Air Hawk Pro versus Air Dragon

The market of air compressors is cluttered with plenty of portable air compressors which can be confusing to choose the best one. Air Hawk Pro and Air Dragon are among the best portable tire inflators you can find handy for your emergencies on the side of the road. Still, choosing the best between Air Hawk Pro and Air Dragon can still be confusing as they seem to be identical unless closely assessed.

My task today is simple: that is to compare Air Hawk Pro and Air Dragon air compressors on the market, so as to help you decide well. Also included in an alternative tire inflator of a different brand, which is also competitive to inflate your inflatable equipment, be it soccer balls, tires, air mattresses or pool floats.

Without taking so much time, let’s delve into the comparisons of these two portable tire inflators.

1 Air Hawk Pro Automatic Cordless Tire Inflator

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Weighing just less than 3 pounds, the Air Hawk Pro is of course a portable, convenient and easy to carry air compressor that comes handy when you need inflation. With this tire inflator, you can inflate tires, basketball, volley ball, soccer ball, air mattresses, and many more inflatable products.

If you stuck on the high way due to a tire puncture, you can use Air Hawk as an emergency rescue so you can get to the nearest filling station. However, it may be a challenging work to inflate heavy duty tires.

Air Hawk Pro uses advanced technology to draw surrounding air and compress it into your inflatable product. In a few minutes you should be able to get an air-filled inflatable equipment as the manufacturer claims per the tests.

Coming with the inflator are pin attachments, rechargeable battery, AC charger, 12V cable adaptor, carrying case, and 5-inch pressure hose with the thread connector. All these items make this inflator a complete combo.

Attaching it shouldn’t be cumbersome at all with pin attachments included. You can either opt for a cordless or a corded with the 12V cable adaptor for a continuous power. This setting mainly differentiates the Air Hawk from Air Dragon as Air Dragon is only corded with a 12V cable to connect to the car.

Air Hawk makes it convenient to charge at home or on the go with ease. Simply recharge the batteries and get started; but inflating heavy duty tires may require multiple recharges of the lithium ion batteries. If you inflate at night, the machine comes with the embedded LED to illuminate the tire valves.

When it’s time to go home, remove the batteries and then store the inflator in its carrying case to hit the road. Isn’t that simple?

My insights

Air Hawk has earned its respect from rescuing many, while stuck on the road. I have also had a great experience using this portable tire inflator.

It inflates many inflatable products easily without relying on traditional hand air compressors. Moreover, it is a cheap product revered for its efficacy.

The Brand

AirHawk is huge and it is renowned for its excellence in Air Cell Technology since its inception in 1973. The company has been refining its product offer and has included many cushioning products to help reduce fatigue experienced by wheelchair-bound people and truck drivers who spend many hours seated. The applications of AirHawk products has expanded remarkably and the Air Hawk Pro air compressor is one of the testimonies.

The man behind the excellence of the patented Air Cell Technology is Mr. Graebe. His technology was designed to absorb shock and vibrations thus making their cushioning products one of the best. It was until 1997 that the company started supplying transport and recreation industries with Air Cell Technology. And, in 2015, AirHawk has acquired AirHawk ® with a wide range of product lines such as motorsports and non-medical product applications.

Key Points

• AirHawk is a cordless tire inflator but can also be connected using the 12V cable adaptor for a continuous power
• Comes with rechargeable batteries
• Automatically shuts off when desired pressure reached as set on its digital gauge
• 3 pin attachments
• 5” pressure hose
• Built-in LED for nighttime vision

2 Bulbhead Air Dragon Portable Air Compressor

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You’ll be forgiven if you thought that Air Dragon was a power drill as it looks like it. It is a portable and effective air compressor that resembles the shape of power drills. The aim behind this ergonomic design was to make the tool ease to use when filling your inflatables.

Weighing about 2 pounds, Air Dragon weighs less than the AirHawk; one would understand considering the inclusion of batteries in the Air Hawk tire inflator. That’s where the main difference lies because the Air Dragon requires continuous power by connecting to a 12V outlet. However, you have to charge it first before you can use it.

With the Air Dragon air compressor, you can inflate a wide variety of inflatable products. From bikes, car tires, volleyballs, soccer balls, and sleeping bags, you can fill them with air effortlessly so using this portable and convenient inflator.

To inflate plenty of inflatables, Air Dragon with multiple adaptors; it makes it easy to attach to a variety of equipment.

My insights

I am pleased with this product and so are many others. However, it is not really a perfect deal as it lacks the power to inflate heavy duty tires, but as I said it seem to be a common issue for all portable compressors.

Other features such as the LED, digital gauge and the ergonomic handle are praised.

The Brand

The power of Air Dragon is attributed to the excellence of Bulbhead.com brand. The brand is renowned for a wide range of products for your garden, home, pets, kids, kitchen and many more.

The company is led by the CEO and Founder AJ Khubani since 1983. It has since evolved in a multinational company known for its brilliant ideas in product offering. Air Dragon air compressor is a proof of great ideas as seen in superb features the product has.

Key Points

• Air Dragon is a portable tire inflator that connects to a 12V outlet
• Uses a piston to compress the air
• LED light to see at night
• Digital pressure gauge
• Weighs 2 pounds
• Comes with adaptors to inflate a plethora of inflatable products

Worth Considering Alternative

In case you want alternative apart from the Air Dragon and Air Hawk, I have handpicked the Oasser inflator below which fares almost identically to Air Hawk and Air Dragon.

3 Oasser Air Compressor Electric Inflator

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Coming with the 2200 mAh Lithium ion battery, Oasser Inflator is also a cordless tire inflator to rescue you in emergency situations.

It is affordable and can inflate a broad range of products thus saving you lots of money you would otherwise spend on traditional hand air guns.

The batteries are rechargeable so you can inflate items remotely without having to rely on 12V outlets. But, if you want a continuous power supply I recommend plugging the inflator on a 12V power base. It comes with 2 air hoses: the 13.78 inches and the 4.72 inches, which make it seamless to inflate your air mattresses of tires.

What more? The tool also comes with the LED light which makes it easy to illuminate the tires at night when you stuck on the highway. Also included in this pistol-shaped inflator is a digital pressure gauge which helps you preset the psi unit and then pump.

Clueless about the psi readings? Stay calm as this inflator lets you choose between kg/cm2, psi and bar. All thanks to a configurable digital display.

The ergonomic and portable design of this inflator makes it one of the best. It competes fairly with Air Hawk and Air Dragon as one of automatic portable air compressors. The tire pressure reduces overtime and a flat tire can affect your fuel consumption. Again, it is not always that you can stuck near the petrol station to refill the air. That said, having this portable air compressor is a life saver decision.

My insight

I am pleased with its features and the little time it takes to inflate the tires. In just 22 minutes, I managed to inflate all four tires of a small or medium cars. You have the option whether to rely on the batteries or the 12V car’s outlet.

On average, the batteries lasts for 25 to 30 minutes, so that will be enough for a single recharge. However, as time goes on the batteries lose their durability so you might have to consider buying numerous ones just in case. For a continuous power plug it into the car’s outlet. It comes with 2 air hoses, and so you are sorted.

Brand Description

Oasser is a reputable brand known for its wide range of products such as dash cams, alcohol tester, kick mats, led bulbs and many more. The company’s products are of high quality and so it the Oasser air inflator.

Oasser is a subsidiary of SOGOODE COMPUTER SYSTEM Co. LTD, a company established in China. Oasser is well-known for its automotive supplies in China and they use Amazon predominantly for the sale of their products.

Key Points

• Oasser air compressor is a flagship of Oasser brand in China
• This inflator is portable and convenient to use
• It uses rechargeable 2200 mAh lithium ion batteries
• It includes a digital gauge to preset pressure
• Cordless or can be attached to a 12V car’s outlet

Frequently Asked About Air Compressors

Now let’s delve into general topics about these air compressors. These will guide you to make the right decision regarding which best product you should entertain.

Contents:

Is Oil Free Air Compressor Better?

In air compressors, there is a choice between oil-free and oil-based compressors. They use pistons to draw air and compress it in a tank, and the pistons need to be lubricated to ensure efficient operation. An oil-free compressor is pre-lubricated with Teflon to ensure a long-lasting lubrication thus negating the need for continuous refill of oil.

For this reason, oil-free air compressors require less maintenance. Furthermore, they have less parts and therefore relatively cheaper than the oil-based compressors. Based on this less maintenance, oil-free air compressors are much better because you don’t have to spend so much money refilling oils. Less parts means less maintenance.

What Does SCFM Mean on an Air Compressor?

SCFM (Standard Cubic Feet per Minute) is an important parameter in air compressors as it helps you know if you have chosen the right air compressor for the typical application or not. As it reflects in the name standard, this measurement is done under standard pressure, temperature and humidity. The universally accepted standards are 68 degrees Fahrenheit and 36% of humidity.

If an air compressor has insufficient power to fulfill a certain application, it will be a waste of money on its purchase. So, knowing the SCFM helps you calculate exactly what kind of the air compressor you need. Ideally, an air compressor with 10 horsepower should give about 3 or 4 cubic feet of air at 90 psi.

What is the Difference Between SCFM and CFM?

I have already discussed the SCFM above that it is based on standard temperature, pressure and humidity. It tells you how much the air compressor can deliver, and this in turn helps you to compare other pneumatic tools with the compressor for efficient handling. SCFM helps us know the mass flow rate of air per specific unit of time. Note that the conditions can vary from region to region in a world, but there are accepted standards.

On the other hand, CFM stands for Cubic Feet per Minute. Unlike the SCMF, CFM does not depend on standard conditions. A one CFM in a compressor means that the port draws one cubic foot of air per minute at atmospheric pressure. A compressor with higher air rating provides more air and so it is suitable for larger applications. In general, CFM values are smaller than SCFM because they are taken at 90 pounds per square inch.

What is a Good PSI for an Air Compressor?

The air pressure is measured using the psi (pounds per square inch). Many pneumatic tools require 40 or 90 psi. The 90 psi is used in determining the CFM and so it remains a good psi for most of the light-duty compressors.

To master the choice of air compressors, you need to know the air pressure per application. For instance, pneumatic tools may require 0 to 5 CFM at 70 to 90 psi for general use and those for heavy duty applications may require 10+ CFM at 100 to 120 psi. That said, a good psi is dependent on the type of application you intend to do.

How Much CFM do I Need for an Air Compressor?

I have already highlighted this requirement in the previous section that you need about 5 CFM for light-duty applications and over 10 CFM for heavy-duty applications.

Also take note of the difference single stage and multi-stage compressors. Single stage compressors can require up to 150 psi and so a higher CFM is a must whereas multi-stage require less CFM.

Wrap up!

Air compressors are handy for a plethora of applications and they are versatile. The key to understanding these tools is to familiarize yourself with the configurations such as PSI. CFM and SCFM as highlighted in my buyer’s guide. This will ensure that you buy the right product for a specific application.

I have discussed the differences between Air Hawk and Air Dragon, which are the top portable air compressors on the market in terms of convenience of use and ergonomic design. These air compressors share many features such as LED and digital pressure gauge, to mention a few. Air Dragon, however, does not use rechargeable batteries, and so you need to plug it in a 12V outlet.

In addition, I have also given you an alternative product which is worth considering as well. It is also portable and share some of the features with my main products.