DeWalt Cordless Pancake Compressor

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Impressive runtime and power in a cordless unit. Fueled by the FlexVolt battery platform, the unit is also lightweight and quiet.

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Last year about this time, DeWalt released its FlexVolt cordless 2.5-gallon air compressor. It’s a pancake-style unit that features a brushless motor and oil-free pump. The tool is powered by one FlexVolt 60V Max battery and weighs just under 24 pounds when equipped with a 6-Ah battery. According to the manufacturer, the compressor can fire up to 1,220 brad nails per charge; it has a maximum tank pressure of 135 psi and delivers 1.2 SCFM @ 90 psi.

Performance in the Field
I’ve been using it for months now to power a variety of nailers, including brad, 15-gauge finish, a flooring stapler, and, on rare occasions, a framing nailer, and siding nailer. The compressor provides plenty of power to fire a framing or siding nailer, though it obviously won’t keep up with production work; we used it in this capacity minimally when we’d forgotten our cordless framer. We use it mainly to install casing and baseboards with a finish nailer, and this is where it really shines. I like how lightweight the unit is. I keep a coil hose attached to it and I can carry it effortlessly as I work around a room or in and out of rooms.

Most recently, I’ve been using it to install 9-inch-wide white oak flooring over existing oak flooring on a remodel we're doing. I’ve been amazed at how well it does in this capacity. I’m running 1-7/8-inch-wide crown staples in a Spotnails flooring stapler at one shot every 6 inches. I get about 12 staples set before the unit kicks on. I can continue to fire at a steady clip while the compressor cycles, which takes about 30 seconds. Runtime as been impressive with the 6-Ah battery; I installed 500 square feet before having to recharge the battery. The noise level is reported to be 79 dBA; to me, the nail-gun fire seems to be louder than the compressor itself. I've been really impressed with the functionality, runtime, portability, and noise level of this compressor. It's one of our most-used tools these days. The compressor sells kitted with one 6.0-Ah battery and one fast charger for $299. It’s made in Jackson, Tenn., with global materials.