Electric Air Pump Buyer’s Guide
Know how many paddle boards are getting inflated and what the pressure requirements are to figure out the best electric pump for your needs.
Supported Pressure Range
When buying an electric air pump for inflating your iSUP or inflatable kayak you want to make sure that the pump can support the pressure you want to inflate to.
Most inflatable paddle boards need to be inflated to between 12 and 15 PSI, so the minimum supported pressure range for an electric pump should be 15 PSI. Most of the electric air pumps that are on this list have a supported pressure range of 20 PSI. Blackfin boards have a range of 14-18 PSI, which demands a little more of the pumps. iRocker’s does a pretty good job inflating these, but that also demands a battery supply that can cover the needs. The iRocker battery can power inflation of 3 all arounder at 15 PSI.
Power
One of the most important things to consider when buying an electric air pump is the pumping speed.
Most air pumps have a 2 stage system in which they pump more than 300L of air per minute in the first stage and then pump around 50L in the second stage to reach the required pressure. You definitely want to look for a pump that has a high pumping speed as this means that it will inflate your paddle board quickly.
Another factor to think about is whether you want an electric pump that comes with a rechargeable battery or not.
Most electric air pumps don’t come with a rechargeable battery and will need to be plugged into a car’s cigarette holder lighter socket or a battery pack for power. If you don’t have a car or want an electric air pump that has a rechargeable battery check out the SereneLife electric air pump.
Functionality
There are a number of functional factors to consider when buying an electric air pump.
Firstly, you want to make sure that the electric pump has some sort of active or passive cooling mechanism. The Outdoor Master Shark II for example has an active cooling that allows it to consecutively inflate multiple inflatables.
Another factor you want to check is whether the pump features an automatic shut off when the desired pressure is reached. This will allow you to get ready and put your kit on without having to keep checking the electric pump every 5 minutes.
It’s also important for the electric pump to have an automatic shut off when it overheats to stop the pump being damaged.
You should also make sure that the electric air pump has a deflate option as this is extremely useful for removing the air from your paddle board before packing it up.
Compatibility is an important factor when it comes to inflating different types of boards and inflatables.
A Halkey-Roberts compatible nozzle should be enough for inflating most paddle boards, however if you want to inflate different inflatables such as kayaks, boats or even mattresses you will need an electric pump that comes with a larger range of nozzles. The NIXY Ventus comes with 7 different valve adaptors making it suitable for inflating almost all inflatables.
Portability
When looking to purchase an electric air pump portability is an important factor. You want to find a pump that is lightweight and compact.
Making sure your electric air pump is compact and portable is important as it means you’ll save space in your SUP bag. The Thurso Surf electric air pump is the lightest pump on our list at just 2.6 lbs.
Some electric air pumps like the Aquaglide Accelerator, Gili Electric air pump or the Seamax SUP20D come with an integrated carry handle that improves portability by making the pump easy to carry.