the Workshop Compressor
  • Home
  • Air Compressor Info
    • Compressor Types
    • Compressor Parts
    • Compressed Air Uses
    • Systems and Components
    • Compressed Air Quality
  • Buying Guide
  • Calculators
    • Running Cost Calculator
    • Bar and Psi Calculator
  • Home
  • Air Compressor Info
    • Compressor Types
    • Compressor Parts
    • Compressed Air Uses
    • Systems and Components
    • Compressed Air Quality
  • Buying Guide
  • Calculators
    • Running Cost Calculator
    • Bar and Psi Calculator
the Workshop Compressor
  • Home
  • Air Compressor Info
    • Compressor Types
    • Compressor Parts
    • Compressed Air Uses
    • Systems and Components
    • Compressed Air Quality
  • Buying Guide
  • Calculators
    • Running Cost Calculator
    • Bar and Psi Calculator
  • Home
  • Air Compressor Info
    • Compressor Types
    • Compressor Parts
    • Compressed Air Uses
    • Systems and Components
    • Compressed Air Quality
  • Buying Guide
  • Calculators
    • Running Cost Calculator
    • Bar and Psi Calculator
Home » Compressed Air 101 » Compressor types: different ways to compress air » Portable air compressor » Best Portable air compressor

Best Portable air compressor

Buy the best portable air compressor for YOU. With our buying advice, you avoid wasting money and time

What to look for when buying a portable compressor…

Of course, you need to know the pressure and flow that you need.

Portable compressors are usually 8 bar, 13 bar or 15 bar.

The maximum air flow that the compressor can deliver is something else.

It depends on the number of tools you use, and the amount of air they require. It is calculated in number of liters per second or minute.

But what is the best portable air compressor for you?

Besides pressure and air flow, there are many other things to consider. It all depends what you use the compressor for and where.

Just a few things that pop up in my mind are:

  • Aftercooler (to cool the air as it leaves the compressor at about 80 degrees Celsius)
  • Re-heater (re-heats the air after the after cooler, this eliminates most water-in-air problems)
  • Filters (dust filter, oil filter. Depends on what you use the compressed air for)
  • Towbar style (do you plan to hang the compressor behind your big truck or your car?)
  • Fuel tank (do you work in remove area’s? A big fuel tank allows for longer running without re-fueling)
  • Intake filter (if you work in a very dusty environment, you might want to pay extra attention to good air filters.
  • Spark arrestor (for use in flammable environments like oil refineries and woods)
  • Air intake shut off valve (for use in place where flammable gas can be present in the air
  • Number of air outputs (how many hoses can you connect to the compressor
  • Sound level (do you plan to use the compressor in a residential area?)
  • Emission level (there might be regulations in your country that forbid the use of dirty engines)
  • Extra options like a built-in generator.
  • Extra options like remove monitoring (though gsm and gps)

These are all just technical things. But what about maintenance, spareparts cost, etc? Here’s another list to keep in mind:

  • Cost of maintenance (spare parts, hourly rate of service technician)
  • Availability of service and spare parts (how quick can your compressor be repaired?)
  • Other support (like telephone support or emergency replacement compressor)
  • Maximum lifetime (in running hours or years). Pay special attention to the lifetime of the compressor element)
  • Warranty (number of years)
  • Energy efficiency (although less important compared to stationary compressors)

What’s also important is what I call ‘clever engineering’, especially when it comes to repairing or servicing the compressor or engine.

On some makes and models you need to take apart half of the machine, just to change the oil filter…

While on same makes and models, the design engineers where clever (and listened to their customers and service technicians) and made it easy to change the oil or change the oil filter for example.

Bottom line: before buying a compressor, find out what you need. Do you need a lot of air, or at a high pressure? Do you work in remote areas?

Compressed Air 101 Topics
  • Compressed Air 101
  • Compressor types: different ways to compress air
    • Rotary screw compressors
      • How oil-injected rotary screw air compressors work
      • How oil-free rotary screw air compressors work
      • Screw air compressor elements (air-ends)
    • The Reciprocating air compressor
      • Single stage reciprocating air compressors
      • Two stage reciprocating air compressors
    • The Scroll compressor: quiet and easy
    • Portable air compressor
      • Portable air compressor parts and maintenance
      • Portable air compressor operation
      • Best Portable air compressor
  • Air compressor parts: about the things you will find on your compressor.
    • Compressor Air filters
    • Air compressor oil filter
    • Air compressor oil
    • Air compressor pressure switch
      • How a compressor pressure switch works
      • Setting your air compressor pressure switch
      • Air pressure switch models and options
      • Buying a Compressor pressure switch
    • Air compressor unloader valve
    • Air compressor inlet valve
    • Air compressor check valve: what it does, why it’s there and how it works.
  • Air compressors are everywhere! Overview of top air compressor uses
    • Scuba diving and the scuba air compressor
    • Paintball compressor
    • Dental Compressor
    • 12 volt air compressor
  • Compressed air systems and Components
    • Compressed air filters
    • Inline compressed air filter
    • Compressed air piping
      • The best compressed air pipe for you
      • Compressed air pipe sizing
      • Compressed air pipe sizing calculation
    • How to select a compressed air dryer
      • Refrigerated compressed air dryer
      • What you should know about your desiccant compressed air dryer.
      • Compressed Air Dryer Manufacturers
  • Compressed air quality: how clean do you want your compressed air?
    • Clean compressed air
Subscribe

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Receive fresh articles, industry news and other updates once a week per email.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

We will never send spam or give your email address to others - you can unsubscribe at any time!

Recent Articles
  • New: Compressed Air Calculators!
  • A little history

Let me help you with your workshop compressor setup :

  • Compressed Air 101
  • Buying Guides
  • More coming soon…
Scroll to top
Skip to content