I always wanted a GOOD vac pump at a reasonable price and it works just fine, i have used it 4 times so far and My AC systems are ICE cold , and i am confident they will last many, many yrs.. Came with hoses n all the multiple fittings for different refrigerants / Tanks and Valves etc.. I like it..

I am just learning the HVAC trade and didn't want to throw too much money at equipment in the event the career path doesn't work out. I was impressed with this kit for its price point and quality.

Pump:
After receiving this kit, I tested the vacuum pump using Robinair premium pump oil and a CPS VG200 vacrometer. Very quickly, the pump pulled down and sustained 140 microns. Moving to a 3-ton R410A Trane system that I completely evacuated before replacing the faulty line set, I pulled the system using the 1/4" hose from this kit (valve core depressor removed from the hose) connected to the suction-line tap through an Appion core-removal tool (valve core removed). I attached the vacrometer to the liquid-line tap since this would be the farthest point from the vacuum pump and give the weakest vacuum reading within the system. I pulled the entire system at the same time, including the compressor, evaporator, and line set--so a hard pull. The vacuum pump pulled the system to 250 microns within ten minutes. The pump got slightly warm to the touch as expected by was in no way hot/overheating. I ended up clearing the system with nitrogen and pulling down two more times, and the third time I pulled down to 200 microns and isolated the system to test. The 200 microns rose only to 210 in 60 minutes, and I had no issues with leaking hose connections during evacuation from this kit like others have described.

Manifold/Gauges:
I charged the system using this kit's manifold and hoses without any leak issues with the hoses and fittings. The manifold valves worked smoothly and sealed well. The sight glass did it's job allowing me to ensure I was getting proper vaporization of the liquid refrigerant as I feathered the suction (blue) valve so as to not slug the compressor. The gauges read steady to where I was able to get the proper sub cooling and super heat using nearly the exact amount of refrigerant specified by the unit and that I calculated for the line set (off by .5 oz.). The temperature reading difference between the return and register showed a decrease of 22F, so the system was doing its job nicely. Both the refrigerant weight and temperature difference suggests the gauges are accurate within tolerance.

Overall Assessment:
For the price, I cannot complain. High-end pumps using a 1/4 hose would be hard pressed to pull down an entire used 3-ton system to 200 microns within ten minutes. I cannot say how long this pump will last with daily use, but for the price I would not expect it to last as long as a high-end pump. I cannot comment on the pump oil supplied since I used a premium brand. The manifold and hoses don't have the bells and whistles of high-end gauges, but they will get the job done as I learn. Overall, I would recommend this kit to inexperienced apprentices or to a journeyman who wants an emergency backup in the truck without breaking the bank.

The pump works, no question about that. Other reviewers were mentioning that the pump only came with a one-time change of oil and that you had to perform an oil flush/change before using it the first time. I don't think that's right. The instructions don't mention that you have to change the oil before first time use, they just mention how to perform a change and that it's part of regular maintenance. I would definitely change the oil before using it again, but not before the first time.
The gauge set that comes with the pump, if that's the version you purchased, seems to be good quality. Very heavy and comes with a good number of attachments and accessories for different kinds of refrigerants. I used the pump for a mini-split heat pump installation (410a), to pull a vacuum on the lines. The problem I had during the first attempt was I only got down to -16 inches Mercury. I checked all my connections, hand tightened everything again, since the connections only appear to be made for hand tightening, but still only got to -16. Then I applied some Nylog to all the connections, from the service valve on the condenser to the one on the vacuum pump, but that didn't really make a difference.
Eventually, I got fed up playing with it, so I took a pipe wrench and tightened all the connections again. It did slight damage to the outside of the connectors, again, because they seem to be only made for hand tightening. Now I got down to -26. I couldn't get any lower though. It held at -26 for an hour, so I just had to live it. Heat pump works fine.
So, the problem with this pump are the connectors on the manifold gauge, not the pump itself. The service hoses that come with the set have flared, hard-plastic washers inside of them. They don't create an adequate seal, in my opinion. The next time I pull a vacuum, I'm going to insert rubber gaskets instead, as long as they're thin enough so the pin inside the mini-split service valve presses in far enough. I think that would create a seal strong enough to get down to -29.
So, good pump but may need some rigging if you want to get a really good vacuum with it.

NOTE: This set is intended primarily for use with a mini split system. It requires a very unusual 1/4" female to 5/16" male flare adapter if you want to use it on a car. It comes with 2 of them, but they are low quality. Replacements can be found but they are not common and not cheap. If they leak, seal the base of both sides with epoxy and wrap yellow Teflon tape around the top 2-3 threads on both connections (or buy replacements).

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I had pretty low expectations for this vacuum pump and gauge set going in. Basically expected to get a single use out of them, given the price point is about the lowest around. Buying a similar gauge set at Oh-Oh-Oh-O-you-know-the-place auto parts store... costs about the same, without the pump.

Gauges work very well. Pump works great, too. Both items feel very solid and I am sure they will last for at least several more uses. It also came with all the fittings required to do a full evac and recharge on my car (but see note above).

Just a few points:
- the can tap is the older piercing type. You might be able to make it work with the newer self-sealing cans, but I don't think they are designed for it.
- The hoses and fittings are not the best.
All connections need to be seated and tightened carefully, and leak tested. Vacuum down the manifold with all your fittings and hoses attached with the quick connects closed, and both manifold valves open, and make sure it can hold vacuum before you try using it. I took off 1 star because the fittings are so cheap.
- Similar to the last point, the fittings DO NOT have replaceable gaskets. If there is a leak, you'll need to get creative to fix it yourself (see the note at the top) or buy a whole new fitting.
-The quick-connects come with a factory installed nipple. On mine, the o-ring under this nipple was installed poorly and a section of it was badly torn, making the fitting leak. I was able to fix it by removing the nipple, wrapping teflon tape around the top few threads, and re-installing it using a wrench to tighten it down.

even with the problems, I'm still overall pretty happy with this, given the price. It would cost at least as much just to get a shop to pull a vacuum, so after the first use it has saved me money. When I use it again, I'll update this review if anything goes wrong.

I think the quality is quite good for the price. Got it for my mini split, gauges worked fine. Will be testing pump shortly during vacuum