Muc-Off AirMach Electric Mini Inflator Pro review: Small, mighty, and practical, but lack of waterproofing is an oversight

Muc-Off has long been known as a bike cleaning product, and maker of lubricants. In more recent years, it has expanded to offering tubeless setup kits, tools, pressure washers, AirTag holders, and  now bike pumps. The new AirMach Pro builds on the previous AirMach electric pump offering, now with an updated user interface featuring a display screen, as well as higher maximum pressures.

Whereas the previous model could only inflate two tyres on a single charge, the latest Pro offering can tackle greater numbers, with three full inflations possible on one charge now. It also offers better value thanks to coming with supplied accessories rather than requiring additional purchases.

Being sleek and lightweight, it takes up less room in a jersey pocket than all but the smallest hand pumps, while inflating tyres significantly faster. Electric mini pumps aim to reduce the time spent inflating tyres after punctures while limiting waste products and inability to tailor pressure that CO2 inflators can fail in. There are however a couple of practical elements where the AirMach Pro struggles, while it also faces tough competition from Fumpa, Rockbros, and Cycplus.

Design and specifications

In terms of shape and size, the Muc-Off AirMach Pro shares the same aluminium body as the previous AirMach but is now taller and 25g heavier, at 67.85mm x 64.55mm x 28.18mm and 122g without the case. Part of this size and weight increase is due to the upgraded battery, boasting 50% larger size going from 300mAh up to 450mAh lithium-ion. Charge time is a claimed 30 minutes via USB-C. My testing found that with a standard charger, not a fast charger, the time from flat to full was 39 minutes.

When it comes to tire inflation, this is another area where the Pro has been beefed up. Previously 100 PSI was the maximum pressure, whereas now it’s 120 PSI. This pressure is likely more than most road or gravel riders will ever need, but does open the usage to track tyre pressures, at least towards the lower end of them. 

The biggest update for the AirMach Pro is the inclusion of a display screen. Previously, the AirMach charged up until the tyre ‘felt’ the right pressure. Now with the customisable settings, a specific tyre pressure can be selected, then a live tyre pressure reading is displayed while the inflation cuts out once the targeted pressure is achieved. 

It also displays the charge remaining on the device. In terms of controls, the side button is held to turn the device on, and then pressed once to start the inflation process. The repeat is done to stop the inflation and turn the device off. Pressures can be tuned thanks to the plus and minus buttons on the front under the display. It’s an easy and intuitive system to deal with.

Still included is the rubber sleeve, used to improve grip and fall damage rather than provide any weatherproofing, and a waterproof zip-lock recycled plastic bag for storage when riding. The inflation head is still a signature Muc-Off pink in knurled anodised aluminium which allows for presta or Schrader valve heads. 

Now included though is the extension hose, designed to allow for use with plastic or resin valved tube types such as TPU inner tubes, or to make inflation easier on TT disc wheels, or smaller wheeled children’s bikes. Previously this was a purchasable extra. An inflatable toy nozzle and inflation needle are also included to make the product useable beyond the needs of cycling.

Claimed inflation time for tyres is not given, but in my testing a 28mm tyre was inflated from flat to 80 PSI in 74 seconds, with three full inflations possible from a single charge.

Performance

The Muc-Off AirMach Electric Mini Pro Inflator - AirMach Pro for the rest of this article - is the latest in a spate of electric mini-pumps that aim to reduce the reliance on disposable CO2 canisters, or minutes upon minutes of time spent at the side of the road with a hand pump in the event of a puncture. I have to say, from initial uses, I have become a bit of a convert for several good reasons, but only because I haven’t had certain encounters.

First and foremost, the AirMach does what it says on the tin and it does so very well. Charging time is listed as 30 minutes for a full charge, admittedly this took a bit longer for me, but there are variables such as the charging block used and even the cable and outlet. The tested 39 minute full charge is still fast by most comparisons such as bike computers or lights, and about 12-15 minutes gets enough juice to inflate one 28mm road tyre for last-minute dash out the door rides.

Actual inflation of tyres is also relatively fast. From fully flat to 80 PSI on a 28mm road tyre, it only took 74.43 seconds. Not as fast as a track pump or a CO2 canister, but significantly faster than the hand pump I usually use, a Silca Tattico. That can take up to around 4 minutes of fairly vigorous pumping to reach 80 PSI, but is also on the larger side of portable pumps and better suited attached to the frame than in a pocket. 

Another huge benefit of the AirMach Pro is the use of a screen to display PSI as you inflate. Quite often with a hand pump I use the notoriously inaccurate measurement of how the tyre feels to determine the PSI, while a CO2 cannister can be an even more inaccurate case of judgement. Having a live PSI reading also opens up the possibilities to change pressures while riding. Say you’re doing a bit of an all-road style ride in the dry, and you’re switching from long tarmac sections to more gravel, you can deflate and re-inflate accurately and suitably for the road surface you’re on. 

It may not allow for on-the-fly adjustments, but at present, that is limited to some fairly expensive hub systems used occasionally by the Pros in the cobbled classics. Another huge benefit of a PSI gauge is flight travel. A recent trip to Mallorca I brought a hand pump with to inflate the tyres upon assembling the bike from the bike box. It was a faff, and it also turned out I had inflated them to 60 PSI each, after a trip to a bike shop to use a track pump.

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Other benefits of an electric pump are how pocketable it is, taking up much less space than a hand pump, and with gas canisters it isn’t much larger or heavier than a CO2 inflator kit. My go-to hand pump, admittedly a more heavy duty one, is 162g, excluding mounting hardware, while I haven’t carried CO2 canisters for years. Part of why that is, is they are hard to regulate pressure, and if you don’t have a sleeve for them you can get frost burn on your hand. An electric pump also means no discarded canisters, though it does involve the downstream production of yet more e-waste. 

There are however some notable downsides to the AirMach Pro compared to both hand pumps and gas canisters. Firstly, and most glaringly, the AirMach Pro is not waterproof in any way. Given that wet and wintry weather are most often where punctures tend to occur, this is a slight oversight in my opinion. A plastic zip-lock bag is supplied exactly for this, but it’s an inelegant solution to a problem that ideally shouldn’t exist. There is a reason why the AirMach Pro isn’t waterproof, which is another slight problem in and of itself. Heat build-up is an issue with electric pumps, and leaving the USB-C charge port exposed actually assist in heat exchange and regulation to stop the device overheating. 

A neat solution for this could be similar to what GoPro has done with the latest range of Hero cameras, fitting a grilled panel which has a larger surface area, which helps dissipate heat faster while the device is fully waterproofed. Obviously that comes with greater manufacturing costs and also a bump up in material weight, but it would make the AirMach Pro far more practical in the weather conditions where it is most likely to be needed.

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A few other small issues are that it does not have a fast enough flow of pressure to seat tubeless tyres as easily as CO2, a key benefit of those and why they are so popular for both road, and especially gravel where tubeless is the most common tyre setup type now. I found trying to seat a pair of Pirelli P Zero Race RS TLR 28mm tyres was not really doable, even with the valve core removed, but it was better on a set of Vittoria Terrano Dry 38mm tyres. 

It's worth considering that this is also an area where hand pumps struggle as well, and even some track pumps. Another downside is the need to charge. We’ve all had times where we haven’t charged a light, or a bike computer, but forgetting to charge a pump can mean a long Uber ride home or the call for a pickup from a friend or family member. The charge time is fast enough to get at least one tyre inflation in about 15 minutes, but it’s still an issue. The AirMach Pro I was testing also had a slightly sticky power button, not enough to impact performance, but makes usability just that tiny bit more of a faff than would be ideal. 

These however are small issues as far as I’m concerned. My take with tubeless is generally that if it fails I always bring a tube with me, saving the need for fast seating inflators such as CO2. The small size, fast inflation time, and three good inflations per charge make it very easy to use in my opinion. The AirMach Pro itself also comes with a hose extender, presta or Schrader valve adaptors, ball inflator and inflatables pump just to increase the usability. The plastic bag in not the neatest waterproofing solution, but it works. I also like the textured grippy housing and the pink anodized nozzle. I wouldn’t call £100 cheap, but given the price of pumps and gas canisters, I think it makes sense as a long term investment for easy puncture solutions.

Value

Value is a slightly hard one to determine here, as I’ve not had the pleasure of testing many electric mini-pumps like the AirMach Pro. In terms of pricing, the new model represents better value than the previous one, thanks to a larger battery, inflation capacity, and additional extras included in the price. It is also priced in a similar bracket to the Rockbros and Cycplus offerings, while being significantly cheaper than the Fumpa offerings.

Where these can come under a certain level of scrutiny are against standard hand pumps, and even CO2 inflators.

CO2 inflators obviously have a consumable element to them, so the cheaper initial outlay will eventually be overhauled overtime and after usages. There is also a high level of material waste from the canisters and a limitation to how precise inflation can be, though aluminium is infinitely recyclable. Hand pumps feature much more limited future maintenance, with some gaskets potentially needing replacing over time. Again though they can lack the precision to pump to given pressures without an additional gauge on hand. Time is also a consideration, with it taking a significantly larger amount of time for a good hand pump to reach 80 PSI on a 28mm road tyre.

I do think overall, given the small size, the repeat capacity to pump tyres on a single charge, and the quick inflation times, that the Muc-Off AirMach Pro represents impressive value for the money. I’ve been toying with the idea of purchasing an electric mini-pump for the last year, and the AirMach Pro has made me a convert. I will still take my frame mounted hand pump on the training bike for added security, but for everything else, the AirMach Pro has become my go-to inflator and I would happily spend the money on one.

Verdict

The Muc-Off AirMach Electric Mini Pro Inflator is, as far as I’m concerned, a bit of a game changer for me when it comes to puncture repair on the roadside. The fast inflation time itself is enough to make it worthwhile for me, especially when in the cold, wind and rain on the roadside getting progressively colder. Add to that the live pressure display, and capacity to adjust tyre pressure positively or negatively while riding, and it’s a wonderfully versatile tool.

The lack of waterproofing is a glaring fault in my opinion, but I have yet to see a waterproof alternative electric pump, and the zip-lock bag does the job regardless of how inelegant I find it. Multiple accessories boost the usability, and while it can’t seat tubeless as well as gas canisters, it is better than a hand pump and has zero waste. I’ve been debating getting an electric mini pump, and using the AirMach Pro confirms my desire and need for one. This has become a new essential on all my rides.