Dewalt has been building air compressors for decades now and over the years, they’ve developed a pretty solid reputation. One of their most popular products, the D55146, promises a max PSI of 200 and a sizeable 4.5-gallon tank. It also comes in with a price tag that puts it towards the top of the price range. Is it worth the cash? Read on to find out.

Power

To justify the high price tag, the D55 promises a max output of 200 PSI. It’s also capable of providing 5 SCFM when you drop the PSI to 90. This translates to more than enough power for just about any household purpose. In fact, it can comfortably power most tools two at a time.

The 4.5-gallon tank is also generous and makes it an ideal purchase for anyone who uses air tools for long periods of time.


Portability

Weighing 83 pounds, the D55 was never going to be particularly portable. Thankfully, however, Dewalt has attached a pair of very sturdy wheels to the bottom. This means that provided you don’t need to actually lift the thing, moving it around from room to room is surprisingly easy.

The extendable handle also pops up in one smooth motion adding to the convenience factor. Unlike some compressors, it’s also very well balanced. It’s also worth noting that while it’s certainly not the smallest of machines, it can be turned sideways for easy storage.

Attachments

One thing that I didn’t love about the D55 is the distinct lack of attachments. Considering the price, I think there should have been a few more thrown in. As it stands all you really get is what you see in the photo.

Noise Levels

Dewalt isn’t exactly known for quiet air compression but the D55 is actually pretty quiet considering the amount of power on offer. When fully operational it hits approximately 78 decibels which is significantly quieter than many of its competitors. There is one catch however when you first turn it on, it takes about 15 minutes to warm up and during this time, it hits at least 85. The good news is that it’s pretty much vibration free at all times.

Maintenance

This D55146 is completely oil-free and both the motor and pump are encased in plastic. These two factors combine to make a compressor that’s largely maintenance-free.

Durability

At the time of writing, the jury’s still out in terms of durability. I’ve used it a good three months at this stage and so far so good. A quick look on Amazon however shows 17 separate one star reviews. And this is obviously somewhat worrying. I will update this review at the one year mark.

Customer Reviews

Despite the aforementioned negative reviews, the D55146 still managed to achieve an average rating of 4.1 stars out of 5 on Amazon. This is because it was reviewed over a hundred times and positive reviews far outweighted the negative.

Verdict

In conclusion, the D55146 isn’t cheap but you do get quite a lot of power and performance for the price. Throw in its compact shape and sturdy wheels and you have a compressor that’s very enjoyable to use. The only question is will you be one of the unlucky people whos model breaks down within a year.

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