I'm starting to believe O'Doyle works for the Walmart insurance department! This "what's the best compressor" subject has been discussed ad nauseum.
The fact is that owners more frequently post about failures than about good performance. A disgruntled owner posting multiple times or on several forums sometimes gives a good product an unreliability rep especially if it is new on the market. There is a correlation between price level and durability. I'm not Xenophobic (look it up) but there is also a correlation between failure rates and country of origin. The only made in China compressor that is well designed and reliable is the Alpha Carette. It was thoroughly vetted by an unbiased Bauer owner before it came to market.. It's an excellent compressor but the way it is marketed by the importer has not gotten it the exposure it deserves.
IMO, the best $1,000 compressor buy is the Hill EC-3000. It had a minor introductory hiccup but Hill has supported it and a couple of loudly complaining buyers doesn't mean it's a bad choice. I would buy one over a Benjamin Recharge, any Omega, or any 12 volt plug and pray portable compressor.
As far as the "I'd rather buy several Yong Hengs" the fallacy there is that anything that costs $350 or more BETTER be reliable and the owner shouldn't need to buy several replacements. What other shop machinery would you buy where you spend $350 and expect to buy a replacement every couple of years due to breakdowns?
If you have a $2,000 limit get a Daystate LC-110. If you can spend $2,500 the Coltri MCH-6 is an even better value.
Is the Alkin W31 no longer retailing for $3,100? I expect to have zero problems with mine for the next ten years and it should still be worth $2,300 or more. The guy who spends $2,000 for multiple replacement Yong Heng class compressors can expect a residual value of zero.
Another less discussed option is for buyers who want quality at a discounted price is to keep an eye out for used brand name dive compressors on EBay or Craiglist Miami. If you are buying one from EBay, only consider one from a U.S.based seller. Don't buy a used one you have to ship back to an overseas seller if it arrives DOA. The only name brand compressors I'd recommend used are Alkin, Airetex (U.S. import customized Alkins), Coltri, and Bauer. Sometimes you can find Bauer Junior II's, Utilius', Posiedon's, and Coltri MCH-6's used at decent prices. Just consider ones in lightly used and good cosmetic condition and know the date of manufacture which is on the serial number plate.
Just remember. Everyone who buys a new compressor loves it so take ecstatic reviews with a grain of salt on a brand new model. Don't eliminate a compressor from consideration because an owner or two has had a failure. Rolls Royce's and Bentley's break sometimes. So do a number of compressors. Who is servicing the compressor and what is parts availability? How much does it cost to ship the compressor after the warranty has expired? Is it a compressor you can repair yourself without an engineering degree? What is the resale value of the compressor you buy 5 years from now? These are the questions you should be answering before spending money on a compressor.
The bottom line for newbies is to buy a new carbon fiber tank set first if you have a paintball shop or dive shop that fills to 4500 psi and is within a reasonable distance from you. If they charge more than $10 a fill and have a lot of extra fees then look elsewhere.
There is no one "best" compressor or answer or everyone would buy it. There are nearly as many compressor breakdowns caused by owner error as by poorly designed units. The most common mistake is owners who use the wrong type of oil trying to save money and overfilling their compressor oil level. Too much oil is worse than a low oil level. Motor oil and #46 hydraulic fluid as compressor lubricants is a big mistake, in spite of what your Chinglish owner's manual says is OK. The other mistake is owners buying small compressors built to fill airguns only and using them on long runs to fill supply tanks they aren't designed for.
