Best Portable Air Pump 2021 – Reviews and Buying Guide

May 12, 2020

You are driving leisurely, whistling under your breath, and enjoying every second of this moment when suddenly you hear a loud bang. You are pretty sure it came from your car but you can’t figure out what it is until you feel a sudden decompression. Your tire is flat on the ground. What do you do? Pop the boot and reach out for the best portable air pumps… but only if you brought one. 

1. AGPtEK Portable Electric Air Pump

The AGPtek portable air pump is a powerful device that can effectively inflate and deflate your items. The gadget comes with a car adapter as well as a home power adapter making it an ideal choice for both indoor and outdoor use.

You can choose between three nozzles to find one that adequately addresses your inflation and deflation needs. The manufacturer offers Medium, Large, and small nozzle types.

This portable air pump integrates an easy to use design and works perfectly with 110V AC as well as a 12V DC power supply.

Also, it has a minimal weight making it convenient to carry to various outdoor events such as camping, a boating beach, and much more.

Electric Air Pump, AGPtEK Portable Quick-Fill Air Pump with 3 Nozzles, 110V AC/12V DC, Perfect Inflator/Deflator Pumps for Outdoor Camping

This outdoor pump will surely save you lots of time inflating your items leaving with ample time to enjoy your fun outdoor activities. It is good to note, nonetheless, that this portable pump is not rechargeable and not an ideal option for the inflation of balloons.

Pros

  • Lightweight and portable
  • Versatile use
  • Comes in three nozzle sizes
  • Compatible with 110V AC and 12V DC power supply

Cons

  • Not rechargeable
  • The overall quality could be improved

2. AstroAI Portable Air Pump

The AstroAI Portable Air Pump offers fast and upgraded accuracy levels to provide maximum power when inflating car tires as well as other inflatable items.

The pump weighs only 2.2lbs, making it easy to carry to your outdoor events, including camping, beach, boating, and much more. Also, the pump has remarkably bright LED lights that can be of great help during emergencies.

It professionally inflates air tires with 35 L/Min larger airflow. This gives it the impressive ability to inflate a 195/55/R15 car tire that is at 0 to 26psi in an average of two minutes. 

The product also includes an upgraded safety design that allows the tire inflator to shut down automatically when the ideal pressure has been achieved.

You will, however, have to set your preferred pressure level, so it shuts down automatically when this is achieved.  This ensures your tires, as well as other items, are safe when using this product.

Just like other high-quality inflators, you can use this product to inflate a wide array of items, including inflatable sofas, swimming rings, inflatable mattresses, SUVs, motorbike, and bikes.

Pros

  • Versatile use
  • Smart preset and automatic shutdown feature
  • Lightweight and ultraportable
  • Upgraded design
  • Includes Super bright LED light

Cons

  • Not ideal for high pressure along with significant volume applications

3. Oasser Portable Air Compressor

The Oasser portable air compressor is made using highly durable stainless-steel material to ensure it serves you for the longest time possible. You can charge this device effectively using your conventional 110V wall socket as well as the cigarette plug in your car that makes it an ideal choice for outdoor events.

The device has the profound ability to inflate a deflated tire in about 1.5 hours. It is one of the smallest air compressors in the market and has a long cylindrical shape.

Given its compact and lightweight design, you can easily fit it in your pockets, a small car compartment, your survivalist bag and carry to various outdoor destinations.

 You will also find the LCD digital pressure quite intriguing. You can easily preset your inflation targets and allow this device to inflate up to your desired tire pressure needs.

However, it is good to note that it can only accommodate and a maximum pressure of is 150psi. The device inflates different items, including motorcycle tires, bike tires as well as small car tires.

The tool may not be ideal for inflating huge truck tires. You will also love the LED lights that come in handy when emergency strikes.

Pros

  • LCD
  • LED flashlights for emergencies
  • Rechargeable
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Not an ideal choice for huge truck tires

4. Etekcity Electric Air Pump 

This is another gadget with a fantastic ability to inflate and deflate various items at your convenience. You can inflate and flatten a wide range of items, including camping mattresses, swimming rings, inflatable balls, and pool toys using this fantastic product.

Also, you may recharge the product whenever you please using a DC or AC outlet when you want at a fast rate. The three nozzles are also worth mentioning since they make the product highly versatile so you can inflate as many items as possible. 

It has large (0.69″) Small (0.27″) as well as medium (0.35″) nozzle sizes for you to choose one that addresses your inflation needs best.

 It has a small and compact weight of only 6.7 x 4.7 x 4.5 inches making it perfect for storage in small space and traveling to various outdoor events.

Etekcity Electric Air Pump Rechargeable Portable Air Mattress Pump Quick-Fill Inflator Deflator for Inflatables Raft Bed Boat Pool Floats Toy with 3 Nozzles, 100-240V AC &12V DC Adapter

The rechargeable NI-MH batteries do not pollute the environment, built to serve you for several years, and has a super silent operation. Included in the package is an AC adapter as well as a DC adapter.

Pros

  • Rechargeable battery
  • Three nozzle sizes for increased versatility
  • Fast inflationPost
  • Compact and lightweight design

Cons

  • Some customers complain that it doesn’t hold a charge

5. Keenstone electric portable air pump

The keenstone electric pump incorporates all the great features to give you the highest performance when it comes to inflation. As opposed to other electric air pumps, this product has a small compact weight, and you can charge it effectively at home and take it to your outdoor activities.

It comes with a large battery with a capacity of 6000mAh that highlights an incredibly high performance. This battery capacity is large enough to inflate a maximum of 30 rafts at an incredible speed when fully charged.

 With this intelligent electric pump, you can inflate a wide range of items, including inflatable sofas, swimming rings, rafts, water beds, pool toys, and much more.

Electric Air Pump, Portable Quick-Fill Air Pump for Inflatables, Rechargeable Inflator

The product is also available with three nozzle sizes (Medium-large and small) to give you an easier time inflating and deflating as many items as you like. The manufacturer incorporates a user manual to make it easy for you to use the product after purchase. 

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Multifunctional
  • The included case for enhanced portability
  • Inflates at incredible speeds to save time

Cons

  • The battery may stop charging after some time of using

6. Chamvis Electric Air Pump

The chamvis electric pump comes with a high-pressure design to make sure you enjoy incredible inflation speeds. You can inflate king-size, as well as queen size inflation mattresses, double the rate with which you experience when compared to using conventional hand pumps.

Aside from featuring a silent operation through the unique sound insulation board, you will also find the inbuilt ball bearing function that allows the engine to operate effectively without any limitations due to high temperatures quite fascinating.

chamvis Electric Air Pump High Power Quick-Fill Air Mattress Pump Inflator Deflator for Inflatables Raft Bed Boat Pool Toy

The product is designed with portability in mind measuring only 7.8 x 5.1 x 5.1 inches in size and a little weight of only 1.2lbs. Aside from being ETL certified, the manufacturer offers a one-year warranty as a promise for the quality of the product. There is also a lifetime tech support in case you experience any problems when using the product. 

Pros

  • Offers incredibly high-pressure inflation
  • Compact and lightweight design
  • Wide use
  • Quiet and safe operation

Cons

  • Is quite noisy

7. MOICO Air Compressor Tire Inflator

Aside from inflating car tires, you can also inflate motorcycle tires, inflatable balls, swimming rings, bike motorboats, and many other products using the MOICO portable air pump.

You can easily connect this handy pump to the 12V cigarette plug in your car and inflate your empty car tire to a remarkable 120-PSI maximum pressure through a powerful metal motor.

This air pump dramatically reduces the risk of overinflating, which damages your devices with the Auto shut feature together with the tire-check pressure feature.

MOICO Air Compressor Tire Inflator, 12V DC Digital Air Pump for Car Tires,Auto Tire Pump with Emergency LED Light,Portable Air Compressor for Car Tires

Also, an integrated in-line fuse prevents the compressor from any overloading making it safe for all members of the family to sue.

With the LCD feature, you can quickly see how much pressure the pump has generated even when it is very dark. In addition, an LED flashlight makes it possible to inflate tires and other inflatable devices even at night.

Pros

  • Wide range use
  • Automatic shut off
  • Fast inflating speed
  • Emergency LED light

Cons

  • Quite expensive

8. OlarHike Portable Electric Air Mattress Pump, 110V AC & 12V DC

The OlarHike comes in handy to save you the hassle of inflating items yourself. You can conveniently use it to inflate a wide array of items, including inflatable sofas, water-floating beds, cotton beds, swimming rings, camping mattresses, toys, and much more.

This product brings forth an excellent performance with its three available nozzle sizes that make it highly versatile to inflate as many items as you can. These nozzle sizes are the 0. 27″/0. 35″/0. 69″ nozzles.

Another exciting feature of this product is the rechargeable and cordless function. You can conveniently recharge it through the conventional AC outlet on your walls or the DC cigarette plug.

 As compared to other manual air pumps, this appliance is remarkably easy to use and operate. This great product also includes NI-MH batteries that are not only eco-friendly but also long-lasting and exemplary performance.

OlarHike Portable Quick-Fill Electric Air Mattress Pump for Pool Floats

The manufacturer offers customers with excellent customer service, and you can contact them at any time your experience problem when using the product. The product has a small weight of only 1.5lbs making it very easy to take anywhere you like. 

Pros

  • Three nozzle sizes for increased versatility
  • Rechargeable and cordless
  • Excellent customer service
  • Affordable
  • Long-lasting NI-MH batteries

Cons

  • Not Suitable for inflating Kayaks

9. Furein Electric pump

The Furein electric pump is one of the most proficient gadgets when it comes to the inflation of kayaks and other inflatable items. 

This product features a 12DC car power supply that comes in resourcefully for charging it from your car, making it an excellent choice for outdoor activities such as camping, boating, kayaking, and much more.

Moreover, it includes an LCD and humanized button; you can easily see the pressure level and set the pressure target that you would want your items inflated using. 

To protect your devices from getting damaged, the device comes with an automatic shut down feature which shuts it down after reaching the set targeted pressure level.

New 20PSI SUP Electric High Air Pump, 12V Smart high Pressure Pump with Intelligent Dual Stage & Auto-Off

It has a lightweight, and you can carry it in your bag, boots, and even your pockets to any event that you please. You can use it to inflate inflatable sofas, inflatable tents, rafts, swimming rings, inflatable boats, kayaks, and much more adequately.

The product also has an LED flashlight that you can use when it becomes dark. The product takes about ten minutes to inflate a 12ft SUP as well as a 9ft inflatable boat (3.5 PSI) properly. 

Pros

  • Easy to carry
  • An easy setting LCD
  • Fast and effortless inflation
  • Automatic shut off feature

Cons

  • The pressure measurements may sometimes be inaccurate

10. Keenstone Automatic Electric Fast Ball Pump 

This product includes a smart pressure detection feature as well as a stop function to enable you to achieve the desired pressure when inflating your products.

It’s a multipurpose electric pump, and you can use it to inflate several items include basketballs, volleyballs, footballs, footballs, inflatable balls, to mention but a few.

It has a small size of only 1.4 x 1.4 x 6.3 inches making it a great choice for carrying in your bag or car to various outdoor events such as camping, picnics, the gym, beach, and even your favorite sports events.

Automatic Electric Fast Ball Pump

This intelligent device allows you to save your precious sports time by inflating your balls in about one to two minutes thanks to its fastball pump feature with an air volume of Air volume: 4L/M.

Another essential function that comes with this product is the LED flashlight that you can use adequately during an emergency in the middle of your outdoor activities.

It has a durable lithium battery so it can serve you for the longest time possible. As well, it has a USB charge design and can inflate at least 30 balls when the battery is fully charged.

Pros

  • USB charge design
  • The automatic pressure alignment feature
  • Multifunctional and highly portable
  • Portable and highly lightweight
  • Fastball pump

Cons

  • May not be ideal for inflating high pressure or large items

Best Portable Air Pumps Buying Guide

Thinking of buying the best portable air pump for your RV or car? Here are our must-haves. 

Preset Buttons 

It is always nice when you are working with a portable air pump that somehow knows what you need. Wouldn’t you prefer an air pump which has some common settings already programmed into the machine’s memory? When shopping for the best portable air pumps, look for those that have preset readings for different kinds of tires or sport balls. 

The preset buttons always offer you some extra conveniences without compromising on the price too much.

They also prevent accidents as they can stop pumping once the desired air pressure has been reached. Digital inputs are a plus, since the user can enter the preferred PSI settings and fill up the tires without plenty of manual work. 

Pumping Time

When you go shopping for the best portable air pumps, consider how long each takes to fill up a certain tire. You can rate them according to how fast they fill medium and small tires. Some pumps are very light and portable by the take ages to simply fill up a small wheel.

You would not want to be in an emergency situation and have a slow pumping gadget to compound your troubles. The faster the pump will inflate, the faster you will be back on the road. That also adds to your own safety in case you are in harsh weather. 

Always consider the tire sizes that you are most likely going to be filling up. There are some portable air pumps that cannot inflate very large tires.

Since most families may have two cars, consider the vehicle with the largest tires and let that be your point of reference. Make sure the pump is both suitable for your pickup truck and the minivan to avoid having a fancy but useless gadget in your trunk. 

Cooldown Time of the Pump

Have you heard about the words ‘duty cycle’ when referring to air pumps but wondered what that means? The duty cycle is the total time that the inflator needs to cool down once it has been running for a while.

Why is that important? The air pumps that have a long duty cycle put you at a disadvantage because you will have to give it more time between uses. Make sure the duty cycle reading is about 50% as that can allow continuous use without any need to pause the machine. 

Auto-Cut

One cooler feature that you may like about some portable air pumps is the auto-cut feature. The inbuilt feature allows the pump to stop pumping once the tube capacities are reached.

It not only adds to your convenience but it also has your safety assured because it prevents over inflation. Most combine this feature with the digital dials that only allow the machine to run after the PSI readings have been set.  

The auto-cut feature also keeps the pump in good condition because they prevent overheating. The air pumps usually increase the temperature significantly during the inflation process. That can be reduced when the pump’s motor stops running once a certain temperature is reached.

Portable Air Pumps FAQs

Does a smaller air pump mean that I can only inflate small tires?

Usually, the motor’s rating matters more than the actual size of the pump. Some pumps are larger in size but because of a weak motor, they will inflate slower than other smaller pumps with powerful motors.

Are the portable air pumps ideal for only sedans and SUVs?

Most portable inflators are designed to fill tires that are about 100psi. That means they are perfect for your small car but they cannot be used to fill up truck tires.

Can I use the same air pump for my car and for sport balls?

Yes. Most portable air pumps come with a separate nozzle for filling up smaller items like balloons, balls and inflatable toys. Always read the recommended pressure level for your toys first. 

Why do some inflators have an inbuilt gallon for air storage?

The inbuilt gallon kit usually stores air pressure to help the machine run longer. It also comes in handy when you need to run power tools such as pressure nail guns. You need to fill the tank first before your tires if your pump has one.

What kind of maintenance can I expect to keep the air pumps in good condition?

The air pumps usually have an electric motor that needs to be cleaned. Always keep the vents free from solid dirt, oil smudges and items like chewing gum. You can clean the vents using a soft brush and wipe it with a damp cloth.

What makes the air pump rickety after some years?

An air pump can get loud if the motor fan is loose or damaged due to some sudden impact. On the good side, a lot of them are easy to take apart for some quick tightening.

Conclusion

You can forget to bring a sweater when you travel, but you do not for the life of you want to leave home without the best portable air pump. Tires have the tendency of giving up on us when we least expect them, and so you want to stay on the safe side.  They are compact and so you will never really remember they are there until you need them.