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

5 Responses to “Makita MAC700 Big Bore 2.0 HP Air Compressor”

1. MKoz says:

   April 18, 2010 at 12:00 am

   I did a lot of homework regarding Air Compressors before I bought this one. I decided to go with an oil-filled compressor due to the low noise level and the simple fact of longevity. This compressor fills extremely fast and puts out a decent CFM at 90 psi. I looked at sears for comparable units and couldn’t find one with good buyer reviews. This is my first Makita product and I am absolutely satisfied. Plus free shipping- can’t beat it.
2. Robin_Tre says:

   April 25, 2010 at 12:00 am

   My compressor arrived today! After all the negative comments regarding the condition the compressor arrives in, I was a little worried, but mine arrived in tip-top shape… thank you FedEx.

   The initial set-up and run-in instructions are a little on the concise side (actually they are a LOT on the concise side). If, like me, you’ve never owned or operated a compressor before, it takes a fair amount of independent thought, and a lot of muttering to one’s self, before one can make complete sense of the instructions.

   Once past this however, I ran in the compressor for the recommended 20 minutes, then put it to work inflating the tires of our two cars. So far I must pronounce myself completely satisfied. As advertised, it is relatively quiet. Our next-door neighbors have not-quite one year-old twins. I didn’t want to wake them from their afternoon nap, so made sure to start the run-in in our garage with the door closed. I needn’t have worried, the noise it made wasn’t anything that would unduly disturb one baby, let alone two.

   It’s fairly heavy, as other reviewers have mentioned, but isn’t difficult to carry, or move around. It is also very simple to operate.

   The project I really bought it for is still in the advanced planning stage, so I’m not able to attest to its ability to do heavy duty work. But already I am certain that it will be more than up to the tasks I will be requiring of it. It’s indisputably a quality product, and I am very satisfied with my purchase so far.
3. Robert Jaime says:

   April 25, 2010 at 12:00 am

   I use the larger, MAC2400 compressor at work and it has been running flawless for the last four, five years. When it came time to pick up a compressor for personal use, my requirements were that it be well built, quiet (I live in an attached townhouse) and not too expensive. I will be using it for typical around the garage chores, filling tires, blowing off parts, airing up the kids toys, that sort of thing. For my purposes this little compressor is perfect. It is very quiet, and built like a tank. I paid under $190 for it shipped. I tried to find one local, since I was pretty freaked out after reading all the reviews about receiving a damaged unit but had no luck.

   Mine arrived via Fed Ex in a few days and I noticed a pretty good ding on the cardboard shipping carton. When I opened it up I saw quite a bit of oil on one side of the shipping carton. Expecting the worse, I gingerly pulled out the compressor and gave it a thorough going over. There appeared to be no damage, but there was a lot of oil in the carton. I checked the enclosed container of compressor oil (compressor ships dry) and it wasn’t leaking. It turns out that there was a note enclosed that said the compressor was filled with oil at the factory for testing. Once the test was completed, the oil was drained. Instead of putting the oil filler cap back on the compressor, the factory sticks a simple plastic plug into the oil fill hole. It was simply the residual oil left in the compressor leaking out of that plastic plug. There was absolutely no damage at all to the compressor. I broke it in per the recommendations (no load for at least 20 minutes) and it was been working great. I fully expect this little compressor to last for years and years. The MAC2400 at work is seriously abused and still runs like new. BTW, the MAC2400 is as quiet or quieter than this compressor. I didn’t feel like spending over $300 on a compressor though.
4. Matt gustafson says:

   May 2, 2010 at 12:00 am

   After reading the reviews about all the broken gauges I thought i would get lucky and get a good one, but not so the gauge was broken. I didn’t want to mess with it so just went to the hardware store and found one that would fit.

   I am a fan of Makita, but will think twice before buying from them again. After all bad reviews about broken gauges you would think makita would pull their heads out and fix it.
5. K. Rudio says:

   May 4, 2010 at 12:00 am

   I purchased the MAC700 compressor a week ago and it arrived in perfect condition by FedEX. I have been around many compressors over the years and I have to say that this is the most quiet one I have seen or heard. This is my first time owning one and I regret having waited so long. Sure, it does not have the capacity as the larger, more obnoxiously loud ones, but for the average homeowner, this should suffice adequately. I have used my nailers and tire gauges with it and experience no problems. Yes, it does cycle more often as others have said, but the size and weight are well within portability making it a great trade-off. Good work Makita!!