Fortress - 2 Gallon - Ultra Quiet (Rating: 4)

The Fortress compressor was on sale at Harbor Freight for under $200, and they had one set up in the store to demonstrate how quiet it was. With the HF return policy it wasn't even a gamble to take one home.

I've been using the Fortress compressor for a few months now. It's as quiet as most dishwashers, and goes from zero to 130 psi in just 45 seconds. It holds pressure very well, however the quick disconnect is a bit touchy. If the connected hose is pushed to the side you can hear a leak, but if left alone there are no leaks at all. It stays plugged into the hose reel, and there has been no problem as there might be if a hose with a direct connection to a tool were used. I thought of replacing the disconnect, but decided not to fix something that works.

I've had a 6 gallon Porter Cable pancake compressor for years. It is small enough for the shop to not be in the way, but every time it turned on I would jump out of my shop apron. The noise was deafening, and the run time to come up to pressure was quite long and very annoying.