The Muc-Off AirMach Electric Mini Inflator – Pro is a very good addition and upgrade to the company’s current line-up of electric inflators, bringing with it an LED display, an increased battery size, and the various attachments needed to make it compatible with pretty much every valve on the market. It does produce a lot of heat and vibration – but other brands do this too.
> Buy now: Muc-Off AirMach Electric Mini Inflator – Pro for £100 from Muc-Off
Do you need to go electric? For more options, check out our guide to the best bike pumps.
Muc-Off released its non-Pro AirMach Electric Mini Inflator in September last year (full review of that one to come), which has a 300mAh lithium-ion battery and is capable of 100psi. One thing it doesn’t have is an LED display, something that makes this new Pro model very easy to use.
A tap of the power button lights up the screen, displaying the battery life by way of up to three dots, and the digital readout of your pressure limit. This can be increased or decreased by using the + or – buttons, and once set it is held in the unit’s memory. Once the unit hits the limit, the pump cuts off.
A maximum pressure of 120psi is possible should you require it, and at lower pressures you will get a decent amount of battery life out of the Pro.
> How to choose the best bike tyre pressure — balancing speed, comfort and grip
Set at 75psi, the Muc-Off will pump up a 32mm tyre three times – well, almost. I got two full inflations and then on the third it died at 74psi. A 28mm tyre at the same pressure can be inflated in just over a minute three times, with the fourth inflation getting up to 66psi.
Muc-Off claims a full recharge from flat in 30 minutes, something I’d say is achievable depending on the power source. With a cheap, generic USB plug that came with a phone, it recharged the pump in 36 minutes, and switching to a fast charger unit that went down to just below the half hour.
The AirMach Pro has an aluminium body and weighs 171g with the included silicone case. You’ll want to keep that cover on as the pump does get very hot; the cover stops that heat transferring through to your hand.
If you are using TPU inner tubes, or plastic valves, then you’ll need to use the included extender AirHose pipe to offset the heat which could melt the valve. I did puncture on a ride, and I’d forgotten the hose, so to inflate my Tubolito tube I just did it in short bursts of 25psi at a time, which massively reduced the heat build-up. The hose also allows you to pump up small diameter wheels which don’t have the clearance between the spokes for the pump to fit in.
Whether using the AirHose or not, the connection between valve and inflator is solid and secure on the whole. I had a bit of leakage occasionally, but a bit of angle adjustment of the pump soon sorted it. It works on both Presta or Schrader valves.
Thanks to the compact size of the Pro (64.5 x 63 x 28mm), using it is a one-handed operation.
Overall, from a usage point of view I really rate the AirMach Pro. It’s loads quicker than using a hand pump, takes up little room in your saddle bag or jersey pocket, and gives a secure and reliable connection to your valve. The build quality also feels very good.
Priced at £100 it’s a bit more expensive than the very similar Cycplus AS2 Pro that Dave reviewed last year, which is $109, or around £84, with free shipping from the USA.
The latest version of the Fumpa miniFumpa that we reviewed back in 2019 is still the same price as it was then – it’s not often we say that! – £109. It uses a 400mAh battery, although recharge time is longer at one hour, and achieves 120psi maximum. The weight is also pretty similar, but there is no digital gauge.
Conclusion
The AirMach Electric Mini Inflator – Pro is a great bit of kit that works very well and balances battery life with a size and weight low enough that it’ll fit comfortably in your jersey pocket. And while it’s not exactly a cheap option, it sits in the middle of the two others we’ve tested.
> Buy now: Muc-Off AirMach Electric Mini Inflator – Pro for £100 from Muc-Off
Verdict
Simple to use and effective inflator that’ll bring peace of mind
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Muc-Off AirMach Electric Mini Inflator – Pro
Size tested: n/a
Tell us what the product is for and who it’s aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Muc-Off says: “The AirMach Electric Mini Pro Inflator. Designed for riders who want the easiest and most precise way to inflate their tyres, this next-generation electric inflator builds on the success of the original AirMach Electric Mini, packing even more features into a sleek, pocket-sized design.”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Muc-Off lists:
Size: 64.5 x 63 x 28mm
Weight: 122g without case (144g with case)
Battery: Lithium-ion 450mAh 7.4v
Charging Mode: USB-C (Cable included)
Charging time: 30 minutes
Sized in a way that it fits in the hand well and the silicone cover reduces exposure to the heat.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It inflates tyres quickly and without fuss.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Simple to use.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
It produces a lot of heat and vibration – although other brands do this also.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It’s in the same sort of ball park when looking at the performance and quality as you can see by the two competitors mentioned in the main review.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
The AirMach Pro feels well built in your hands and works very well indeed with little fuss, which is why I think it’s worthy of an 8/10. It’s very good. The price is on a par with competitors too, which adds to the overall package.
About the tester
Age: 46 Height: 180cm Weight: 76kg
I usually ride: This month’s test bike My best bike is: B’Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components
I’ve been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,
6 thoughts on “Muc-Off AirMach Electric Mini Inflator – Pro”
All of your price links
All of your price links appear to be pointing to the non pro version…
The main featured link goes
The main featured link goes to the actual product – unfortunately the auto-generated widget is pulling in links to the old product right now, but it should update as more retailers start stocking it.
Just doing the Lord’s work in
Just doing the Lord’s work in case anyone’s interested in this product. This Mucoff Pump is a £100 rebrand of an £85 Rockbros rebrand of a £60 electric pump you can buy direct from Aliexpress.
The original £60 ‘non pro’ Mucoff version without the lcd display is a rebranded Airbank pump (currently £22) also on Aliexpress.
Prosper0 wrote:
I’ve got a Nitecore EBP10 mini pump which is a very similar (though better) than the MucOff one (approx £60):
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008102368143.html
I’m far from being a luddite
I’m far from being a luddite about new tech but what’s the advantage of these over a mini pump which is about as light, occupies the same space in my pocket albeit a different shape but has infinite capacity for tyres inflated.
3 refills seems enough but what if a replacement tube has a valve problem and you lose a couple? Or you forget to recharge it and get stuck with something that won’t work when you need it? Maybe better with tubeless where you only need tubes in a real emergency and otherwise only need a little air if you get a self healed puncture?
All in all, maybe a solution looking for a problem. Dunno. Be interested to hear of others’ experiences.
richliv wrote:
I bought mine as I was curious about how effective they are. I’ve only used it once, and luckily not even on my own bike, but it certainly inflated the tyre quicker than a mini-pump would.
I think of it as a luxury item to be carried along with an emergency mini-pump. If you need to inflate a tyre, then it’s quicker and easier to use the electric one and it can also work as an emergency charger too.
However, I suspect that the real value would be for people with upper mobility issues such as shoulder pain. They might be handy for mechanics that work with a lot of bikes, but I suspect that a decent floor pump would be better.
One advantage to the Nitecore model that I’ve got is that it retains charge for a long time, so it’s got a reasonable chance of still working when you want it too.