Cordless air compressors are now available from DeWalt and RIDGID with more to come very soon. They don’t have the power to drive an air hammer or break lug nuts, but they are ideal for trim work and any other household or jobsite duties that require compressed air. Pumping up tires, clearing work areas, and even blowing up inflatable toys, make these multi-use cordless air compressors a must-have around the home or at the jobsite.
Advantages of Cordless Air Compressors
Battery-powered air compressors allow you to cut the cord and can be extremely useful for using an air tool around construction sites or outdoors, virtually anywhere 110V is not available. The small size of compact air compressors are now made even more desirable by being cordless.
Disadvantages of Cordless Air Compressors
Any battery-powered tool will be limited by it’s runtime. The RIDGID is powered by two 18V batteries and the DeWALT uses one 60V MAX Flexvolt battery. Runtime is significantly impacted by the amount of times the compressor needs to maintain the desired pressure. Both of these brands are proven workhorses, and they wouldn’t release a product until it was tested, abused, and tested again.
DeWALT DCC2560T1 60V MAX 2.5 Gallon Cordless Air Compressor
Available for $299 from Amazon.
DeWALT Flexvolt continues to impress, by releasing new tools on a regular basis. Their latest is their cordless air compressor. It features a brushless motor paired with an oil-free pump. The one-turn regulator offers accurate pressure adjustment, so you can hit your PSI target every time. Built to handle the rigors of the jobsite, the air compressor is encased in a durable roll cage and has heavy duty rubber feet to remain solid to the ground. The flexvolt 60V max* 2.5 gallon cordless air compressor has a maximum tank pressure of 135 PSI and delivers 1.2 SCFM @ 90 PSI (tested per ISO 1217). It weighs in at 21.5 lbs. without a battery and achieves up to 1, 220 nails per charge (using one 6.0Ah flexvolt battery DCB606 and a DEWALT 18Ga brad nailer DWFP12233). The kit includes: 1) Dcc2560 air compressor, 1) DCB606 flexvolt Lithium Ion battery, 1) fast charger.
RIDGID 18V 1- Gallon Cordless Air Compressor Kit
Available on Amazon.
The RIDGID air compressor kit with battery costs about the same as the DeWALT and includes one 18V battery and charger. The tool itself can be powered by two 18V batteries for longer runtime, but if you need a kit to get you going, then it’s available. Slightly lighter than the DeWALT at 19 pounds but with a smaller 1 gallon tank compared to 2.5 gallons. The stats are bit lower at 120 PSI and 1 SCFM @ 90 PSI.
Both DeWALT and RIDGID are solidly built. RIDGID has a better battery warranty, but the major deciding factor is what system are you more invested in, or which one do you plan on investing in more. You can’t go wrong with either of these cordless air compressors.
The following manufacturers all have corded air compressors, or light duty air inflators, but no true cordless air compressors yet. Look for them in 2019 or 2020. But for now the Ridgid and Dewalt are both great options.
Milwaukee Cordless Air Compressor
We predict that Milwaukee will debut a cordless air compressor on the M18 platform at next year’s new tool symposium. Their M18 9.0 Ah battery is perfectly suited to power a 1-gallon air compressor. They’ll reverse engineer the good and bad from DeWalt and RIDGID and come out swinging next summer, so stay tuned.
UPDATE: Milwaukee just released an M12 compact air inflator, but it’s built to inflate and top off tires. We’ll have to wait for a proper M18 cordless air compressor.
Makita Cordless Air Compressor
It’s surprising that Makita doesn’t have one yet, considering how well received their 36V platform has been. They’d likely follow a similar design that RIDGID has, by incorporating two 18V batteries. They’ve already got the tech, so time to just put it all together.
Bosch Cordless Air Compressor
Bosch launched their Core 18 battery platform this year and that should be plenty of power to drive an air compressor. They’ve claimed their 6.3 Ah battery offers as much or more power than many of the 9.0 Ah batteries out there, but we’ve yet to see a cordless table saw or miter saw from Bosch. We’ll wait and see if they jump into the cordless air compressor game.
We’ll keep this updated with the latest product news so you can find the right cordless air compressor to fit your budget and needs.
Ryobi Cordless Air Compressor
Look for a new model coming soon.
