Basic inflator (12 V): Campbell Hausfeld RP1200. This inflator is quick, powerful, and plugs into your cigarette lighter. Priced around $20-25. Campbell also offers at 120V option if you need more power, which is priced ~$55.

Most portable options:

Pancake tank – Powermate 1-gallon Pancake Air Compressor. This is a very user friendly model that requires minimal maintenance and only weighs 16lbs! Priced $70-80.

More powerful options:

Pro-Force 10 Gallon, Oil Free, Air Compressor – This model offers much greater power while still being mobile enough to use around the house or garage. Priced ~$250 it is a great investment for any novice homeowner. *A professional or semi-professional contractor along with homeowners that attempt advanced household projects may want a more powerful option.

Ingersoll Rand Garage Mate 20-Gallon (Belt Drive) Cast Iron Compressor – This model is one of the best options that provides as much power as you would need for any consumer pneumatic tool and still is portable enough for any shop or garage. Runs on 120V and priced ~$600. Great mix of quality and affordability.

All the above options are electrically powered and thus a great option for any homeowner. If you are just using it around the house I would definitely recommend using an electric option, as gasoline powered options often come with a much larger maintenance burden. However, if you are interested in a portable, gasoline powered option than check out:

EMAX 17-gallon, 8HP Single Stage Portable Air Compressor w/Honda Engine. This is a great mix of quiet and power. Great for any job site as it is tough and durable while still portable enough to roll around on flat surfaces with relative ease. Priced ~$1,800-2,000 it is definitely only recommended for professionals.

I will reiterate that the average homeowner only needs a small pancake or hotdog tank to do small tasks like blowing up a tire, stapling, or air brushing. If you need to use any other air powered tools than I would recommend upgrading to a vertical/horizontal tank model (See ‘Pro Force’ above) or the Ingersoll Rand model described above if you will have extended periods of use with larger tools.

1. You should always drain the water out of the tank. There will typically be a small valve on one of the bottom corners of the tank that is for draining any moisture that accumulates inside. If you allow the moisture to keep accumulating there will be less space for air, as well as the possibility of rust on the inside of the tank. Try and remember to drain the tank once per week or once every 3-4 uses.

2. If the compressor is plugged in, and the power is switched to ‘on’, and it is still not running I would check the pressure gauge. If it is within the set parameters than it will still be able to deliver air. Once the pressure drops too low the machine will automatically start up again.

3. If the compressor stops working outside check to see what the temperature is. If it is too cold than the machine may just need to be brought inside and warmed up. If you have been using the compressor continuously for an extended time (3-4+ hrs) than it is also possible that the engine is overheating and it needs to ‘rest.’

4. If pressure is not sufficient than check the hose and connections for leaks. These can often be fixed with a simple tightening of the leaky piece. If you cannot find the problem there, try using a soap and water mixture on the welds of the tank to see if any air is leaking out. If this is the case you will need a new tank. DO NOT try to weld it yourself, and keep in mind that anything you try to patch it with will not last more than a minute or two.

5. If pressure is not sufficient and there are not leaks than reduce the demand (whatever is ‘plugged in’) and see if it starts to build. If not you may have blown a gasket or a valve. A gasket is a relatively simple fix and can be done by a novice repairman, however a valve is a bit more complicated. I would recommend seeking advice from an expert at a large hardware store or online.

6. Always check valves to see if they are clogged, especially if the portable air compressor is stored in a dirty or cold place. If ice has blocked a valve than just bring it inside to melt, but if it is dirty use a skinny piece of wire and GENTLY work it free.

7. ALWAYS make sure the outlet that the compressor is plugged in to (if you are using an electric model) does not require more voltage than the outlet delivers.

8. It can be extremely damaging to power an electric compressor with a generator. The generator does not produce enough juice to start the compressor. You see, a large electrical device, like a generator, requires a lot more energy at start up than it does to run. This can easily be provided by a household circuit (the breaker does not trip because the excess requirement is so brief) but not by a generator.

Vertical Tank: The motor and the pump are mounted on top of the tall, rectangular tank. This tank provides a very space efficient design for a typically large capacity tank.  However it is not easily transported because of the large capacity and more unstable design.

Horizontal Tank: This is a much more classic design consisting of an elongated cylinder that sits on mounted wheels, parallel to the ground. This offers a bit more portability but is still hard to transport to new locations. The capacity is still sufficient for use in a shop or mechanics office.

Pancake Tank: Much more portable tank that usually only weighs about 60lbs. The name describes it exactly as it has a very flat, rounded appearance. This model is ideal for small jobs, especially in tighter areas.

Wheel-Barrow Tank: The most portable option that is widely used on job sites. It is slightly heavier than the pancake tank, but the design makes it very easy to pull around. It is arranged just like a wheel barrow with two handles and a single wheel.

These are just some of the main models to choose from and certainly does not encompass all the options. My personal recommendation is the wheel-barrow model because of its portability. You can’t really take it inside the house very easily, but around the garage or driveway its the best.

If you are looking for a compressor to power your various tools then you should become familiar with some abbreviations that are essential to understand. The first is CFM, which means cubic feet per minute and the second is PSI, which means pressure per square inch. Both these terms describe the air flow and power that the compressor is capable of and knowing how muh of them you need will tell you what kind of compressor to buy.

Most household tools only need 5 CFM and 80-90 PSI, however some larger tools may need as much as 10-12 CFM and 100-130 PSI. You will need to check tools that you already have or want to buy for their requirements. There is nothing wrong with buying a compressor that is too powerful, besides of course that it will probably cost more. If you have some old air tools and you aren’t sure what they need than here is a general list from my experience:

(CFM estimates assume 90PSI)

One final number that you will often see talked about no matter what you need the compressor for is tank size. Many models boast large tank sizes as a big selling point, but really it is not that important. In fact, I would say that if you need the air compressor to be portable than just get a small tank (2-5 gallons). However if you plan on working with air tools extensively than a larger tank is nice because the unit will not have to run as much, and they are usually loud. Also, if you are using a tool consistently for a prolonged time (i.e. sander) than it is good to have a big tank to maintain the proper pressure the whole time you are working.

The first decision that you have to make, even with small air compressors, is if you want an electric powered or gasoline powered compressor. You definitely want an electric compressor if you will ever be using it inside the house to avoid harmful fumes. Also, the extra power that can be achieved by a gasoline powered compressor is not necessary for inflating simple household objects. As far as voltage goes, the standard of most small models is 12 volts. This is completely fine for objects such as snow tubes or bicycle tires, but keep in mind that the higher the recommended PSI the longer a small 12 volt compressor will take to inflate the object. If you are impatient, or have larger objects that need a PSI greater than 30/40 than you may want to consider a higher end model that runs on 120 volts.

Secondly, you will need to decide how much you are willing to pay. Again, this depends on what you need the compressor for. If you are just an avid bicycler and only need to keep your tire pressure at the right PSI than a simple $10-15, 12 volt model will do just fine. However if you are going to be powering tools in your basement workshop than you may want to look at the 120 volt models that run in the $70-80 range.

Hopefully this helps you narrow down your search. Check out other posts and pages for more specific direction on different uses and various models.