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That’s when you realize your air compressor can’t handle this task, because you purchased it specificaly for another task. Now you’re hanging trim and need a blast of air, and instead, you’ve got a tank that refuse to fill up, or a tool that sputters to life. The McGraw 3 Gallon Air Compressor is the portable solution for such situations, according to its marketing.
It’ll handle light duty task, and fit snuggly into your trunk. Except it’s not quite that simple. First of all, this is not a workhorse.
This is a little guy for garage. You can’t sand for an hour on it. You can’t paint a fence non-stop on it.
It’s made for occasional use. When you accept that, the McGraw becomes a handy tool. If you don’t, you’ll be ticked off in about 10 minutes.
What I found is that this little compressor perform in the real world where space is tight, as long as you respect its limitations. It’s small. It is really small.
Reviewing The McGraw 3 Gallon Air Compressor
Portability and Size Benefits
Most 3 gallon tank are pancake style and save vertical space. This tank is no exception. It doesn’t take up a lot of space in your pickup truck or under work bench.
But that’s its biggest draw, it’s portable. You can tote it to your buddy’s house for a quick repair. Move it around a tight job site and not trip over any hoses.
It is light enough to grab with one hand. When you’re working in a cluttered garage, that convenience mean something. But small size means small volume.
Tank Capacity and Performance Limitations
And little volume = small size. In other words, the 3 gallon tank is the limiting factor here. It’s not bad at first; air builds up fast and feels great.
The gauge rises, the motor turn, and you’re in business. Ahh, but then you pull the trigger. Very little air is being stored so all of a sudden the pressure plummets.
The compressor must now kick on again and fill that little tank. If you’re just blowing dust off your bench or filling some tires, that’s no problem. There isn’t much demand, and the refill happens almost unnoticeably to you.
You hit the valve, wait a second or two, and you are done. Add an air connector to your pneumatic nailer, however, and that’s where things go haywire. A steady stream of air is needed to shoot framing nails.
That’s where the McGraw falters. After three or four nails, there’s a lull in pressure, and the nail doesn’t quite make it home. Then you have to wait.
You’ll hear the motor start up again. Wait some more. The stop-go pattern is not efficient if you’re working on a big project.
It is fine for patching up stuff here and there. Building a deck? Don’t bother.
You’ll spend more time waiting for tank to refill than you’ll save by buying this tool.
Noise and Heat Management
Then there’s noise. Many times small compressors is loud.
This one is too. It has a high-pitched squeal from the sound of piston hitting the cylinder. Not awful, but not good either.
Won’t be running this in a closed room for very long. There is also the issue of heat production. Small motors warm up fast.
The cooling fins on the pump do help keep it cooler, but give it time off between lots of work. Running something hot can decrease life span of the motor. Be easy on it and it’ll serve you well.
Included Accessories and Upgrades
Accessories are simple but work well. There’s your typical short air hose, quick connector and coupler. Hose is short and stiff.
This means you’ll probably wish to buy a nicer, flexibble and longer hose for increased reach. It is nice that it includes a quick inflator for tires. Much easier than a large compressor station and also quicker than pumping by hand.
It is good for occasionally topping off tire pressure. Air filter can be replaced over time (good). If you keep the filter free of grit and dust, then motor won’t suck this crud into it.
Final Verdict and Ideal User
The McGraw is an economical tool. You’re getting simple functionality and portability at a good price; not industrial strength performance. And that’s fine if you just occasionally need to inflate tires or blow dust off a bench.
This tool isn’t going to break the bank. It won’t hog space. It’ll get job done if used for what it’s designed to do.
Don’t try to make it do something else, because it wasn’t made for that. So read the specs, respect the limitations and use it for what it is. It should of served you well.
This is the bottom line. The McGraw 3 Gallon Air Compressor is a light-duty compressor. It’s ideal for the weekend warrior who wants air whenever he/she needs it but doesn’t want to lug around a big compressor.
It is not for the guy/gal who makes his/her living as a pro contractor. It is not for the do-it-yourselfer who dreams too big. This is for the guy or gal who wants to fire off a few brads, blow off their workbench, or fill a tire.
Tuck it away in your garage. Get it out when you need it. Put it away when you’re finished.
That’s where you’ll get the most use from this little machine. It’s not a hero. It’s a helper.
And occasionally, that’s all you really need.