TruFlo Electron Max Electric Pump

The new Truflo Electron Max is a rechargeable electric pump that’ll get your bike tyres up to pressure in double-quick time and also handle car tyres. It’s accurate and can act as a power bank, although its size means it’s not suitable for carrying around in a jersey pocket.

Let’s deal with that last point first. The Truflo Electron Max measures 162 x 70 x 54mm and weighs over 500g, so although you technically could fit it into a jersey pocket, that’s not the intention. Truflo has the Electron Compact Electric Pump for that, which impressed us hugely when we reviewed it recently. Instead, the Truflo Electron Max is more the sort of thing you’ll keep at home or in a car.

The big advantage that the Truflo Electron Max has for home use is its capacity. While you might get two or three road bike tyre inflations from a typical electric mini pump that’s small and light enough to carry around in a pocket, you get about 15 or 16 here and an operating time of 20-25 minutes. It’s a different scale entirely. Truflo boasts that you get enough power to inflate two car tyres or eight motorcycle tyres – although that’ll obviously depend on tyre size and how much pressure you want inside.

Like most electric pumps, the Truflo Electron Max is simple to use. You turn it on, select the units you’d like to use (PSI/bar/kPa/kg per cm2 – although you only need to do this once), and choose from your four pre-selected target pressures or input a new one. You attach the pump to the valve, hit the start button and away it goes. The pump stops automatically when it reaches the target pressure.

I wanted to inflate a 700 x 28mm tubeless road tyre from empty to 70PSI. It did that in 35 seconds. A 650x42mm gravel tyre from empty to 40PSI took 57 seconds. You can choose inflation pressures right up to 150PSI, which probably covers you for anything you have in mind.

Truflo reckons the Electron Max is accurate to within +/-1PSI, and checking with a Topeak SmartGauge D2 pressure gauge confirmed that across different pressures and valve types.

Speaking of valve types, the Electron Max fits to Schrader valves via a hose, and you add a little nozzle to the end of the hose for Presta valves. This nozzle simply pushes on to Presta valves (it doesn’t screw into place), and I’ve found it to be perfectly secure. You also get a needle adaptor for footballs and the like.

Battery and charge

The Electron Max runs on a rechargeable 11.1V lithium-ion battery and, as mentioned earlier, you’ll get a lot of bike tyre inflations per charge – enough that you’ll lose track, so the little battery indicator on the screen is handy.

Recharging is via USB-C and takes two or three hours. You also get a 3m cable that allows you to use a vehicle’s 12V auxiliary power outlet as a source, even if the battery is out of juice. That might be handy in emergencies if you store the Electron Max in a car.

One other interesting feature is that the Electron Max can function as a power bank thanks to its 5V USB output, so you can charge up devices like your phone. You also get an integrated white LED up top. It’s not especially large or bright, but it could come in handy if you’re inflating in the dark.

Value

You can find a lot of electric tyre inflators out there these days, many of them essentially designed with car tyres in mind but with a bike function too. We can’t vouch for the build quality or the after-sales service, but this one is priced at £29.99, for example.

Although the specs are a little different, this one on Amazon looks similar to the Truflo Electron Max at half the price. Again, though, we can’t vouch for the quality because we’ve not used it.

A Michelin Cordless Compact Tyre Inflator, which also has a programmable preset, 150PSI max and a pressure gauge that’s said to be accurate to +/-1PSI, is £59.99, but it’s for Schrader valves only with no adaptor for Presta. And a NOCO 5A Lithium Air Inflator, this time with a max pressure of 130PSI, is around £69.99.

In other words, it’s easy to find examples of pumps that offer similar features to the Truflo Electron Max at both lower and higher prices. It’s more expensive than the many generic electric inflators available online, but cheaper than some established-brand alternatives. I think the reassurance of buying from a recognised cycling brand, along with simple compatibility with both Presta and Schrader valves, are qualities worth paying for.

If you’re looking for something to carry on rides, this isn’t it – Truflo’s Electron Compact is a strong choice there. But if you want an electric inflator to live in the garage, workshop or car, the Electron Max makes a strong case for itself. It’s quick, accurate, has enough battery capacity that charging is infrequent, and the ability to inflate both bike and car tyres broadens its appeal. The power bank function and integrated light might be useful too.

There is going to be someone in the comments pointing out that for a similar amount of money you could buy a good track pump: good for bikes, airbeds, footballs, and yes, even cars. There are members of the road.cc team that use a track pump to inflate their car tyres… they’re the ones with arms like Popeye. A track pump will never need charging up, but by the same token it’ll never charge your phone in an emergency either, it’s not as quick and it’s more effort than the electric alternative. Let’s just agree there’s a place for both. One offers pure functionality, the other offers functionality plus convenience. You pays your money, you makes your choice.

Conclusion

Overall, the Truflo Electron Max is a well-executed electric inflator that’s easy to use, performs exactly as claimed, and has enough capacity to make it a practical alternative to a floor pump. It isn’t the cheapest option available, but if you value proven accuracy, decent build quality and the backing of an established brand, it’s an appealing package.

> Best bike pumps — from hand to floor pumps, inflate your tyres with ease and precision