Steele Products SP-CE155QT 4.6 Gallon Aluminum Twin-Tank Quiet Air Compressor

I spent weeks reviewing the specs on every small air compressor I could find in-store, online and have-in-mind, before I bought this one. Weight, noise level, quality and CFM output were the comparisons. The CFMs actually listed on it are 5.2 at 40PSI and 4.2 at 90PSI. It has 55dB noise level which makes it the quietest compressor available. There's a huge difference between 55dB and 60dB because it's a logarithmic scale - not linear. My concerns about not having wheels were removed because it weighs less than 50 lbs., compare that to 38 lbs for my retractable hose with reel. It arrives with only one part (air filter) to attach. This compressor is small, quiet and delivers enough CFMs to power professional pneumatic tools. It has a 1-year warranty which is the same as others. It's energy efficient using a 1.5hp. Right now, noise is a huge factor and our baby really is not awakened. In fact, no one complains when I power this up except they wish they had one too - spoken in a normal...Read more

I bought this because reviews said it was very quiet. It performed to my highest expectations - for two weeks (why I say 5 stars). Then it sprung a leak at the gauge connection and therefore will no longer retain air in tanks. I am returning today for a replacement of same item as I want to give it one more try. Amazon return seems to be painless and they are sending UPS tomorrow to pick up. Luckily I kept the box and stuck it in my attic or I would be up the creek with an silver colored aluminum anchor!! Can you say premonition?
UPDATE: UPS picked up first compressor as approved by Amazon. Second compressor arrived with a box looking like it was shipped through a war zone. No strapping tape and the bottom fell off when I picked up the box. Ran unit for 15 minutes with tank valve open to break in as specified. Then when I tried to fill tank it was quiet until twenty-five psi and then a terrible rattling inside the compressor started and remains. Probably a knock in the...Read more

Yes, the motor is a lot quieter than other ones, the problem is that there is also a high pitched whine (whistle) that is so loud that you can't even hear the compressor motor working after a few feet away. Not really what I was looking for in a so-called 'quiet' compressor. Buy the other one that's available.