The 6 Best Compressors For Scuba Diving
This wiki has been updated 6 times since it was first published in August of 2019. If you scuba dive on a regular basis, you're familiar with either the rental costs of diving gear or the wait times and expense it takes to fill up your tanks at a shop. With one of the compressors on our list, you can cut out the middle man and fill your own tanks at home or on the deck of your boat. Just make sure you follow all safety instructions and always dive with a buddy. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki. If you'd like to contribute your own research to the Wiki, please get started by reviewing this introductory video.
1. D Machinery SCU100P
2. HPDMC LM60-Auto
3. HPDMC SCU100
Editor's Notes
September 12, 2019:
One of the initial things we faced when first establishing this list was how exactly we wanted to define compressors for SCUBA diving. The market contains two primary sources of air for divers: the kind of tank systems commonly associated with SCUBA diving and what's known as a hookah system. Hookahs are small motors, sometimes housed in floatation devices, that run air lines down to divers at depths specific to a given motor's power and the number of divers using it. They're ideal for things like pool repairs, dive training, and other shallow water activities in which the divers don't plan to roam very far. The biggest reason we didn't include them here, however, is that they aren't really self-contained, which is right there in the name SCUBA — Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.
So, our list consists only of compressors designed to fill self-contained tank systems for SCUBA divers, and its primarily organized along the lines of flow rate, temperature control and flexibility, and output air quality. It's important to remember that these are more than simple air compressors, otherwise you could just hook up the same compressor you use with your pneumatic power tools to fill your air tanks. Instead, these are designed to filter out otherwise high levels of carbon dioxide and to separate out water, oils, and other impurities that could make the diving experience unpleasant, if not dangerous.
Special Honors
Max-Air 35 Ideal for shop owners or SCUBA divers who head under the waves on a regular basis, this model offers some outstanding features and reliable performance. It can run on gas or electric power and has a flow rate at nearly 120 liters per minute. It is rather expensive though, and it's very heavy. leisurepro.com
Alkin W31 Mariner This powerful option can achieve pressures up to 5,000 psi, making it ideal for use with large tanks intended for relatively long dives. It drains its condensate automatically, as well, so you don't have to worry as much about maintenance, and its stainless chassis is shaped to let you carry it with relative ease. alkinus.com
4. MiniDive Spare
5. Orion Motor Tech High-Pressure
6. FastToBuy PCP Two-Stage
Daniel Imperiale holds a bachelor’s degree in writing, and proudly fled his graduate program in poetry to pursue a quiet life at a remote Alaskan fishery. After returning to the contiguous states, he took up a position as an editor and photographer of the prestigious geek culture magazine “Unwinnable” before turning his attention to the field of health and wellness. In recent years, he has worked extensively in film and music production, making him something of a know-it-all when it comes to camera equipment, musical instruments, recording devices, and other audio-visual hardware. Daniel’s recent obsessions include horology (making him a pro when it comes to all things timekeeping) and Uranium mining and enrichment (which hasn’t proven useful just yet).