Air Power: Canned vs. Cordless Battle!

This video compares traditional canned air with a cordless electric air duster to see how they stack up in power, cost, versatility, and everyday usefulness. It also breaks down the real pros and cons of switching to a rechargeable duster based on long‑term, real‑world use:

I’ve gotten a handful of questions from people interested in the cordless air duster I often use in videos, so just to answer the overall question: yes, I love this thing. That being said, here are five reasons why you may or may not want to look into getting a cordless air duster for yourself.

Number one: it’s kind of expensive. When I first thought of getting an electric air duster, I figured they would be priced like a cheap hair dryer or even cheaper since they were smaller and didn’t need a heating element. I was definitely wrong about that. Perhaps it’s because of the cordless nature of the device or because of the compact size, but they’re not that cheap. This one is the AFMAC cordless air duster, which I got off Amazon for about 60 dollars. The higher than expected price made me put off buying for a couple of months until I finally ran out of canned air and just got it anyway. I’ve had it now for almost two years, and I’m very happy with it.

Number two: they’re not as powerful as canned air. Compressed air canisters have a much smaller nozzle and can push out air much more forcefully than an electric air duster can. It’s difficult to make a direct comparison between the two, but people have mentioned the power being roughly 70 percent versus canned air, and I would say that feels about right. That being said, since I’ve owned the electric duster, I’ve only had to switch to canned air in a couple of situations, like when I had to clean out a heavy amount of dust caked inside a USB port or the tiny holes of a CPU socket. Otherwise, in most situations, I just blast everywhere generously with the electric duster and it gets the job done.

Number three: it can save you money if you use a lot of canned air. This is kind of a counterpoint to number one, but if you use a lot of canned air, an electric air duster can be a huge money saver. Compressed air cans are not cheap, and they don’t last very long. The cheapest I could find canned air on Amazon with free shipping is about seven dollars a can if you buy four at a time. That means an electric air duster will pay for itself within eight or nine cans. If you only use a single can of air in a year just to keep a PC clean, buying a cordless air duster may be overkill. However, if you’re around electronics a lot like I am, you may go through multiple cans of air every month. In that case, I would highly recommend looking into an electric one.

Number four: electric air dusters can be used for a long duration and are much more versatile than canned air. With canned air, you need to hold the can upright and only use it for a few seconds at a time. You’re not supposed to shake them, you’re not supposed to use them on camera mirrors, and you need to be careful not to accidentally freeze the item you’re trying to dust. In the past, when I was using a lot of air cans, I would often have to use two at a time, switching between them as each one got too cold. With an electric duster, you can blast away for a minute at a time, use it upside down, shake it back and forth, whatever you like. With the model I have, you can also double press the trigger to have the air come out continuously without holding it.

Number five: having an electric duster means you can use it more often. With air cans, because of the cost and because they can only be used for small amounts of time, I would always use them sparingly for things that really needed it. Not so with the electric air duster. Because the air is basically unlimited, I blast computers, keyboards, cases, behind monitors, the tops of the desk, everywhere. I also use it for a lot of other tasks around the house besides straight electronics. I’ve used it in the car, on ceiling fans, in window tracks, and even to blow dirt out of cracks in a fence before painting it. At this point, it’s become more of a general household tool than just a replacement for canned air.

So needless to say, I’ve been very happy with mine. But what I’d like to know is: do you have an electric air duster? If so, how has it worked out for you? Please feel free to leave a comment, and thank you so much for watching!

UPDATE: Just over 5 years in now. The cordless duster still works, but the battery will no longer hold a charge. If I want to use it now I have to keep it plugged in with the USB cord while using it. Still, it was a good investment for all those years when I was cleaning out computer equipment daily. 👍