Shop Compressor Recommendations

[mreza Salav]

I have Rolair vt25big and it serves me fine. In can be rolled around if needed. Very strong for it's size, gets good reviews.
You can check the db rating of them for comparison.

[Jim Dwight]

I use this little Senco in the shop:https://www.homedepot.com/p/Senco-1-...E&gclsrc=aw.ds. It easily drives my pinner or stapler. I have used it for my framing nailer and flooring nailer but would only do so for a very small job. One nail may drive the pressure too low for the second. So lots of waiting. It is nicely quiet and pretty inexpensive. I also keep a cordless Ryobi compressor in the shop but use it mainly for airing up car tires and that sort of thing. I've used it under the house too with an upholstrey stapler fastening up air ducts.

[roger wiegand]

I have an even smaller Senco that I got when I needed one I could easily haul around. It's extremely quiet. It keeps up with a brad nailer, narrow crown stapler or finish nailer just fine. It will even run the framing nailer, but you have to stop and let it catch up every 4-5 nails. For a 5 minute job in the house or at a friend's place it's perfect. In the shop I'd want a bigger one, but this one fills a niche nicely for me. There's a stationary compressor in the shop and a portable Makita for bigger jobs, neither of those is quiet. I really like the Makita though, I think it actually produces more air than my cheap 60 gal stationary.

[mreza Salav]

I have an even smaller Senco that I got when I needed one I could easily haul around. It's extremely quiet. It keeps up with a brad nailer, narrow crown stapler or finish nailer just fine. It will even run the framing nailer, but you have to stop and let it catch up every 4-5 nails. For a 5 minute job in the house or at a friend's place it's perfect. In the shop I'd want a bigger one, but this one fills a niche nicely for me. There's a stationary compressor in the shop and a portable Makita for bigger jobs, neither of those is quiet. I really like the Makita though, I think it actually produces more air than my cheap 60 gal stationary.

I think that Makita is almost identical to the Rolair one I mentioned above. Both very good units.

[Andy D Jones]

I've had my 2HP 4.6 gal CAT compressor for a few years. Very quiet, with excellent performance for its size.

Very happy with it!

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Pete Costa]

IMG_6527.jpgIMG_6528.jpgIMG_6529 (1).jpg

I took a different route. I already had a pancake compressor for home repairs and construction. My shop needs for air were limited - just a few small gauge nails or staples every now and then. The pancake was more than adequate but stupid loud, esp. in the confined space. I really couldn't justify getting a quieter one (ok, I could try, but there was a lot of things ahead of it on the wish list). I ended up making this sound insulating box out of MDF (the density helps absorb the sound) and acoustic foam. Compressor fits snugly in the box on some rubber pads (to try and isolate vibration transmission to the box), but is easily removed with quick disconnects on the air and drain lines. Regulator and drain line valve are on the outside, so I don't need to open the box unless I want to remove the compressor for a job outside the shop.

The last pic shows the air circulation sound baffle. Although I didn't expect to draw heavily on the compressor, i didn't want to risk overheating the motor. There is a small exhaust fan (usually used for desktop computers) that pulls air through a baffle, into the bottom compressor section, and out the top and through another baffle. Both the baffles are lined with the acoustic foam. The outside switch feeds the interior plug, so the compressor can't run if the fan isn't also powered.

My iPhone sound meter app says i've got 70dB right next to the box when it's running, which (according to the always infallible internet) is similar to typical office noise or the inside of a car at 60 mph. I noticed a significant improvement from what it is running outside of the box, and am now easily able to hold a conversation or even think. The hole project was well under $100 and a few hours of my time. If I costed those hours, I'd have been better off getting a new, quiet compressor, but that wouldn't have been nearly as much fun. Wish I could take credit for the design, but it was heavily lifted from ideas I found elsewhere.

[michael langman]

I use this little Senco in the shop:https://www.homedepot.com/p/Senco-1-...E&gclsrc=aw.ds. It easily drives my pinner or stapler. I have used it for my framing nailer and flooring nailer but would only do so for a very small job. One nail may drive the pressure too low for the second. So lots of waiting. It is nicely quiet and pretty inexpensive. I also keep a cordless Ryobi compressor in the shop but use it mainly for airing up car tires and that sort of thing. I've used it under the house too with an upholstrey stapler fastening up air ducts.

I bought the little Senco, Jim has shown, last winter, reconditioned, for the shop and filling tires. Use the bigger compressor in the garage.

[Scott T Smith]

What I would suggest is to keep your old compressor in place, and plumb one of the quiet Rolair, CAT, or Makita compressors to it. You will benefit from the large storage tank on your existing compressor, as well as the quiet nature of the new one. If you haven’t already done so, put a ball valve on the discharge side of your existing compressor’s tank and shut it off when not in use. That will help prevent the need for the smaller, quiet compressor to run extensively filling the big tank on your old compressor.

[Albert Lee]

If a space and noise is a concern, then try out Junair… small but expensive though,


I have a ChicagoPneumatics, 7.5KW/130gal/42cfm silenced piston compressor in my garage. It canhandle basically anything I throw at it.





When I bought Icould have bought a rotary screw compressor for slightly more money, but theservicing on the rotary is quite expensive. And conventional piston is veryeasy to service.

[Alan Lightstone]

I bought one of the California Air units to replace my old 30gal Craftsman. The difference is between a hum and a chainsaw. Highly recommended.

[joseph f merz]

my neighbor got a harbor frieght . very loud .sucks if he forgets to turn it off and comes on at night .loud and runs for ever .
i have a "california air" .quiet .not the quality of a makita or rolair . still it is quiet .i like it for going to clients homes ,when it runs home owners can go about there lives without being blasted with noise .mine has super recovery .home depot often seems to have the best prices .

[Derek Arita]

I've purchased a few compressors over the years. My second to last one was a "5hp" 20gal single stage horizontal-type. After years of use, I finally retired it and purchased a Lowes Kobalt 60gal 11cfm 2 stage compressor. The footprint of this vertical compressor is smaller than the 20gal horizontal one that it replaced. So, not only did I get much greater cfm and 40gal more capactly, but the Cobalt compressor takes up less floor space and only cost me around $500. I got it so I could use it with a small sandblasting cabinet, but I do have other air tools that I can now use with it. So glad I switched to a vertical compressor.
By the way, this compressor is no louder than the much smaller 20gal compressor.

[Mark W Pugh]

Can these compressor be stored in an outside building with no climate control? Meaning, freezing weather.