Twin Stack Vs Pancake Compressor The Ultimate Guide
As technology has progressed these air compressors have become portable and quite powerful over the years.
As the majority of the air compressors come in two styles: pancake compressor and twin stack compressor.
But you might be wondering what is the difference between twin stack compressor and pancake compressor as you might want to buy it but still can’t decide as it is quite difficult to choose which one will be best for your needs.
Worry not here is a complete detail guide on the twin stack compressor and pancake compressor along with each of their pros and cons.
What Is a Twin Stack Compressor?
A Twin Stack is just like a hotdog air compressor and is more powerful than the pancake air compressor.
The high performance is due to its two air tanks one placed to the top of it and a great benefit of them is that they are maintenance-free.
So you won’t have to worry about the daily maintenance.
Because of twin tanks, it has more air storage capacity.
If you want a high-performance compressor then it is a great choice for you.
Because of their horizontal design, they take up lots of space but even if they are bulky some of the twin stack air compressors are relatively easy to store and are quite portable.
They are generally great for inflation, roofing, brad nailing, and many other medium-duty tasks.
A twin stack air compressor tank capacity varies between 2 to 5 gallons.
Pros:
They have a larger air holding capacity because of their twin stack design and deliver high performance then pancake air compressors.
Despite their bulky design and two air tanks, they are portable and easy to carry.
The twin stack compressors are great to be used for power tools like brad guns, inflate tires, trimming tools, etc.
Cons:
Because of the horizontal design, they consume more space than a pancake air compressor.
They are bulkier and heavier than pancake air compressors and you may require two or more people to carry it.
What Is A Pancake Compressor?
Pancake air compressors are lightweight, small and compact which makes them quite portable.
They are called pancake air compressors because of their pancake shape.
This type of air compressor does not require much space and can easily fit in your desired location without any issue.
The tank capacity of the pancake compressor lies between 1 to 6 gallons and they deliver great performance despite their small size.
They generally have low noise levels and are great for medium tasks like car tire inflation, filling balls, etc.
But generally, they are not much powerful to be used with large air tools.
Pros:
They are small and lightweight so you can easily carry it from one place to another without any issue that’s why they are commonly used in houses.
Because of the oil-free pump, the pancake air compressors usually require less maintenance
They are great for tasks like small and medium installation jobs or home repairs.
Cons:
Due to smaller size and capacity, they are not great for powering larger air tools.
Twin Stack Vs Pancake Compressor Which One To Choose:
Now you might be thinking that I get what twin stack and pancake air compressors are but I am still confused about which one to pick as both of them are quite good and can easily handle medium tasks without any issue. Well.
Here are some things you should keep in mind when choosing between these two.
Portability:
The portability of the air compressor will greatly affect the work if you have to move from one place to another or if you are working in remote areas.
So, in this case, the pancake air compressor is a great choice.
As they are lightweight and compact which makes them highly portable and you can easily carry it around during work.
Its Air Capacity:
For air capacity, the size of the air tank is what matters.
So if you want continuous air supply then twin stack is a great pick as it contains two air tanks and the pancake air compressor contains only one air tank.
Because of the large tank capacity of twin stack compressors it can easily hold more air and allows you to work continuously.
Job Type:
This is very important as for this you have to ask yourself which type of work you wanna do?
Does the work you want to do require high performance or low performance.
Because both the twin stack and pancake compressors have different work capacity.
In this regard, the twin stack compressors have high PSI and CFM ratings so they are great for choice for you.
Conclusion:
Both of these air compressors have their own advantages and disadvantages as you can see above in the guide.
So making a final choice is quite difficult.
So, before picking you should decide what you’re going to be using it for and what is your budget.
By following these steps you will be able to pick the suitable air compressor for your need.
Related Posts: