- 13 hours ago
Portable electric bike pumps have exploded in popularity, so Sam Gupta has tested, rated and reviewed some of the most popular options on the market. The best portable electric bike pumps include those from Cycplus, Muc-Off, Fumpa, Rockbros, Airbank, Topeak and Bosch. After testing all of these units extensively, Sam has broken all the pumps down into different categories and then rated them from worst to best. They all share a lot of similarities but there are some key differences between them that mean some clearly outperform others.
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00:02I have extensively tested all the most popular portable electronic mini pumps alongside some
00:09less well-known models to find out exactly which one you should buy and of course I've linked them
00:15all down below if you want to find them for yourself. I'm going to break this video down
00:20into three categories, nano, mini and off-bike. That's because as I received all of these
00:27different pumps for testing, I started to notice a clear divide between them and the specifications
00:32that they offer. However, some things were universal across all of them. They're all USB-C rechargeable,
00:40they can all cater to Presta and Schrader valves, some more successfully than others, and they all
00:46come with a sealable travel bag to help keep the pump free of dirt and water, something which is
00:52critical to ensure your pump works for years to come. At the end of me speaking about each category,
00:58I will give you my verdict on how they stack up and which, ultimately, in my opinion, is the best
01:04to buy
01:04in each category. All pumps in the nano category, bar one, feature a 300mAh sized battery, claim a quick
01:12charge time of 30 minutes or less and claim to reach a maximum of 100 psi, with the outlier claiming
01:19it
01:19can reach 120 psi and taking one hour to charge. They all weigh between a claimed 93 to 110 grams,
01:27and when we tested the pumps on our own scales, the claims rang true, bar a gram here or there,
01:32which of course, we won't quibble about. It's also worth mentioning that all of the pumps that sit
01:37within the nano category don't come with a display, nor are they programmable. So, in no particular order,
01:44we're going to start with the Makoff AirMac. As arguably the most recognisable brand in the nano
01:54category, I had high hopes for this little unit going into testing, and I'm happy to report that
02:00it did well. The silicone case that it comes in provides a premium tactile feel, and the pattern
02:05in the silicone itself helps provide that extra little bit of grip. The valve nozzle is also very
02:12dexterous thanks to the knurling on the metal, which makes switching between prester and trader
02:17valve setups much easier. However, I did notice that the valve seal itself does feel like a fairly
02:24soft rubber, so I imagine this will start to wear down fairly quickly when pushed against a metal
02:30valve, and sadly, it does not come with a replacement seal, but Makoff says they are available
02:37if replacements are needed. The USB-C charging port doubles as the air intake, as it does with every
02:44other pump. And the button placement is good, with the easy-to-see LED making operation simple.
02:50Just press once to wake the device up, then double press to start pumping. It took around 60 seconds
02:56to fill my 30C tyres with 50 PSI, and it did successfully seat a tubeless tyre.
03:05Next up, we have the Sight Plus AS2. This pump comes with a few more added extras compared to the
03:12AirMac. For example, a flexi hose, a spare valve seal, and an adapter pin for use on Schrader valves.
03:18It too comes in a silicone case, and while it maybe doesn't look quite as cool as the Makoff's,
03:24it's certainly still completely functional. The AS2 also features a much smaller nozzle,
03:30so while it may be slightly more fiddly to open up for either replacing the seal or switching to
03:35Schrader, it does make the overall form factor far less intrusive. In use, it's exactly the same as
03:42the AirMac. However, the button placed on the underside of the unit is covered by the case,
03:48so locating the button when you're not looking at it isn't as easy and will be made harder when
03:54using gloves. I'd love for Sight Plus to redo their silicone case to either feature a hole
03:59like the Makoff, or instead include a raised lump for easier use. That being said, since operation
04:06is so simple, in the grand scheme of things, this is a really minor point. It too reached 50 PSI
04:13in
04:13around 60 seconds and was able to see a tubeless tyre. It also vibrated noticeably less than the AirMac.
04:24Moving swiftly on, we have the Thumpa Nano, which certainly stands out in its appearance compared
04:29to some of the other units. However, it also stands out due to its spec sheet. This pump is the
04:36outlier
04:36in the Nano category, as it's the pump which claims it can reach 120 PSI, but is also the one
04:43which has
04:43the longest claimed charge time of one hour. It's also by far the most expensive pump in the Nano
04:50category. In use, the shape of the unit fits really well in the hand thanks to the curved edged,
04:55and the raised, light-up button makes for really easy use. It doesn't follow the same button procedure
05:01as the previous two units, but instead, you simply hold down the button until it starts pumping,
05:07upon which you can then lift your finger off the button and then press again when you want to turn
05:11it off. The lack of silicone protection is noticeable, as the anodised aluminium casing is less grippy,
05:18and it also conducts heat and vibrations quite quickly back to the user. It's clearly a powerful
05:24pump, as it reached 50 PSI in under a minute, and it too was able to see a tubeless tyre.
05:31We're now going to cover two units which arguably have less well-known brand names,
05:36but I believe are worthy of inclusion. If you scan Amazon, you'll find loads of pumps like this,
05:42so I selected two that I thought stood out from the crowd based on specification and user review ratings.
05:52Firstly, we have this unit from a brand called Flextail. It follows a similar formula in that it
05:58includes a flexi hose, a sealable bag for protection, but it does also include a few funky extras. Rather
06:05than having a multi-purpose Presta or Schrader adapter, it just comes with an entirely different
06:10one that you can alternate between. It also features a strap allowing you to mount it, albeit pretty loosely
06:17to your bike, and then turn on an SOS flash in case you need a backup rear light. The Flextail
06:23is also the
06:24outlier in battery size, as this is the only unit in the Nano category which has a larger 350mAh battery,
06:32meaning it should last that little bit longer compared to the others.
06:36It's an interesting assortment of features, but I wonder if it's simply trying to do too much. The
06:41silicone case helps with ergonomics, and the big button is very easy to locate with your finger,
06:46and overall is very simple to operate. In use, the button needs to be held down to wake it up.
06:52When
06:52this is done, the button lights up, and it also makes a little sound in case you're not looking at
06:56the button. From there, it just takes one push to activate the pump, and one more to stop it. It
07:02did
07:02make a few noises that sounded like it might be struggling, but it still performed well and
07:07inflated my tyre to 50 psi in just over a minute. Lastly, for the Nano category, we come to the
07:18Air
07:18Bank, which I think could be a bit of a dark horse. It's the best value pump, and it keeps
07:24pace on
07:24maximum inflation claims and battery size, and it also does claim to fully recharge in under 30 minutes.
07:31It's also the lightest at 93 grams. Due to the lower price, you do miss out on some extras,
07:38such as the silicone sleeve, but it does come with a replacement valve seal and Schrader adapter pin.
07:44I like that the large operation button is on the same side as the valve nozzle,
07:48as this makes it really easy to use whether you're wearing gloves or not. The downside to the button is
07:54that the LED is just a small pinhole, so when your thumb is on top of it, you don't know
07:59what it's
08:00showing. But operation is simple, as once again, it follows the same procedure as some of the others,
08:06in that it's one push to wake it up, a double press to activate, and then one push to stop.
08:10The shape of the device has much softer edges compared to others, so it fits beautifully in your
08:16hand, and I believe has the best ergonomics of the bunch. But the real surprise here came from its
08:22inflation time. It hit the desired 50 psi in just over 50 seconds, and it too did manage to see
08:28to
08:28tubeless tyre. So how do all of these pumps stack up and compare to each other? Starting from worst to
08:36best, I'm putting the Flextail in fifth place. While the extra features it offers are good,
08:41such as the keyring and SOS Lite, these feel more like gimmicks and are distracting from its overall
08:47job of just being a good pump. I'm concerned about how it sounded like it was struggling on some
08:52inflations, and while the extra battery life is nice, the extra weight of the unit and bulkier
08:58form factor means that I think there are just better options out on the market that cost similar
09:03amounts of money. Next, I'm putting the Fumpa Nano into fourth place. While it's clearly a powerful and
09:09well-made unit, the high price, lack of silicone sleeve, and slow charge time mean, again, there are
09:15simply better options available. I've awarded third place to the Muckoff AirMac. It is no doubt a
09:21brilliant unit thanks to its tactile sleeve, easy to use valve nozzle, and operation button, but the
09:27lack of an included replaceable valve seal and slightly harsh ergonomics means it lands in third.
09:33Second place goes to the AirBank. I think its price point of around ÂŁ40 is brilliant, and for that,
09:39you get a really high-performing pump. Its light has brilliant ergonomics, is powerful, and can charge
09:46up nice and quickly, but the lack of a silicone sleeve does stop it from claiming gold. So, as you've
09:52probably guessed, first place has been awarded to the Cycplus AS2. This one wins for a number of reasons.
09:59I love its brilliantly small form factor, all thanks to its ability to keep the nozzle head within the
10:06main unit housing. The easy operation, silicone sleeve, reasonable price point, and included extras
10:12in the box make this not only a quality product, but also good value, and something I think will be
10:19very popular among cyclists. Next up, we move on to the Minis. Now, there is a distinct difference here
10:26between the Nanos and the Minis, and that can be boiled down to three things. First, these pumps all have
10:32generally bigger form factors, with heavier weights ranging from 120 to 190 grams. Secondly,
10:40they start to introduce LCD displays and extra buttons that predominantly allow you to set your
10:46desired pressure, so that when inflating, once the pump reaches that number, it will stop. Thirdly,
10:52they all have bigger batteries, but there's a bigger range from 400 to 600mAh.
11:00First in the Minis category is the Topic E-Booster Digital. This is actually a pretty new product on
11:07the market, and with it comes some pretty interesting features and claim specifications.
11:12It's the largest of the Minis category, and it really does push the limit of what you might want
11:17to carry with you on the bike. However, the large form factor does play host to the largest battery
11:23in the category at 600mAh. So, if you want to be prepared for multiple inflations,
11:30then this will be the one to go for. The E-Booster has a unique feature,
11:34being this sliding switch, that allows you to pivot between either Presta or Schrader valves.
11:40It has a decent sized screen with illuminated buttons that are big and very easy to operate.
11:45In use, setting the pressure is very easy, and the unit doesn't automatically turn off that quickly,
11:51so it gives you time to set the pressure, get the pump into position, and then start it. However,
11:57I would have loved if the screen and buttons were on the nozzle side of the unit. The silicone case
12:03is great for grip, insulating fingers, and aiding in vibration dampening. In the inflation test,
12:09it took bang on 60 seconds to hit 50 psi on my 30c tire, and afterwards, the battery was still
12:15showing as full. In fact, I managed to get a full 5 inflations out of this unit. I did find
12:22that on
12:22occasion I was accidentally hitting one of the buttons, meaning it would cut out mid inflation,
12:26and it was a bit too easy to accidentally cover the USB-C charge port which doubles as the air
12:33intake.
12:33So, my only tip would be to be careful of hand placement when you're using it.
12:42Next up, we have the Sight Plus AS2 Pro, the bigger brother to the standard AS2. Now,
12:49I say bigger brother, it's nearly identical in every dimension other than its height. It's about 5mm
12:56taller. It comes with all the same bits as the AS2, so a flexi hose, an extra valve seal,
13:02ball inflator, and schrader adapter pin. The way it differs though, is that the Pro version,
13:08comes with a screen, and is programmable. In use, it's as simple to use as the AS2. However,
13:16the buttons on the AS2 Pro didn't increase in size. In fact, they're smaller, so they are more
13:23fiddly to operate, and even more so when you're wearing gloves. I would have loved it if the buttons
13:28and screen were on the nozzle side of the unit. It managed to inflate my 30c tire to 50 psi
13:34in just
13:3537 seconds, so nice and speedy, and it managed to deliver 4 inflations from its 420mAh battery.
13:44Just one less than the Topeak, which has a 600mAh battery.
13:51We have another unit from Thumpa now, and it's the Thumpa Mini. Much like the Cyte Plus,
13:56the Thumpa Mini is a big brother to the Nano, and the size difference is much more noticeable
14:01between these two, with every dimension getting bigger.
14:05The Thumpa Mini has just a 400mAh battery, which is the smallest of this category,
14:11and it also doesn't have a screen, or is programmable. It lacks a silicone sleeve like
14:17the Nano, and despite having the smallest battery, it's the heaviest in this category.
14:21It is a powerful unit though, as it managed to hit 50 psi in around 30 seconds.
14:30Lastly, in the Mini category, we have the Rock Bros AS1. It, like many others,
14:35comes with all the usual extras we have come to expect from these pumps. However,
14:40it's the second lightest in the Mini category, and has a 450mAh battery.
14:46The Rock Bros unit has a trump card up its sleeve though. At least, it does in my opinion. We
14:52finally have a pump that houses its buttons and screen on the nozzle side of the unit,
14:58enabling you to set your pressure, ensure the device isn't auto-turning off,
15:03start the inflation, and then watch the pressure go up. This placement also means it's much harder to
15:09accidentally press a button and stop operation midway through inflation.
15:13The AS1 inflated my tyre in 36 seconds, so it's pretty quick. However, I noticed that it got
15:20much hotter than the others after repeated inflations. Clearly, the slightly bigger pumps
15:26that sit in the Mini category come with some really handy extra functionality, so let's see how they stack
15:33up, at least in my opinion. In fourth place is the Thumpa Mini. Like the Nano, it's a well-built,
15:39powerful unit. However, the lack of screen, programmable features, long charge time, excess
15:45weight, high price, small battery, and lack of silicone sleeve mean that compared to others in the
15:51category, it really falls behind. Third place is awarded to the Rock Bros Mini. It has a respectable
15:58price and comes with the features to boot. Screen, fast charge, decent sized battery, and in my opinion,
16:04the best screen and button layout. The high temperature after multiple inflation does
16:10concern me, but it's certainly worthy of consideration. Second place goes to the Topic,
16:16eBooster Digital. Despite its bigger form factor and heavier weight, it can justify it by having the
16:22biggest battery. If you're often found switching between Presta and Trader valves, then this will be the
16:28best one for you. I can see this one being a real lifesaver for a parent who likes to go
16:33out riding
16:34with their kids. Which means, first place goes to the Cyte Plus AS2 Pro. Now, I promise, this video
16:41is not sponsored by Cyte Plus. It's just made a really great product. The incremental size increase
16:47from the AS2 means it will still fit really well into a jersey pocket or saddle bag, and the larger
16:53420
16:54mAh battery just gives you that extra inflation or two. Combine all of that with the digital display
17:01and programmable inflation limit and you're onto a real winner. Last up, we have the off-bike category.
17:08Essentially, these are the pumps which are better placed to stay at home, in the workshop, garage,
17:13or car. These pumps have bigger batteries still and ultimately are that bit more powerful and faster
17:20inflating. First up, we have the Thumpa Classic. It packs a 550 mAh battery into its pretty large
17:31casing. It features three easy to use buttons and a display which shows you all of the information
17:37that you need. It allows you to cycle between bar, PSI, and KPA. Since this is a pump that won't
17:44be
17:44joining you on rides, I'm not that bothered by how big and heavy it is. But what is great about
17:49this
17:49pump is how fast it is to inflate. I filled my 30c tire to 50 psi in just 18 seconds.
17:58A really great
17:59performance and it did it with ease. I also love the button and screen placement as it allows you to
18:05see what's going on as you inflate. Next up, we have the Cycplus AS2 Pro Max. It follows exactly the
18:17same pattern as the two smaller models and performs just as well. It isn't quite as fast to inflate as
18:22the Thumpa as it took 30 seconds to reach 50 psi, but still a good performance and I do like
18:28the
18:28tactile finish of that silicone case. Lastly, we have the Bosch electric bike pump. It's the only pump
18:38which breaks away from the incredibly similar design language of the other models. This unit is very
18:44ergonomically friendly and has a good selection of buttons to control all of its operations.
18:50The spare adapters are housed in the pump's handle making for safe stowage. However,
18:55in use, there are a few issues. I think this pump is better suited to Schrader valves than Presta ones,
19:01because once you're done inflating through a Presta valve and want to unscrew the pump,
19:06it's incredibly hard to remove. The Presta adapter stops the head from spinning,
19:10making it seriously tough to take off. I ended up having to use a couple of pairs of pliers
19:15to get it free. So, to round up the off-bike category, third place has to go to the Bosch.
19:22I like its shape and ergonomics, but ultimately it's just not that well suited to those using Presta valves.
19:29In second place is the Cycplus AS2 Pro Max. It retains all the features that make its smaller
19:35sibling so great, but those same features, in my opinion, aren't as necessary for something you
19:42aren't going to carry with you. There's an argument to say the Topic eBooster Digital could also compete
19:47in the off-bike category, and it would be hard to pull it apart from the Cycplus AS2 Pro Max.
19:53Both have 600mAh batteries, and both are similar in price. However, if choosing between these two models,
20:00I would go for the Topic, thanks to its lower weight, illuminated buttons, and valve switch.
20:06Meaning, in first place, in the off-bike category is the Thumpa Classic, thanks to how it performed in testing.
20:13Its button placement, screen, and sheer power mean this is great for using off-the-bike.
20:20So, there we have it. That's my full rundown of the best portable electronic bike pumps currently available.
20:25As mentioned at the start, I've linked them all down below, so let me know which one you go for.
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