Best Air Compressor for Garage Use?!?!?

Hi all,


Just wondering what your thoughts are on a good, cheaper air compressor for home use. I plan on spending less than $300 on it and would like to be able to use it for sanding and possibly painting. Trying to figure out if a cheaper unit will hold up to these tasks.

What kind of air compressors do you have, the price,and what are they used for?

I bought one at Harbor Freight about 9 years ago and I love it. You want a minimum of 3Hp and at least a 20gal tank. That will allow you to use air tools without much problem. For $300 you can get a very nice on from them. In Kansas you have one in, Salina, Shawnee, Topeka, Wichita. If any of those towns are close to where you live?

Looks like the closest one is Salina is about 90Mi East being the closest one. The closet one to me is about 40mi away.

Most of the smaller compressors are 110v - and that's good for most garages. If you step up to 60 gallon tank compressor (or larger), be aware many will be 220v.

If you plan on moving it around a fair amount, wheels do help... even small compressors can be a chore to lug around...

just keep an eye on the delivery ratings at 40 and 90 psi....make sure they are in the neighborhood with the tools you plan on using.....

EDIT:otakars saying 3hp does make great sense ,now that i re-read...i forget that a lot of folks work on cars and bigger....me no.....little nailing and some light duty paint or shop work is gonna be enough...cars/trucks/air tools.....makes sense maybe to go bigger for sure....strictly bikes...maybe my idea is enough...i spent like 75 with tx and got a trick little combo pack...




a cheap 69-99 pancake or two wheeled single tank oiless compressor on sale always at sears or lowes or h-depot.... will do what you need and not even break 100 with tax,and come with all the little gadgets,guages,fittings, and hoses and a small nailer too.....imo.....unless your gonna go balls to the wall and run a tool till the tool gets hot...a small compressor will catch up fast and keep up with me for the few times i'm gonna ever push it...if it does fail i'll just take it to the returns desk and get another.....hell....i've done roofs with a pancakeand 100' of hose...and framed with it too.....quality and skilled moves can run circles around quantity and fast paced work..as far as final product goes ...i just researched this and am convinced,that a little compressor will sand,and spray finishes.......imo.....

Ok, thanks guys. I had just heard that some compressors won't have enough cfm to spray paint with. I have a feeling a $249 craftsman would be fine but I've heard some good and bad reviews about them. I would also think a harbor freight unit might do the trick and foe even less.

Any more input would be appreciated.

Wife and daughter bought mone for Xmass 5 years ago... Included Pneumatic air tool kit as well ~ $300...

Has worked just fine for everything I've needed with no problems....

Now do I use it everyday, at times yes but for the most part no... As with hand tools (electric & Pneumatic, grinders, Zaw-Zaw, drills, sockets & wrenches what ever...) if using for a business everyday, all day then pay the additional $$$ for quality tools no doubt.

If using here and there as in your build, to inflate tires up to 100 lbs pressure, paint sparyers etc... Even the Harbor frieght tools will be just fine...

Example, HB electric hand angle grinder on sale $9.99...
Worked throughout my build and I used it extensively, still works with no issues to date...

For $10, how the hell can you beat that even if it did die out.... That's a price of a pack of smokes, a fast food burger with fries (go biggy), a six pack of beer... these days...

Unless requiring for a business and hard use, a $200-$300 will be more then enough... Actually a Cambell $100-$200 compressor will be just fine...

OMR

Thanks OMR. I was just wondering about the oil-less compressors and din't want to buy one that would poop out on me a year down the road. It will just be used for projects and diffenately not everyday use.

Just remeber, as Keith mentioned.... If not getting with a kit, research what Pneumatic tools your wanting and insure the compressor can properly run them (psi)...

Now get busy fabbing! :woohoo: WHile your at it... wire feed welder $100 at HBFTools goioing on sale... :woohoo:

I've been in the construction biz for 20+ years and prefer the oil pumps. The heat that the oiless generate kills them off much quicker then ones that have some lube to help it out. Sanders demand quite a bit of air when used for an exteneded period of time so you might want to go with a electric sander. If you get a unit with a smaller tank, rig up a pony tank out of an old propane cylinder or scrap tank that can handle the pressure to help make the air last longer. Tool King usually has some good remanufactured compressors for reasonable prices. I have a 20 gal, 3hp Rocket in the back of my truck that refuses to die...couldn't even tell you the last time i checked the oil let alone change it.