Best Air Compressor For Home Garage – Reviews And Guide in 2020
When it comes to picking the best air compressor for home garage, you need to go through comprehensive research. Seems somewhat difficult? Yes, you are right. But, fortunately, you have come to the right place. And this is going to be an easy task for you.
All you need to do when looking for a best garage air compressor for your home is to know the requirements of air tools and check if the compressor can meet the needs. In addition to this, the portability, quality, noise level, and a few more things should be taken into consideration.
Considering all the above things, I have created the list of top air compressors for garage. You no longer need to work hard; your compressor is readily on your hand
5 Best Air Compressors For Home Garage
1. campbell hausfeld 3 gallon air compressor
Top 3 Features
What makes an air compressor ideal for a home garage is its versatility. In this regard, Campbell Hausfeld does hold its worth. With a 3-gallon large tank, it can inflate car tires, bike tires, and sports balls. Besides, it’s able to power many pneumatic tools, including airbrushes, nail guns, and brad nailers and can be used for furniture upholstery projects and many more.
Boasted with an electric motor that operates on 120 volts house outlet, the compressor delivers 0.5 CFM at 40 PSI and 0.36 CFM at 90 PSI, ensuring consistent flow to your air tools.
The gauges placed conveniently are easy to read the pressure. As this is an oilless pump, it requires no or little maintenance and doesn’t cost you extra money for lubrication.
campbell hausfeld 3 gallon 110 PSI air compressor built the pump with compact design to make it portable. You can set your garage compressor at the corner of the garage, thanks to the perfect size. The accessory kits offered by the manufacturer include a 25-foot hose, blow gun, female coupler, needles, plugs, chuck, and other fitting equipment. All come efficient while setting your compressor.
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2. bostitch 6 gallon portable electric pancake air compressor
Top 3 Features
Taking the second position, the BOSTITCH pancake air compressor offers plenty of advantages beyond its smaller size. You may raise doubt about its power if you look at the size and 10.5-amp tiny motor.
But in reality, it proves its value with the ability to deliver an incredible 150 PSI maximum pressure. It can boast 2.6 CFM at 90 PSI to run the garage tools with a faster recovery.
No matter how low the temperature is, the bostitch 150 psi compressor boasted the pump with a high-efficiency motor that can quickly start-up in cold weather and high flow regulator with couplers to enhance air tools performance.
Noise is the roadblock to any compressor, and it turns into a severe issue when intended for a home garage use. The good news is this model makes up to 78.5 decibels noise that is ideal for a quiet work environment.
Moreover, the pancake-shaped tank and compact design make the compressor ultra-light. It weighs only 29lbs and is easy to carry and store. Oil-free design means no maintenance and lubrication required.
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3. porter cable cMB15 - best home garage air compressors
Top 3 Features
If you are looking for an air compressor that can stay protected from dust and dirt, then you must consider porter cable 1.5 gallon air compressor. It doesn’t matter how dirty your home garage is; this home air compressor is fully shrouded to keep it safe at the workplace.
While its competitors provide short hose, it offers a 25-foot long hose to keep inflating tires from either side of your cars or bikes.
The compressor is equipped with an oil-free pump to serve you for a long time, even no need maintenance and lubrication. As the motor runs on low amp 120V, it effortlessly starts in cold weather.
Moving on to the power, the compressor has a 1.5 gallon to build up 150 PSI pressure for longer tool runtimes. It can generate 2 SCFM at 90 PSI.
For a quiet environment like a home garage, you have to care about the noise level of your compressor. The noise level should be below 80 decibels. porter cable compressor kit boasted this machine with a low noise motor at 79 dba.
Weighing at only 20 lbs, it’s easy to transport. You will love its compact design. This is the only unit with all components together in a single housing, whereas others are either too tiny run some powerful tools or too large to keep in the casing.
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4. dwfp55126 - dewalt pancake air compressor review
Top 3 Features
I would recommend this compressor if you have some powerful air tools in your garage, which require high pressure to keep running. Unlike Bostitch BTFP02012 that looks like almost this model, the Dewalt pancake air compressor delivers high pressure and high airflow with low noise.
It delivers an unbelievable 165 PSI to cover most of the pneumatic tools in your garage. The capacity of the tank is 6-gallon that enables your devices to run for a long time with a quick recovery.
It’s easy to be skeptical about this small air compressor for garage's power. But it removes all doubt with its ability to produce 3.7 SCFM at 40 PSI and 2.6 SCFM at 90 PSI.
High flow regulator and couplers play a vital role in maximizing air tool performance. Though the pump is more powerful than most of the portable compressors, it runs quieter, making only 75.5 decibels.
Nobody would expect it to be so portable as it’s. While 30lb weight makes it easy to carry, protective rubber legs help set in the place and prevent marring.
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5. porter cable pcfp02003 review
Top 3 Features
This is a versatile air compressor with perfect size. Other units comparable to this one are either too small to deliver enough air for your tools or too big to carry.
But this model gives you both opportunities, the portability and the required pressure and flow. It supports finish nailers, framing and roofing jobs, general inflation, and small CFM tools.
With its 3.5-gallon tank, it yields up to 135 PSI pressure for longer runtime with a faster recovery. The 2 SCFM air delivery at 90 PSI suffices for almost all small tools.
However, the compressor features an oil-free motor that ensures long-time service and requires no maintenance and oil lubrication. And the motor operates on 120V low amp, making it easy to start at low temperature.
It has two controls, one for on/off switch and another for regulator turn knob. When used in a high humidity environment, It’s easy to evacuate the condensation using the drain valve on the bottom of the compressor.
A piece of valuable information about this model is it’s made by PORTER CABLE, one of the well-reputed companies in manufacturing quality air compressor. That’s why I have come with two models from PARTER CABLE.
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Things to consider when buying the best air compressor for home garage
Picking the best air compressor for domestic use is a challenging task; even you have experience in this. It might be a daunting job if you choose an air compressor for the first time. Seems difficult? Not at all. All you have to do before buying a quality compressor for indoor use is to consider some factors like types of air tools you are going to operate with your compressor, compressor type and size, portability, noise level, power source, specifications and many more.
Here are some important facts with a detailed explanation that you must take into consideration to ensure that your air compressor meets your requirements.
Pneumatic tools
Air tools run on compressed air supplied by an air compressor. But it doesn’t mean that every air compressor can operate any kind of pneumatic tools. Different air tools demand different requirements to run. Before you determine on buying an air compressor, you must know what kind of air tools will run by your air compressor and how much CFM and PSI they need to operate smoothly. Knowing so will help you buy a compressor that you exactly want and can meet your needs. Usually, air tools used in the home garage demand lower airflow and pressure.
Type of compressor
Another important factor influencing the garage air compressor choice is compressor design. Air compressors are not designed alike; rather, they come in different styles. There are mainly three different designs available on the market, which are piston compressor, rotary screw compressor, and scroll compressor. Every kind has a specific application and purpose. It’s worth knowing that a piston air compressor is often seen in the garage, whereas rotary and scroll compressors are found in industrial and high-performance applications.
Compressor size
When it comes to opting an air compressor for indoor use, considering the compressor size is a must. Air compressors are available in many sizes, ranging from small to large high powered industrial units. Choosing one that fits your garage is important. If your garage is not spacious, you would rather choose the small one. For large garage, compressor size is not a big issue.
Portability
Typically, home garage compressors need not be portable because they are meant for setting up in the garage only. But if you need to transport your compressor to different job sites, you have to be concerned about the size. It’s always advisable to choose one that can fit your car trunk so that it becomes easy to carry with.
Compressor specification
Air compressor manufacturers like Porter-Cable, Makita, Powermate, and Campbell-Hausfeld design air compressors with different technical specifications to suit a wide variety of applications. The noteworthy configurations are cubic feet per minute (CFM), pound per square inch (PSI), Horsepower (HP), and so on. It’s important to know about these specifications before finalizing the purchase decision. How much CFM, PSI, and horsepower depends on the requirement of your pneumatic devices. Try to look for the specifications when evaluating an air compressor for domestic applications.
Noise level
Considering the noise level becomes crucial when selecting a compressor for the home garage. Nowadays, manufacturers build ultra-quiet compressors which can be the most suitable for domestic use. Try to invest in one with less or no noise level.
Power source
It’s also important to check the power source to power your air compressor. Air compressors run on either electricity or gas. If there is an issue with the availability of electricity supply at your work area, a gas-powered compressor is recommended for your garage. Another good point is gas-powered units are less expensive than electric ones.
Affordability
Finally yet importantly, it’s not worth burning a hole in your pocket for buying a quality garage compressor. Rather having a clear knowledge about what air tools will operate with your compressor will help you find the right compressor for the money. A higher price can never guarantee you to get a quality compressor. On the other hand, cheap units tend to break down. Making the list of the pneumatic tools that will be running on the compressor and selecting one that can deal with all your tools can meet your needs.
Final Words
For the home garage, you need not choose a powerful industrial air compressor even you have no limit on your budget. A compressor with 120-150 PSI maximum pressure and less than 3 CFM airflow is ideal for the home garage. If you have some powerful tools like air ratchets and similar devices, I would recommend you DEWALT Pancake Air Compressor. For medium tools like brad nailers, you can go with PORTER-CABLE series, and Campbell Hausfeld is for small CFM requirements.
