To properly paint a car, you need a compressor to ensure proper spraying of the dye. For periodic use, it will be sufficient to purchase a budget piston product with average parameters. When the compressor is intended to work in production virtually all day, you will need a powerful semi-professional or industrial device.
Of course, any purchase, including a budget one, must be justified by high-quality operation and appropriate service life. In this regard, a rating was compiled, which included the best compressors in 2022.
Remeza SB4 S-100.LB30A
The first hero of our TOP is Remeza SB4 S-100.LB30A. This is an oil compressor made in Belarus, which successfully competes with Russian and foreign analogues. The main advantages of the model include high productivity of 420 liters per minute, large wheels for easy movement, high pressure reaching 10 bar and good stability during operation. The compressor has a wide range of applications, from garage workshops to small factory workshops. Power is supplied from a single-phase electrical network. As for the design of the unit, it consists of a two-cylinder single-stage unit and an electric motor connected by a V-belt drive. Thanks to the presence of a receiver that accumulates compressed air and an electronic actuator, the compressor operates in the mode of repeated short-term switching on, and the pressure in the pneumatic network is adjusted automatically. Also, it is worth noting that the manufacturer was able to clearly configure overheating protection, which is triggered when the upper temperature limit is minimally exceeded, which significantly increases the operating time of this compressor. Users have no complaints about the technical parameters and build quality. Only the heavy weight of 88 kilograms causes some inconvenience when moving the compressor from place to place.
- Type: piston.
- Capacity: 420 l/min.
- Pressure: 10 bar.
- Receiver: 100 l.
- Power: 2.2 kW.
- Power supply: 220 V.
- Purpose: garage/car service/painting.
- Position: horizontal.
- Mobile.
- Drive type: belt.
- Dimensions: 1150 x 490 x 850 mm.
- Weight: 88 kg.
How to choose an oil compressor
According to our expert Valentin Druzhinin, when choosing an oil compressor, you must first of all proceed from your needs. It is necessary to determine the immediate purposes for which the device will be used. Also suggest where it may be used in the future. In addition, it is imperative to take into account the requirements of pneumatic tool manufacturers regarding the minimum permissible values for compressed air consumption parameters.
Piston or screw
In its operating principle, a piston compressor resembles a bicycle pump. Air enters and is compressed by the movement of the piston, and then exits the exhaust valve. The main feature of this device is its operating mode - intermittent. This means that this type of oil compressor needs to be stopped briefly during operation to cool down. However, this drawback can easily be “forgivable”, since it is compensated by many advantages, including low cost, simplicity of design, ease of maintenance and repair. As for the screw compressor, its operating principle resembles that of a meat grinder. Air compression in a screw compressor is carried out using two screws rotating together. Unlike a piston compressor, in which the compression phase periodically alternates with the intake phase, air compression in a screw compressor occurs continuously. It is considered more modern and advanced equipment. However, the cost of such a device is much higher.
VORTEX KMP-300 50
The next hero of our TOP is the VORTEX KMP-300 50. This oil compressor is great for personal use in the garage or country house, as well as for repair work by professionals. The unit's performance is 300 liters per minute, making it one of the most efficient compressors in the same price segment. The design of the unit includes a pressure gauge for monitoring the pressure in the receiver and at the outlet, a convenient viewing window through which you can monitor the oil level, a mechanical safety valve, a drain valve for draining condensate, as well as an electromechanical pressure control unit in the receiver. It is also worth noting that the compressor is quite compact and lightweight - only 23.5 kilograms, and for easy movement it has large wheels and a comfortable handle. In general, if you need an inexpensive compressor for periodic work in the country house or garage, as well as for painting during home renovations, then the VORTEX KMP-300 50 will be an excellent solution. For enterprises, I would still consider a more efficient compressor.
- Type: piston.
- Capacity: 300 l/min.
- Pressure: 8 bar.
- Receiver: 50 l.
- Power: 2 kW.
- Power supply: 220 V.
- Purpose: garage/dacha/painting.
- Position: horizontal.
- Mobile.
- Overheat protection.
- Dimensions: 680 x 320 x 630 mm.
- Weight: 23.5 kg.
Classification
In domestic conditions, you can use small compressors capable of creating a pressure of 6 to 10 bar. The fact is that for inflating car wheels and other similar products (inflatable boat, bicycle inner tubes, etc.) an output pressure of 4 bar will be sufficient, but for normal operation of a pneumatic drill a pressure of at least 8 bar will be required. An additional 2 bar is allocated for losses due to pressure surges in the pneumatic system itself.
Most often, compact piston and oil-free compressors are used in everyday life, which can be easily transported. The presence of a receiver for such a device is not necessary, since housework is carried out rarely and not for too long a time. However, these are fully functional devices that allow their owner, with the help of special pneumatic nozzles and appropriate tools:
- quickly inflate or inflate car wheels, bicycle tubes, inflatable boats and other similar products;
- sand and paint walls, ceilings and other putty surfaces;
- unscrew any bolts and nuts;
- lay parquet and floor boards, install baseboards, nail clapboard, siding and metal tiles;
- water, feed and treat plants at the dacha.
This list can be continued endlessly, but do not forget about your own safety when performing any work and the disadvantages that household compressors have.
Attention! When working with pneumatic tools, you must wear special clothing (no protruding parts) and protective ear protection. All other safety recommendations are written in the instructions for the devices. In addition, it should be remembered that devices of this type are not designed for long-term operation, they make a lot of noise and vibration, and also have other disadvantages.
In industry, more powerful compressors are used that produce an output pressure of 8 bar and have a receiver capacity of 50 liters or more. The range of use of such devices is very wide: from auto repair shops to industrial production. Professional and industrial compressors are valued for reliable operation, performance, etc. Such equipment has one drawback, but it is very important for our compatriots - high cost.
Metabo Basic 250-24 W
Our rating of the best oil compressors continues - Metabo Basic 250-24 W. It will be an excellent assistant for those who care not only about performance, but also about mobility. Metabo Basic 250-24 W is a typical model of a piston air compressor for the garage or for the home, with a capacity of up to 200 liters per minute, enough to handle any household chores. The discharge pressure at the outlet of the system can reach up to 8 bar, while the crankshaft speed with one piston does not exceed the threshold of 2850 rpm. As for the safety of using this compressor, it is worth noting that its design includes a control valve, a safety bypass valve, and overheating protection that properly responds to minor excesses of permissible temperature values. And also, the manufacturer gives a 10-year warranty on the receiver against through corrosion. What adds color to this compressor model is that its weight is only 27 kilograms, which greatly facilitates any transportation procedures.
- Prod. suction: 200 l/min.
- Prod. filling: 110 l/min.
- Pressure: 8 bar.
- Receiver: 24 l.
- Power: 1.5 kW.
- Power supply: 220 V.
- Purpose: garage/dacha/painting.
- Position: horizontal.
- Mobile.
- Overheat protection.
- 2 pressure gauges.
- Dimensions: 320 x 340 x 580 mm.
- Weight: 27 kg.
Characteristics
When choosing the best air compressors, experts first of all pay attention to the following parameters:
- Performance. The volume of compressed air in liters that the device can produce in one minute (l/min) depends on this indicator. It is this parameter that indicates the maximum number of simultaneously connected pneumatic tools. The manufacturer usually indicates the maximum value of this value. Therefore, when choosing, you need to pay attention to models with a 30–50% power reserve, since the latter indicator can vary significantly due to temperature differences and the configuration of the pneumatic device.
- Power. The value of this parameter determines how capable the engine is of completing the task. Power is measured in kW and shows the ability of the engine to cope with the task. The maximum power indicated in the technical specifications of the unit may differ by 30% from actual performance.
- Pressure. This parameter indicates how hard the compressor compresses the air. Using this indicator, you can easily calculate what types of pneumatic tools the device can work with. This value is not constant and can decrease by a third.
- Working hours . A very important indicator on which the performance of the work depends. When choosing a compressor, do not forget that low-power models will take much more time to, for example, inflate car tires. Therefore, it makes sense to take only those models whose continuous operation is stated to range from 30 minutes to one hour.
- Receiver volume . The time it takes to carry out work when the compressor is turned off depends on this parameter.
- Type of pressure gauge . Modern compressed air pumping units are equipped with an analog or electronic pressure gauge. Digital instruments are more preferable because they have significantly less measurement error.
- Communication . Particular attention must be paid to the length of the hoses and power cord. The main criterion in this case is convenient use. Therefore, it is better to take models with a reserve length of the power cord, which includes a twisted adapter with a length of 5 to 8 meters.
Important! For safety reasons, any compressor must be equipped with a thermal relay that allows you to monitor the operating mode of the unit, and an automatic shutdown system when the receiver is full.
