Silentaire Super Silent 20-a Whisper Quiet Airbrush Compressor 1/5hp 0.7 Cfm 55-85psi Low Noise Level

A perfect compressor for airbrushing. It will take about 40 minutes to fill the oil tank to the half mark, but then you’re golden, and ready to be blown away by how quiet pump and beautifully consistent air flow. Pros: - super quiet and excellent capacity, so it only turns on for short bursts periodically. - excellent pressure consistency - solid build, superb craftsmandhip Cons: - expensive (but 100% worth it if you value quietness) - you have to replace the oil every year. 1 hour of your time for the finest air compressor I’ve used; not much if a con. - Heavy, but aren’t they all - sports a reassuringly heavy duty workshop-ready handle. Tip: They often make small improvements to the build. I received a new revised model with no tube to remove, even though the instructions point to one. If the instructions appear to differ, email or call their support - they sorted me out first thing in the morning. (In my case, the newer models are even simpler to setup — pop a stopper and fill. If I ever need an upgrade, it’ll be the bigger two-brush version of these.

I knew it would be a quiet machine but I was pleasantly surprised to hear it or should I say NOT hear it in action. It is as the name says virtually silent. You would probably not hear it from across the room. I'm very satisfied with the machine. It's a little pricy but it will no doubt last me for my lifetime as a professional artist and worth the extra money IMO. Highly recommended!

So this was my second air compressor, my first being an oil free unit from Grex. I didn't think about the difference in maintenance between an oil compressor and an oil free compressor, but I do have to admit that this compressor is very near whisper quiet when compared to my oil free unit. The addition of a tank also means that it runs far less, and for long spraying projects - as I'm still only base coating and 'playing' with my air brush - that means less condensation in the line. The fact of the matter is that I had to feed 18 oz of oil into this machine at a 1/4 teaspoon at time, so hours just to get it fed enough oil to function properly. That being said, I did run it dry out of ignorance for a few minutes to test it, and fortunately the testing at the factory left lubricated enough to not burn out the motor for that small amount of use. So for those that want a whisper quiet unit for mini-painting, this is it. If it was a bit easier to manage the oil situation then I'd give it a full five star rating.

Amazingly Quiet!

I bought the compressor sometime around 2012, and it has worked flawlessly. I use it for airbrushing, which it is perfect for. I can hardly hear it running. These last a long time since they use an oil tank to keep them lubricated. Mine is going strong just as it was the day I bought it.

I’ve used this for engraving for years and I love it. It’s super quiet and small and works perfectly! I highly recommend this.

Silent as advertised. Using this for airbrushing and it keeps up no problem. Manufacturer was very helpful when I left it sit for a year and had a problem starting it up again.