Manufacturer - California Air Tools

Model - 4610A

Average Purchase Price - $285

Overview

If you ask anyone what stands out most about your air compressor, they may give you answers like, it is heavy, I love it or it works great.  If you ask them when you are standing right next to them and the compressor is on, they will probably say huh or what did you say?  One thing we can probably all agree on is that compressors are loud.  Which is not so bad if you are outside, but once you move inside a room, then that is when you really notice the noise.

You have two options to combat the noise level.  You can leave the compressor outside and run hoses, which is not always practical or you can just deal with it.  Well sometimes dealing with it is not always the best case.  I am not going to mention what loud noises do to your ears over time, okay I guess I did,  but there are times you need the compressor to be quiet because of your job.  As Dan always says, you might want to be quiet if you are in someones house at night working and they are sleeping.  Not sure where he gets this stuff, but it does make me laugh.  Not sure what type of work he does at night in a residential setting, but that’s between him and the client.  He is partially right.  If you are doing residential work, I am sure the customer would appreciate not hearing the compressor running all day.  What if you are finishing trim in a building and you’re in a hallway.  Do you think everyone wants to hear the compressor?  I am sure you have come across situations where you would want a quiet compressor.  Well that is where the California 4610A is awesome.  This compressor is extremely quiet.  When I say quiet, I mean you can be right next to it and have a conversation without raising your voice.  We didn’t do a great job of showing that in our video because it sounds a lot louder on the video than it really is.  We did include a video below that shows how quiet this compressor really is.  When we first heard about this compressor and how quiet it was, we really didn’t believe it.  In fact we just thought this was a gimmick.  After working with the compressor and running it, we were sold that this is truly a quiet compressor.  In fact it only puts out 60 decibels.

The model number of this compressor is 4610A.  This is a 1 HP and 4.6 gallon twin tank.  They also make a 4610.  The only difference between the two is the 4610A has the aluminum tanks while the 4610 uses steel tanks.  They both have pros and cons.  The steel tanks are nice because they are stronger and will take more abuse.  However they are heavier and will rust.  On the other hand, the aluminum tanks are lighter and this unit only weights 44 lbs., plus it will not rust.  The unit is an electric and oil free pump which means you can even use this on uneven ground and not worry about smoking the motor.  California Air Tools did a couple things to make this a very effective compressor and reduce vibrations.  First, the whole unit sits on some nice soft rubber pads which helps reduce vibration noise and protects the surface.  Also there are pads between the motor and the frame to help reduce vibration.  The unit puts out a low 1680 rpm to also help reduce vibrations.  In regards to durable and longevity, California Air Tools took the route of using a dual piston pump for increased compression which gives it a long life of over 3000 hours.  The unit only draws 7.6 amps which is less heat and we all know how heat is a killer.

Overall this is a great compressor and we still can not believe how quiet it is.  The time to refill the tank from 0 psi is 125 seconds which is very quick.  The gauges are very easy to see and read.  The one thing we would like to see changed in future models is the two quick connectors.   Not that they are bad, they work and do what they are supposed to do, but we have seen some beefier and better ones on other compressors we have tested.  The true standout to this model is how quiet the unit runs.  If you are looking for a nice trim nailer compressor, that you will be using indoors or just don’t want to deal with the loud noise, the California compressor is a great unit.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS

• Ultra Quiet only 60 Decibels
• 1 HP Rated/Running
• 4.6 Gallon Twin Steel Tank
• 3.80 CFM @ 40 PSI – 2.35 CFM @ 90 PSI
• Oil-Free Pump
• Two Pressure Control Gauges
• Two Universal Quick Connectors
• 120 PSI Maximum Pressure
• 125 Seconds to Fill Tank
• 110v / 60 hz – 7.6 Amps
• Tank fill rate 125 Seconds
• Thermal Overload Protector
• Dimensions: 20” H x 17” W
• Aluminum Tank
• Weight: 44 lbs

California Air Compressor 4610A Includes

• Compressor
• Air Filter

Warranty

Compressor - 1 Year

Pictures - Video

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Rating

[easyreview title="California Air Compressor 4610A" cat1title="Value" cat1detail="This is a nice little compressor.  We did find other compressors that were a little more powerful for cheaper, but they were not nearly as quiet.  The problem is we only found this sold at Home Depot, so we only have one real price to go by." cat1rating="4.0" cat2title="Quality" cat2detail="California Air Tools took some valid steps to produce what seems like a real quality compressor." cat2rating="4.5" cat3title="Sound" cat3detail="Well it just doesn't get any quieter than this unit.  We could probably even use it in our local library." cat3rating="5.0" summary="This is the quietest compressor we have ever tested at Tools in Action.  The unit seems to be a solid unit and the design is very nice."]

Deals

As we find deals we will be updating this page.

Notes

All of our long term notes or other information we find after this is released will be presented here.

Air compressors come in all shapes and sizes depending on the job at hand.  Rolair has been building quality contractor grade compressors since 1959.  They are built to survive constant use and last in the work site environment.  The new VT25BIG has some innovative features. It has a S1 rated 100% duty-cycle motor which means it can run constantly without overheating or causing damage to the splash oil lubricated pump.

The quality of VT25BIG is outstanding.  The welds are clean with no splatter and the powder coat job is top notch.  The wheels on the unit are pneumatic and held on with huge axle nuts, not axle caps which drive me crazy because they always work themselves free.  The wheels will hold up on any terrain.  Another unique feature is the handle, it is tall and designed so that you can easily wheel the compressor around without your heels kicking the unit.  The handle easily folds down by releasing the latch bar with your foot.   Two people can then easily put the unit in a truck for transport or storage.  Thick rubber grips are a nice touch and aid in handling the unit.  On the side of the unit is a cord wrap for the power cord.

You will need to add the included oil to the compressor when you run it for the first time.  It draws 13.8 amps and can recover the 5.3 gallon tank to 135 psi in 1 minute and 15 seconds.   That is blazing fast!   There are 2 quick disconnect couplers to run 2 air hoses and 2 gauges, one for regulated pressure and one for tank pressure.  The pressure regulator can be locked by twisting a red plastic nut below the knob.  The tank has a safety valve and also a ball valve on the bottom to release the air when you’re not using it.  The valve has a good grip and is easy to turn with or without gloves on.  A visual gauge on the side of the pump helps you keep the oil level in check.   For those cold days the VT25BIG has a cold start valve for easy starting in any temperature.  It also has an onboard reset switch in the event the unit shuts down due to overload.

Specs:

HORSE POWER : 2.5 HP

CFM DISPLACED @ 90 PSI : 9.3 CFM

CFM DELIVERED @ 90 PSI : 6.5 CFM

PUMP/MOTOR RPM : 3400 RPM

LENGTH : 19 Inches

WIDTH : 19 Inches

HEIGHT : 37 Inches

SHIPPING WEIGHT : 108 lbs.

We used the compressor to do some die grinding and for some plasma cutting.  The compressor performed well and supplied airflow without dropping off.  The unit is not the quietest unit on the market, but again it is designed  for industrial applications.  Rolair includes a 1 year warranty.  Overall we would highly recommend Rolair compressors to anyone who needs reliable, uninterrupted air on the job.  High CFM and quick recovery times make this portable compressor perfect for most applications.

At $379.00 ACME Tools had one of the lowest prices we have seen on this compressor

Check out more from Rolair