About two years ago I had a long discussion in the pub with a couple of friends, who own a bike shop here in Cambridge, who were sick and tired of their compressor sound like the opening salvos from the first day of the Somme. After months of investigating and trying various silent compressors they settled for a Bambi (made in Birmingham UK... YAY). I've got to say that it is fantastic. It recharges itself with about the same amount of sound as a fridge, it's unbelievable, and has comfortably withstood constant workshop use since they bought it. Being a standard compressor it takes standard compressor parts which mostly suit Schaeder valves (so they always used those brass presta/schaeder converters) but they're about to take delivery of a Park-tool trigger which is supposed to be great and will pump schaeder/presta with no probs. I suppose it really comes down to money. A Bambi with Park-tool trigger costs about £400-ish at the cheapest which is a pure luxury for the home mechanic. But it depends on what you'd want to spend money on?
If you don't want to go that far then Topeak are without doubt the best, the only thing that wrecked mine was when I left it out in the rain by mistake which killed the dial (the pump still worked though). SKS have a good reputation but their heads have always been traditionally dreadful rubber washer things and horrible to use. Lezyne seem to be lovely, but, the air exchange (the in/out valve) is weak and non-replaceable so shouldn't be considered. Silca are supposed to be fantastic, but, I've never owned one, so can't give an honest opinion on them.
Below is an online link to Bambi's (nothing to do with me - just the first search on Google) to give you an idea of costs.
http://www.graphicair.co.uk/categories/ ... mpressors/
