kobalt air compressors any good?

Time to invest in a decent compressor. This unit seems to be abput what I need and the price is right. Does anyone have experience with this unit or kobalt compressors in general?

Is 11.5 cfm at 90 enough to run a da, spray gun, grinder etc?

http://m.lowes.com/mt/www.lowes.com..._sold|1&un_jtt_v_tabs=Description#description

 

I didn't buy that one, I bought the 2 stage with the 30?? gallon tank. Works fine for me, quiet, enough air etc... I just use it for running impacts and air ratchets. That one will probably run a lot with a DA or constant grinder use, but those use a ton of air, the bigger tank helps. Should be enough for home use for most guys, if it was a production shop I would be looking at something different.

 

I don't think that one will keep up with a lot of air tools if you really use them and it won't keep up with a small sandblaster at all. It will work ok but I think you will outgow it pretty quick and be looking for something bigger.

The best deals on air compressors around here seem to be at AG related stores similar to Tractor Supply. I'd go for two stage and 5hp at least.

 

Hmm, I had looked at an ingersol rand at tractor supply but it was the same cfm at 90 and it was a hundred dollars more.

 

that CFM wont run much of anything

 

I bought that same compressor at Lowes about two months ago. It's worked fine for me. I can't see a small home shop needing more. A commercial shop might but it works for me. I checked the same compressor at TSC and is 100.00 more.

 

Bought one of those about 2 months ago. Seemed to be a lot of compressor for the money to me. I've run a blast cabinet, various air tools, and done some small painting chores with it. I tend to run out of ass before it runs out of air when sanding.
Home use, work by my self, and I'm happy with it.

Your milage may vary.

 

Jack types faster than me.

 

Entry level, nothing more. You will find yourself lusting for a two stage soon.

 

As far as quality goes I used a Kobalt compressor at work for years with no problems at all, until it was stolen. It was smaller than what you are looking at as I was only using it for trim carpentry, but it outlasted my Porter Cable and was cheaper!

 

we have one at a Toyota dealership i work in.it runs air tools for 5 flatrate guys in my 'room' plus a detail bay .it also operates a 2 post slide front big truck lift for my 21 ft roll-back. Lowes is our next door neighbor and they sold us a lifetime replacement compressor for less than a rebuilt long-block for the old one.it is directly under my workspace and i hear it cycle every day for 5 years and has never had a problem.
i would buy one if i needed that much air.

 

i hooked the kobalt into the existing 200 gallon tank .makes a couple gallons of water some days but the big tank is cool and always nearly dry,a few drops at most.
i used to watch over the various compressors but young blood is responsible for air and fire supresion now

 

I had one, it was fine for a home shop. If you're running a spray gun or a DA expect the compressor to run, a lot.

 

Whatever one you get make sure you get the best warranty you can if you get one from a box store! I delivered to Home Depot and Lowes for 10 years and saw more air compressors every day in the return cages than anything else.

Save your pennies and get a good 2 stage unit.

 

What should I be looking for then to run a da? Keep in mind this is a home garage, I wont be running it all day every day.

Thanks for the input.

 

I wouldn't buy anything less than a five horse two stage with an 80 gallon tank. Look for a cast iron block-it'll last longer. The smaller ones will have to work harder to keep up. No such thing as having too much air. Really sucks to have to wait for the compressor to catch up while your painting. I learned the hard way-bought a cheapie and regretted it from day one. I know it's probably a little more money than your thinking, but it'll be worth it in the long run. Get a good one now and you're done. Kind of like buying a welder-if you buy a cheapie, you always wished you'd waited and bought a bigger/better one instead for just a little more money.

Jim

 

Shop around, you can get a lot more compressor for the same money from a real compressor company......

http://www.eatoncompressor.com/page/page/504747.htm

I bought a 7.5 HP Eaton for the same $ as Home Depot/Lowe's "good compressor" it was one of the best buys I ever made.

http://www.eatoncompressor.com/page/page/504747.htm

As far as the I/R compressors go, they are ok, but I managed to wear out 2 pumps in about 10 years of occasional use. When this cost is added into the purchase price, it was not such a great deal.

 

Most any of the compressors you're going to buy for under a grand are all Chinese mfg anyway. I just bought two of them, an 80 and a 60 gallon unit. They'll work fine for years in a hobby shop environment, and even moderate commercial use.
If you want a real compressor, Kaeser or even CP's (which are a baseline Kaeser w/out the warranty) are head and shoulders about the old piston pump style.

 

FlatFoot..You mentioned a grinder...running a die grinder porting heads or whatever . look for a two stage unit that'll deliver 17 cfm@ 90psi .The compressor will cycle on/off with this volume

 

I got a used v4 two stage with a burned out motor for cheap, got a new motor and away i went. Best tool money ever spent. compressors are easy to fix so used is not problem, you can rebuild a compressor head in a day easy.

 

I bought their 5HP, 80 gal, 155 PSI with 16.1 @90 PSI. It works well, 3 cyl cast iron pump. If I am using an air grinder or anything that is constant use, it runs all of the time.
Otherwise I am very happy with it, it does run anything that I have, and probably anything that I will get in the future.

I have had a few of the smaller ones and they just didn't fill the bill all of the time. This one does.

 

You can always add a second compressor later if you don't have the money to buy a larger one now. I have a 10 hp with a three hundred gallon tank but it takes a long time to build up if I don't use it for a month. I have a 1.5 hp portable unit that I use most of the time now as I don't do as much body work anymore. It's easy to put in the truck to use elsewhere too.

 

Well I bought a Kobalt but I stepped up a little to the 3 cyl with the 80 gal tank. Its cast iron, oil lubed and it makes 14 cfm at 90ps1. I think this will be fine for what I plan to use it for. I also liked that it had the regulator, gauges and two air chucks built into a control panel on the front. The same model at a few different lowes stores didnt have all that. Not sure if this was labeled wrong or a older/newer design.

Thanks for all your input guys.

 

hope it works out for you. My kobalt was bitching to keep up painting an engine bay. And I dont even bother running my DA on it. I just found a 25 cmf CP 80 gal that was hardly used on craigslist. Good luck with it!

Besides painting and sanding it did good though.

 

Some food for thought... Kobalt is a Snap On company!

 

Have you read the reviews on the link that you provided?
Not good!

 

This is kind of an old thread but a good one to re-surface now and then; sooner or later the subject of buying an air compressor comes up for all of us. I still have a seemingly indestructible Speed-Air w/ a 5hp Baldor Motor that I have used in more than one shop since 1986. I finally relegated it solely to 'sand blasting' duty a couple years ago and bought a US General 7.5 HP, 80 Gal, 175 PSI for my 'all around' shop compressor. It delivers 26.0 ACFM @ 90 PSI and I couldn't be happier; it will keep me and the missus both working 'high output' tools at the same time with no problem for anyone considering a new compressor.

 

I bought the 10hp/15hp 120 gal 175psi Industrial Eaton. I probably over bought but it will keep up with anything I throw at it. I can't wait to get my Blast cabinet up and going. The 5yr bumper to bumper warranty was a big selling point besides feedback from the hamber's.

 

The hand tools used to be made by JH Williams.. a Snap-On company but no more... screwy link but you can find it here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobalt_(tools)

 

I did read the reviews and talked to someone who owns the sae model. I consider online reviews but I don't put a lot of faith in them. Typically the only guy that goes back to write a review on the store website is the one who wants to complain.

I have had this compressor for a while now and I am completely happy with it. I haven't painted with it byt it keeps up great with the da machine. For the money you can't beet it. And the fact tnat I got 12 months no interest was an added bonus.