Battery air pump test: The nanoFumpa electric air pump - small, red and powerful?

Small rechargeable air pumps for bikes are compact, portable devices that are powered by a rechargeable battery. They work in a similar way to mini compressors and can pump air into the tyre at the touch of a button. These bicycle pumps often reach pressures of up to 8 bar, which is sufficient for road bike tyres. Prices vary depending on the model and manufacturer, but are usually between 30 and 100 euros. Well-known manufacturers include Xiaomi, Cycplus and Osram. These pumps are particularly practical for travelling as they are small and light and can be used without much effort. We recently tested 8 models. And because the NanoFumpa couldn't be delivered on time, it wasn't included at the time.

The small compressors have disadvantages due to their design: They are very loud when in use and, due to their small size, the batteries have a correspondingly low capacity and therefore do not last as long; our test candidate NanoFumpa has 300 milliamp hours and the pumping noise is similar to that of a small impact drill. They also get very hot during operation, so that you can hardly hold them in your hand for more than a minute without gloves. The Australian manufacturer Fumpa recommends a maximum operating time of 100 seconds for its smallest pump in the range, after which the pump should "rest" to cool down.

Battery-powered bicycle pump: The adhesive came off after 3 minutes of pumping

Compared to a small mini pump, such as the Airflex Racer from SKS or the Racerocket HP Mini from Topeak, the NanoFumpa inflates a 30-622 road bike tyre faster. It takes exactly 86 seconds to inflate the tyre to a pressure of 4 bar. This is a respectable value and faster and more comfortable than with the aforementioned hand pumps, which require around 200 strokes for the same pressure and a good minute longer. Incidentally, at the end of the test, the aluminium housing had a temperature of 40 degrees and was still easy to hold. At four and a half bar, however, it was already an uncomfortable 50 degrees. After two inflated tyres, the battery was empty and had to be recharged. This took just under an hour and is acceptable.

What was also noticeable during handling was that the pump valve is very short and requires precise guidance and pressure by hand so that no air hisses past the valve. A small hose extension with a screw adapter would improve handling considerably and the optional nozzle set with angle for 18 euros would be a worthwhile purchase.

Conclusion on the NanoFumpa rechargeable air pump

The NanoFumpa is a classy accessory and practical accessory, suitable as an emergency pump for travelling. Together with the accessory hose, handling is better than with a mini pump with a straight hose extension and pumping is also a little faster. Its disadvantages are its relatively high purchase price of 100 euros, its limited battery capacity and if you want to set off on a quick round the house and its battery is not fully charged, it is useless. At least, unlike the practical and fast CO2 cartridges, it can be carried in the hand luggage of every airline, which is not always the case with the small metal cartridges.

• Price: 99,95 Euro
• Weight: 101 grammes
• Sizes: 65 x 60 x 28 millimetres
• Optional accessories: Nozzle set with angle 18 Euro, 2 spare seals 6 Euro