| This one’s a bit of a paradox: The do-it-yourselfer might pass by this compressor in favor of an oil-free, no-maintenance model, but it’s actually one of the best on the market for the homeowner, hobbyist and weekend warrior. There are three factors that made us form this opinion. First, it’s the quietest compressor we’ve ever encountered. It’s a remarkable departure in a genre of tools that normally force you to suspend conversation while it’s cycling. The MAC700 puts out 80 decibels, according to the folks at Makita, and when you compare that to the 90 and up you get from most units, that’s practically a hum. So we like this for household use, especially in a basement shop. Next on our list of pluses for the DIY-er is the low-amp draw, and with that, fewer trips to the breaker box and less chance of premature motor failure. The other feature that won us over is the easy-on-the-hand lever handle ball valve that saves your knuckles when you drain the tank. It’s also got a really fast cycle, so by the time you take a sip of water, you’re ready to work again. It’s made like a champ, with a roll-bar handle that protects your investment, a cast-iron cylinder for durability and an oil sight glass that makes maintenance a breeze.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste What’s in the Box
Oiled single hot dog compressor with handle; 1/4-inch brass Makita universal coupler |
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 Great little compressor |
| Review Date: June 25, 2004 |
| Reviewer: R. Koch, Cupertino, CA United States |
| I have had this compressor for a couple of weeks now and really like it. It is a high quality unit clearly built to last. I chose this model over the very popular oil-free pancake compressors mainly for it's compact size and low noise level....and it did not dissappoint me. I would say this unit is half as loud as those typical oil-fee models by P*rter C*ble. I can easly run it indoors while remodeling a bedroom, and hardly hear in the room next door. The unit is compact, but much heavier duty than similar Cr*ftman compressors I saw at Sears. It recycles quickly and fills the tank in less than 20 seconds. It came with a good owner's manual and a bottle of oil. I did have a problem where the plastic oil filler cap was cracked, but Makita quickly sent me a replacement part under warantee. I would recommend this unit to anyone looking for an occasional use compressor and does not want something large or loud. |
Compact and well made!
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| Review Date: July 27, 2004 |
| Reviewer: A. Dufault, Irvine, CA USA |
| I purchased this unit to replace an oil-less pancake compressor that burned out. The Makita MAC700 is super! It has all the attributes of a large high quality oil-lube compressor. I am very pleased to report that the unit is as quiet as advertised. By comparison, the pancake compressor this unit replaced was DREADFULLY loud. I am impressed with the powerful low-rpm motor and the heavy duty oil-lube design. In my opinion, the longevity and quietness that an oil-lube compressor offers, far outweighs the time and slight inconvenience of routine maintenance. At this time, I cannot suggest any improvements to this machine. I love it! If you are looking for a light duty air compressor, I highly recommend the MAC700 Hot Dog Air Compressor. It's great for finish nailers, car and bicycle tires, and kids' toys. A great addition to any home garage! |
Great compressor, but check the box thouroughly before signing for delivery!
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| Review Date: July 15, 2006 |
| Reviewer: AW, Santa Cruz Mtns, CA, USA |
After working with a friend's older version of this compressor for the last eight months, I decided to splurge and get my own. If this compressor is anything like the older model, it's going to last forever. We left the older model out, under a saw table, in rain, snow, 100 degree heat - you name it. Never had any problems with it.
I've only had this one for 2 days, so I can't speak much about it other than to say it's quiet enough to use and talk at the same time, and it feels very well built. It's also heavier than I expected, but the carrying handle makes moving it around easy on the back.
One thing - I had read the other reviews that mentioned shipping damage and hoped for the best. When it arrived, I checked the box, and there was only one small ding in a corner. What I should have done was kept the FedEx driver there until I actually got it out of the box. It looks like someone must've dropped it, and from a pretty good height! One of the legs was bent about 2 inches, so the compressor would rock when set down. Fortunately, the compressor itself (external tubes and gauges and whatnot) are all fine.
I fired it up and it ran fine, so I decided to keep it. I'll try to hammer out the bent leg at some point. It's annoying, but I don't want to go through the exchange process and be without air for another two weeks.
The startup process is fairly simple. The manual doesn't explain what goes where when you open the box, but it's reasonably self-evident. There are two plastic plugs on the compressor that need to come out. One covers the oil filler, and one covers the air intake port. You replace the plug on the air intake port (topmost plug) with the included air filter, and you replace the oil filler plug with the included oil cap. There's a window into the oil reservoir so you can see how much oil is in it. Before you run it for the first time, fill it (with the included oil) until the oil line is midway in the window. Then, open the air release valve at the very bottom of the air tank and run the compressor for 20 minutes. After that, you should be good to go. Check the oil level periodically, of course!
On a related note, I also bought the Campbell Hausfeld MP520010AV air tool accessory kit to get me started. For the price, I'm happy with that too. |
An Airbrushing Powerhouse
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| Review Date: September 18, 2004 |
| Reviewer: C. Briley, |
My Mac700 survived UPS shipping from North Dakota to metro Atlanta, GA just fine.
I use it to power airbrushes along with an added-on airbrush regulator/gauge/moisture trap. This is exactly what I wanted for airbrushing. It has a much longer lifespan than "airbrush compressors". It's noise level is acceptible. It is fast about refilling. The airbrushes work consistently all throughout the refill phase. This is the muscle car of airbrush compressors even though it was made in Taiwan.
This is good to consider as the maximum desirable amp draw for common household electrical outlets. It's right there as high as you wanna go to get the tank filled up. I would not want it to pull any harder on the electricity of the house when it comes on.
It only runs for 15 seconds to recharge from 100 to 125+ psi, which is great. 5 to 10 minutes of airbrushing in silence, and when it comes on it does have some volume, but it is so much less noise than an oilless.
I had to tighten down the crankcase cover (Ref# 29, Part# 304013-E) because it was leaking oil. It's the large exposed part of the motor that you can easily reach and tighten up with a screwdriver. So, make sure yours is tightened up if you have one of these.
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Excellent for one-person work
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| Review Date: December 29, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Sage Radachowsky, Boston, Mass |
| I'm a carpenter full-time. I love this thing. It's quiet, low amp draw, and efficient. I've used it for 9 months now, as my only compressor. I'm not a speed demon but I've never run low on pressure. Great stop-cock design (why the heck do other compressors have a tiny little brass knob for our hands? this one has a good lever) - and I never feel any regret for having one tamnk. In fact I'm happy to have a lighter compressor at the end of the day. Nice muffler too - keeps it even quieter. All around I am very pleased with it. Buy oil-lubed compressors - not oil-free - this one is oil-lubed. Just check the oil level by eye, and it's fine. Oil-free dies eventually. |
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