Why does nobody talk about the difference between canned air and a proper electric duster?

I just finished cleaning out a dusty office server from 2019, and I used a can of air first. It took three cans at $8 each to get it sort of clean, and my fingers were freezing. Then I borrowed a coworker's Metro Datavac. That thing cleared the whole case in about 30 seconds flat, no mess, no cold hands. The upfront cost is bigger, but after two jobs it's already paid for itself compared to buying cans. Has anyone else made the switch and found it saves real time on the bench?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_wesley1mo ago

Try storing a bulky electric duster in a cramped toolkit. Cans are cheap and disposable when you only need them once in a while.

parkerbrown1mo ago

Totally get where you're coming from. My electric one is a beast that lives in the closet, exactly like @torres.thea said. It just doesn't fit in the actual tool bag for quick jobs.

torres.thea1mo ago

Honestly, the space thing is a fair point from @the_wesley, but it's worth the trade-off. My electric duster lives under my bench, and grabbing it is way faster than running out for more cans. The power is just in a different league for cleaning keyboards or a full PC.