At just a foot high and less than two feet wide out of the carton, this compressor was quite a bit smaller than we expected, so to be fair, we quickly lowered our expectations. The joke was on us, though, because this little powerhouse just doesn't quit, and we learned that you can't judge a compressor by its size.
We should have known better when the first thing we saw was the word "Emglo" emblazoned in black on that famous DeWalt yellow. Emglo's half-century in the compressor business is evident in this model, and with a couple of small exceptions (we'll get into that in a minute), we don't think anyone could make a finer piece of air power.
Structurally, it's top-notch. DeWalt/Emglo's great new roll-cage shape protects your investment in the shop, in the truck and at the job site, and the gauges are easier to read than many we've squinted at over the years. It weighs in at around 60 pounds, and the way the handle's designed, you can carry it much like a suitcase without overexertion. To let out any moisture that's accumulated, it's just an easy turn of the ball-valve tank drain, then just wrap the cord on its holder and you're ready to go.
In the performance department, we have to say this machine blew us away, moving 4.5 cfm at 100 psi. Now, this may be a plus or a minus in your book, but we liked the fact that the compressor is factory set to power on at 100 psi an+d shut off at 120 psi, and the cycle time was under 15 seconds. We didn't find it unusually loud, but we're given to wearing hearing protection with tools such as this one anyway (and we hope you are, too.) It has air aplenty for two nailers at once, and with that fast recovery, the job will get done in no time.
If we had to say what we didn't like, there are two items on that list: First, we thought the power switch would have been better seated on the front panel rather than the side, but that's a miniscule complaint. What you do want to watch out for, though, is the proximity of the reset switch to parts that get searingly hot while in use. A little care will save you some pain.
In balance, this is one of the best compressor's we've seen for the size, power, ruggedness and incredible portability it offers. Here's to a great pairing of two great toolmakers.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Versatile compressor for serious hobbysts
I've had this compressor for nearly two years and have been very happy with it. I've used it for many home-improvement projects and also was happy to have it when working on my classic car. It has performed well and I love the fact that it has two universal hose takeoffs. The only time that it underperformed was when I tried to run an automotive dual-action air sander off of it, it just needed too many CFMs and the compressor couldn't keep up. But it has no problem keeping up with nail guns and other... more info
Great Light Duty/Home/Hobby use Compressor
I've had this compressor for about 4 years now, and would say it is a good choice for a light duty home or hobby use compressor. I haven't had any problems with it (such as the regulator, reported by others), but I didn't try and use this as my main job site compressor. It can keep up with a framing nailer or even a couple of small brad nailers, but it won't keep up with a spray gun, grinders, or sanders. It is portable, but I wouldn't want to have to rely on this for a job site compressor unless I was... more info
Decent light-duty compressor with regulator problems
Pros: Relatively light and portable. Very sturdy for such a small unit. Cons: Regulator is noted as failure-prone by several reviewers, including me! Dewalt, this is an inexpensive part and a real annoyance. You can do better. No continuous-run mode and factory set on/off too close to max pressure. This compressor is fine for the hobbyist who wants to fill tires or run an occasional nail gun. Will keep up with one framing nailer or a couple of smaller guns, but you'll have to slow down for plywood... more info
A good solid compressor
This has been a good, solid tool. I have used it for about 2 years now. In that time, I have used it for framing nailers and finish nailers and it has always had plenty of air. I have even used it to blow out my sprinkler system for the winter. The later is probably more than it was intended to do and a much bigger compressor would be faster, but this one does the job fine, without over-pressurizing the system. It is relatively quite, and in my view, you can comfortably use it in living spaces. Although it... more info
