Air Compressors Buyer’s Guide

Which air compressors can I buy?

While all air compressors use the same principle, they can vary greatly in shape, size, power and purpose. You can start from the small, portable, handheld compressors that are useful on the road, or for small jobs around the house, all the way to the near industrial ones used to power heavy machinery.

Standard air compressors

These are larger machines, useful for garage or shop work. They can be used in your home, as most of them are perfectly capable of running from a standard wall electric socket. They are best for general jobs, but can also be used for smaller jobs such as tires inflation and similar. Most of them are equipped with pancake-style tanks, to ensure stability while running. They can come with a variety of nozzles and accessories, to fully suit any needs you might have.

Portable/handheld air compressors

These types of air compressors are less powerful than the standard, but they more than makeup for it by their portability. These are perfect for inflating car tires or achieving a high pressure in small inflatables. Most of these can also be used for larger volume inflatables, providing regular pressure. They can come in with a standard tank, that you can compress air into, and carry them with you to whatever job that needs to be done. While most are standardized to use an electric wall socket, some even come equipped with inlets that can connect with a 12v outlet, such as the one found in car lighter outlets.

What to look for in an air compressor?

When selecting an air compressor, the first question you must ask yourself is what do you plan on using it for – is it going to be a small job, like inflating a children’s toy inflatable, or are your planning on getting more work done with it? If you are selecting a standard air compressor, make sure that you opt for the oil-free products, since they run cleaner, and are easier and cheaper to maintain. Making sure that your air compressors are as silent as can be is also an important factor, and you should generally opt for one with a noise emission lower than 70dB. The vastly popular pancake-style tank is also a big plus since it can ensure the stability of the entire machine, which is incredibly useful, even more so when you plan to leave your air compressor running while unattended.

For portable or handheld compressors, tank capacity is a big selling point, as well as the maximum pressure output. Total weight of the air compressor is also one of the big selling points, so any lightweight, high capacity, heavy pressure air compressors might be the best choice for you. For any type of compressor make sure that you get high-quality gauges and nozzles, to ensure an uninterrupted flow of pressurized air into the system you are working on.

Which air compressor should you buy?

For all your pressurized air needs, an air compressor is a perfect tool for the job. If you are looking for a standard air compressor, you would want a pancake-style cylinder, coupled with oil-free running and high-quality pressure gauges and nozzles. When selecting a portable air compressor, you want to opt in for the product that can output the highest pressure, and any ability to work on a 12v outlet are a great bonus. Make sure that whatever type of air compressor you choose, you get a long-lasting, durable product. While this might seem a bit pricier at the start, ensuring the long life of your air compressor can mean a lot of savings in the long run.