Small Air Compressor?

[Fred Pabst]

Would like to pick up a small air compressor for home use. It doesn't have to be anything to fancy. I'm not a contractor so won't be using nail guns or other tools. Firstly needs to be capable of airing up mtb tires, and other stuff like maintaining GF's truck tires. I fukin hate those coin-op air compressor machines. It's always the coldest time of the year when the tire warning light comes on, and you don't know which of the four tires it is.

Anyway, google search came up with a Craftsman 2 gal horizintal tank, 125 psi at 0.3 HP for $100. Add maybe $20 for hoses and fittings. Seems reasonable. Anything else out there you like?


https://www.acehardware.com/departme...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

[3PinGrin]

I have had the oil version of that compressor for several years and it has been reliable. The oil versions were more durable in general when I was looking.

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[waxloaf]

I’ve had good luck with a cheap ($50ish) compressor from harbor freight. Ymmv


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[Meadow Skipper]

For use like the OP describes I had a cheap Craftsman sort of like the one linked, it wasn’t well made and went tits up after a couple years of light use. Then I got one of these that I’ve been happier with.
https://smile.amazon.com/PORTER-CABL...1Y/ref=sr_1_12

More psi, more volume, same price.

[El Chupacabra]

The one in OP's link will work for filling tires. If you ever want to run any tools, it won't work well - that has very low CFM, which is important for tool use, so the compressor motor will run non stop and still not keep up.

IMHO Craftsman isn't worth paying any premium for. I'd probably just get a cheap one from Harbor Freight. Also, HF is a great source for air hoses and connectors for cheap.

[El Chupacabra]

For use like the OP describes I had a cheap Craftsman sort of like the one linked, it wasn’t well made and went tits up after a couple years of light use. Then I got one of these that I’ve been happier with.
https://smile.amazon.com/PORTER-CABL...1Y/ref=sr_1_12

More psi, more volume, same price.

^^That Porter Cable has much better stats than the Craftsman.

[Eluder]

I have a porter cable pancake air compressor at home.... its fucking loud... I hate it.

We have one of these quiet ones at work its awesome and worth the extra money.

[Cruiser]

I also have a cheap harbor freight compressor. Been using it for truck and bike tires as well as other light duty work air tool for several years with no issues other than it being loud af.

[Fred Pabst]

Thanks. Good advice. Just googled Cali Air ultra quiet. Little over $100 is still in my price range. Funny there is a youtube video for any and everything!

[HAB]

I've got one of those California ones. 5.5 gallon, 1hp version. Big fan of it for airing up tires and the like in my basement shop space, since it's way quieter than most. It'll also run an impact wrench for changing car tires and so on. Takes a moment for it to catch up on pressure between wheels, but that's just time to have a few more sips of beer.

[Obstruction]

If all your doing is filling tires you might want to consider one of these.

Lifeline AAA 300 PSI 12 Volt DC Air Compressor.


It’s a noisy cheap ass thing but I’ve used mine successfully many times over the past 4 yrs. And you can get one for $21 on Amazon. Biggest Problem is that it only runs on 12v so you need to plug it into the cig lighter in your vehicle instead of using household current.

[Cocximus]

Home Depot has the Anvil 2 gallon compressor which is basically a tire inflator with a tank to set the bead on MTB tires. Not too loud, small, light and cheap.

[CallMeAl]

Been running a $150 Hitachi pancake compressor around the household for 5 years or so that came with a free finish nailer. I had zero need for a finish nailer at the time, but it has come in handy more than once. Mainly got it for tires, but have used it to run paint guns and nail guns several times since. My feeling was the old saying saying "Buy right or buy twice" when I got that thing, and glad I did.

[RShea]

I have the entry level (as in cheapest) Harbor Freight tank compressor (not the pancake model). Use it for only tires and an occasional blowing out of dust or dirt on projects. For a few pounds in a auto tire, it works OK if you plug it in and get it pretty close to full pressure. If you need to get a larger volume of air (almost flat tire) then sometimes I have to do 2 cycles of plugging it in and letting it fill up 2 times. Yes it is noisy and not something that you want to power up indoors but for the money it does what I wanted and needed for the most part and has saved having to change an almost flat tire a few times and got enough air in it to get to a shop. It never would be able to keep up with any sort of tool use and if you run it too long then I'd suspect the motor would quit or overheat and need time to recover if it does not burn up.

[davidhuge]

I have this unit as well. Didn't know about the ball valve, that's cool. OP, check for deals at Home Depot, I got the compressor and two nail guns and a stapler for like $200.


My father in law borrowed it and said when he was nailing the pressure on the regulator would drop 20 psi after the first nail and he'd have to turn the knob to get it back to pressure. You ever experience this? Or have any idea on how to fix it?