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Customer reviews for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
The Ridgid 4-1/2-Gallon Portable Electric Air Compressor features a 1.8 HP engine. It has an oil-free, low-maintenance pump with thick cylinder walls that delivers air power and has a long life. This air compressor delivers 4.9 SCFM at 90 psi, which means that 2 nailers can be used simultaneously. The durable tanks are made of steel. Manufactured by the leader in air compressors Campbell Hausfeld.
Overall rating:
(30 reviews) 30
Rating breakdown 30 reviews
5 stars
12
4 stars
10
3 stars
2
2 stars
1
1 star
5
22 out of 28(79%)reviewers recommend this product.
Customer reviews for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Review 1 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Nice compressor
,PostedAugust 20, 2010
I've been a carpenter for almost 30 yrs now with the last 18 being self employed. I knew my old compressor was about to go and it finally died right in the middle of the day. Went out next morning and got the Ridgid. It weighs about the same as my old Emglo, which means it's heavy. I bought this compressor because it can run 2 framing or roofing guns at the same time. So, if your just a handy home owner, this compressor is just too big for your needs. You will only be using 1 gun at a time, no need for the extra bulk. I also have a little 1 gun compressor and it can more than handle any 1 gun. This one is a fine machine, but if you don't need all the guts this machine can offer, just get a smaller one, it will save your back and wallet!
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+10points
10out of 10found this review helpful.
Review 2 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
the best
,PostedOctober 3, 2010
I have had mine for 8 years now i use it every day 8-14 hours a day 5 days a week i run two framming guns with 400ft total hose and it does fine... and runs fine on a 3500watt gen. it still runs like new definatley worth the money
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+10points
10out of 10found this review helpful.
Review 3 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Very impressed so far.
,PostedFebruary 3, 2012
cartrainer
Age:55 to 64
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Level of expertise:Intermediate
Length of ownership:1 month
Quality
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Only bought a couple of weeks ago so not a lot of use yet but am very impressed so far. This unit replaced a 26 gal. upright in my garage and takes up a lot less space. It seems to keep up really well with air use. Builds up initial pressure fast and catches up quickly when depleted. Noise level not bad for an oil-less compressor. It is heavy at about 70 pounds so I set it on a small mover's dolly for mobility. The up-front moisture drain that drains both tanks is really convenient.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 4 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Excellent Tool
,PostedFebruary 19, 2012
Jimbo
Age:55 to 64
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Professional
Level of expertise:Advanced
Length of ownership:1 year or longer
Quality
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Hello,
I actually bought this compressor about 5 yrs ago and I was window shopping since I got this email and decided to comment. Its been an excellent tool. Starts good in cold weather and hasn't given me 1 sec trouble. I would say the only negitive is the weight. At about 75 Lbs its a load to carry around. But it runs 2 framing nailers with no problem at all. I will buy another one when this one dies.
I actually bought this compressor about 5 yrs ago and I was window shopping since I got this email and decided to comment. Its been an excellent tool. Starts good in cold weather and hasn't given me 1 sec trouble. I would say the only negitive is the weight. At about 75 Lbs its a load to carry around. But it runs 2 framing nailers with no problem at all. I will buy another one when this one dies.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 5 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Decent compressor, some issues
,PostedApril 13, 2012
Tano
Age:45 to 54
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Level of expertise:Advanced
Length of ownership:1 year or longer
Quality
3
/
5
Value
3
/
5
I purchased this a little over two years ago when installing hardwood flooring in my house to run the flooring nailer. I have used this as a DIYer, not a pro, so when I had to replace the pressure regulator and the on off switch early on you can understand my surprise.
Let me give you some of the good points, first thing is that with the exception of those repairs, this compressor works well. I like the dual couplings which allowed me to keep the flooring nailer and the finish nailer hooked up simultaneously throughout the job. It handled my air needs with no issue at all, and it has a nice compact design and footprint. The drain cock in the front is very accessible making draining the tank of water an easy chore. And I didn’t find it to be an overly loud compressor
Early on I could tell the air pressure regulator control didn’t feel right and it wasn’t long afterward that it completely unscrewed when I was dropping the pressure down one day. Also, the on off switch felt a bit flimsy, never really locking into position until one day it just wouldn’t turn off.
So I decided to finally try out that ridgid warranty I had heard so much about. Where I live in NY the service center for ridgid is not in a home depot, I had the choice of driving to New Jersey or into Brooklyn, there are none on Staten Island where I live. So all of the people that say they walked into a HD and they graciously swapped your broken tool, I envy you.
After taking it to the service center, the diagnosis was that they would need to look it over, determine if it had been misused and then tell me what or if the warranty would cover. The estimate was 6 weeks. Needless to say I was not happy. I took the compressor back, bought the replacement parts myself online and got it back on the road in a few days.
After that, I have not had any issues. So as one reviewer commented, buy the tool because you like it not for the warranty. BTW, these are made by Campbell Hausfield if that helps with your decision. Had those parts not broken so quickly this would have been a 5 star review.
Let me give you some of the good points, first thing is that with the exception of those repairs, this compressor works well. I like the dual couplings which allowed me to keep the flooring nailer and the finish nailer hooked up simultaneously throughout the job. It handled my air needs with no issue at all, and it has a nice compact design and footprint. The drain cock in the front is very accessible making draining the tank of water an easy chore. And I didn’t find it to be an overly loud compressor
Early on I could tell the air pressure regulator control didn’t feel right and it wasn’t long afterward that it completely unscrewed when I was dropping the pressure down one day. Also, the on off switch felt a bit flimsy, never really locking into position until one day it just wouldn’t turn off.
So I decided to finally try out that ridgid warranty I had heard so much about. Where I live in NY the service center for ridgid is not in a home depot, I had the choice of driving to New Jersey or into Brooklyn, there are none on Staten Island where I live. So all of the people that say they walked into a HD and they graciously swapped your broken tool, I envy you.
After taking it to the service center, the diagnosis was that they would need to look it over, determine if it had been misused and then tell me what or if the warranty would cover. The estimate was 6 weeks. Needless to say I was not happy. I took the compressor back, bought the replacement parts myself online and got it back on the road in a few days.
After that, I have not had any issues. So as one reviewer commented, buy the tool because you like it not for the warranty. BTW, these are made by Campbell Hausfield if that helps with your decision. Had those parts not broken so quickly this would have been a 5 star review.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 6 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Great Performance!
,PostedJune 8, 2011
TheDeckerisKing
I bought this compressor about a year ago. I've used it to install baseboards, crown molding, air my tires, clean the garage, remove marble tile with air hammer, power texture gun to texture ceiling and walls. I've depended on this compressor a lot and it has never failed. I love it. The only shortcoming I see is portability. It is small, but really heavy and with no wheels I do not look forward to moving it around when I use it. Other than that, it’s awesome.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
Review 7 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Great Compressor
,PostedApril 19, 2010
I have had this compressor for three months and really glad I purchased this model. Plugged it in and it was ready to go. It keeps up to my air tools as they demand a lot of air. I run multiple tools with the duel ports. I find the duel ports to be a good option. It should be a consideration for anyone who might need to use a compressor with multiple tools. It is a bit heavy, but who moves a compressor around with a 50' cord? I looked at the model with the wheel, but found it did not have the capacity I wanted and I did not want to sacrifice functionality. I like the easy setting for 'max pressure'. It is important not to exceed max pressure if you want your tools to last. I also like the 'oil free' model since it really makes the compressor...maintenance-free. Great compressor for the money.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 8 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
OF45175A
,PostedNovember 26, 2012
Lubby
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Professional
Level of expertise:Advanced
Length of ownership:1 year or longer
Quality
2
/
5
Value
2
/
5
Unit is alright until you need assistance with parts Campbell-Hasenfeld is the distributor, poor customer help. My unit only needed a $ 2.00 O ring and they wanted to sell me a $ 40.00 pressure regulator, Good Luck folks.
Cons: Not Durable, Limited Features
No, I do not recommend this product.
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0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 9 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Great product!
,PostedJanuary 10, 2012
Dtermnd1
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Professional
Level of expertise:Advanced
Length of ownership:1 month
Quality
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Bought it to replace another compressor that I was very unhappy with and could not be more pleased with its performance. Nice features, great price, excellent cold weather starter, and good power. Only con is the weight. 75 pounds and no wheels makes it a little more difficult to haul from job to job.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 10 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Compact and plenty of power
,PostedOctober 19, 2009
Billtheengineer
Bought this to replace a much small compressor that died. Works as it claims, noisy like most other oil-less compressors. Take a lot of power to start, depending on what else is on a 15 amp circuit it could trip it pretty easily. Forget about using an extension cord too, unless it a 12 gage or a short 14 gage one. Unless its getting its full 120 Volts it won't start. I have not had it long maybe it needs a little break-in but manual does not mention it. It has great output for short periods of time, you have to watch the duty cycle. Using air tool like an ratchet could easily put it past its normal duty cycle.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 11 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
A great small compressor for the price
,PostedSeptember 20, 2011
Have used this compressor several times since I bought it with no problems whatsoever. Fills up quickly and easy to operate and adjust pressures. My son-in-law has the same unit, using it to renovate his bathroom, and has also had zero problems. If you're looking for a small unit you can use with a nailer or other pneumatic tool, this little unit will do the job. Good quality but, not very portable(weights approx 75-80 lbs). Would buy again and have recommended it several of my friends.
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+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 12 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Nice features,but very low quality.
,PostedNovember 5, 2012
Jon2012
Age:35 to 44
Home improvement profile:Professional
Level of expertise:Advanced
Length of ownership:6 months
Quality
1
/
5
Value
2
/
5
Very poor product! Over time the unit will continue to run non stop.
Cons: Not Durable
No, I do not recommend this product.
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0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 13 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
TOO LOUD !,, but is 5 years old & still works well.
,PostedMarch 31, 2012
NICKNAME
Age:55 to 64
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Level of expertise:Intermediate
Length of ownership:1 year or longer
Quality
3
/
5
Value
3
/
5
Works any time I need it too. Wether it's freezing out or sweltering summer heat. It allways works. It even runs my 3/8" Snap-On " Impact gun, as well as any framing nailers(Hitachi). It's just too darn loud! As for needing the receipt, you shouldn't have to if RIGID products are "LIFETIME WARRANTEE" ! That;'s what Homedepot told me when I had to exchange A RIGID sump pump that had burned out .They told me to just go grab a new one . No receipt needed
they told me.
they told me.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 14 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Great so far.....
,PostedJanuary 24, 2010
Anonymous
Bought this compressor to replace a worn out smaller 1.5 gallon Husky. Love the performance, used it to lay hardwood floors in the upstairs of my house and tons of trimwork, absolutely no problems. The pressure regulator valve is dead on, you can also easily run two air tools with the dual connectors. I also like how convenient they placed the tank drain valve on the front, very nice. The only drawback is that the unit is a little heavy, so be ready to lift when/where you need to carry it. Can't beat the 3-year warranty and I am a fan of Emerson/Ridgid tools.......
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 15 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Excellent Compressor
,PostedJanuary 12, 2010
I purchased this compressor as an upgrade for my Porter Cable (PC) Pancake. I am not a professional contractor but I consider myself an above average DYI'er.
Pros:
Excellent compressor for the money. So far I have used it to frame my basement, hang molding, repair a wooden fence, and I am planning on installing hardwood flooring throughout the house.
The PC compressor worked very well, but the Ridgid compressor is a serious upgrade. The 4.9 SCFM@90PSI gives the same performance at 90PSI as the PC did 120 PSI. I learned this very quickly the first time I hung modeling. At 120 PSI (finish gun rating) I was driving 2" nails through the material even with the gun adjusted for minimum depth. The 4.5 Gallon capacity and the higher SCFM in this model do not require the unit to kick on to resupply as often.
Cons:
This is an excellent compressor but it is very heavy. I understand the previous model was made with aluminum storage tanks so it was considerably lighter. This is by no means a deal breaker .
The pressure relief valve is very sensitive. I have bumped it several times while moving the unit and it releases very easily. This can be easily avoided by carrying the compressor so the valve is pointed away from your body.
Pros:
Excellent compressor for the money. So far I have used it to frame my basement, hang molding, repair a wooden fence, and I am planning on installing hardwood flooring throughout the house.
The PC compressor worked very well, but the Ridgid compressor is a serious upgrade. The 4.9 SCFM@90PSI gives the same performance at 90PSI as the PC did 120 PSI. I learned this very quickly the first time I hung modeling. At 120 PSI (finish gun rating) I was driving 2" nails through the material even with the gun adjusted for minimum depth. The 4.5 Gallon capacity and the higher SCFM in this model do not require the unit to kick on to resupply as often.
Cons:
This is an excellent compressor but it is very heavy. I understand the previous model was made with aluminum storage tanks so it was considerably lighter. This is by no means a deal breaker .
The pressure relief valve is very sensitive. I have bumped it several times while moving the unit and it releases very easily. This can be easily avoided by carrying the compressor so the valve is pointed away from your body.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 16 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Not Good!
,PostedMarch 20, 2012
Kevin
Age:45 to 54
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Level of expertise:Advanced
Length of ownership:1 year or longer
Quality
1
/
5
Value
1
/
5
Rigid has always been a name you could trust when buying tools, until now! This air compressor has not performed at all in my opinion. It has been unable to hold more than 30lbs of air pressure since about a month after purchase. I didn't have time to get it fixed right away. Upon contacting Rigid, I am told that it was made for them by another company (Campbell Hausefeld). I lost the receipt, so the warranty is gone too. They said I can purchase the "kits" to rebuild it, but at substantial expense. I'd rather just throw this thing away, take the loss, and never buy another tool of theirs. In my opinion, they don't deal in good faith.
No, I do not recommend this product.
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-1point
1out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 17 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
nice little compressor
,PostedOctober 7, 2009
I bought this compressor to replace my old, small ear-splitting loud compressor that finally broke.
So far I've been very impressed with this RIDGID compressor. My early impressions are first, it's fairly quiet. I say fairly, as there isn't a "quiet" air compressor out there, but at least this one doesn't make my ears ring after it finishes charging.
Second, the rubber feet actually keep it in one place when it's running, as opposed to allowing it to dance across the floor as some other compressors I've used have allowed.
Third, the drain petcock is right at the front, where you don't have to fumble around under the tank to find it, plus, it opens and closes with a 90* movement, which means you don't have to squat down and thread the petcock open or closed, which inevitably allows the petcock to spray your hand with water.
Fourth, the regulator is dead on, which eliminates having to open it or close it a little after the first cycle of your tool to get the desired PSI delivered.
Last, it charges fast. Granted it's only filling up 4 gallons, but it does so quickly and doesn't seem to generate much heat in the process.
So there you have it. All things considered, it's a great little compressor for a good price!
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 18 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Good Home Workshop Product
,PostedAugust 6, 2011
The Rigid has proven reliable and plenty features.
Having two outlets is useful and air recharging cylinders is quite rapid. Great for general household & light work shop activities such as tire inflation, pool rafts, etc. Not an industrial unit. Also is quite heavy and cumbersome to move around.
Having two outlets is useful and air recharging cylinders is quite rapid. Great for general household & light work shop activities such as tire inflation, pool rafts, etc. Not an industrial unit. Also is quite heavy and cumbersome to move around.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 19 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
As shown on the store site and manufacturer's site
,PostedMarch 13, 2012
antiquejim
Age:55 to 64
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Professional
Level of expertise:Intermediate
Length of ownership:1 month
Quality
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Literature should include dimensions.
It would be nice if there were some 1/4" quick disconnects included.
It would be nice if it was written how to adjust the low pressure start setpoint. We're using the output at 30 psig. The compressor cycles between 145 and 175 psig. We could significantly decrease the number of duty cycles by adjusting the ON setpoint to 90 psig or even lower.
It would be nice if there were some 1/4" quick disconnects included.
It would be nice if it was written how to adjust the low pressure start setpoint. We're using the output at 30 psig. The compressor cycles between 145 and 175 psig. We could significantly decrease the number of duty cycles by adjusting the ON setpoint to 90 psig or even lower.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 20 for 4-1/2-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor
Overall rating
Don't Buy
,PostedJune 12, 2012
Bogie
Age:35 to 44
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Professional
Level of expertise:Advanced
Length of ownership:1 year or longer
Quality
1
/
5
Value
1
/
5
This is the worst compressor I have ever owned. I have had it two years and the piston is wore out. It was supposedly under warranty, but after a month of sitting outside. I was told this isn't covered and charged $45.00. If you want a piece of junk go to Harbor Freight, they sell Cambell Hausfield compressors much cheaper, the maker of Ridgid. I can't believe Ridgid would put their name on this product. Even the service center said they were garbage!
No, I do not recommend this product.
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0points
1out of 2found this review helpful.