# Need help on deciding on purchase



## john-thompson (Jan 8, 2017)

This is my first post, i THINK this is the right forum but if not please chastise me brutally and redirect me 

I don't know where to go to answer this. I need an air compressor. Most of my work is going to be very light duty, but i do need something that can produce enough power to break lugs free etc.

i've done some looking, and it seems like I'm going to need about 3.8CFM @90PSI to do what i want (minimum). 

I was looking at some compressors at Sears and at Home Depot. honeslty with the concern now, i am leery of buying at Sears (closing stores, selling off craftsman etc) i was looking at their pro series.

So I was at home depot and found two. Husky 30 Gal compressors. one of them is $269 the other is $439. As far as performance there's a .3 difference i believe in the CFM @90 and 3db more sound in the cheaper one. It seems to me the difference is mostly in the motor.

The $439 model lists this: Automatic Start/Stop,Tank Pressure Gauge,Wheels" for the compressor/features
The $269 model lists this: Oil Free Compressor" for the Compressor/Air Tool features.

What I want to know is, for extremely light use and probably the biggest job I'd do is breaking lugs, would it be reasonable to buy the more expensive model? that seems like an awful big difference in price. I doubt I will use this very much, but I do want to know that what I buy has the power to do what i want and can produce the air flow consistently.

I've never bought a compressor before. So i'm not really sure what I should do.

here is a link that i used for comparison but it might be cookie based, so it might not work.

Product Comparison Page

If it doesn't, the models are $269 C303H $439 is C302H

Here are direct links to each one:
$269: Husky 30 Gal. 175 psi High Performance Quiet Portable Electric Air Compressor-C303H - The Home Depot
$469: Husky 30 Gal. 155 psi Ultra-Quiet Portable Electric Air Compressor-C302H - The Home Depot

Now the top PSI is 20 higher for the cheaper one but I'm not that concerned about that part. and unless I'm mistaken the warranty is the same for both.

I believe Home Depot purchased husky and in reading the reviews they seem pretty positive on both.

If these are not the best options for someone like me, maybe you could point me in a better direction? i do think the db is going to be important but not critical. i see cheap compressors at cheap places like harbor freight that have an ungodly 110db or something else that would drive me insane.

Again if this is the wrong forum, please let me know. I'm new here.


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## pawned (Apr 1, 2017)

Have you checked out Harbor Freight. They have 21 Gallon 125psi compressors for $149. Regular $169


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## john-thompson (Jan 8, 2017)

pawned said:


> Have you checked out Harbor Freight. They have 21 Gallon 125psi compressors for $149. Regular $169



Hi there.

Thanks for the response. I did pick one up. i got the more expensive oil lubricated 30gal 175 PSI from Home Depot. The deciding factor was the db output. The ones at harbor freight are EXTREMELY loud. which is likely why they're so much less expensive.

the one I picked up i'm very happy with. i decided against the $269 version because it's oil less and those things make a heck of a racket. the huge price diff ($269 TO $439) is because of the motor. 

I brought it home and i have a db meter. From 20 feet away it was just a shade under 80 db which is very acceptable. I can work in the garage with it running and although i'd have to talk at a louder voice it's acceptable. Even the $269 version would be into the mid 80s and that's a really big increase.

I read during my research that some of the HF compressors can be as much as 100db. though i don't know how valid it is.

I appreciate the response!


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