The air compressor is the do-it-yourselfer’s best friend. Along with the saw, this machine is crucial in many operations around the garage. If you want to have an easy time doing your work, you need one now.
Contrary to what many people know, there are many types of air compressors in the world. Picking the right one is vital to the easy operation in your work.
Even then, how do you pick the best air compressor? There are so many different type of air compressor out there, but which one of them is right?
In this article, we’ll look for the characteristics of the best small air compressors in the market today. What do you look for in a small air compressor? Let’s find out.
1. Know Where To Use the Small Air Compressor
The first thing that you need when choosing the right air compressor for your needs is your use. What will you use it for? Are you going to inflate a tire or spray paint?
Depending on your needs, you might need a big compressor for heavy pneumatic work or a small air compressor for simple work like inflating tires or building smart homes.
Even the best small air compressor cannot do heavy work for pneumatic tools or even sanders. If you aim to do heavy work with pneumatic tools, you need a bigger size. Air compressor tools need some extra power.
Think about your current needs and your future applications. Can it power your sandblaster or painter? Do your applications need high pressure?
Write down as many of the details for the best air compressors you need.
2. It’s All About the CFM
When looking over the specs, the top specification you want in the best small air compressor is cubic feet per minute or CFM. You might mistake this for PSI or pounds per square inch, but they’re different.
In air compressor tools, you want fast, consistent air to keep them working. CFM determines the speed of the air coming out of the compressor. PSI is the power of the air – not speed.
If you have enough amount of CFM, you can drive most tools without a problem. Every tool that needs air compression to drive it has a standard CFM to work. You need to refer to your tools’ manufacturer or operation guide to point how much you need.
Do you need to use various tools at the same time? When you buy air compressor systems, you need to add together all the CFM needs of every tool. This is what you will need to operate, at the very least.
Once you have the entire amount of CFM you need from your small air compressor, you want to add overhead. This overhead will be your buffer for air leaks and even future tools.
The value of the overhead should be between 20 to 30%. You would want to check air compressor reviews about the CFM value that specific compressors have. It’s best to assume a margin of error of 5 – 10% in their label.
3. The Value of Tank Sizes
Now, the next thing we need to address is the size of your tank. Depending on the type of work you want, a small air compressor would afford you the extra space and mobility. If you’re doing heavy, ceaseless work, you would want a bigger tank.
Air compressor reviews list that a large tank is great for heavy-duty use over long hours. This, however, is in exchange for space and mobility. Tanks vary between 1 to 6 gallons of air, which affords you continuous use before it needs to refill.
You want something that matches the length of your work, and at the end of the day, CFM is the more valuable number. You want the best small air compressor to have more CFM as a priority than volume.
4. Mobility vs Power
We talked about mobility a bit ago, and it’s crucial for many types of work. Depending on how much you move around, you might need extra mobility.
Do you need a portable compressor or a stationary compressor? Do you need to mount it somewhere? Does it need to move around much in your work area?
If the answer to any of those is yes, the best air compressors are the ones with a gas engine. You need a wheel-barrow compressor to afford you the level of mobility you need.
Are you staying put with your air compressor tools? In that case, all you need is a standard electrical unit.
When choosing an electric compressor, you would need to choose between a single phase or a three-phase unit. A 120 V single phase unit can handle low power loads. This is fantastic for a few air compressor tools.
If you plan on adding heavy power loads to your systems, a 230V three-phase system is the one that you need.
Also, it is up to your personal preference on the orientation of your best air compressors. Whether a vertical or horizontal small air compressor has no merit to the performance of the device. This is up to how premium real estate is for you.
5. PSI is Not Ultra Valuable
Many air compressor reviews know that PSI, or the total force of air, does not have that much of value. Since it’s CFM that drives the tools, PSI is not something you need.
One true benefit of the PSI, however, lies in its use for small tanks and the small air compressor. PSI allows for more air for storage in smaller tanks. This means if you want more CFM in a small tank, you need it to have more PSI.
More PSI in a tank means more air for you to use. This is great for small garages and areas where space is a premium.
6. Knowing Stages
When it comes to the best small air compressor, another thing you need to know is the use of the stages. Much like how phase works in the motor, stages in your air compressor provide for different needs.
A Single-stage small air compressor is best for light work like designing your bedroom. You use it for pressures of up to 100 psi or less. This is usable for spray painting, drilling, and a nail gun.
The best air compressors with two-stages are useful for heavy-duty work. They can provide continuous workloads of up to more than 100 psi or greater. This can provide more power at better efficiencies.
It’s best to check your tool’s manuals to see what is the best system. It seems to conflict to care about psi at this point, but while PSI gives you more power, it may only lead to frustration.
If your system has low CFM, you will make your work longer than you need. If you’re using a nail gun, you can shoot the nail at around 120 psi. If you have low CFM, however, you would need to wait for the tank to fill up again.
This means low CFM results in consistent interruption of work. If you’re dependent on air compressor tools, you don’t want that.
7. Durability Means Value Over Time
Another thing to look at that most air compressor reviews tend to overlook is the total durability of the compressor itself. The construction of your small air compressor will dictate how long and how often you can use it. The best small air compressor is sturdy, made with durable components.
This becomes an issue of cost over value. If you have enough money, you want to have the best air compressors with the most durable material. You will be using this again and again so it will take years for you to need another.
If you don’t need to use it much, go for lower cost air compressors. You pick between a higher upfront payment or a lower life expectancy. There are a few parts that you look for in high-quality compressors.
You want to make sure the crankcase and cylinders forge from thick cast iron. Your belt guards should be in full enclosure, with your valves using stainless steel. The crankshaft should be iron at the very least and should have a two-piece connecting rod.
8. The Best Air Compressors Have Protection
The best thing about a small air compressor is you can bring it anywhere, at the cost of receiving damage while you work. Tanks have designs that revolve around full protection. The gauges, however, are vulnerable.
Where you can, find the best air compressors with the gauges encircled by the case.
Finding the Best Air Compressor
When it comes to air compressors, the best small air compressor are the ones with more CFM and power for your needs. You don’t need a full 3-stage, 2-phase compressor with all the psi. Consistent CFM, durable chassis and enough air to power all your tools is what you need.
When it comes to the best air compressor, you want something that will last for a long time. When it comes to your business needs, you want someone who knows what they’re talking about. You need Skytech Geeks.
Check out our other guides and discover how they can help you win in life. From designing winning augmented realities to earning through Google, we have it all.
