I was really skeptical of these things in general, but if you watch the Torque Test Channel on Youtube like I do, then you'll know why I finally bit the bullet on the Wolfbox. I initially got the no-name runner up from TTC's first air duster shootout video (the "Mershgaya" store sells it on Amazon, so I'll be referring to it as the "Mersh" from this point forward), since the Wolfbox pretty much immediately sold out right after that video went live. Ended up ordering the Wolfbox about a month later when it was back in stock, and let me tell you, there's NO comparison in build quality, battery life, air output and control setup/user interface. Having used both of them now for about 5-6 months, I'm going to use this opportunity to compare them and tell you why the Wolfbox is ABSOLUTELY the better choice, for only about $20 more (seriously…don't bother with the Mershgaya). NOTE: I am NOT a shill for Wolfbox. I paid full price with my own wallet for both of these dusters, and this is 100% my honest opinion on both units. I have not been compensated in any way…neither company even knows I'm typing this right now. So with that said, read on.
1. Build quality: The Mersh is very large in-hand due to its huge cylindrical battery compartment/handle, but feels light and looks like it's made from very inexpensive plastic. The buttons and rotating speed adjustment wheel feel like toy-level quality…ie, cheap. Do they work? Yes…but they do not inspire confidence. The Wolfbox is a completely different story. Compact, fits well in the hand, and feels incredibly solid. I wouldn't advocate dropping either unit, but the Wolfbox feels like it would survive a fall 10x better than the Mersh. Well detailed handle, rubberized grips, solid feeling buttons, no wonky/unnecessary adjustment wheel, and the nozzles have a set of locking tabs built into them that allow you to rotate them to lock them into place. The nozzles on the Mersh are just a friction fit that will likely wear out over time.
2. Battery life: this is where I really noticed a huge difference in performance between the two units. Quite simply, the battery life on the Mersh absolutely sucks. No other way to slice it. Using it on it's highest speed will drain the battery very quickly. It's not like I use these things all day every day so I can't put an exact time to it, but with similar levels of use I've had to charge the Mersh about 4x more often compared to the Wolfbox. That large battery compartment in the Mersh's handle is clearly hiding some big, bulky, low quality cells. The Wolfbox's more compact design clearly uses newer, higher capacity cells that are much better regulated. I've only had to charge it twice so far in 5 months!
3. Air output: This is a little more subjective in day-to-day use, but when you put them side by side, I can definitely say that the Wolfbox has a higher output. Will this matter a huge amount for about 95% of the folks who are looking into buying one of these? Doubtful. As far as tools to clean dust/dirt/sawdust off of things are concerned, I doubt most folks would notice a difference between them. However, if you're a machinist or metal worker who's clearing heavier chips/swarf off of your machines or blowing off a lot of metal powder from grinding operations, you will likely want the extra oomph that the Wolfbox has. Even if they were dead-even in output (which they aren't), I'd still recommend the Wolfbox for the better controls/build quality.
4. Controls: Here's the crux of the issue for me – the control setup. Most of us who want to buy one of these things are used to using an air wand or blowoff nozzle connected to shop air, right? Press the lever, and you get a full blast of air out of the nozzle. Well, the Mersh doesn't mimic that same functionality. You click the button once, it goes to low power. Another click, medium. Third click, you're finally on high. A fourth click turns it off. Or, you can press and hold the button for a few seconds to activate the speed control wheel, which is honestly kind of useless IMO. It takes 4 or 5 revolutions of the wheel to go from 'off' to 'max', which is a little silly. I can't think of a single task where such a fine level of speed control would be necessary, but YMMV. I don't use it.
The Wolfbox though? Simple setup. Hold down the button at the rear to power it on, then press the trigger and BAM. Instant full speed, max air flow. Let off the trigger and it shuts off instantly – just like you'd expect out of a blowoff nozzle connected to shop air. And this thing really moves some air, too. It does have an automatic mode with three speeds similar to the Mersh's default settings, so you can long-press the power button to power the unit on, then short press the same button to select the speed you want. After that, you can click the trigger to turn it on, and it will stay on until you click the trigger again to turn it off. You can adjust the air speed while it's running by clicking the power button, and there are LEDs that let you know which speed you're on. This is really useful for inflating pool toys, air mattresses, etc using the included inflation nozzle. The biggest thing to me though, is that instant on/off at max power when you first hit the trigger. They programmed the Wolfbox right out of the gate to function like a traditional shop air nozzle, so grabbing one of these and adding it to your toolbox will be a really easy transition for most guys/gals who are used to having air lines dangling all over the place, lol.
Will one of these replace shop air entirely? No, of course not – that's not what they're designed for. But, not having to fire up my compressor and wait for it to build pressure just to blow something off has been a real game changer in my home shop/garage. These are very cool, super convenient little tools when using them for their intended purpose.
If you've made it this far, thanks for reading! There may be a better cordless air duster out there, but if there is, I haven't seen it yet. The Wolfbox is definitely worth the money over pretty much anything else in the $50-$100 range right now. It's a beast. I will probably end up ordering a second one to replace the Mersh in my office. Hope this was helpful!
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