Replace my air compressor...

[Joe Kieve]

Guys...I need to replace my aging (30 year old Craftsman, 30 gal.) air compressor. I've been looking at the Kobalt VT 6362, 3.7 HP, 60 gal at Lowes for $499. Do any of you own one of these and if so how do you like it?

Thanks in advance as I highly respect your comments/suggestions.

joe

[Rich Engelhardt]

You'll probably get more response over in the general tool forum.

Personally - I like Ingersoll Rand. A 3HP will run a couple hundred more, but, the IR is a true 100% duty cycle compressor.

[glenn bradley]

Also no help on the Koblat here but, I will toss in my vote for California Air's reduced noise units. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-XhHs3wejY#) My compressor has to live in the shop and the difference in noise from my old unit is staggering. There are other brands (Rolair for example) that make low noise units as well.

[Scott T Smith]

I too tend to lean more towards an IR unit (and like the 60 gallon size), but that Kobalt does appear to have some good specs (cast iron compressor, 155 psi)

That California Air unit is very cool. If I ever have to replace one of my PC pancake compressors, that unit will be high on the list.

[Harry Holzke]

Joe, I have had a Kobalt for about 5 years but it's the 80gal / 7hp one. Have had zero issues and really like it. Some of the parts are made in other countries but is assembled in the US.

Harry

[Ole Anderson]

Amazing what you can get for $500 now, I bought my 1 hp Craftsman 80-100 psi 20 gallon 30 years ago and it was probably $300 at the time. Of course it was made in the USA and had an ASME tagged tank. Doing it over I would look for a CI compressor, 60 gallon vertical with at least 120 psi min pressure and no less than 3 hp. IR would be cool, but Kobalt would fit the bill.

[Jerome Stanek]

You have to check the IR compressors as they all are not made in the USA some are use cheap parts. The company I do work for bought one because they had good luck with their first one and found out that it wasn't near as good as they had assumed. they ended up getting another to replace it and that one also was not very good. they ended up getting a Schrader unit and that one is nice also very quite.

[David Eisenhauer]

I have a 2-3 yr old Husky vertical tank compressor from HD that doesn't have 50 hrs on it to date. So far, it has leaked oil from the seal on the compressor unit drive shaft and now from the compressor oil sight glass (the glass, not the gasket for the screw-in sight unit). I searched on-line and found that I needed to use Kobalt parts (some VT compressor model number) and ordered them from an on-line outfit called Master Tools. $8 seal, $12 shipping, wait a couple-three weeks for backorder. Sigh glass went a little better, only took 10 days or so to get it. Needless to say, not very happy with the Chinese stuff. Beware.

[John Coloccia]

Back when I was building the airplane and I ran a lot of air tools, I had a 60gal Kobolt compressor. That saw a LOT of use, and it worked perfectly well. That said, for THAT price, I'd buy this:

http://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/Ingersoll-Rand-SS5L5-Air-Compressor/p689.html?utm_source=google+shopping&utm_medium=shop+portals&utm_campaign=SS5L5&gclid=CJHElMv2zMECFQIF7AodlXYA1Q

Way better specs, made in the USA, and it's IR. My 60 gal Kobalt wasn't nearly that expensive AND it had almost the same specs. There's no way I'd spend $850 on a Kobalt air compressor.

edit: I just noticed that you're looking at the 60, not the 80. Like I said, I really liked mine. I had an older one, and honestly it had better specs, but I always liked mine and a lot of other people do too. I think it's just a rebadged Cambell Hausfeld compressor, and that makes it an excellent "consumer" grade compressor. I probably wouldn't install it at the local Pep Boys to run their repair shop, but it's just right for what we use them for, I think.

[Cary Falk]

I have had the Kobalt 60 gallon for 3 or 4 years now. Zero issues. I don't use it heavily. Just on the weekends.

[Peter Kelly]

Back when I was building the airplane and I ran a lot of air tools, I had a 60gal Kobolt compressor. That saw a LOT of use, and it worked perfectly well. That said, for THAT price, I'd buy this:

http://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/Ingersoll-Rand-SS5L5-Air-Compressor/p689.html?utm_source=google+shopping&utm_medium=shop+portals&utm_campaign=SS5L5&gclid=CJHElMv2zMECFQIF7AodlXYA1QIf I were going to spend close to $1,000, I'd go with the Quincy http://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/Quincy-Q13160VQ-Air-Compressor/p12330.html

I don't think the Taiwanese pump on the IR one is rated for 10,000 hours.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Back when I was building the airplane.....

I obviously missed something.

Did you post about it here? Would be worth a look.

[John Coloccia]

I obviously missed something.

Did you post about it here? Would be worth a look.

www.ballofshame.com

The more interesting part is the RV-7 log that you need to scroll down a bit to get to.

[Jim Becker]

I considered compressors similar to the Kobalt, Husky, CH, etc., but chose to buy and IR 3hp 60 gallon unit because the system was better constructed and more easily repaired...less plastic, in other words.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I don't think the Taiwanese pump on the IR one is rated for 10,000 hours.
Correct - IR pumps aren't rated for 10,000 hours.....

They are rated for 15,000 hours. ;).

Having said that, it's been a few years since I bought my IR and I looked at a lot of reviews after reading Jerome's comment above & it looks like IR quality has taken a real nose dive.
Pity - another great American company with a great reputation ends up being nothing but junk.

[John Coloccia]

Well, that's disappointing to hear.

[Joe Kieve]

Thanks Guys for your comments and suggestions. Looks like a toss-up between the Kobalt and Ingersoll-Rand. If my old compressor can hold up long enough, I'll try to save for the IR.

Thanks again.

[ken masoumi]

Thanks Guys for your comments and suggestions. Looks like a toss-up between the Kobalt and Ingersoll-Rand. If my old compressor can hold up long enough, I'll try to save for the IR.

Thanks again.
If I were looking for a new compressor,I would look at Rolair systems only because I have heard nothing but praises about how quiet they are and they seem to be as reliable as IR:
http://www.rolair.net/products/spec_pages/electric_stationary/V3160K24.html#specs

[Ken Klingman]

Bought the Kobalt 60 gal and am using it finishing out a new home. Laid 1200 sq ft of red oak flooring and it barely came on. Noisy, but aren't they all?