best small air compressor

[wtrclrptr]

Just trashed my small air compressor, one I carried around on the road to inflate tires, blow out lines when winterizing. So now I'm hoping to get good recommendations for a good compressor, one which would do those tasks without taking all afternoon to inflate a tire. Light weight and compact would be ideal, but powerful enough to do the basics efficiently. Good ideas?

[SeaLevel]

We like our Viair portable air compressor. They make some different models depending on what you need and how much you want to spend. We got this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Protagonist]

Not the smallest, but this is what I use. It's not just an air compressor, but it's also a jump starter, and it has both a 12v power outlet and a USB port, and has a small LED work light attached so you can see what you're doing at night. Having an air compressor that doesn't have to be plugged in while airing up a tire offers increased utility as well.

[Mollysdad]

I bought the Viair 400P-RV kit.
It's the pump that provides more air than the 450, but cannot run continuously. It's never been a problem.

In all honesty, save yourself some money and don't buy the full blown kit. Two hoses? With the Airstream you can reach all the tires with one hose, and the times I've connected two they turned into a tangled mess I gave up on. Also, the kit comes with a 12" long air chuck. I've never used it. I love the gauge and trigger.

So, the unit that checks all the boxes, IMO, is the Viair 400-P (not RV)and it almost $100 less on Amazon.

[ROBERT CROSS]

A 'portable'(Vair), pump is not a compressor, there is no tank to hold the compressed air. I have one to take on the road, but use a compressor at home for winterizing.

A pancake would be a good option for Winterizing at home, patience necessary it's a slow process. If you have a generator it is an on the road option.
I used a Black & Decker AC powered fo years on the road.👍

Bob
🇺🇸

[5150mike]

This is the one I got it will winterize and inflates tires but it is slow,



https://www.homedepot.com/p/ANVIL-2G...247A/302862443

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

A 'portable'(Vair), pump is not a compressor, there is no tank to hold the compressed air.

Thank you. Nomenclature is important. I do have a compressor that I keep at home, that I can use for winterizing. But the pump/jump starter is what I carry on the road.

[SeaLevel]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

A 'portable'(Vair), pump is not a compressor, there is no tank to hold the compressed air.

This thread is about 12V DC air compressors, that need to run continuously to inflate an object like a tire or sports ball, not the typically much larger AC driven air compressors that include a pressure vessel to accumulate compressed air. Even a manual hand bike pump compresses air.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by SeaLevel

This thread is about 12V DC air compressors, that need to run continuously to inflate an object like a tire or sports ball, not the typically much larger AC driven air compressors that include a pressure vessel to accumulate compressed air. Even a manual hand bike pump compresses air.

While nomenclature is important, there's no need to get pedantic about it. "Air pump vs. compressor" doesn't need to go the same route as the recurring "propane tank vs. cylinder." For the sake of our collective sanity, let's just say a compressor has a tank (and a pump to fill the tank) and a pump by itself doesn't have an attached tank.

[ghaynes755]

I've used the ViAir to do the blowouts in the winter. Added an inline pressure regulator to regulate to 55#'s or so and have had no issues. Becomes more of two person job, one opening the various water valves the other triggering the air, but I have done it by myself.

[urnmor]

Agree with Molly Dad's The Air

[AirMiles]

I had a couple different 12V air pumps that took forever to fill 80 PSI tires. This one from Home Depot was complete junk: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-12...D12A/301753171

Now I carry a $99 150-PSI Porter-Cable pancake compressor powered by my generator which can easily adjust my 80-PSI tire pressures:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Porter-C...2002/203162815

[sandollars]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

I bought the Viair 400P-RV kit.
It's the pump that provides more air than the 450, but cannot run continuously. It's never been a problem.

In all honesty, save yourself some money and don't buy the full blown kit. Two hoses? With the Airstream you can reach all the tires with one hose, and the times I've connected two they turned into a tangled mess I gave up on. Also, the kit comes with a 12" long air chuck. I've never used it. I love the gauge and trigger.

So, the unit that checks all the boxes, IMO, is the Viair 400-P (not RV)and it almost $100 less on Amazon.

+1 for the Viair 400-P

[Caffeinated]

Viair. They work great.

Mike

[Amsterdamer]

I got tiered of burning out my compressors, so I upgraded to the Dewalt 60VMax battery powered 2.5 gallon unit (DCC2560T1). It's bigger than the other portable options, but it works well. I'm hoping it will last a while. It's expensive, once you buy the unit, batteries, hose and attachments.

https://www.dewalt.com/products/gear...-kit/dcc2560t1

[Mollysdad]

I carried a pancake type air compressor when I had the motorhome with unlimited storage.
But, for the AS, the Viair 400-P has been good, and requires much less space.

As far as "compressor", if the device did not compress the air, it couldn't force more air into half inflated tires. The piston takes air from outside and compresses it to what is needed to enter the tires.

If my AS tires need 10 pounds after sitting, it probably takes 3 minutes to accomplish that. That's why I don't worry about continuous use.

Nit Pik: Who designed the Viair hoses? First, why they don't use the common air hose quick release is a mystery.
If you buy the kit with two hoses, they are not the same!
(due to the compressor and gauge BOTH having male air fittings.)
One is the master and the second is an extension! Not interchangeable!
They are so coily/springy (is that an adjective?) that if you be so foolish to try putting the two together it springs into a tangle. It's a two person job to keep them separate!

[/rant] I'd buy the Viair again even with warts.

[Captn.Ken]

ViAir for me. Yes, they are not perfect, but it does a great job.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by SeaLevel

This thread is about 12V DC air compressors, that need to run continuously to inflate an object like a tire or sports ball, not the typically much larger AC driven air compressors that include a pressure vessel to accumulate compressed air. Even a manual hand bike pump compresses air.

"An air compressor is a device that converts power (using an electric motor, diesel or gasoline engine, etc.) into potential energy stored in pressurized air (i.e., compressed air). ... An air compressor must be differentiated from a pump because it works for any gas/air, while pumps work on a liquid."

See everyones wrong.🤓

... sir, how much is the bike compressor in the window?😂

Bob

[drbrick]

IMO you want to go with:

Viair 40047 400P-RV Automatic Portable Compressor Kit + VIAIR 90145 RV Winterization Kit - bottom line is you get what you pay for.

[czunc]

I keep a 2 gallon Kobalt compressor in the bed of my truck. If you have a Ford, you can run it using the factory inverter. This make short work of floats, air tools, 80 psi tires and most other light uses.



https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-QUIE...sor/1000405185