10 Best Air Compressors of 2023

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The ideal gadget to throw in the back of your car for emergencies, or even for a spot of camping, the AstroAI digital portable tyre inflator is a seriously handy tool. Designed specifically for in-car use, it can also pump up just about anything thanks to the accessory kit that comes with it.

The lightweight and easily transportable compressor unit barely takes up any room in your car boot, but it can reinflate a standard-size car tyre from flat in just a few minutes. Dialling in a specific tyre pressure takes just a few button presses, and the compressor shuts off automatically when the desired target is met. It’s incredibly easy to use and might save your skin some day!

There’s a 10-lumen onboard LED work light for working in the dark, and you get a decent length of power cable to plug into your car’s 12V power system as well. And for pumping up anything other than a car tyre, there’s a handy little accessory kit included with the compressor.

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The HY7524 oil-free air compressor from South Korean industrial titans Hyundai makes use of a 750 Watt, 1-hp motor to drive the air pressure up to an impressive 7-bar that puts out 5.2 cfm. Not bad for a smaller machine. It’s still enough for reasonably air-hungry tasks you might get up to in your home workshop.

It comes with a 24-litre tank and there’s only 22 kg to lug around. This compressor bridges the gap between being very portable and holding enough air to get bigger jobs done. I like that it’s an oil-free compressor as well. There’s no messing around with messy lubricants to get this machine to work properly.

The idea of “silent” air compressors is a bit of a mystery to me. This compressor puts out just 60 dB though.  That’s equivalent to a conversation in a restaurant, so it’s quite impressive compared to much louder air compressors.

They haven’t included an accessory pack or airline though, so you’ll have to buy those bits separately.

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The South Korean manufacturing experts Hyundai make an impressive range of air compressors. The HY5508 is an extremely compact and lightweight bit of kit that you can take with you wherever you need to go.

Boasting a featherlike 15 kg weight, it’s still got a serious amount of power underneath the bonnet. The 0.55 kW or 0.75 hp motor might seem small but it can fill the 8-litre tank quickly. It’s not the sort of compressor you’d use for paint spraying large areas, but it’s ideal for running an air nailer on site.

For this size air compressor, I’m impressed with the 7 bar maximum air pressure it can build. This is a capable air compressor that might not be as powerful as a full-sized compressor with a large 2 hp motor, but you can literally pick this one up and walk off with it.

What makes this possibly the best air compressor for home use are the low noise levels. When the motor’s running it puts out just 60 dB. That’s not very loud. It makes it an ideal hobbyist compressor setup when noise needs to be kept to a minimum.

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There’s nothing worse than trying to guess the air pressure in your tyres. Old-fashioned analogue gauges on tyre inflators leave too much to the imagination, so the clever minds at WindGallop have taken the guesswork out of the situation. Their digital car tyre inflator is an essential piece of kit. You can keep your tyres pumped up, reinflate a flat, or use it to pump up just about anything on a trip to the beach.

This futuristic-looking digital compressor is a lot more than a basic foot pump for your car or bike tyres. All you need to do is set the required pressure using the little buttons under the display, connect the hose to your target valve, and press the power button. The compressor will do the rest and shut off automatically when it reaches the right pressure.

The power comes from your car’s 12V power supply and plugs directly into the “cigarette lighter” socket. You get a little over 3 m of power cord, and 50 cm of air hose that should reach almost anywhere you need it to. And if you get a flat tyre in the dark, simply press the lightbulb button to activate the pair of large LED lights on the front side.

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German engineering firm Einhell have built themselves a solid reputation for honest power tools that won’t completely empty your wallet. The TC-AC 200/30/8 air compressor is a solid and dependable workshop tool that takes up less room than the competition.

Making use of a 1.1 kW motor, the compressor can build up to 8 bar in the tank. The output is close to 6 cfm, or 165 litres per minute (lpm). It’s perfectly suited to DIYers because it’s a low-maintenance oil-free system as well.

What I like about this air compressor is its upright design. Most air compressors sit horizontally, taking up a lot of floor space. The Einhell has a much smaller footprint while still performing well against the competition. This makes it an ideal tool for smaller workshops.

At just over 18 kg in weight, it’s reasonably portable. You can make use of the large wheels and higher handle for transporting without hurting your back. The large 30-litre air capacity is welcome because the motor is loud when in use.

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Sporting a large air tank, powerful motor, and extensive accessory kit, the Dealourus 50L air compressor is a serious piece of kit.

With a 2.5 horsepower or 1.5 kW motor under the bonnet, this is a reliable and powerful air compressor. I’m impressed by the 50-litre air tank because it means you’re going to spend less time running the motor and more time blasting air.

The huge tank capacity makes this a great air compressor for paint spraying. It’s more than capable of dealing with air-hungry applications compared to air compressors with smaller air capacity.

Probably my favourite thing about this air compressor is the weight. It weighs less than 30 kg and comes with a pair of large wheels and a handle for moving it around to where you need it. That’s an impressive power-to-weight ratio.

I’m impressed by the accessory kit as well. You get a tyre inflator with an accurate pressure gauge, an air blowing gun, a paint spray gun, and an oil spraying gun. There is also four metres of quality spiral hose. It’s the ultimate value-for-money air compressor kit if you ask me.

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Probably more famous internationally for their cars, Hyundai are one of South Korea’s biggest engineering firms. They also happen to make probably the best air compressor that I’ve had a chance to try out.

The HY3050V portable air compressor makes use of a powerful 2.2 kW 3 hp motor to fill the large 50-litre tank up to 8 bar. And because it’s got a direct drive pump, you can expect it to be a reliable air compressor that will last for years. Putting out 14 cubic feet per minute (cfm), it’s more than powerful enough for any home DIY task.

The 50-litre tank is a real advantage if you want to get into air-hungry jobs like paint or adhesive spraying. It means you can spend more time working and less time listening to the motor run to refill the tank.

Weighing in at 45 kg, it’s a good thing that this air compressor comes complete with a sturdy pair of wheels on the back. The tubular steel handle on the front helps to make it portable as well as sturdy.

What makes this Hyundai air compressor stand out though is the accessory kit. Hyundai have included a decent quality set of air tools. A standard blowing head, liquid sprayer with tank, paint spray gun, inflator with pressure gauge, and airline. You can get to work straight away!

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A family-owned tool business based in Lincolnshire, ParkerBrand design and make an impressive range of power tools and workshop equipment. Their 24-litre air compressor is one of the best compact air tools that I’ve tried out and proves to be serious value for money.

With a 1.5 kW, 2.5 hp motor this air compressor puts out 9.6 cfm. It’s enough for smaller spraying jobs but it’s not the most efficient bit of kit on the market. It can pressurise the tank to just under 8 bar, which is enough for most DIYers.

At 26.5 kg, it’s a little heavier compared with the Hyundai HY7524, but the wheels make it just as portable. The handle’s a bit shorter though, which makes it a bit more awkward to manoeuvre. And don’t expect the larger motor to be quiet either, it’s quite noisy when in operation.

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One of the biggest names in DIY, Stanley have been making reliable kit for more than 170 years, a pedigree that’s hard to match by any rivals.

The DN200/8/6 compressor is a small, benchtop tool that isn’t meant to rival large compression tanks. It’s more suited to small DIY jobs unless you want to listen to the motor building up air pressure every few minutes.

With a 1.1 kW, 1.5 hp electric motor, you can fill the 6-litre capacity tank up to a useful 8 bar of air pressure and output just over 5 cfm. The advantage of this mini air compressor is that it’s extremely light and portable. It doesn’t come with wheels because it really doesn’t need them. Weighing just 9 kg, you should be able to move it where you need it without breaking a sweat.

The oil-free construction means there’s minimal fiddling around and helps to keep everything nice and simple. Provided you don’t need huge amounts of air and are only using this air compressor for fine or hobby work, you won’t be disappointed.

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ORAZIO sell lots of different filters, regulators, and accessories for their air compressors. The 241184 low-noise air compressor is a reliable, lightweight machine that makes transporting it around nice and easy.

Although this smaller air compressor can’t put out as many cubic feet per minute of air as other air compressors, it’s wonderfully quiet. It makes it ideal for light workshop use when air pressure requirements are less.

For the money, you get a 0.8 kW or 1.1 hp motor that can put out a reasonable 4.7 cfm. It comes in a lightweight compressor package weighing just 22 kg. The little wheels on the back mean you can manoeuvre it around quite easily as well.

What sets the Orazio 241184 apart from the competition is how quiet it is when in operation. At just 65 dB, you could have a conversation with someone next to it when it’s running. Not bad at all.