Airbrushing is a versatile and precise technique used by both hobbyists and professionals. It can elevate the quality of your models to new heights, and it often speeds up the overall painting process.
Whether you’re building scale models, miniatures, or customizing collectable figures, using the right airbrush compressor is crucial for achieving exceptional results.
With a range of complex specifications like pressure and flow rate, it can be difficult to decipher which compressors is best suited to your needs.
We’ve created this list to find the best airbrush compressors for model making on Amazon today.
Best Options At A Glance
Product Summaries
Fengda FD-18-2 Mini Airbrush Compressor
- Brand - Fengda
- Dimensions - 25.5 x 13.49 x 20.6 cm
- Weight - 3.5 kg
- Pressure - 57 PSI
- Special Feature - Overheat Protection
Firstly we have the Fengda FD-18-2 Mini Airbrush Compressor. It’s currently selling for £60/$76 on Amazon.
This portable single cylinder compressor is ideal if you want a mini airbrush compressor for model painting. It has a working pressure of around 2.3 bar/33 PSI, and an airbrush flow rate of around 23 litres per minute.
It also has a useful auto start/stop system. This will automatically stop the compressor at 4 bar/58 PSI, and automatically restart it at 3 bar/43 PSI, preventing the pressure for getting too high or low during use.
Fengda have also included a thermal overload protection system, ensuring that the compressor will turn off automatically before reaching unsafe or unsustainable temperatures.
This compressor from Fengda is perfect if you’re looking for an effective and affordable solution for your model making.
Buy the Fengda FD-18-2 Mini Airbrush Compressor from Amazon for only £60/$76:
Timbertech ABPST07 Airbrush Compressor
- Brand - Timbertech
- Dimensions - 32.2 x 28.2 x 18.6 cm
- Weight - 3.9 kg
- Pressure - 58 PSI
- Special Feature - Air-On-Demand System
Next we have the Timbertech ABPST07 Airbrush Compressor. It’s currently selling for £63/$80 on Amazon.
This Timbertech air compressor is ideal for those looking for high-quality paint application at an affordable price.
It’s auto start stop function allows the compressor to output an air pressure between 3 bar/44 PSI and 4 bar/58 PSI. This gives you plenty of painting power while simultaneously preventing any damage caused by unstainable air pressures.
The included air pressure regulator and “Air-On-Demand” system is designed to ensure that the compressor only works when you do, providing steady, pulse-free paint application.
The ABPST07 from Timbertech is an efficient compressor with some useful extras, and it will get the job done without breaking the bank.
Buy the Timbertech ABPST07 Airbrush Compressor on Amazon for only £63/$80:
Airgoo AG-326 Aibrush Compressor
- Brand - Airgoo
- Dimensions - 34.5 x 33.4 x 16.4 cm
- Weight - 6 kg
- Pressure - 67 PSI
- Special Feature - Double Cooling Fans
Another great air compressor is the Airgoo AG-326 Aibrush Compressor . It’s currently selling for £88/$112 on Amazon.
This Airgoo compressor has a higher max pressure than the vast majority of it’s closest competitors, so if you’re looking for something with a bit more power, this might be the compressor for you.
It working pressure is between 3.5 bar/51 PSI and 4.5 bar/65 PSI – this is around 0.5 bar/7 PSI higher than average airbrush compressors. It’s also compatible with a wide range of airbrush nozzles, from as small as 0.2mm to as big as 1mm.
This compressor has other useful features as well, including a safety/drain valve, thermal protection, adjustable pressure, a 3L pressure vessel and more.
If you’re looking for a compressor with a high max pressure, the AG-326 from Airgoo might be the one for you.
Buy the Airgoo AG-326 Aibrush Compressor from Amazon for only £88/$112:
Fengda FD-186K Compressor & Airbrush Kit
- Brand - Fengda
- Dimensions - 33 x 15 x 34 cm
- Weight - 6 kg
- Pressure - 58 PSI
- Special Feature - Double-Action
Next we have the Fengda FD-186K Compressor & Airbrush Kit. It’s currently selling for £99/$126 on Amazon.
The GD-186K is another great offering from airbush experts Fengda.
In addition to the capable oil-free compressor, this kit is supplied with a gravity fed double-action airbrush, a 1.8m air hose, a cleaning brush, and 5 paints. This gives you everything you need to get started straight out of the box.
The compressor itself has an effective working pressure of 0.35 bar/5 PSI to 2.5 bar/36 PSI. As with most of the other compressors on this list, it uses an auto start/stop function – the auto start is set to 3 bar/44 PSI, and the auto stop is set to 4 bar/58 PSI, preventing any unnecessary damage to the compressor.
If you’re looking for an airbrush and compressor kit for less than £100, the Fengda FD-186k is a perfect choice.
Buy the Fengda FD-186K Compressor & Airbrush Kit from Amazon for only £99/$126:
Timbertech ABPST06 Compressor & Airbrush Kit
- Brand - Timbertech
- Dimensions - 31 x 13.5 x 31 cm
- Weight - 6.6 kg
- Pressure - 58 PSI
- Special Feature - 2 Airbrush Guns
Finally we have the Timbertech ABPST06 Compressor & Airbrush Kit. It’s currently selling for £108/$137 on Amazon.
This airbrush kit with compressor from Timertech is ideal if you want to don’t already have air brush guns and other accessories to hand.
It has an adjustable working pressure between 1 bar/15 PSI and 3.5 bar/50 PSI. This allows you to select the perfect pressure for your use case, from model painting to automotive repairs.
This kit comes with loads of useful accessories, including one air brush gun with an 8 attachment piece set, another air brush gun with an 11 piece attachment set, a 3-fold hose connector with 2 stoppers and more.
One top of this it has an automatic start/stop system, thermal protection, quiet operation and pulse-free pressure output. What’s not to love?
Buy the Timbertech ABPST06 Compressor & Airbrush Kit from Amazon for only £108/$137:
FAQs
This will largely depend on the paint that you’re using. Thicker paints may require higher pressures in the region of 40-60 PSI, while thinner more runny paints may be better suited for 10-20 PSI. Most compressors allow you to adjust the pressure, so you can work out the perfect combination of pressure and paint for your needs over time.
Nozzles around 3 or 3.5mm are good choices for the majority of airbrush modelling work, but you may want to vary the size of your nozzle depending on your intended application. For example, if you’re working on small details or lines, you may want to use a small nozzle in the region of 0.2 or 0.3mm. On the other hand, if you’re working on a model with large areas of flat colour, you may want a larger nozzle between 4 and 5mm.
The Fengda FD-186K Compressor is a great all round compressor, and it’s even better deal when paired with Fengda’s airbrush kit. It is suitable for a wide range of spray gun nozzles and the adjustable pressure allows you to create the perfect match for your chosen paint and application.
An airbrush can be a really useful tool for painting miniatures because of it’s fast and even paint distribution. The even application allows you to avoid the stroke related intricacies of brush painting, and this often results in quicker painting process.
Some of the key features to look out for include adjustable pressure control, quiet operation, and a built-in moisture trap to ensure consistent, smooth airflow for precise detailing. A compressor that comes with included accessories (such as airbrush attachments or a different length hose) is usually a good choice, as this will save you the cost of an additional attachment kit.
Thanks for reading our article covering the best airbrush compressor for model making in the UK.
If you’re upgrading your workshop setup, you may want to take a look at our article covering the Best Dust Extractor For Power Tools UK.
Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any thoughts or queries that you’d like us to take a look at – we’d be happy to help.
