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 Du
