At 500 psi, Max's 2.6 gallon twin-pontoon tank holds more air than the author's standard 9-gallon compressor (at left), but it doesn't refill the tank as quickly.
Since the Max weighs just 46.3 pounds, it's easy to unload from a pickup and move around the job site.
The Max's convenient control panel allows you to select the power mode with the push of a button. It also indicates problems and lets you know when it's time to rebuild.
To drain air and water from both pontoons, you turn a single easily accessible lever.
The standard hose (at right) and high-pressure hose (at left) have different male fittings to prevent mix-ups. The high-pressure fitting is closed at the end, with two small opposing holes on the sides; this arrangement prevents a pressurized hose from whipping around when it's disconnected from an outlet.
High-pressure pneumatics can really pay off at the business end. The compact tools are lighter and more powerful than their standard counterparts.