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Best Air Compressor: 13 Quiet Compressors Tested for Noise, Fill Time, and Power
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Thirteen portable air compressors were bought and run through an identical set
of tests, from the $104 VEVOR up to the Makita at the top of the price range.
Almost all of them use a 2-gallon tank and sell themselves on being quiet, so
the first measurement was peak noise at roughly 24 inches, taken against an
older 1-gallon pancake compressor for reference. After that came time to reach
100 PSI, peak tank pressure, cut-in pressure, tank recovery time, peak energy
draw, how long each one took to fill an SUV tire to 40 PSI, and how many times
a framing nailer could be fired in a single minute.
The advertised numbers turned out to be a poor guide. Six of the thirteen claim
60 dB or better and none of them measured below 74.8. Calculated CFM, worked out
from the time each compressor needed to climb from 85 to 95 PSI, put the DeWalt
on top at 3.3, the Husky second at 2.75 and the Fornax third at 2.7 — and the
DeWalt turned that into 64 framing nailer impacts in a minute when nothing else
in the lineup managed more than 42.
Built around a 2.5-gallon tank and advertised at 3 CFM at 90 PSI, 200 max PSI and 71.5 dB, usable vertically or horizontally, with two hose connectors and a cord wrap. Reached a 200 PSI peak tank pressure with the regulator limiting delivery to 137.7 PSI, produced 3.3 measured CFM, cut in at 167 PSI, filled the SUV tire in 53 seconds and delivered 64 framing nailer impacts in a minute, drawing close to 1,300 watts. 80.7 dB, 36.51 lb.
A 200 PSI peak tank pressure, 3.3 measured CFM and a 167 PSI cut-in gave it 64 framing nailer impacts in a minute and a 53-second SUV tire fill, both by a wide margin, at 80.7 dB.
Advertised as 80% quieter, 2.4 CFM at 90 PSI and up to 135 PSI from a 1 horsepower low-RPM induction motor, and the only compressor here with a metal rather than plastic silencer. Fastest to 100 PSI at 30.8 seconds, 2.75 measured CFM, the highest cut-in pressure short of the DeWalt at 104 PSI, 59.6 seconds on the SUV tire and 42 nailer impacts, at 79.5 dB and 43 lb.
Fastest to 100 PSI at 30.8 seconds, 135.6 PSI in the tank, 2.75 measured CFM, 59.6 seconds on the SUV tire and 42 nailer impacts — for $120 less than the DeWalt.
A 2-gallon oil-free design advertised at 1.2 horsepower, 2.1 CFM at 90 PSI, up to 125 PSI and 65 dB. Second quietest at 76 dB and second fastest to recover at 11.77 seconds, with 32 seconds to 100 PSI, 2.7 measured CFM, 62.7 seconds on the SUV tire and 41 nailer impacts, all from 820 watts. Heaviest of the budget group at 40.53 lb, automatic coupler.
Second quietest at 76 dB, second fastest recovery at 11.77 seconds, 32 seconds to 100 PSI and 41 nailer impacts, with two automatic couplers and the lowest energy draw of the fast group at 820 watts.
Advertised at 60 dB, 2.5 CFM at 90 PSI, a 14-second recovery, a 1 horsepower motor, 120 max PSI and 35 lb. The quietest compressor tested at 74.8 dB peak, and 35 lb on the scale exactly as claimed, with 35.2 seconds to 100 PSI, a 13.21-second recovery and 37 nailer impacts. The plastic muffler and the coupler both protrude a long way, and the coupler is manual.
The only compressor to stay under 75 dB, starting at around 69 dB, with a 13.21-second recovery and 37 nailer impacts at 35 lb.
Harbor Freight's compressor, advertised with a brushless 1.2 horsepower motor, 2.1 CFM at 90 PSI, 135 max PSI and 60 dB, with two air hose connectors. Second highest peak tank pressure at 136.6 PSI and a 102.6 PSI cut-in, with 32.1 seconds to 100 PSI, 73 seconds on the SUV tire and 42 nailer impacts, at 82.2 dB and 37.73 lb.
Second highest tank pressure and a 102.6 PSI cut-in, 32.1 seconds to 100 PSI and 42 nailer impacts. At $190 it is worth waiting for a sale.
Built around a 2.5-gallon tank and advertised at 3 CFM at 90 PSI, 200 max PSI and 71.5 dB, usable vertically or horizontally, with two hose connectors and a cord wrap. Reached a 200 PSI peak tank pressure with the regulator limiting delivery to 137.7 PSI, produced 3.3 measured CFM, cut in at 167 PSI, filled the SUV tire in 53 seconds and delivered 64 framing nailer impacts in a minute, drawing close to 1,300 watts. 80.7 dB, 36.51 lb.
Advertised as 80% quieter, 2.4 CFM at 90 PSI and up to 135 PSI from a 1 horsepower low-RPM induction motor, and the only compressor here with a metal rather than plastic silencer. Fastest to 100 PSI at 30.8 seconds, 2.75 measured CFM, the highest cut-in pressure short of the DeWalt at 104 PSI, 59.6 seconds on the SUV tire and 42 nailer impacts, at 79.5 dB and 43 lb.
A 2-gallon oil-free design advertised at 1.2 horsepower, 2.1 CFM at 90 PSI, up to 125 PSI and 65 dB. Second quietest at 76 dB and second fastest to recover at 11.77 seconds, with 32 seconds to 100 PSI, 2.7 measured CFM, 62.7 seconds on the SUV tire and 41 nailer impacts, all from 820 watts. Heaviest of the budget group at 40.53 lb, automatic coupler.
The least expensive compressor in the group, advertised as 1 horsepower, 2.1 CFM at 90 PSI, 120 max PSI and 81 dB, with a quality silencer, thick muffler cover and filter cotton. Measured 82.5 dB peak, 34.1 seconds to 100 PSI, a 120 PSI cutout, a 14.45-second recovery and 39 nailer impacts in a minute. 32 lb, with a manual coupler that is a two-hand job.
Advertised at 60 dB with a 1 horsepower four-pole motor, 2.5 CFM at 90 PSI, 120 max PSI, a 13-second recovery time and a 45-second tank fill. Third quietest at 76.4 dB and third fastest to recover at 12.65 seconds, with 36 seconds to 100 PSI, a 119.9 PSI cutout and 36 nailer impacts. 35.2 lb, automatic coupler.
The only pancake design here, with a 3-gallon tank, a 1/3 horsepower motor and advertised figures of 0.6 CFM at 90 PSI, 2.5 amps, 100 max PSI and 87 dB. Lightest of the lineup at 18 lb and drawing only about 235 watts, it peaked at 91 dB, topped out at 99.7 PSI after 3 minutes 20 seconds, took 35 seconds to recover and managed 13 nailer impacts in a minute.
A 2-gallon hot dog design with a 1/3 horsepower motor, advertised at 125 max PSI, 0.5 CFM at 90 PSI, a 45-second recovery time and 19 lb, with heat dissipation and overload protection claims. Very light at 19.5 lb and frugal at about 395 watts, but slow and loud: 95.5 dB peak, 2 minutes 5 seconds to 100 PSI, a 37.9-second recovery and 19 nailer impacts in a minute.
A 3/4 horsepower motor advertised at 60 dB, 125 max PSI and 1.8 CFM at 90 PSI. The smaller motor drew about 740 watts and still produced the fastest tank recovery of the group at 11.41 seconds, plus 32 seconds to 100 PSI, a 125.2 PSI cutout, 78.4 dB and 35 nailer impacts. 41.58 lb, automatic coupler.
Advertised at 60 dB, 2.5 CFM at 90 PSI, a 14-second recovery, a 1 horsepower motor, 120 max PSI and 35 lb. The quietest compressor tested at 74.8 dB peak, and 35 lb on the scale exactly as claimed, with 35.2 seconds to 100 PSI, a 13.21-second recovery and 37 nailer impacts. The plastic muffler and the coupler both protrude a long way, and the coupler is manual.
Advertised as 80% quieter with twice the motor life, a 3/4 horsepower induction motor, two oilless pumps under 60 dB, 1.7 CFM at 90 PSI and an integrated panel with two gauges, a regulator and a quick coupler. Measured a respectable 76.7 dB, but was the slowest of the quiet group: 41.4 seconds to 100 PSI, an 18-second recovery, 90 seconds on the SUV tire and 35 nailer impacts. 45 lb.
Advertised at 2.2 CFM at 90 PSI, 125 max PSI, 65 dB and an oil-free pump, though the marketing material claims two horsepower while the box claims one. Louder than most at 81.6 dB and thirsty at around 900 watts, but a 129.3 PSI cutout carried it to 71.3 seconds on the SUV tire and 40 nailer impacts. 41.23 lb, with two manual couplers.
Harbor Freight's compressor, advertised with a brushless 1.2 horsepower motor, 2.1 CFM at 90 PSI, 135 max PSI and 60 dB, with two air hose connectors. Second highest peak tank pressure at 136.6 PSI and a 102.6 PSI cut-in, with 32.1 seconds to 100 PSI, 73 seconds on the SUV tire and 42 nailer impacts, at 82.2 dB and 37.73 lb.
The most expensive compressor in the group, advertised at 1 horsepower, 2 CFM at 90 PSI, 60 dB and 44 lb, with a full roll cage and a single hose coupler. Heaviest on the scale at 45.5 lb and the loudest of the quiet designs at 87.9 dB, but a 134 PSI cutout tied it for second place in the nailer test at 42 impacts, with 66 seconds on the SUV tire and a 15.53-second recovery.
Price
Lower is better
Prices ran from $104 for the VEVOR to $279 for the DeWalt, with the Makita the most expensive of the group. Eleven of the thirteen came in under $200, and the $135 Fornax finished ahead of compressors costing $45 more.
Peak Noise Level
Highest reading in dB at roughly 24 inches during a tank fill; lower is better
Noise rises as tank pressure builds, so this is the peak figure rather than the opening reading. The Limodot came out on top at 74.8 dB, the Fornax second at 76 and the Greteefor third at 76.4. Set against the older pancake compressor at 97.2 dB, the gap is dramatic: ten of the thirteen stayed below 83 dB. The two designs that ignored the quiet trend were the Craftsman hot dog at 95.5 dB and the Eastwood pancake at 91, both of which also started noisy at 92 and 85.4 dB.
Full results table
Rank
Product
Result
1
Limodot
74.80
2
Fornax
76
3
Greteefor
76.40
4
Kobalt
76.70
5
Stealth
78.40
6
Husky
79.50
7
DeWalt
80.70
8
Campbell Hausfeld
81.60
9
Fortress
82.20
10
VEVOR
82.50
11
Makita
87.90
12
Eastwood
91
13
Craftsman
95.50
14
Older Pancake Compressor
97.20
Time to Reach 100 PSI
Seconds from an empty tank to 100 PSI; lower is better
The Husky was fastest at 30.8 seconds, with the Fornax, Stealth, DeWalt and Fortress right behind at about 32. Motor size explains most of the spread: the Craftsman, running on roughly 395 watts, needed 2 minutes 5 seconds, while everything drawing 700 watts or more finished inside 42. The DeWalt did it while filling a 2.5-gallon tank rather than the 2 gallons most of the others carry. The older pancake compressor took 3 minutes 16 seconds.
Full results table
Rank
Product
Result
1
Husky
30.80
2
Fornax
32
3
Stealth
32
4
DeWalt
32
5
Fortress
32.10
6
VEVOR
34.10
7
Limodot
35.20
8
Campbell Hausfeld
35.20
9
Greteefor
36
10
Makita
37
11
Kobalt
41.40
12
Craftsman
125
13
Older Pancake Compressor
196
Peak Tank Pressure
PSI in the tank when the compressor cycled off; higher is better
The DeWalt came out on top at 200 PSI, with its regulator limiting delivered pressure to 137.7. The Fortress finished second at 136.6 PSI and the Husky third at 135.6. Stored pressure is what a compressor draws on before the motor has to restart, and the order here closely tracks the framing nailer results further down the page. The Eastwood is the outlier for a different reason: its 100 PSI ceiling means it stopped at 99.7 PSI after 3 minutes 20 seconds.
Full results table
Rank
Product
Result
1
DeWalt
200
2
Fortress
136.60
3
Husky
135.60
4
Makita
134
5
Campbell Hausfeld
129.30
6
Stealth
125.20
7
Craftsman
123.70
8
Kobalt
122.80
9
VEVOR
120
10
Limodot
120
11
Greteefor
119.90
12
Fornax
117.80
13
Older Pancake Compressor
109
14
Eastwood
99.70
Cut-In Pressure
PSI at which the compressor restarted to refill the tank; higher is better for pressure-hungry tools
Cut-in pressure is the level at which the compressor switches itself back on, and a pneumatic tool that needs a certain pressure can stall before that point is reached. The DeWalt came in on top at 167 PSI, the Husky second at 104 and the Fortress third. Pressure was bled off gradually until each unit kicked in. Four compressors restarted below 87 PSI, which is enough for tire work but marginal for tools that want a steady 90.
Full results table
Rank
Product
Result
1
DeWalt
167
2
Husky
104
3
Fortress
102.60
4
Makita
99.60
5
Craftsman
96.70
6
Stealth
96
7
Campbell Hausfeld
94.40
8
Kobalt
90.10
9
Limodot
88.30
10
Greteefor
86.70
11
VEVOR
86.20
12
Eastwood
83.50
13
Fornax
83.50
Tank Recovery Time
Seconds to refill from cut-in pressure to cut-out; lower is better
Manufacturers make a lot of claims about cycle times, but recovery is shaped as much by the cut-in and cut-out pressures as by the pump. The Stealth was quickest at 11.41 seconds, the Fornax second at 11.77 and the Greteefor third at 12.65. The DeWalt's 18.3 seconds looks slow until the numbers are read together: it was refilling from 167 PSI back to 200, a far larger pressure swing than anything else here. The Craftsman and the Eastwood needed 37.9 and 35 seconds.
Full results table
Rank
Product
Result
1
Stealth
11.41
2
Fornax
11.77
3
Greteefor
12.65
4
Limodot
13.21
5
Husky
14
6
VEVOR
14.45
7
Fortress
15.22
8
Makita
15.53
9
Campbell Hausfeld
17.34
10
Kobalt
18
11
DeWalt
18.30
12
Eastwood
35
13
Craftsman
37.90
SUV Tire Fill to 40 PSI
Seconds to inflate an SUV tire to 40 PSI from a full tank; lower is better
Every tank started topped off. The DeWalt finished first at around 53 seconds, the Husky second at 59.6 and the Fornax third at 62.7. Starting from 200 PSI, the DeWalt added air so quickly that the gauge never dropped below 40 PSI, bottoming out at 44. Stored pressure counted for a lot here — the Makita's 134 PSI tank carried it to 66 seconds despite an unremarkable pump, while the Kobalt needed just over a minute and a half.
Full results table
Rank
Product
Result
1
DeWalt
53
2
Husky
59.60
3
Fornax
62.70
4
Makita
66
5
VEVOR
70
6
Campbell Hausfeld
71.30
7
Fortress
73
8
Limodot
76.20
9
Greteefor
81
10
Stealth
83.50
11
Kobalt
90
Framing Nailer Impacts in One Minute
Nailer firings in 60 seconds, waiting for pressure to recover to 80 PSI between shots; higher is better
The most demanding test in the group, and the one where the DeWalt ran away from the field with 64 impacts. The Husky, Fortress and Makita tied for second at 42 each. Tank volume and CFM together decide this: the DeWalt's 2.5-gallon tank and 3.3 measured CFM let it keep firing while everything else waited on the pump. At the other end, the Eastwood managed 13 and the Craftsman 19, both of them slow to recover after every shot.
Full results table
Rank
Product
Result
1
DeWalt
64
2
Husky
42
3
Fortress
42
4
Makita
42
5
Fornax
41
6
Campbell Hausfeld
40
7
VEVOR
39
8
Limodot
37
9
Greteefor
36
10
Stealth
35
11
Kobalt
35
12
Craftsman
19
13
Eastwood
13
Nailer Shots Before the Motor Restarted
Firings from a full tank before the compressor cycled on; higher is better
This is the reserve the tank holds before the motor has to intervene, measured from a full tank down to the 80 PSI floor. The DeWalt led at 10 shots, still sitting on well over 100 PSI when the motor kicked in, with the Fornax, Kobalt and Campbell Hausfeld next at 8. Seven shots was the norm. The Eastwood and the Stealth were first to restart at 5, and in the Eastwood's case a 3-gallon tank could not make up for a 100 PSI ceiling.
Full results table
Rank
Product
Result
1
DeWalt
10
2
Fornax
8
3
Kobalt
8
4
Campbell Hausfeld
8
5
VEVOR
7
6
Greteefor
7
7
Husky
7
8
Limodot
7
9
Fortress
7
10
Makita
7
11
Craftsman
6
12
Eastwood
5
13
Stealth
5
Peak Energy Demand
Highest wattage drawn while filling the tank; a measure of draw, not of quality
Power draw is not a score, but it explains a lot of the other results. The DeWalt pulled close to 1,300 watts and did the most work with it; the Eastwood at about 235 watts and the Craftsman at about 395 were the two slowest compressors in every timed test. Above roughly 700 watts the picture changes, and efficiency starts to matter more than raw draw: the Fornax reached 100 PSI in 32 seconds on 820 watts, while the VEVOR needed 34.1 seconds on 935.
Full results table
Rank
Product
Result
1
DeWalt
1300
2
VEVOR
935
3
Campbell Hausfeld
900
4
Husky
890
5
Makita
868
6
Greteefor
860
7
Fortress
850
8
Fornax
820
9
Limodot
790
10
Stealth
740
11
Kobalt
720
12
Craftsman
395
13
Eastwood
235
Measured Weight
Pounds on the scale as supplied; lower is better for portability
Each compressor was weighed rather than taken on its listed figure. The Eastwood was lightest at 18 lb and the Craftsman next at 19.5, though those two also finished last in every performance test — the sound insulation and the heavier pumps that make the quiet compressors quiet are exactly what the light ones leave out. The DeWalt is unusually easy to carry for its output at 36.51 lb, roughly 6 lb less than the Husky, and the Limodot is the lightest of the quiet designs at 35 lb.
Full results table
Rank
Product
Result
1
Eastwood
18
2
Craftsman
19.50
3
VEVOR
32
4
Limodot
35
5
Greteefor
35.20
6
DeWalt
36.51
7
Fortress
37.73
8
Fornax
40.53
9
Campbell Hausfeld
41.23
10
Stealth
41.58
11
Husky
43
12
Kobalt
45
13
Makita
45.50
The Verdict
The DeWalt took the best average finish in the lineup and it was not close on
raw performance. A 200 PSI peak tank pressure against 100 to 137 PSI from
everything else, 3.3 measured CFM, a 167 PSI cut-in and a 2.5-gallon tank
combined to give it 64 framing nailer impacts in a minute — 22 more than the
next best — and a 53-second SUV tire fill. It sat in the middle of the pack on
both weight and noise, at 36.51 lb and 80.7 dB, and it was still quick to 100
PSI at about 32 seconds. At $279 it is the most expensive compressor here bar
the Makita, and it is the one to buy if the budget allows.
The Husky is the sensible step down. It finished with an average of 3.9, was
fastest of all to 100 PSI at 30.8 seconds, produced 2.75 measured CFM and
135.6 PSI in the tank, filled the SUV tire in 59.6 seconds and tied for second
in the nailer test at 42 impacts — for $159. It weighs around 6 lb more than
the DeWalt and ships with a single hose coupler, though there is a port for a
second. For value the Fornax is the pick at $135: an average finish of fifth
place, second quietest at 76 dB, second fastest recovery at 11.77 seconds, 2.7
measured CFM, two automatic couplers and less weight than the Husky. The
Limodot is the choice where noise matters most, the only compressor in the
group to stay under 75 dB.
Two cautions are worth carrying into a purchase. The first is that a big tank
does not compensate for a small motor: the Eastwood has 3 gallons of capacity
but a 1/3 horsepower motor drawing about 235 watts, and it managed 13 nailer
impacts and a 3 minute 20 second fill, while the similarly powered Craftsman
managed 19 impacts and 2 minutes 5 seconds. Both are light and cheap, and both
are outclassed by every compressor here with a real pump behind it. The second
is that advertised noise figures are close to meaningless — six of these
compressors claim 60 dB or better and the quietest measured 74.8 — so the
useful comparison is between measured figures, where the spread from the
Limodot at 74.8 dB to the Craftsman at 95.5 is genuinely large. Finally, the
Fortress performed well throughout and is the pick for a Harbor Freight
shopper, but at $190 it looks about $40 too expensive and is worth waiting on
for a sale.
