California Air Tools 2010ALFC 1.0 HP Ultra Quiet and Oil-Free Air Compressor, 2 Gallon Aluminum Tank, 60 dBA Noise Level, Industrial Series

This California Air Tools 2010A Ultra Quiet and Oil-Free 1.0 HP 2.0-Gallon Aluminum Tank Air Compressor is AMAZING! I contemplated buying a new compressor for years, but kept putting it off because I hated the noise of my old Campbell Hausfield compressor. Well, now that I own this one, all I can say is THIS IS THE GREATEST COMPRESSOR EVER for a hobbyist or woodworker with a small shop. Seriously, I love it![UPDATE 11-4-2019: After three full years of fairly frequent use in widely varying conditions, ranging from very cold to very hot weather and year-round use, mine finally quit. A cast metal plug behind the pressure relief valve cracked and blew off the top, yielding a spectacularly loud HISSSSSSS like an explosion. When I tried reinstalling it, I could smell some faint burnt electronics smell in the powerhead, so I'm not sure what exactly happened, but frankly, I went ahead and ordered another one of these. It always worked great, and if I get another 3 or 4 years out of the new one, I'll be pleased for the $160 I paid. It's so quiet, reliable, portable, and adequate for most intermittent tacking/fastening/assembly tasks for woodworking plus occasional tire inflating. I think mine burned out because we're building a houseboat and this summer, I was storing and running it frequently inside the tarp-covered hull, where summer temps were frequently raising the interior temp to 110 or 120 degrees F. That probably took quite a toll on the compressor, as it was very hot.][UPDATE 10-11-17: More than a year later and this compressor is still working perfectly and has been just about perfect for all of my pneumatic needs. I've been using it a lot lately because the weather has been cooling down and I'm back to building in my shop. It still surprises and delights me with its quiet operation and serviceable capacity. I would buy this again in a heartbeat if I needed a second compressor.][UPDATE 6-5-2017: The compressor is still going strong. I haven't been cranking out as many projects lately, but I still find a use for this compressor and my brad nailer at least once or twice a month. It starts up quietly, fills quickly, delivers plenty of air for my needs, and empties again quickly at the end of each use due to the small capacity tank and handy tank valve. I love it!][UPDATE 9-29-2016: After two months of use, I continue to LOVE this compressor. I can't get over how pleasantly quiet it is, and the performance is outstanding. Typically, I find that mine cycles (re-fills the tank) about two or three times per project, so the overall strain/runtime on the motor is very low and yet is able to deliver all the brad nails I have needed for a wide range of projects: small cabinets, boxes, and drawers; picture frames; custom wooden signs; medium sized end tables; and tacking other small parts in place while glue sets. It is perfect in that role. To amplify its convenience, I mounted it in a rolling shop cart/worktable along with a retractable 20' air hose. That means my brad nailer is at the ready whenever I need it, with plenty of additional hose slack for other tasks like inflating toys or car tires. And when I'm finished, I attach an air nozzle and use the remaining air in the tank to blow sawdust off my tools and shop cart. Awesome, awesome, awesome. Original review follows.]The 2010A's low noise level, solid performance, and decent air tank capacity are ideal for someone who does NOT run high-consumption air tools (air wrenches, HVLP sprayers, etc.), but uses a brad and finish nailer in the shop to tack parts together and install trim. In that role, you'll be hard pressed to find a more ideally sized (or quieter) compressor! In a pinch, this compressor may be able to handle some very light framing as well, but it is definitely not intended for that purpose.Over the past three years of reading reviews, I repeatedly came across the California Air Tools as a brand know for its quiet operation. Never having owned any of their products, I was a little reluctant about making the purchase, and I was frustrated by the lack of many real world performance reports about this particular model. Before I spend almost $200 on a compressor, Iike to know it's going to do everything I need it to. Now that I have taken the risk and tried it myself, I thought I would share my (positive) findings for the rest of you:- The noise level is truly, impressively low. It is quieter than many household vacuum cleaners. In fact, it's only about twice as loud as the compressor on a mini refrigerator! The tone is closer to a low throaty hum, rather than the high loud scream of the average oil-less compressor. You can stand next to the unit while it is running and hold a normal conversation without raising your voice. Awesome.- Equipped with the 1hp motor, the 2-gallon tank fills from empty to 120psi in exactly 47 seconds.- Fully pressurized, the tank will consistently drive 19 to 20 brad nails (18 gauge, 1-1/4" long, at 80psi) before the tank pressure drops to approximately 80psi and the motor kicks in to refill the tank.- Recovery time from 80psi back to 120psi is exactly 13 seconds! (I am sure you can continue driving additional nails/brads while the motor is recovering, but I did not test that, as I have never needed to drive nails/brads that fast in my shop.) Thus, not only is it quiet in operation, but it also doesn't need to run for very long before the tank refills. That's exactly why a small compressor like this one is so ideal for driving a brad nailer, finish nailer, and/or pneumatic stapler.- Equipped with an aluminum tank, there is no risk of rust if you forget to drain the tank regularly after use. That said, the release valve at the bottom of the tank allows it to empty so quickly and easily (and the motor can re-fill it so quickly) that there really isn't a good reason not to drain it after every use.- The unit comes with a 1/4" quick-attach/quick-release collar installed. You'll need to purchase a "male" 1/4" quick-attach fitting for the end of the air hose you wish to attach to the compressor. This unit does not come with an air hose or any additional fittings. That's pretty typical, but I wanted to make sure other buyers realize they will need to purchase those additional accessories (plus any desired air tools, of course).- The power cord is approximately 4' long, which is adequate if you are able to locate the compressor next to a wall outlet. If an extension cord is needed, the instructions specify that it should be at least 14 gauge and no more than 25' long. That's pretty typical as well, but again, I wanted to make sure buyers realize they may need to purchase a heavy duty extension cord as well.- The entire unit weighs approximately 35lbs. I did not weigh it, but I am sure it is in that ballpark. No, you wouldn't want to lug it around a jobsite all day (a compressor on wheels would be better in that case); however, it is sufficiently portable that you should be able to store it on a shelf or in a large drawer without feeling as though it is prohibitively heavy to move and set up for use. The carry handle is also reasonably well balanced.- The metal frame rides on four substantial rubber feet that seem to do a great job of dampening vibration transfer to any surface it sits upon. Because the frame is fairly wide and the entire unit is under 15" tall, the compressor is very stable and should never tip over unless you do something very stupid with it.- The actual external dimensions (i.e. the max span in each direction) are 14-3/8" tall (floor to top of handle) x 18-1/2" wide (width of tank) x 15" deep (front of air tank to back of motor housing).- Fit and finish are very good. When my unit arrived, the only assembly required was to install an air filter by threading it into the side of the motor housing as directed. Although the components are not as neatly shrouded as some of the beefier units on the market (like the Dewalt Heavy Duty Quiet Compressor), they appear well made and in operation, I have encountered absolutely no leaks. The tank welds are quite nicely done. In fact, the only issue I encountered was that, right out of the box, a small screw had fallen out from a threaded opening near the center of the base. When I tried to reinstall the screw, I found it would not thread in, so either a previous buyer stripped the screw and then returned this unit to Amazon or, more likely, someone over-torqued the screw on the factory assembly line and didn't notice the problem. Either way, it does not appear to affect the function of the unit, so I decided to let it be and keep the compressor rather than hassle with a return. If this is indicative of the quality control, there may be minor fit and finish issues with other units as well. However, mine is in great working order and I am pleased in spite of this one quirk.As you face the compressor (so that you can read the California Tools logo printed across the air tank), the main tank pressure gauge faces to the left, so you have to bend your head around to that side to read it. In contrast, the regulator (which controls the pressure through the hose to the tool) faces upward. I think it's a little strange that both gauges don't face the same direction, but it's not really a big deal. As long as the compressor is operating properly, the regulator is really the more important gauge, and it's easily visible by looking down on the compressor from almost any angle (though it's oriented so that, ideally, you read it while standing in front of the unit). A red adjustment knob mounted just below the regulator allows for easy adjustments to the line pressure. Most brad and finish nailers I've used need somewhere between 70 to 120psi to operate properly, which is comfortably within the 120psi limit of this unit.I hope that information is helpful. All in all, I'm very impressed by this compressor due to its superbly low operating noise, excellent tank capacity for hobbyist/small-shop woodworking, and good fit and finish. If you're wanting something that's small, quiet, decently powerful, and low maintenance that can run a brad and finish nailer for assembling drawers, trays, boxes, cabinets, and small parts, you're going to have a very hard time finding a unit nicer than this. Highly recommended!

This is one of those buy to last tools verses getting the cheapest thing you can find for one shot use. That said its good value for the money.This compressor works well indoors (nice and quiet) for airbrushing, blowing off parts, driving pneumatic tools, maintaining tire pressure for cars and bicycles,... All around a great air compressor for home use – compact and convenient to carry though a bit heavy– that can easily handle commercial jobs (see painting caveat below.) You'll want to add a moisture trap for airbrushing. But this isn't the compressor for your LPHV paint gun (think spray painting fences or cars.) This compressor can easily handle the Low Pressure required, but it can't manage the continuous High Volume needed. I suppose if you're patient and attentive you could manage painting a fence a few boards at a time as you deplete and re-pressurize the tank on this compressor. But really...

This is a workhorse, a quiet, efficient machine. Set it up in garage and there’s no noise in home. Quite excellent.

Great small compressor. I bought the industrial version, and it is made very well, and very quiet. Love it!

Great little compressor and light enough to lug around the jobsite but at its limit for my old Hitachi framing nailer. Use a 10 foot x 3/8 hose and it works fine.

Love this compressor! The compressor is super quiet, even though it has two motors. With the two motor design, it recharges the pressure much faster than my old loud compressor. Great product and good price.

"Waterproof rating IP68 validated. Voice command recognition accurate. Recycling program available. Setup wizard intuitive. Commercial durability certified."

Review of California Air Tool 2010A compressor/air tank: I bought this in Dec. 2021. It is used primairiy for air brushing plastic models, topping off car tire pressure and occasionally to blow dust of hard to reach surfaces. To date I have (and this is a guesstimate) around 200 or so hours on the motor. It is rated for 3000 hours before a rebuild is needed so my guess is I will stop working before it does. The manufacturing of the unit looks good, the only thing that I have found that does not fit correctly is the heat shield on top of one of the pistions which is no big deal, definately not a show stopper, still protects a clumsy hand.It only weighs 37 lb and the carrying handle is placed such that it is well balanced when picking it up. A tad on the heavy side but something I can still manage.I do not hand out 5 stars easily, in fact rarely and this got them in all catagories which speaks to my thoughts of the unit.I read in another review that it tends to overheat and shut down when doing a large job. This compressor/tank is not designged for large jobs. If you are trying to paint a house get one that is designed for that type of work. Don't use a go-cart motor to power a Mack truck, it won't work. This unit is sized for the type of work I am doing and as such it doesn't fail.