tools.

Portable as in battery powered ? Small air tools, like nothing larger than a finish nailer ?

The only one I would recommend is

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Milwaukee-M18-FUEL-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless-2-Gal-Electric-Compact-Quiet-Compressor-Tool-Only-2840-20/312244443

There are dozens of small corded compressors out there. Some are EXTREMELY loud. Look at California Air Tools.

 

[IndyGarage]

Makita. They have several models. I have the mac5200 3.0 hp in the garage, works great but it's a bit overkill for filling tires.. I bought mine used, I think I would buy the 2400 if I were buying it new. I notice they also have something called the quiet series. I don't know if they are better or not.

Honestly, I don't use even that much anymore - I have a small chinese made compressor that uses my makita tool batteries that I just take to the car and fill up the tires. I did several this morning with it.

 

[ALinCarolina]

I have 3. Couple of pancakes that I should sell or give away. Once I got the California it is the one I grab when I need to take one off site. It is lighter and quieter.

 

[Beerhippie]

For corded, Rolaire are the quietest I've used.

If you're using the comp on a nice, clean floor in a nice, clean garage, oilless is acceptable. For any outside work, I'd get an oiled one. Oilless comps tend to turn into airless comps fairly fast in the dusty conditions of a jobsite--my experience.

 

[The Cobbler]

for light occasional use, probably almost anything will do.
oilless are noisy , direct drive oiled are somewhat noisy..
I prefer belt driven oiled pumps . a 20 gallon tank is a reasonable general purpose machine

 

[Bill Wright]

A second for Rollaire. I have the double tank wheel barrow electric and the smaller double stacked tanks. Drama free for years.

 

[Beerhippie]

oilless are noisy

I purchased a small, pancake, oilless Rolaire comp for powering the beer pumps at a pub. It lived in the beer cooler, which was directly behind the bar with a "shadowbox" tap set-up--so very little insulation behind the taps. If you were in the pub when it was closed and there was no other noise, you could just hear the comp running.

 

[M635_Guy]

I have a California Air Tools 4620AC - 2HP 4.6gal with aluminum tanks, and portable in the strictest sense since it can be moved around and is light enough (barely) to throw in a car or to move wherever I need it. It handles everything I've needed for several years.

My eldest spawn had one of their little 1 gal units that was super-quiet.

If I was buying something small I'd probably get the HF Fortress ultra-quiet. For something bigger like my current one, I'd buy the 4620AC again.

 

[Citation]

This is a very open ended question. Also, "too small" is going to vary a lot with use. For some almost anything that can honestly be called a compressor is fine. For others a 5hp, 240V 80 gallon "monster" isn't sufficient.

Other questions:
*How much are you willing to spend?
*What is your quality vs price trade-off?
*How much do you care about noise?

Here is my "today" answer. If my compressors were stolen I would probably get one off these
https://www.walmart.com/ip/20G-AIR-COMPRESSOR/16354156255
Not a fancy brand but I'm not doing too much with my compressor. It wouldn't do a great job with my air drill or zip wheel but those get limited use anyway. It should do the impact, air gun and tire inflation nicely.
Importantly, it's a low noise compressor. I'm generally willing to trade max 120V performance for quiet. Heck, half the reason I like "power" is so I don't have to listen as long.

I don't think HyperTough is a great brand but for occasional use it will likely last a long time.

If space is limited get something smaller but still low noise. If space and cost are not limited, get a belt drive model and get a good intake muffler to limit overall noise. This is what I currently have. It works well for my needs and isn't too much louder than my 5.5 gallon CAT 1055A. However, it takes up a lot more space in my small garage (I've had it longer than the current garage). If it were stolen I would miss it but enjoy the extra space and just use the CAT compressor.

 

[LopezBart]

I have a HF Fortress Ultra Quiet model which works well for the usual uses. Not sufficient for air impacts, etc, but M18 tools have that covered. Very quiet indeed.

 

[JuncleJohn]

I normally keep a pancake in the house garage. My son borrowed it a few weeks ago so I can’t tell you the brand for sure, but I think it’s Bostich 6 gallon.

A little loud but does a good job.

John

 

[GeoBruin]

This spreadsheet was created by a member here. It's a couple years old now, but most of the models listed are still relevant.

Compressors (oil-free, 120 V, 3+ CFM @ 90 PSI, <$500)

docs.google.com

The sum of it is the new crop of quiet oilless compressors are pretty impressive and very quiet. California Air Tools possibly defined the segment, but there lots of them out there now. Harbor freight's Fortress ultra quiet compressors are probably where I would spend my money. They range from small hot ********* to pancake to small horizontal to 20ish gallon vertical and they go up in power/CFM as well, with the quietest of them being in the low 60 dB range and the loudest topping out around 70 db.

You're not going to be running constant draw air tools like sanders or die grinders on one of these but for most other tasks it could be all you ever need.

 

[tarbellb]

this

if it was my money

HF Fortress Ultra Quiet plus Extended warranty

or

Makita Big Bore series

 

[mikedodge]

I have a 5 gallon one. Current one has 1 tank, the last one was the kind with 2 stacked tanks. They're good for blowing stuff off and filloing tires, hit and miss with air tools, they'll run them but you'll be doing a lot of stopping and catching up.

How portable do you want? a 20 or 30 gallon one is a lot more usable and still somewhat portable.