• 175 psi - 60 gal equivalent tank size as compared to conventional 125 psi model

• High-flosm air regulator (145 psi start and 175 psi stop pressure switch) and High-flosm quick connect coupler for less pressure drop

• Direct-drive, twin cylinder, oil free design for durability and no maintenance

• 120-volt high-torque, capacitor start induction motor for reliable starting

• Longer life and quieter operation with -inch4 Pole-inch 1725 rpm motor; Large air regulated pressure gauge for easy visibility and better accuracy

Lot's of work time (due to 175 psi). Can run my air ratchet or 1/2' impact quite a long time without turning on.
Servicing it looks like a snap and it seems to be very well built. BTW most of my use revolves around automotive service tools, ratchets, impacts, and chisels. I occasionally will sand and paint but it's not a major use for me (Ihate sanding and painting). I found this will run my sanders quite well but if it was the major portion of what I did. I would recommend a 60 or 80 gal. floor type 2 stage unit over this. A sander (especially a high-speed unit) uses an awful lot of air and under heavy sander use I think this unit would be "strained".
Advantages of oiless: Should not be affected by cold conditions, cleaner running, no need for oil separator when spraying, no need to worry about servicing it for oil changes etc.
Overall I'm pleased but will amend this as I use it more extensively. The only thing they did not include and I wish they had, is a quick pressure release for the "hose side". You have to bring regulator "down" to release pressure in the hose (not as convenient).
Bottom line if you need a compressor but the smaller 15 to 20 gal types are not enough and a big 60 to 80 gal. is too much check this out you'll be glad you did! It seems to fit right in the middle offering good performance, relative quiet, ease and convenience of use and reasonable portability in a high quality well built unit. Overall I'd rate it a solid value and highly recommended.

39 of 41 found the following review helpful:


Quiet, portable and powerful  Oct 29, 2001 By Robert Faber "toolapcfan"
I shopped around for weeks before I decided on this compressor. I wanted a compressor for home that I could run an impact on or a DA sander but I also wanted something portable that I could run a nailer on. I had planned to buy two compressors but this compressor will do both. We all know that pancake and especially stacked tank portables are great but they are also noisy, relativley expensive for a good one and really ought to have wheels in addition to the handle, because carrying one is a joke. This compressor is surprisingly quiet and is quite powerful. The two stage allows it to provide the power of a compressor twice it's capacity and uses twice the horsepower. Don't let HP ratings rule your decision, because that rating is typically peak useage, and is not an output rating at all. (FYI, 1 horespower is equal to 746 watts.) So if you're buying one for home or stationary use that will be run a lot, look at buying a 2-stage 240 volt compressor, it will save you money when the electric bill comes. Also don't let CFM's take total precedence either. Recovery time is what you should look for and don't expect any compressor to keep quiet for long when you're running a continuous tool like a sander. Something to consider if you're serious about buying this compressor is look at the CPFC2TV3520WK, it's the same compressor with a 20 gallon horizontal tank but it has a four port remote regulator which might be of use or interest to you... I wanted a verticle for storage reasons and I really don't care about the remote regulator because I rarely adjust it during use... I'll post again in the future once I've used the compressor more and know it a little better. I would recommend renting a compressor or borrowing one from someone who has it prior to making your decision if you haven't used them enough to know what you want from one. Something to keep in mind when buying any tool is to ask people who use them everyday, which one would they personally buy. Also consider the useage, will it be used for hobby or for work.

22 of 23 found the following review helpful:


great choice for general purpose home use  Aug 23, 2005 By Mike Garrison
I recently bought one of these, and have been quite pleased so far. The two-stage compressor means that it is quieter than a single-stage unit, and should mean better reliability as well.

The owner's manual suggests that it should be the only thing operating on a 15 amp circuit. They warn that it could trip the breakers if you turn on anything else, because it pulls close to 15 amps all by itself. I use it on a 20 amp circuit, and have had no trouble.

I've used some fairly demanding air tools with it, such as air drills and die grinders. The motor comes on early and stays on under continuous air drill usage, but it manages to keep up.

You can probably get this cheaper at a local store if it is available and if you have a vehicle that can haul it around, because Amazon has to cover the cost of shipping. However, if you live somewhere remote then it is probably worth it to have Amazon ship it to you. It definitely takes two people to lift it up into a truck bed.

It comes with a universal-style female quick disconnect.

The only thing I don't like about it is the process for depressurizing the tank. You have to pull open the spring-loaded safety valve. This is very loud. Also, since the spring must be set for 175 psi, it becomes very hard to keep open as the pressure drops down below 100 psi or so. And the drain valve is hard to open and hard to seal. It is also easy to damage if it is over-tightened.

The good news is that the drain valve can be removed. I replaced it with some tubing and a manual ball valve. For about $20 of hardware, this is a big improvement.

9 of 9 found the following review helpful:


Good Compromise  Jul 02, 2006 By rdagger
The compressor is very easy to set up and use. The instructions are very clear. I am very pleased with the purchase. From my research, everyone told me that bigger is better. However, I don't have much space so a dedicated unit was out of the question. The space-saving vertical design and wheels works great for me. The 5.1 SCFM at 90 PSI should be sufficient for my needs; although a little more power would have been welcome. The compressor has a very solid feel and is very heavy. There is no way I could load it into the back of my truck by myself. The wheels are a little small and appear to be made of a hard plastic. They are adequate for moving the compressor around the garage, but would not work well on stairs or outside. Another small gripe is that the drain plug is only 3/4" off the floor. Therefore, you have to get on your belly to open and close it. It is rather awkward, especially if you have a container underneath to catch the water. Obviously the container has to be very flat. In my opinion the compressor is loud, particularly if you are in a closed room. However the rumble of the motor is much more tolerable than the high pitched whine of some of the other compressors I checked out. I have not experienced any electrical problems with breakers in my old house. In addition, buying from Amazon, instead of Grizzly is great because of the free shipping. It was delivered to my house by a freight company and I saw the invoice to Amazon was over $100. I don't think I would trust the shipment to UPS because the unit is heavy and some parts could be easily damaged. Unfortunately, it looks like Amazon has increased the price by $85 since I bought it.

See all 24 customer reviews on Amazon.com