Rolair 2.5-HP 5.3-Gallon (Direct Drive) Cast-Iron Air Compressor

This VT25BIG unit from Rolair has a smaller tank, but that doesn't make it the runt of the litter. Rolair designs their compressors with the contractor in mind and this unit boasts the highest air output of any direct drive air compressor in the Rolair line-up.

It has a 115V industrial-grade electric motor S-1 rated for a 100% duty cycle. It will work as long and as hard as you do. We like the unique setup of the frame and tank; has a low profile with folding handles which makes transport and storage a breeze. The frame protects the motor and provides a handy platform to haul tools or supplies. It's plumbed to let 2 people work at once (or 1 person to switch quickly between 2 tools).

The Rolair 2.5-HP 5.3-Gallon offers power, portability, and PSI in one tidy package.

Inadequate packaging wheels are so bent as to be unusable. Rubber tires are solid, not pneumatic, as advertised and which I prefer, so I didn't ask Rolair for factory replacements and, instead, purchased larger pneumatic wheels/tires (which required scavenging a shorter-offset wheel half to permit the threads of the axle bolt to screw into the frame). The tiny foam air intake filter seemed inadequate and was replaced with a much larger canister and pleated paper filter. The noise is moderate and tolerable. I usually employ a Rolair 10 gallon AirKeg at full pressure, attached with a 25-foot 1/2-inch hose, which reduces noise level heard, but even with the larger air storage, the compressor still has trouble keeping up with demands of an air saw or grinder no problem with a riveter. In spite of the above, I really appreciate the high quality of construction and especially the tall handle, which makes it easy to tow behind, and how easily it folds down. Short of a much heavier, more difficult-to-move and more expensive belt-driven model, this "BIG" does most jobs well for me, a homeowner, not a professional contractor.

Very disappointing, worked great for two days and has stopped working.

Thanks for the email. I take some pride in writing meaningful evaluations that might actually be helpful, rather than "it's great" or "okay but expensive". After rereading my review, I realized I should have said "access ports" rather than "access points". (It's probably no big deal, but I'd change it if I could.) Also, I'm glad I purchased mine when you were providing 3/8- inch ports before switching over to ¼- inch ones, because it allowed me to connect my regulator to the AirKeg with a single stout 3/8-inch bib pipe, rather than having to use a 3/8-inch to 1/4-inch adapter. (Another "no big deal", but I try to reduce every possible impediment to air flow.) Thanks again for your kind email.

I had a yellow one well several yellow ones they just don’t seem to last. This unit from Rolair is very impressive, it’s quick to fill easy to move relatively quiet. Looks, sounds, and feels like quality.

Over all this unit is a good value especially if you can find it on sale with free shipping as was the case for me from aircompressorsdirect.com. My only disappointment is that this particular unit is one of the few Rolair products that is built in a foreign country. That stated if it works as hard & lasts for the 30 plus years that Rolair replaced it, then I guess it won't much matter. As is with all Rolair products it's a solid all metal build so it is a bit heavy but that's the price paid for quality, I'll take weight over plastic any day. For a small portable compressor, it has a great capacity & air delivery however, the given capacity might prove to be a bit much to ask from the small single cylinder that drives it. So far it's keeping up as well as one might expect, only time will tell. The cart feature that is, the wheels & handle, are fantastic but it does add bulk plus a little weight but I find it a worthwhile price to pay for overall ease of mobility. The dual air is great, all compressors should be setup that way. The ball-cock drain valve is also a good feature that all compressors should have. As these units operate at high rpm they are a bit loud which is to be expected from these types of compressors. So far I only have about 12 to 15 hours of run time on the unit that I have & thus far it has operated as expected. I have no doubt that it will serve long & reliable as the Rolair that it replaced. The only truly unfortunate part in it all is that these little machines are entirely repairable however, as in the case of my old one they out mode old models & stop offering replacement parts. Unfortunate for consumers because if the parts were available l could have easily & much more affordably overhauled the old one that I had. All of that stated the long & short of it is that in my experience with my own Rolair & a great amount of work performed with other Rolair compressors gives me the opinion that there is no better compressor than a Rolair. Maybe they cost a bit more than other brands but from my experience, it's more than worth it. You won't regret the purchase of a Rolair.

Easy to move, with a 100% duty cycle I have had great success connecting an Air Keg Auxiliary air storage tank, allowing me to use air tools. My only disappointment is that the compressor is made in Taiwan. I thought that Rolair used Italian components. This may be just for this smaller unit. In comparison to the Makita that is visually identical, it is important to not that the Makita is a not a bad compressor but it is not 100% duty cycle.

Runs great, quickly fills the tank continuously well, and you better run the motor.

I've been wanting a decent compressor for many years now. Finally decided to pull the trigger on one & learned everything I could about them & what would meet my needs. In the end, I found this Rolair VT25BIG to be the best bang for the buck when it comes to a smaller portable tank being able to do just about anything a DIYer needs around the house & garage. The packing from Rolair isn't the best, which is how it comes to you. It's just inside a moderate duty cardboard box with a 2 layer thick cardboard strip wrapped around 3/4 of the unit, which itself was in a plastic bag. The box was in great shape, didn't look like anything damaged the box or hit the compressor, but at some point the unit was jarred enough to bend the one wheel & likely the mounting bolt. Luckily it was still able to rotate despite rubbing the frame. Upon calling ACD, they quickly put an order in at Rolair for replacement, which was quickly delivered. Still haven't installed yet. Great service so far! As for the compressor, it's everything it claims to be spec wise. So far it has operated properly. The pump up & top off times were all within recommended spec when timed. My only complaint is the couplers that are installed on the unit. They would not accept the hi-flow kit I got at HF to install on my new 100ft hose I got. Then I found out that the couplers would not accept my old style industrial connectors. The hi-flow coupler in the kit accepts everything, so I ended up removing one of the OEM couplers & installed the Merlin hi-flow coupler from HF. Accomplished successfully, but I had to go buy another hi-flow kit for my hose still. My next grip was the cut-in/out pressure settings. It is supposedly set to cut-in at 105psi & cut-off at 135psi. Well, mine would cut-in at 112psi & cut-off at 140psi. Then I would watch the pressure adjust down to 131-135psi due to temp changes. I didn't care for the cut-in pressure, so after reading Rolair's blog post on regulators, I opened mine up to find that it's fully adjustable. So I set the cut-in to 105psi & the cut-off to 140psi, as it will adjust down. The pump up & top off times are still good, although the top off time is a couple seconds longer now. Despite these nuances, this compressor is awesome. Fitted with the hi-flow coupler & hooked up to a 100ft 3/8" hose fitted with hi-flow connectors, it has no trouble putting out the air. Caught it on sale for Mem. Day at $462 so I jumped on it. Made in Taiwan is favorable by the way.

An accessory box would have been a good addition.

These compressors are work, horses and run continuously for hours at a time without any issue . It’s their ability to provide the high CFM‘s that make them the great value. I own 6 at this point.