The rattling sound of air compressors always shakes the racks of the mind. While working on our project in our workshop with our team a few months ago, my small pancake air compressor blared at every corner. John! John ..… Honey! How much time would it take? Are you listening to me? A soft touch goosed me! Ah, Sweetheart! You are here. Abruptly, she uttered, “Why are you not easing your ears with Kobalt quiet tech 26-gallon air compressor?”
You know what? I can’t miss my sweetheart’s voice in any case. Hahaha! Now be serious. That day We brought: a “Kobalt quiet tech 26-gallon air compressor” into our workshop on her wish. Do you know what fascinated me most while operating it? I could conversate with my wife without earsplitting our ears. To me, it was a million times quieter than its competitors.
We used our pancake compressor for various purposes, from making furniture to building a pool house and everything related. But it contains certain limitations: though it was awesome at empowering nailers, not good enough on impact wrenches or anything that demands continuous air supply. Therefore, We bought this Kobalt 26-gallon air compressor.
Now, I would like to confide with you the Kobalt quiet tech 26-gallon review and every bit that captivated me:
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Specifications:
We do use pneumatic tools mostly, That’s why these specifications compelled me to purchase:
| Brand | Kobalt |
| Capacity | 26 Gallons |
| Motor | 1.8HP 4-Pole Induction |
| Pumps | Dual Pumps |
| Air Flow Rate @ 90 PSI | 4.5 CFM |
| Air Flow Rate @ 100 PSI | 4.3 CFM |
| Maximum Pressure | 150 PSI |
| Noise Rating | Quiet (70 db) |
| Phase | Single Phase |
| Fitting Size | ¼ in |
| Pump Type | Oil Free |
| Running Horse Power | 1.8 |
| Stage | Single Stage |
| Start Type | Electric Start |
| Tank Style | Vertical |
| Warranty | 3 Years |
| Weight (lbs) | 125.66 |
Features
As I mentioned earlier, We didn’t need an air compressor that woke up the dead. Its quietness impressed me the most. With all these given features in the budget, the compressor is merely a blessing in disguise:
Very Convenient:
Brand | Kobalt |
Capacity | 26 Gallons |
Motor | 1.8HP 4-Pole Induction |
Pumps | Dual Pumps |
Air Flow Rate @ 90 PSI | 4.5 CFM |
Maximum Pressure | 150 PSI |
Noise Rating | Quiet (70 db) |
You can maneuver conveniently with a handle and rubber wheels that do a vibration-dampening job. The hook on the front side helps you to hang an extra hose. Its small footsteps give you a suitable place to store it. Two outlets at the top impart the opportunity to run two tools simultaneously.
Work Efficiency:
1.8 hp induction motor with dual oil-less pumps ensures you achieve genuine performance. Pumps are thermally protected to optimize the efficiency of the air compressor.
Air Flow:
If you want to do
- Air Brushing
- Brad Nailing/Stapling
- Cutting
- Drilling
- Bolting
- Finish Nailing
- Framing Nailing
- Grinding
- HVLP Painting
- Roof Nailing
- Sanding
You do need a constant and steady airflow. You will get 4.5 CFM at 90 PSI to empower your tools.
Design
It is solid construction and the sleek design is very user-friendly. Last month our air compressor got hit in a move that resulted in the broken manifold. Alas! Fittings were on the side. All the fittings and integrated panels with pressure gauges and knobs are at the top. Therefore, I am not worried about getting hit and breaking the fittings.
Noise Level
When they say quiet, it is surprisingly quiet. It means you can have a conversation with your wife or on the phone with your buddy at the same place. I tested its decibel rating. Yes! It’s around 70db.
Set-Up
You don’t need any rocket science to set up. Simply unbox it and follow the instructions to run it after reading further.
Recapping Our Experience
Now, I am going to explain our love at first sight. If you look at the box, it is a vertical air compressor. Therefore, you need to unbox it vertically upward. Don’t panic. Unbox it by following these instructions:
- Lay down the package
- Cut the box from the bottom
- Now Keep it vertically and pull the box from the top
- The box fits snugly, So do it patiently
Kobalt 26 Gallon Air Compressor Parts Name and Diagram
If you look at the interface, it is very user-friendly. Let me help you with its parts:
- Regulator Knob
- Safety covers (protects you from burning by the heads of the pump)
- Cooling fan grills at both sides of the motor
- Steel control panel plate
- Two push-on quick connectors
- Power cord storage
- Hose storage hook on the front
Follow all instructions for its first usage:
- If you look at the pressure gauges, it will show you zero. But you are to bleed off the remaining pressure from the tank by pulling the ring on the safety valve.
- Drain moisture through the valve at the bottom.
- Now plug it in the 20 amp circuit.
- Fill the empty tank to 150 PSI. It will take 6 minutes and 5 seconds. As the tank reaches its capacity, it sounds a little muted.
- Now rotate the regulator knob to set pressure at 90 PSI. Ideally, most pneumatic tools operate at this pressure.
- Hook up any pneumatic tool and bleed it off to check; at what pressure the motor kicks back for tank backup.
- After one minute and approximately 15 seconds, the compressor kicked in at 110 PSI.
- It will take one and a half minutes to fill from 110 PSI to 150 PSI. There is a little delay because it has to work against the pressure already stored in the tank.
Noise Level Test
You know what we wanted to test its quietness. We measured decibel ratings by using free apps and took screenshots. You can see the air compressor is extremely quiet and the cherry on the cake is that you can carry on your conversation in the same place without wearing hearing protection. Hahahhaha! Don’t worry about your brain vibrating or your eyes bulging out.
We took a 63-decibel reading from 9 feet away
A decibel reading of 74 was recorded from a one-foot distance
We used another app to check the decibel rating for confirmation:
The sound level measured at a distance of one foot was 78 decibels.
A decibel reading of 75.8 was recorded from a distance of nine feet.
Note:
You can personally witness the quietness. The average decibel reading at a distance of one foot is 76, obtained by averaging the measurements of 74 and 78. Likewise, at a distance of nine feet, the average decibel reading amounts to 69.4, calculated from the readings of 63 and 75.8.
Problems and Troubleshooting
Being an enthusiastic team, we always try to know every bit about air compressors. We operated it in various ways to check its reliability and faced some issues during the operation. If you choose the Kobalt 26-gallon air compressor as your DIY partner. You might encounter these cases. We will also reveal to you all steps to mitigate these problems.
Regulator Test
We tested how well the regulator keeps the pressure at 90 PSI under continuous airflow. We triggered the impact wrench, there was a 30 PSI pressure drop on the gauge. In all fairness, we checked the specification of the impact wrench, at 90 PSI it needs 5.8CFM. Kobalt’s manual says the pressure drop is normal and suggests tweaking the regulator to the desired PSI while operating the tool.
It aroused a concern that Pressure tweaks while running spray guns can cause uneven performance that needs steady pressure and airflow. But this issue is not a deal breaker in that budget price.
Caution: There are ratings on the air compressor and your tools; You must verify that the compressor and your tools or equipment have compatible ratings to ensure optimal functionality.
The Solution to Cope with Pressure Drop
To rectify the pressure drop issue of the Kobalt quiet tech 26-gallon air compressor, We executed a method:
- We unplugged the power cable.
- Triggered tool to drain all the air from the tank.
- Vented out all air through the emergency valve.
- Turned on the compressor to refill the tank until it shuts down.
- Set the regulator at 90 PSI or your desired pressure for your tool
- Ready to operate without pressure drop issue
Note:
These small adjustments fine-tune the regulator settings to fix the pressure drop issue that worked for me. In that case, you don’t need to add an external Milton regulator.
Expert Opinion
Our major problem was the regulator output; we needed a quiet air compressor at a fair price. Dropping pressure while running a tool is not true; this means it does not drop the pressure. It’s only the regulator’s problem. We replaced the regulator with a Milton regulator to fix the problem. If you need a high flow rate, swap the standard coupling that comes with the Kobalt 26-gallon air compressor with Milton 1/4″ V-style high-flow couplers.
How to Fix Air Blowing Out of Filters?
We are a team of certified mechanics. We know some users face the issue of air leakage through air filters in brand-new or older Kobalt 26-gallon air compressors. Before returning, just remove the top assembly of the motor and resemble the valves. It may fix the leakage of air filters.
If the motor doesn’t run after shutting off
You plug in your compressor and fill the tank from zero to 150 PSI then the motor shuts off. You run your tool, but at 110 PSI motor doesn’t restart to refill the tank. Or if it restarts, it trips the breaker. There are two options for this issue:
- You are using a 15-amp circuit
- You are using an extension cord that’s not up to the mark
Expert Opinion
Plug in your air compressor in the 20-amp circuit, and the motor will work finely. If you are using an extension cord, it must be a thicker 14 gauge-3 prongs at up to 100 Ft.
If You Face Hose Leakage
Kobal quiet tech 26-gallon air compressor comes with two “universal” disconnects at the panel. If you use M M-type male connector to connect your hose with Kobalt’s “universal” disconnects, seal it properly. Because the hose hanging on the connector pushes the connector to the side and leaks. If you face this issue, you can replace “universal” connectors with M female connectors that do not leak.
Ease Drain Accessibility
The drain valve at the bottom sometimes makes it hard to drain the water every time after hectic work. If you want to drain it easily, you can replace the ¼ turn drain valve of the air compressor with the Pull Drain Valve. The valve comes with a small diameter cable that contains a couple of quick pulls that drain collected after each use.
Performance in Hot and Cold Weather
We tested the Kobalt 26 Gallon air compressor in both hot and cold conditions:
- If you are about to use it in hot weather directly under sunlight, it’s prone to overheating. So keep it under shade and use a 14-gauge extension cord to continue your operations.
If you are living in the north or the weather is cold. Your garage or workshop must be 40F plus; otherwise, it won’t operate. If you want to start in these cold weather conditions, you must warm it with a heat gun or any other heat source.
Pros
- Two outlets
- Very Quiet
- Vertical shape saves space
- Cheap than competitors
- Very user-friendly
Cons
- Fairly heavy
- The Pressure release valve is behind the panel
Final Thoughts
The Kobalt Quiet Tech 26-gallon air compressor is an impressive tool, with its standout feature being its exceptional quietness. Its convenient design, reliable performance, and user-friendly features make it a worthwhile investment. Yes! We faced minor issues, but you can mitigate them after reading the above instructions. Look! Quiet tech always strengthens your relationships with a low dp rating. Hahaha! By the way, the Kobalt 26-gallon air compressor offers excellent value and is a recommended choice; for DIY enthusiasts and professionals.