How this calculator works
Air tools are rated by how much air they consume, in cubic feet per minute (CFM) at 90 PSI. The calculator takes the hungriest tool you tick and adds 30 percent, and separately adds up all the tools you tick, scaled by how hard you use them, plus 30 percent. The larger of the two is the airflow your compressor should deliver at 90 PSI. It then suggests the tank size, pressure, motor and pump type that compressors delivering that much air usually have.
Where the numbers come from
The consumption figures are typical averages for each type of tool in intermittent use. Individual tools vary between makers, and a tool held on continuously uses more than its average rating. Check the rating on your own tools and use the higher figure where in doubt.
Reading the result
Compare the result with the compressor’s delivered CFM (or SCFM) at 90 PSI. Ignore CFM at 40 PSI, “peak horsepower” and tank size when judging whether a compressor can keep up; the tank only buffers short bursts. Our guide to air compressor CFM explains the figures, and single-stage vs two-stage covers the pump types the calculator suggests.
