best air compressor for brad nailer

3 Best Air Compressor For Brad Nailer ( Reviews and Guides)

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If you tackle numerous trim carpentry or woodworking projects, a brad nailer is a must-have tool in your arsenal list. According to the power source, three kinds of nail guns are attainable. Among them, gas and electric-powered nail guns do not require compressed air. So, if you have one of them, you don’t need to think about compressed air.

But if you own pneumatic brad nailers or have other pneumatic tools, you must consider an air compressor to ensure compressed air for those tools.  

Brad nailer’s average air consumption is around 0.25 to 0.30 CFM per nail and works well at 80PSi. If the compressor serves 3-cubic feet per minute (CFM) airflow, you can continuously fire 20-22 nails per minute. 

If your existing compressor doesn’t match the requirements, or you don’t want to run the large shop compressor for running a brad nailer. (Then)

Do not worry, have a look at our buying guide where we mentioned three air compressors for brad nail guns. 

Additionally, to provide energy to the brad nail guns, you can use them to supply air to other nail guns. 

So, let’s begin. 


Best Overall For Brad Nailer: BOSTITCH BTFP02012

Pancake compressor for brad nailer

6-gallon pancake air compressors are favorite for compact designs with larger tanks—the best all-around compressor for any nailing job. The BOSTITCH BTFP02012 is one of them. A reasonable price tag, compactness, lightweight, and adequate airflow have performed well in our nailing test with brad nailers—also, you can use this 6-gallon compressor for occasional framing.

Air delivering capacity is the essential part of an air compressor. This Bostitch 6 gallon pancake model can supply 2.6 SCFM of air at 90 PSI, which is massive for a brad nailer.

The tank capacity of this model is 6-gallon. The air pushing capacity of this compressor isn’t too high. As a result, it takes around 2-munites 40 seconds to fill the tank pressure from zero to max 150 PSI. Wich is not too fast or too slow. According to its larger tank size, the air pumping capacity is mere. But it recovers the pressure fast, takes 15 to 21 seconds only.

The disappointing thing about its loudest noise – advertised the noise level is 79DB. We measured the noise level was 97.23 DB, which is very loud. It’s not such an excellent unit to recommend for indoor use, but the noise is not a big deal if you choose it for outdoor use.

The last thing of its price, it around 101$ at amazon.

If you’re looking for an air compressor at a slightly lower price, no one can beat the BOSTITCH BTFP02012.


Best Portable And Quiet air compressor For Brad Nailing (bit pricey) : Fortress 2-gallon air compressor

portable and quiet air compressor for brad nailer

The fortress FT2135UQ is a portable, compact, and ultra-quiet 2-gallon air compressor. This 2-gallon compressor is our first choice because of its air delivery capacity and quick air pressure recovering ability, and it keeps the working environment quiet during its runtime. Its 2.2 CFM air delivery at 90 PSI and 2-gallon storage tank fill your criterion of running brad nailers. Also, you may use this ultra-quiet compressor to run a finish nail gun and occasionally for framing purposes. 

But I don’t recommend it to those who are needed an air compressor for professional framing jobs – because its airflow capacity and tank size are not adequate to run framing nail guns. 

The Fortress FT2135UQ has two competitors, and they serve the exact features that you will get on The fortress FT2135UQ. The competitors are Makita mac210Q and California 2010A. 

Why do we opt for the Fortress 2-gallon air compressor for brad nailers? 

Does it serve extra value than the competitors? 

Does its less cost than the competitors?

Despite being they similar on features. We got some differences in Fortress FT2135UQ when testing both three models side by side with multiple nail guns – which makes the Fortress 2-gallon compressor different and adds some extra value. 

Here’s a short comparison chart of both models.

Model

Tank Size

Tank Material

Airflow @90PSI

Max Pressure

Noise Ratings

Motor HP

Weight

Price

FORTRESS FT2135UQ

2-gallon

Aluminum

2.2 CFM

135PSI

60DB

1.2 HP

37.3 lb

179$

Makita MAC210Q

2-gallon

Steel

2 CFM

135PSI

65DB

1 HP

44 lb

199$

California 2010A

2-gallon

Aluminum

2.2 CFM

120PSI

60DB

1 HP

35 lb

199$

  1. Tank size & material: Both three models are 2-gallon.California and fortress offer aluminum tanks, which makes them lightweight and handy. Also, it ensures rust-free usage. 
  • Protection: The Makita and fortress are packed with roll-cage frames, which protect the motor, pumps, and other materials. And ensure the proper safety in job sites. On the other hand, California doesn’t have any roll-cage construction
  • Airflow capacity: Their airflow capacity is closely similar. Only the fortress and California serves slightly higher airflow than Makita 210Q. 
  • Quick Coupler: Another significant advantage of the fortress is that it has two universal quick couplers that allow you to connect two nail guns simultaneously, and its air delivering capacity can run two nail guns without any issues. But, competitors offer one universal coupler to connect one nail gun only.   
  • Price: Both models serve similar features, but the retail price is different. The Makita mac210Q and California 2010A retail prices are around 199$. On the other hand, Fortress retail price is only 179$, which is less than the competitors. 

Finally, the fortress 2-gallon air compressor serves everything at a lower cost without compromising any essential features. 

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Hi, Eddie T. Jones and I am the author of homegearsolution.com. I have been working with household appliances, tools, outdoor gear, and gardening tools for several years. I publish unbiased comparisons based on user reviews, expert reviews, and test results. I hope you like the website.

Best regards, Eddie T. Jones

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