WorldPro Instant Air, Pneumatic Air Supply Product Review

If you use pneumatic tools, you know what a hassle the compressor can be. It is heavy, bulky, noisy; a real pain if you have to move it around the jobsite. Plus, dragging out the compressor just to do a quick job, can make it not worth the trouble to use an air powered tool.

The Instant Air makes pneumatic tools a lot more convenient to use. It provides a bottle of compressed C02 that comfortably hangs from your belt. The small size of the pneumatic supply makes air tools a lot more portable. You can walk around the jobsite without dragging a hose or having to move the compressor. Walk from room to room, around the yard, or wherever, and get the job done.

As an added bonus, it is quiet. Instead of a noisy compressor,you only have the sound of the tool. This is particularly useful if you have family or clients around and you don't want to disturb them.

The remarkable thing about using C02 is that when compressed into a liquid, it occupies 1% of the space of compressed air. As it leaves the tank, it converts back into a gas and its volume expands by about 100 times. That means a tiny cylinder can pack a lot of power. The included 20 oz. bottle provides about the same pneumatic power of an 80 gallon air tank.

Once the bottle is empty, it can be recharged. The easiest way to do this is keep a larger storage tank (a 10 or 20lb size would be suitable) of CO2 around and the charge the bottle from there. If you don't have a storage tank, you can take the bottle to be refilled. Although refilling a 20 oz. would be inconvenient if you use it a lot. Refillers include industrial gas sales, fire extinguisher servicers and some sporting good stores. A recharge should cost about a dollar or two, if recharged from a larger tank. However, if you take the bottle to be recharged, you may pay more, just because it takes about the same amount of labor to charge the bottle as it does to fill a larger tank.

We think that a portable CO2 cylinder is very convenient and a great addition for someone who uses pneumatic tools. It isn't a must for everyone, but it adds convenience and can save a lot of time. For a professional, it can easily pay for itself in time savings. There are other similar products on the market, but for this review we tested the WorldPro Instant Air. The Instant Air kit comes with a 20 oz bottle, six foot coiled hose, waist clip, tire inflation kit, refill adapter, instructions and plastic carry case. Retail price is $159.95

[December 2007]