# Air Compressors



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I have this DeWalt D55168 15-gallon single stage air compressor. I think it cost about $400. It does what I need it to do, but I need ear protection when it is running in the garage. Long term I would like to replace it with something quieter, but it's hard to justify because it's not something I use every day.

Does anyone have an air compressor they like?


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## atticus (Dec 30, 2021)

I love my California Tools 15gal. It's on the expensive side but it's a quality machine and it's rated at 70db so you aren't getting much quieter in an air compressor. The 10 gallon is less expensive with pretty much the only difference being the tank size.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QFH5NCM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_DJJRNTYEMF8F8NDZS90G

Edit: the 10 gallon is $430 so closer to what yours cost.


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## david_ (Aug 22, 2019)

Nope. I hate them all. Not-so-slowly moving to all-battery power.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

david_ said:


> Nope. I hate them all. Not-so-slowly moving to all-battery power.


Yeah that's a good point - I'm using battery impacts and ratchets nowadays. My compressed air needs are really limited to inflating and cleaning. And even with inflating, if it's not a big job I find myself using my battery powered inflator to avoid starting up the noisy compressor.


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Got a California and love it


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## atticus (Dec 30, 2021)

If you don't need a big one, their smaller compressors are even more reasonably priced. Mine is honestly too big for my needs these days, it was a gift from my dad. I built my parents a new deck for their 30th anniversary and I guess I spent enough time complaining about my old POS dewalt compressor that a few weeks after I was done, the silent giant showed up on my doorstep.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I have an older smaller Porter Cable air compressor that does about 99% of what I need done around the house. It's loud but not too bad where I need hearing protection.

I would either keep what you have or down grade to something smaller and quieter. Anything that size and quiet is going to be crazy expensive. I think Obsessed Garage sells something like that.


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## Theycallmemrr (May 16, 2019)

I have a HF air compressor (~2 gal) that is a similar to the California and feel it is built well and super quiet. The only complaint I have with it is I should have gotten one with a little more capacity. But that is my fault not the compressors.


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## Monocot Master (Feb 28, 2021)

I have a Kobalt that I really like. Been using it a few years now. It is very quiet. Uses the same pump that is on the California compressors. They also have a model that is similar in size to your Dewalt.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Quiet-Tech-4-3-Gallon-Single-Stage-Portable-Electric-Twin-Stack-Air-Compressor/1001013970


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## corneliani (Apr 2, 2019)

This one is impressive .. tucked away in a cabinet, all nice & clean looking! @Ware I expect nothing less from you buddy. 

https://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/California-Air-Tools-CAT-20040SPCAD-Air-Compressor/p97887.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw8sCRBhA6EiwA6_IF4ZVHS8Nigj-o-B5Q4BXSAny38wr2wE1hdLJD6t6l4-W73qynZXRCghoCW7EQAvD_BwE


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## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

+1 on the California Air Tools. I use one at home and I also have one at work that powers pneumatic fitness equipment. It's quieter and requires less maintenance than the Jun-Air it replaced.


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## FranksATX (May 7, 2018)

California Air Tools 8010 Steel Tank Air Compressor | Ultra Quiet, Oil-Free, 1.0 hp, 8 gal

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WM1VPKE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

This is what I use for spraying HVLP stain and finish. Works great and quiet. I have an old 3gal pancake compressor I use for my air nailers. No comparison. The quiet compressor is the way to go.

If you are not running high air volume tools the 8 gallon is plenty of capacity. I have never had an issue with the volume even when laying down poly on large table tops (long continuous sprays with a high flow gun). YMMV


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

Got this one. It's loud but I only use it maybe two times a year so I figure it will last forever 


I keep this one in my shed for miscellaneous stuff.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

For those with a CAT compressor, is the sound reduction really as dramatic as they show in their videos?

The say they are 70 decibels. The specs I found for my DeWalt say "78 dBA (tested per ISO3744) operational noise level for a quieter work environment", but as I mentioned I feel like I need ear protection when it is running in my garage. It sounds more like the pancake compressor in this video that he says is 90-100db.

In the suppressor/silencer world they say not to get caught up in the numbers because db measurements can sometimes be misleading depending on how/where they are measured. Tone plays an important role too. In this video, the tone of the CAT compressor sounds much more tolerable.

https://youtu.be/aRA4aNbNsLw?t=176


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## david_ (Aug 22, 2019)

Ware said:


> Yeah that's a good point - I'm using battery impacts and ratchets nowadays. My compressed air needs are really limited to inflating and cleaning. And even with inflating, if it's not a big job I find myself using my battery powered inflator to avoid starting up the noisy compressor.


I love this thing. Truck, mower, bikes.. so nice to be able to bring the air to the tire, not the other way around. I do have one of these and only use it for air sprayer to dust off the insides of computers. Its days are numbered.


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## atticus (Dec 30, 2021)

Ware said:


> For those with a CAT compressor, is the sound reduction really as dramatic as they show in their videos?
> 
> The say they are 70 decibels. The specs I found for my DeWalt say "78 dBA (tested per ISO3744) operational noise level for a quieter work environment", but as I mentioned I feel like I need ear protection when it is running in my garage. It sounds more like the pancake compressor in this video that he says is 90-100db.
> 
> In the suppressor/silencer world they say not to get caught up in the numbers because db measurements can sometimes be misleading depending on how/where they are measured. Tone plays an important role too. In this video, the tone of the CAT compressor sounds much more tolerable.


In my experience going from a dewalt pancake compressor to the Cal, it was absolutely that dramatic. As an audio professional, I take my hearing pretty seriously and I feel comfortable working in my garage/other enclosed spaces with the Cal and not using ear protection.

FWIW to the human ear an increase of ~10db is double the perceived loudness of a sound. A reflective acoustic environment (like a garage) is only going to intensify that effect. So though it may not seem like much numerically, a 70db compressor vs even an 80db compressor in that kind of environment is going to be pretty noticeable. You start talking about a reduction of 20-30db and it's night and day.


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## eric1104 (Oct 13, 2020)

If you're willing to move to a smaller compressor, I highly recommend the Rolair JC-10 plus. https://www.rolair.com/products/air-compressors/hand-carry/jc10plus

When I was in the market, I specifically sought out the quietest one I could find after using a couple screaming loud pancake-style compressors. This one is incredibly quiet at only 60db and is well built too.

My brother in law has a CAT model with a larger tank that's also quiet at 65 db. He's been happ with it. https://www.californiaairtools.com/...sumer-grade/1-0-hp-air-compressor/cat-4710sq/


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

You can have a conversation while the cali is running.


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## Bmossin (May 31, 2018)

I have a Flexzilla 20 gallon that is a quiet series. You can have a regular conversation in the garage while it is running. DeWALT also has a quiet version of their compressor. DXCMSAC426. I do not think you would be disappointed with either of them. The quiet technology is really nice.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Bmossin said:


> I have a Flexzilla 20 gallon that is a quiet series. You can have a regular conversation in the garage while it is running. DeWALT also has a quiet version of their compressor. DXCMSAC426. I do not think you would be disappointed with either of them. The quiet technology is really nice.


Those two use the same style/shape oil free dual piston pump that I see on the CAT's. So that's a good tip for folks to look for this style pump when shopping compressors. I've had mine a long time, but wish I had done more research before I bought it. :thumbup:


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Here are the Lowe's Kobalt and Home Depot Husky versions of those.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

@Ware are you looking for a permanent one-and-done solution or something semi-portable still?

Years ago, I had a Craftsman 30ish gallon two-stage, oil-less compressor that was whisper quiet compared to a typical pancake. I wore it out and parts were hard to get by then so I had to let it go when I moved south. But it was a great home-shop unit that was easy to keep, ran on 110V, and would run most of my air-tools without skipping a beat. Even did a little HVLP paint with it.

When my garage/shop was 2x the size of my current one and I was using a lot of air comparatively, I wanted to get a Quincy QT-54. Def not whisper quiet @ 80dB but low-tone and would probably out-last me. Unfortunately, it's about $600 more than it was back then but I think I'd still go this route if shopping for a 'permanent' shop compressor.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200350475_200350475


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

Ware said:


> Long term I would like to replace it with something quieter, but it's hard to justify because it's not something I use every day.
> 
> Does anyone have an air compressor they like?


Like you, I don't use it every day, but footprint and how loud it is when it runs were two big considerations. I went with the Campbell Hausfeld. It's only an 8-gallon, but it works for what I need. And it is ridiculously quiet. I was impressed when I heard it with my own ears.


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## Bmossin (May 31, 2018)

MAT industries/Sanborn Manufacturing make Campbell Hausfeld, DeWALT bigger units (not pancakes-like 20 gallon plus) Industrial Air, Black Diamond, Porter Cable units similar to DeWALT and some of the Northern Tool units. Keep that in mind, especially if you're talking 20 gallon and above.


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## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

I have a circa 2000 Craftsman 30 gallon oiless compressor that is very loud. I recently purchased two different 60 gallon oil-lube compressors and they are very loud also. I thought the oiled compressors would be a lot quieter but they are not. Seems all the big brands make small compressors now that are marketed as having the quiet technology. I would get one but they are not powerful enough for my usage.


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## dennisschlosser (Jun 21, 2021)

Quincey QT54
Very happy with it. Very good rating online. About as good as you can get without going full blow commercial.


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## falconsfan (Mar 25, 2019)

+1 on the HF ultra quiet series. I also have a Ryobi 18V that I keep in the truck for top offs. Cheap enough to keep in the truck full time w/ 4ah battery.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I decided life is too short to live with a noisy compressor.

I had a Harbor Freight 25% off any single item coupon that expires this week, so I used it to buy their Fortress 26gal Ultra Quiet air compressor. The price was $399, but the coupon made it $299. I sold my DeWalt on FB Marketplace for $300, so I was basically able to 'upgrade' for whatever I paid in sales tax.

The DeWalt had better performance specs like 200psi vs 175psi and 5scfm vs 4.5scfm @ 90psi, but my instinct says the larger receiver tank (26gal vs 15gal) will help accommodate for some of that. I think there is some math you could use to compare, but it has been a couple decades since I took that course in Fluid Mechanics.

It has the same style dual piston pump as the California Air Tools and the other "quiet" air compressors that have been mentioned in this thread, and the difference in noise level is night and day. It is rated at 69 dBA versus the 78dBA DeWalt. As @atticus mentioned earlier in this thread 10dB is roughly double the perceived loudness. With the DeWalt I felt like I needed to grab a pair of earmuffs when it was running. With the new one I can carry on a normal conversation with it running.

The color is also a nice match for my garage. :thumbsup:


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## dennisschlosser (Jun 21, 2021)

69 dba is very quite. That should be a very quite unit.


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## atticus (Dec 30, 2021)

That thing's a Beast! Congrats. Love a good net zero upgrade.


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## Monocot Master (Feb 28, 2021)

@Ware If, or when the regulator craps out, replumb it with a legit regulator/filter. Will require some mods, but will be a better unit. I think the weak link in most of these compressors are the bobo parts and pieces.


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## LawnChief19 (Aug 27, 2020)

I bought a Husky from HD that looks a lot like yours. I use it for airing up tires, blowing the grass and leaves around my belts, nail guns, etc. It is much quieter than my large IR I have out in the big shop. Someday I'll upgrade it to a non deafening unit too. I like the Husky with the wheels so I can relocate it if I need to get closer to a job or take it to the MIL's for a project. I usually don't use it for in ground sprinkler blow out. My friend has access to a commercial trailer unit like the contractor or lawn services use so I luck out there.


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