I am looking at buying either a Coleman or a CH compresor from probably Lowes. I went a month or two ago to buy their Ch upright 60 gallon compressor with 10.x cfm @ 90 psi and an employee told me that they were going to go on clearance soon because Lowes was going to change to Coleman compressors and put their "Kobalt," brand name on them. So now I am worried about getting the CH compressor serviced if Lowes is no longer going to carry it. It is a little cheaper than the new Coleman units they got in which seem to be nearly exactly identical except that I noted the Colemans have an oil level sight glass and they come filled with oil, I think Mobil 1. Which makes me think that maybe they really test them out before they ship them to take care of any problems, as I think CH ships theirs dry.
The Coleman is around $427 and the CH is currently around $380. The price on the CH compressors on clearance will probably keep dropping, so I keep going back to watch it slowly drop...I am hoping of course that it goes to around half! Now is a good time for all you others reading this to upgrade if you need to. But what worries me is I am wondering if they made the switch due to quality control issues with CH and if Coleman is any better. I have seen CH compressors returned to Lowes.

 

Campbell-Housfeld.

I looked at the Coleman. They had aluminum pumps. C-H. . . Cast Iron.

I've got the C-H mdl. VT-6196. Not real big, but, it has given me NO problems.
(20 or 25 gal. tank.)

My 2¢.

 

Colman and sandborn compressor are the same just so you know, which are reliable. they are made in southern Minnesota as well, so i'd go with them

 

Go with the cast iron...

 

I wont buy another Ch product period. I bought a small CH for portability. Used it about 6 or 7 times in a 2 year period. It quit pumping air, took it apart, what a cheap pos. Well I was stupid for buying one that small any how. No product support or parts for it. The cast iron pump Iam sure is better by far. Still makes me mad that such a respected name company would build such a POS. Sry for the venting here . Good luck with what ever you buy.

 

I would like to add something else to think about.

The 'oil-less' pumps (diaphragm type) have lot shorter lifespan than the old piston / oil bath pumps have.

My Dad has an old 'one lunger' compressor that is over 25 years old. He doesn't use it much, but, every time he uses it, he drains the tank before securing for the day. It still works perfectly. He keeps all of his stuff like new. (Depression era baby.)

 

This was a piston type. It was just a POS. I was stupidfor buying it in the 1st place. No matter I wont be bit buy CH again.

 

I have had great luck with my Craftsman. May not be commercial grade, but works fine and a good price.

 

THank you for all your feed back. These both have belt driven oiled pumps on the compressor. I thought that they both had cast iron cylinders, with a twin piston design. The cylinders and cooling fins on them are all painted black, would they paint aluminum black? I guess I will have to find out about the coleman then as I would prefer cast iron.
Is coleman really made by CH? If so then is the new compressor just a new design, hopefully improved?
Again, Thanks for all of your feedback.