Collection: Portable Air Compressors

A portable air compressor you can carry with one hand tops out around 6 HP, and on a 120V 15 amp circuit the real ceiling is closer to 2 HP. That limit decides most of what a portable will and will not do. Expect 2 to 6 CFM at 90 PSI from a hand carry unit, which runs a brad nailer, a framing nailer, tire work, blow guns and air mattresses without complaint.

It is not enough for a die grinder, a cut off tool, a 1/2 inch impact or any kind of sandblasting. Those pull 5 to 25 CFM continuously, and a 4 or 6 gallon tank refills too slowly to keep up. If that is the work, step up to a stationary air compressor on 240V or a tow behind unit.

The mistake almost everyone makes

Shopping on tank gallons. A 6 gallon tank buys a few extra seconds of trigger time before the pump restarts, nothing more. CFM at 90 PSI is the number that runs the tool. Find the tool's rating, add 25 percent, and buy to that.

Noise is the other thing worth checking before it lives in your garage. An oil free direct drive unit typically runs 80 to 90 dBA, loud enough that conversation stops while it is pumping. Oil lubricated pistons land closer to 75 to 85 dBA, and the quiet models in the 60 dBA range cost more for good reason.

Oil free pumps weigh less and need no maintenance, but the rings wear faster under steady use. Oil lubricated pumps last longer and want the oil checked. For nail guns and other pneumatic tools used in bursts, either design holds up fine.