Many air compressors are large and designed specifically to work inside your garage, but there are also a number of portable air compressors available that you can use to power your pneumatic tools in the field, or to simply inflate a flat tire on the road.
Air compressors are handy tools that we wouldn’t be without. We use them for all sorts of jobs around the home.
If you’re looking to invest in a new portable air compressor, you’ll find that there are a large number of options available but that they can differ dramatically in terms of their
- Size
- Power
- Utility, and
- Cost.
If you are specifically looking for an air compressor for a nail gun, Plentiful Air has a detailed guide available here.
Air Compressor Specs
Now, if you’re new to the world of pneumatic tools, you’re likely to come across a lot of technical jargon that may make it particularly hard for you to find the compressor that suits your needs the best.
All air compressors are essentially made of two main parts: an electric pump and a storage tank.
The pump collects air from the environment and compresses it in the tank until it reaches a pre-specified pressure (measured in ‘psi’, or pounds per square inch).
When you need to use the compressor, it simply releases some of this pressurized air at high speed, which is measured in terms of CFM, or Cubic Feet per Minute.
This burst of compressed air can now be used to power several types of devices like jackhammers, nail guns, or pneumatic staplers. Air compressors can even be used to inflate car tires or air mattresses!
What makes a good portable air compressor
A good portable air compressor is small, lightweight, sturdy enough to survive harsh outdoor working conditions, durable, power efficient and generates enough power to get the job done.
Different portable air compressors, however, are designed to perform different tasks and can have their own unique features which make it more suitable for one type of job.
For example, a portable compressor that you want to inflate your car tires with will need to be small and light to fit your car.
But, if you intend on using your compressor for a nail gun to build a fence, you’ll need one with a larger tank and an overall larger size.
We always recommend evaluating each portable compressor based on the specific job you have in mind.
Many mechanics and DIYers never need to use their compressors outside of their garage, so traditional non-portable compressors work just fine for them.
If your job involves outdoor field work (like at a construction site), or building fences for example, there’s no alternative to having a portable air compressor.
Portable air compressors are usually designed so that they’re not only lightweight enough to be carried around but also sturdy enough to tolerate the rough environments outside the safety of your garage. Heavier models that have iron casting on them usually have wheels instead of carry handles. They also often come with air filters to protect the inner components from dust exposure.
Inflators and Light-Duty Compressors
If you just need compressed air for jobs like maintaining tire pressure, cleaning with air, using an airbrush, or inflating sports equipment, these compressors are the ideal choice.
They’re also suitable for powering lightweight air tools, including nailers and staplers.
Ideally these should be able to reach 100 psi, but for some small pneumatic tools a smaller compressors of 60 psi will be enough.
Workshop Compressors
Workshop compressors are usually stationary or moved only occasionally over long distances. They typically have tank sizes of 20 gallons or more and can power a variety of air tools, including paint sprayers. The larger tank size and high-volume pump allow these compressors to provide extended run times for air tools, increasing productivity.
While you can move these around they aren’t classically considered a portable air compressor.
Light-Duty Workshop Compressors
- 8-17 Gallons: Best for a single tool with light to moderate use.
Medium-Duty Workshop Compressors
- 17-26 Gallons: Perfect for one tool with medium to heavy use.
Heavy-Duty Workshop Compressors
- Over 26 Gallons: Recommended for one to two tools with medium to heavy use.
Interior Jobsite Compressors
These compressors are mostly light, compact and portable, some come with wheels, while the smaller models also have handles that are strong enough to carry their whole weight.
Perfect for small nailers such as 16-23 gauge nailers.
- 1-6 Gallons: Ideal for 1-3 users with light to moderate usage.
- 4-10 Gallons: Suitable for 3-5 users with medium to heavy usage.
These compressors should be able to reach pressures greater than 100 psi.
Exterior Jobsite Compressors
These larger compressors are designed for larger nailers like framing, roofing, and flooring nailers. Be sure to select the appropriate size to suit your specific job.
- 4-6 Gallons: Best suited for 1-2 users with medium to heavy usage.
- 8-20 Gallons: Recommended for 3-6 users with medium to heavy usage.
Ideally, this type of compressors should reach pressures greater than 150 psi.
Airbrush Compressors
These compressors are best for detailed airbrush painting or modeling. Look for models that are compact, quiet, and portable compressor.
The size of your project as always will determine what size compressor you need, but usually for airbrushing you won’t need a compressor that goes above 135 psi.
Air Compressors For Quiet Jobs
Two of the quietest portable air compressors that you can find are the Stealth Ultra Quiet SAUQ-1005 Portable Air Compressor and the Super Handy Portable Air compressor.
Stealth’s SAUQ-1005 functions at noise levels of just 58 decibels, whereas the Super Handy Portable compressor is only slightly louder at 60 decibels. Compared to these, most other compressors function at a higher range of 65-75 decibels.
The difference in these noises, however, isn’t always too noticeable, so we always recommend looking at other specifications along with noise levels before you decide on a product.
