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Portable Air Compressors

Whether you need a portable air compressor for the workshop floor or a mobile air compressor you can put in the van and take to site, we’ve got a huge range to choose from. Every compressor on this page is a self-contained unit. It comes with its own pressure gauge, wheels and/or a carry handle, and it’s ready to plug straight into a standard 230 volt supply, or 110 volt for outdoor work (with suitable Transformer). Petroleum is required for petrol compressors. No pipework, no fitting into a system, just plug it in and get to work.

If you already know your spec, use the size categories below to jump straight to what you need. If you’re not sure where to start, give us a call on 01932 348777 and we’ll talk you through it.

Red Fini ciao air compressor with built in handle and wheels to make it portable.

Find your Portable Air Compressor by Tank Size

Under 10 Litres:  

Our smallest and lightest portable air compressors, perfect for popping in the back of the car or carrying to a job. These are built for lighter work like tyre inflation, cleaning and small DIY tasks rather than continuous heavy use. Listed in price order from lowest to highest:

Sale!
Product shot with white background of the Hyundai 8L air compressor with cream coloured tank and portable handle.

Direct Drive Compressors

Hyundai HY5508X | 8L Air Compressor | Portable | 4CFM | 0.75HP

Original price was: £245.00.Current price is: £108.00. (inc.vat £129.60)
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Small air compressor from PCL, 9L black tank with direct drive motor on top and a handle for easy portability.

Direct Drive Compressors

PCL Small Air Compressor | Oil Free | 6 Litre | 8 Bar | CMS09OF

Original price was: £281.47.Current price is: £145.00. (inc.vat £174.00)
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Product shot with a white background of the black Nuair 10L Silenced Oil Free Air Compressor which is on a trolley for portability.

Direct Drive Compressors

Nuair 10L Silenced Oil Free Air Compressor | 7.1 CFM | 1.5 HP | S-B4PP304FPS573

Original price was: £485.00.Current price is: £295.00. (inc.vat £354.00)

The Hyundai 8 Litre compressor is ultra silent and an amazing all-round compressor as is the PCL 6 litre compressor for small tasks such as tyre inflation, cleaning and spraying.

By comparison, the 10 litre air compressor from Nuair is powerful enough to power small air tools, tyre inflators and blow guns. In other words, this is perfect for general DIY and is also a silent compressor – which should keep your neighbours happy!

24 Litres:

A step up in tank size without losing the portability. These 24 litre compressors suit home garages and smaller workshop jobs where you need a bit more air capacity than the smallest models offer. Listed in price order from lowest to highest.

Sale!
Hyundai 24L Air Compressor with a cream coloured tank

Direct Drive Compressors

Hyundai HY7524X | 24L Air Compressor | Portable | 5.2CFM | 1HP

Original price was: £265.00.Current price is: £124.95. (inc.vat £149.94)
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PCL 24L air compressor with black receiver tank and PCL logo on the tank. The compressor has 2 wheels at the back.

Direct Drive Compressors

PCL CM2024D | 24L Air Compressor (T19 Plug) | 7.3CFM | 2HP

Original price was: £294.74.Current price is: £150.00. (inc.vat £180.00)
Sale!
PCL 1Hp compressor with black receiver tank with branded PCL logo on the side

Direct Drive Compressors

PCL 1Hp Compressor | 24 Litre | 8 Bar | CMS24OF

Original price was: £331.39.Current price is: £175.00. (inc.vat £210.00)
Sale!
Fini Ciao compact 24l air compressor with wheels and handle

Direct Drive Compressors

Fini Ciao Compact Air Compressor 24L | 8 Bar | 1.5 Hp | F-FOCC304FNN507

Original price was: £295.00.Current price is: £205.00. (inc.vat £246.00)
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Product image of the Fini Siltek 24L portable air compressor with red receiver tank

Direct Drive Compressors

Portable Air Compressor | 24Litre 5.6CFM 1.5HP | Siltek F-B2CC304FNN557

Original price was: £340.00.Current price is: £222.00. (inc.vat £266.40)
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Product image of the blue Nuair 110v compressor with oversized black handle and black casing over the working components.

Direct Drive Compressors

Nuair 110V Compressor | Portable | Outdoor Use | 24L | S-A8CA3C4FPS567

Original price was: £390.00.Current price is: £243.00. (inc.vat £291.60)

Below is a snapshot graphic showing the main differences in power, price, weight and noise level for each of the 24L air compressors. However, if you’d like assistance in getting the right compressor for your needs, please give us a call: 01932 348777 and we will be happy to help. 

A comparison chart showing the key differences between all 24 litre compressors, including price, weight, PSI and how noisy it is.

50 Litres:

Don’t let the bigger tank fool you, these are still genuinely portable air compressors with wheels and a handle. The 50 litre models are a good fit for small to medium workshop tasks or serious home use. Listed in price order from lowest to highest:

Sale!
PCL 50L air compressor with black receiver tank with PCL branded logo on the side. The compressor has 2 wheels at the back and a handle at the front for easy portability.

Direct Drive Compressors

PCL CM2550D | 50L Air Compressor (T19 Plug) | 8.2CFM | 2.5HP

Original price was: £387.82.Current price is: £195.00. (inc.vat £234.00)
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Hyundai white low noise air compressor - HY27550 model

Direct Drive Compressors

Hyundai Low Noise Air Compressor | 50 Litre | Oil Free | 2Hp | HY27550X

Original price was: £345.00.Current price is: £249.00. (inc.vat £298.80)
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Product shot with a white background of the Black Nuair 50L Lubricated Air Compressor

Direct Drive Compressors

Nuair 50L Lubricated Air Compressor | Portable | 3Hp | S-SXDL504FPS504

Original price was: £620.00.Current price is: £380.00. (inc.vat £456.00)
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Siltek 50L Quiet air compressor. Red tank and blank handle with double pump on top.

Direct Drive Compressors

Quiet Air Compressor | Portable | 50 Litre | 3HP | Siltek F-B2DC504FNN560

Original price was: £717.00.Current price is: £460.00. (inc.vat £552.00)
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Product shot with a white background showing the Black Nuair 50L 110v air compressor with the Nuair logo in white at the side.

Belt Driven: Nuair Piston

Nuair 50L 110v Compressor with Tech Panel | S-28DA4C4FPS060

Original price was: £930.00.Current price is: £569.00. (inc.vat £682.80)
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Product photo with a white background of the Black Low Noise Portable Air Compressor

Belt Driven: Nuair Piston

Nuair 50L Low Noise Portable Air Compressor |12.5CFM | 3HP | S-28DA504FPS139

Original price was: £822.00.Current price is: £504.95. (inc.vat £605.94)

To help you get an ideas as to which 50L portable air compressor might be best for you, we have made a chart comparing all of our compressors in this category. 

However, we strongly encourage you to give us a call: 01932 348777 if you are unsure which compressor best suits your requirements and we will be happy to guide you through. 

 

A comparison chart showing the key differences in horsepower, PSI, noise levels and price for Metro Sales 50 litre air compressors

100 Litres:

Our biggest portable air compressors, built for bigger jobs that need a steady supply of air. These 100 litre models work well in home garages, workshops and trade settings where you need more capacity but still want the flexibility of a mobile unit. Listed in price order from lowest to highest:

Sale!
Hyundai 2Hp Silenced Air Compressor is white with twin motors on top of the receiver

Direct Drive Compressors

Hyundai HY275100 | 2Hp Silenced Air Compressor | 100 Litre | Oil Free

Original price was: £425.00.Current price is: £330.00. (inc.vat £396.00)
Sale!
White background with the Black Nuair 100L Lubricated Air Compressor on wheels

Direct Drive Compressors

Nuair 100L Lubricated Air Compressor | 8 Bar | Portable | S-SXFL504FPS594

Original price was: £678.00.Current price is: £450.00. (inc.vat £540.00)
Sale!
4Hp Hyundai Air Compressor - White model, silent, oil free with twin motor

Direct Drive Compressors

Hyundai | HY2150100 | Silent Air Compressor 4Hp | Oil Free | 100 Litre

Original price was: £625.00.Current price is: £495.00. (inc.vat £594.00)
Sale!
Product shot with a white background of the Nuair 100L Portable Air Compressor

Belt Driven: Nuair Piston

Nuair 100L Portable Air Compressor | 12.5CFM | 3HP (13A) | S-28FA504FPS134 |

Original price was: £845.00.Current price is: £525.00. (inc.vat £630.00)
Sale!
Black Nuair 9Hp petrol compressor from Nuair with black wheels and a black handle at the front for easy portability.

Petrol Compressors

Nuair 9Hp Petrol Compressor | Honda Petrol | 100L | Portable

Original price was: £2,561.00.Current price is: £1,583.00. (inc.vat £1,899.60)

The main difference with these compressors is the horsepower. In fact, each of the first 4 machines has a different horsepower: 2, 3 or 4. 

The first listed above is the Hyundai 100L 2Hp model. This has all the tank capacity you need, but is less powerful than the other two, so is better for small-medium tasks. 

The second Hyundai compressor on the list is the 100L 4HP model. This is both oil free AND quiet! 

Both Nuair 100L compressors have 3 HP and are great middle ground compressors for general tasks. The tank is big enough to get much done, and it offers good horsepower for those slightly heavier tasks.

By far the most powerful is the Nuair Petrol compressor at a 9HP! This is a powerful beast, which is why the price tag is so much more than the others.

150 & 200 Litres:

There aren’t many portable compressors that come bigger than a 100 litre tank, but we have two 150 litre portable compressors alongside a 200 litre model – all from Nuair. The first 150 litre and the 200 litre offering from Nuair are part of the TECH PRO series. These are meticulously crafted to prioritise user comfort, ease of use, straightforward controls, and reduced noise levels. Both are 3 Horsepower.

The 150 litre Nuair Honda petrol compressor is more powerful with 5.5 Horsepower, and uses petrol rather than being oil lubricated like the others.

Sale!
Product shot with a wite background of the Black 150L 3HP Portable Air Compressor

Belt Driven: Nuair Piston

Nuair 150L 3HP Portable Air Compressor | 12.5CFM (13A) | S-28HA504FPS135

Original price was: £995.00.Current price is: £630.00. (inc.vat £756.00)
Sale!
Product photo with a white background of the Black Nuair 150L Honda Petrol Air Compressor with wheels at the back for portability and a black handle at the front.

Petrol Compressors

Nuair 150L Honda Petrol Air Compressor | 5.5Hp | 10 Bar

Original price was: £2,108.00.Current price is: £1,294.00. (inc.vat £1,552.80)
Sale!
Product shot with a white background of the Black Nuair 200L Portable Air Compressor

Belt Driven: Nuair Piston

Nuair 200L Portable Air Compressor | 12.5CFM | 3HP | (13A) | S-28LA504FPS136

Original price was: £1,065.00.Current price is: £655.00. (inc.vat £786.00)

Not sure if you need a portable or static air compressor?

A portable air compressor is a stand-alone unit. It comes ready to use, with everything you need built in, so you can plug it in and get going straight away.

A static air compressor is different. It’s supplied as a bare tank, with no gauge or accessories fitted, and it’s designed to be plumbed into a fixed pipework system. Whatever you connect to it, whether that’s a regulator, couplings or a wider ring main, needs to be added separately so the compressor can supply air to multiple points around a workshop.

As a rule of thumb: if you need one compressor to do a specific job in one place, portable is usually the right call. If you’re setting up a permanent air supply across a workshop with several tools or stations running off the same system, a static compressor is generally the better fit.

 

Gary’s take: 

“If you’ve only got one job you need doing in one spot, a portable’s all you need. But the second you’re trying to feed air round a whole workshop to different tools and stations, that’s when it’s time to think static.”

Portable Compressor FAQ

Pretty much, yes. Portable and mobile air compressor are two names for the same thing: a self-contained unit with wheels or a handle that you can move around and plug in wherever you need air. Some people use “mobile” to describe compressors they take off-site to different jobs, but there’s no real technical difference between the two. 

The right size comes down to two things: how long you need to run air for, and how much air your tools need. 

  • Tank size (litres) affects how long you can run before the compressor needs to catch up. Small tanks under 10 litres suit quick jobs like inflating tyres or short bursts with a blow gun. Bigger tanks, from 24 litres upwards, give you more air in reserve for longer or more frequent use. 
  • CFM (cubic feet per minute) tells you how much air the compressor can deliver, and this needs to match or beat what your tools require. Check the CFM rating on your air tools and make sure the compressor comfortably covers it, especially if you’ll be running more than one tool. 

If you’re not sure what your tools need or which tank size suits your workload, give us a call on 01932 348777. We’ll ask a few quick questions and point you to the right compressor first time.

A bit of regular maintenance keeps your portable air compressor running well and helps it last longer: 

  • Drain the tank after use to stop moisture building up and causing rust inside. 
  • Check and clean the air filter regularly so the compressor isn’t working harder than it needs to. 
  • Check the oil level if you have a lubricated model, and top up or change as needed. 
  • Inspect hoses and fittings for wear or leaks before each use. 
  • Store it somewhere dry when it’s not in use. 

If anything doesn’t sound right, whether that’s a change in noise, pressure or performance, get in touch and we can help you figure out what’s going on. 

Our largest portable air compressor is the 200 litre Nuair. This gives you enough capacity for bigger workshop jobs while still being mobile enough to wheel around. 

Yes, for most people they are, though it depends what you need it for. A portable air compressor is versatile enough to handle DIY, hobby work and light trade use, which makes it a solid buy for most workshops and garages. That said, if all you want to do is inflate tyres every few months, you’re better off saving your money and buying a tyre inflator instead! If you’re unsure, give us a call: 01932 348777

Need Help Choosing?

Not sure which portable air compressor is right for you?

Whether you’re looking for the best compressor for you home, for on the road use, or for professional workshops simply get in touch for friendly, expert advice!

01932 348777 | sales@metrosales.co.uk

Search other Air Compressor Categories:

Whatever sir compressor you’re looking for, we’re confident we can help! Take a look at some of our other air compressor categories: Silent air compressors, Direct drive compressors, Belt driven compressors, Screw compressors, Vertical air compressors.

We have specailist compressors such as: diesel compressors, Petrol compressors and high pressure compressors.

If you are looking for powerful compressors, take a look at our three phase compressor offering.