As a DIY enthusiast myself, I know the importance of an air compressor. So, how do I choose one?

First of all, I need it to be portable, budget-friendly, durable and has essential features that will help in my home projects.

I will also look for something that requires less maintenance, as I’m not a professional.

So, keeping all that in mind, I thought the Porter-Cable PCFP02003 would be an effective air compressor to review.

Let’s get started!

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Pros

• Portable and lightweight.
• Refills under 2 minutes.
• Dedicated switch for fast starting.
• Cost-effective.

Cons

• Not suitable for professional-grade pneumatic auto tools.
• The plastic component in the compressor is fragile.

Porter-Cable PCFP02003 Pancake Compressor Review- Top Features and Performance.

Power

The PCFP02003 has a 120V low amp motor. So, you get 0.8 HP of power.

Is it enough or too less?

I would say it’s pretty much sufficient.

It can deliver 2 SCFM at 90 PSI. The 2 SCFM is enough to cover most pneumatic tools you have.

If you go for other popular brands with similar power ratings, you will see there is a huge price difference.

So, I’m quite happy with the purchase because the price was one of my top priorities.

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Noise level

Yes, it does make more noise than other air compressors. It didn’t bother me. There is no noiseless air compressor in the world. So, a little bit more noise doesn’t make me go crazy.

You can, however, minimize the noise and vibration by placing it on a padded flat surface. That’s the best I could do!

Durability

With a bit of precaution, you can easily surpass the warranty cycle of this machine and probably more. You can use it all day long. But not more than 45 minutes in an hour.

I don’t recommend playing with it all day long. Do your work, keep it away. Other expert reviewers say that 30 minutes is the best way to go! And I would not differ with them in this case.

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Portability

This is a 26 pounds unit with a roundish pancake design. So, I can say it’s pretty much portable.

The size makes it portable enough to carry it on the back of your car, truck, and RV.

I don’t want a high performing industrial-grade compressor that eats up my space. I have other tools to maintain!

Quality of the hose outlets.

It has a single hose outlet but with two quick connectors, you can run two tools at the same time.

Does it make any difference?

It could. But I’m disappointed that running two tools will lower the efficiency of the machine. So, one tool at the time is the best way to go.

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Testing the performance.

I was quite satisfied with the overall performance of this product.

It took like 2 minutes to reach from zero to 135 PSI. And probably the same amount of time to refill the tank after it runs out.

So, it does work pretty quick.

If you want to inflate flat tires, one tank refill will be able to inflate 3-4 tires at max. For normal tires, you can inflate probably 8 of them from one refill.

You will need to drain out the condensation from time to time. If that’s a disadvantage or not I’ll leave it up to you. No issues from my part.

Who should buy this?

This air compressor is truly made for DIY projects and simple home use. The low power and tank capacity don’t permit professional usage.

Final verdict- Should you buy this?

I talked about price earlier. If the price is an issue for you and you still don’t want to compromise with quality and power, the Porter-Cable PCFP02003 is your best bet.