Just a few years ago, the battery and motor technology didn’t really exist to make compressors so small that you could reasonably consider carrying one on bike rides. Technology is advancing quite rapidly, however. And portable electric pumps are not only a reality, they are quickly growing in number and popularity. 

Several brands now offer these compact devices, including Fumpa, Silca, Rockbros, Viair, and Muc-Off (which Cory recently reviewed), among others. Topeak is one of the latest to join the electric tire inflator club with its new E-Booster Digital pump, which they launched at the Sea Otter Classic.

The folks at Topeak were kind enough to send me an E-Booster Digital ($130) for testing, and I’ve been carrying it with me on all of my rides for the past month or so. Thankfully, I haven’t really needed it for emergency tire inflation. But I’ve used it for top-offs and ran it through a series of tests to see if it performs as advertised.

Topeak E-Booster Digital electric mini tire inflator The pump, silicone cover, extension hose, and storage bag (All photos/Jeremy Benson)

Topeak has been making a wide range of accessories, including bike pumps for more than 30 years. They make well over 20 different models of floor pumps alone, and the affordable JoeBlow Sport III has been my go-to for the past few years. It’s reasonably-priced, it’s durable, it works, and the bright yellow color makes it super easy to find in my messy garage.

Topeak don’t just make pumps for the home workshop. From mini-pumps to CO2 inflators, Topeak sells everything you could possibly need for portable tire inflation. I’d say their Mountain Morph is one of the best mini-pumps that I’ve used. But it is fairly large, so I stopped carrying it around the same time I stopped wearing big hydration packs a few years ago. 

Why might an electric inflator be a good idea for me?

Recently, I’ve adopted a more minimalist approach, leaning on CO2 cartridges as my inflation tool of choice. CO2 is fast, easy, small, and relatively lightweight. Plus, I can squeeze the separate cartridges into the corners of bags and pockets. It’s way easier and quicker than pumping tires by hand with a mini-pump, but creates more waste and costs a few bucks every time you need one. It varies from year-to-year, but I can go through 20-30 cartridges. Heck, sometimes it’s three cartridges on a single ride, because once I puncture, it often happens repeatedly.

And at roughly $3-4 a pop (depending on size & brand), that’s anywhere from $60 to $120 a year. Sure, I could not spend that money by using any of the 4 or 5 mini pumps that I already own, but I consistently choose not to. To be clear, I realize that mini-pumps can and do get the job done, yet I prefer not to use them. I also recognize that using CO2 is wasteful and more expensive, yet I choose to use it anyway.

That’s why I was excited to try the new Topeak E-Booster Digital. Could this be the one thing that replaces the two other methods of portable inflation that I currently use?

Editor’s Note: Jeremy uses a lot of CO2 cartridges! He’s likely an edge case. Most of the rest of us at Bikerumor use between 0-5 in a year. But still, maybe an electric inflator could cut that to zero for more of us, too?

E-Booster Digital Details The SmartHead switch makes it easy to go between valve types if needed

Before I dive into my experience using the Topeak E-Booster, here are some specs, details, and measurements. 

The E-Booster is fairly compact with measured dimensions of 8.6 x 5.9 x 3.8 cm with the silicone cover on. Topeak lists the claimed weight as 162 grams. I weighed it and got 156 grams for the pump only, another 25 grams for the silicone cover, 25 grams for the extension hose, and 9 grams for the storage bag. By my calculations, that’s a total system weight of 215 grams. You don’t have to use the storage bag or the extension hose, so one could easily trim that weight down to a real 181g for riding. (But you are going to want that silicone cover.)

In addition to the parts listed above, the E-Booster comes with a small waterproof bag for weather protection. A USB-C charging cable is also included for recharging the 600mAh battery, which is claimed to take 45 minutes. 

The electric inflator itself has a SmartHead that fits Presta or Schrader valves with the flip of a switch. Plus, the flexible, 2-inch-long extension hose threads onto the inflator and has a thread-on Presta head that can be removed to access a thread-on Schrader head. 

On the back of the inflator, the power button turns the unit on/off, and starts & stops inflation. The plus & minus buttons are used to preset the desired pressure on the LED screen. When inflating, the screen shows the actual pressure with claimed accuracy of +/- 2psi. Topeak claims a maximum pressure of 120psi, which is much higher than anyone should be inflating their tires these days, OK!

Screen grab of Topeak’s E-Booster inflation chart (Topeak)

On the E-Booster’s product page, Topeak provides a chart with various wheel and tire size combinations, pressures, average inflation times, and number of inflations. There is some variability, of course, but the takeaway is that it should be able to inflate most standard wheel and tire combos to normal pressures ~4 times on a single charge.

Adapting to packing a cube instead of a tube Size comparison of the E-Booster, Blackburn Mammoth CO2, and a CO2 setup

It’s funny, I’m not convinced that cycling necessarily needs more batteries or technology. I think wireless shifting, droppers, and even Flight Attendant are cool. But cable-actuated components work well enough, in some cases better, and cost significantly less. Yet for some unknown reason, something about these portable electric pumps really appeals to me. I guess, I just strongly dislike pumping tires by hand.

Anyway, the first thing that stood out to me about the Topeak E-Booster was its compact size. I have a portable electric compressor for car tires, and that thing is compact for what it does, but it’s massive in comparison to the E-Booster. I’m impressed that Topeak, Muc-Off, Rockbros, Fumpa, and others have packaged batteries and motors into such small units that actually work as pumps. 

This thing fits in the palm of my hand.

The Topeak E-Booster Digital is an electric mini-pump that fits in the palm of your hand

I can easily stuff it in a jersey pocket, cargo bib liner pocket, fanny pack, or in the bottom of my EVOC hydration vest. It doesn’t take up any more total space than the 3 x 20g CO2s and the CO2 inflator head that it has replaced. Compared to any mini-pump I own, the E-Booster is roughly the same volume, but they are shaped so differently that they aren’t easy to compare.

On that note, the E-Booster is obviously cube-like in its shape, so pocketing or packing it required a short adaptation period. I was so used to the flexibility of packing loose CO2 cartridges and skinny mini-pumps, that a cube took a few rides to get used to. I’m a creature of habit, for sure. 

In terms of weight, 215g (inflator, cover, extension, and bag) is 70-ish grams heavier than many mini-pumps, like the Blackburn Mammoth CO2 that I use occasionally. But when compared to the CO2 setup I’ve been carrying, the E-Booster is actually a few grams lighter. Three 20-gram CO2 cartridges (68g each), along with a 16g inflator, add up to 220g. 

Using the Topeak E-Booster Digital It fits in a jersey pocket easily enough, and it settles nicely in the lower corner of my Evoc hydration vest

Using the Topeak E-Booster couldn’t be easier. You basically just turn it on, set your pressure, put it on your valve, and press start. And it shuts itself off when the preset pressure is reached.

I’m partial to using the extension hose and threading it onto my Presta valves. Then I can completely let go of the inflator and come back to it when it’s finished.

It’s also surprisingly quick. Not CO2 quick. But it’s much faster than using a mini-pump. In my at-home tests, I inflated a 29 x 2.4” tire from zero to 25psi in ~80 seconds. Of course, that pumping power comes with a bit of noise from the motor, but it isn’t outrageous by any means. Sure, it would be great if it were silent. But it’s a pocket-sized air compressor. There is no avoiding the fact that it will be somewhat noisy. Realistically, it’s probably quieter than me swearing while pumping a tire up by hand.

Pumping Tests Preset pressure makes inflation a snap

I’ve luckily avoided flats on recent rides, so I ran the Topeak E-Booster through a few unscientific at-home inflation tests in my garage. The first round was with mountain bike tires, where I inflated the aforementioned 29×2.4” tire from 0 to 25psi twice. Then, I inflated a 29×2.5” tire from 0 to 25psi one and a half more times, before the battery died.

A week or so later, I did a second round using a 700c x 45mm gravel tire. I inflated it from 0 to 35psi three times, and on the fourth try, it stopped at just around 8Psi. 

After doing my own tests back-to-back, I realized that Topeak recommends a 5-minute break between each use. I definitely did not take any breaks in between, so that may have skewed the results somewhat. Regardless, I was still quite impressed.

It doesn’t have unlimited pumping power, of course. But I would say it’s plenty adequate for the vast majority of my regular rides. That more than replaces the three CO2 cartridges that I carry with me most often.

Partway through inflating a gravel tire during one of the inflation tests. The LED screen shows the current pressure and is easy to read Potential Drawbacks

I’ve heard discussion around seating tubeless tires with a mini-inflator like the E-Booster. I haven’t tried, but it seems like its ability to do so would completely depend on the rim and tire combination. It would certainly be no match for the stubborn tires that require every trick in the book to get seated. It doesn’t blast air like CO2, so it would probably only work for those perfect rim and tire combos that you can easily inflate with a floor/track pump.

On rides, I rarely (almost never) need to re-seat a tubeless tire. If I puncture or pinch and can plug it, then the bead typically stays on. If I have to put a tube in, then I don’t need to seat a bead either. There may be some instances where seating a tubeless tire in the field is necessary, and if that’s a big concern, then maybe the E-Booster – or any other mini electric pump for that matter – isn’t for you.

Or, you’ll want to carry a backup CO2 for that purpose.

For racing, I’ll still be carrying CO2 as the difference in inflation time could be the difference between landing a spot on the podium and finishing mid-pack. Carrying the E-Booster is another consideration. It’s quite small, but its blocky shape may throw people’s packing systems off a bit. It probably won’t fit into tight saddle bags, so you might need to consider alternatives.

Maybe someone could 3D-print a frame mounting bracket for it?

If you can’t take the heat…use the extender

Unlike a mini-pump, the Topeak E-Booster does have a limited pumping ability, and it will eventually run out of battery. If you’re really getting out there on long rides or in remote places, you’ll probably be better served by a mini-pump that won’t run out of juice. And, like any other battery-powered device, you will need to charge it after use. Thankfully, it charges very quickly, and I’d say the claimed 45-minute charging time is relatively accurate.

It also generates some heat while pumping, and there are even some warnings on the pump body about using it with TPU tubes with resin valves. Just use the extension hose, and you should be okay. I noticed the pump was pretty warm after 3+ consecutive inflations of the gravel tire mentioned above, but it wasn’t burning hot, plus the silicone cover insulates it slightly.

The E-Booster is My New Go-To Necessary? No. Awesome? Yes. The E-Booster is coming with me nearly all of the time

Despite those concerns, I really, really like this gadget.

Using it is so much easier and quicker than using a mini-pump that I’m happy to trade the slight weight penalty for the convenience it provides. And since I burn through CO2 cartridges as quickly as I often do, it’ll eventually save me some money AND reduce the used cartridge waste I produce. 

Is the E-Booster or any other electric mini-pump necessary? Absolutely not.

But it adds to the growing number of portable inflation options out there. Mini-pumps and CO2 are both great and continue to work just as well as they ever have. Still, the Topeak E-Booster Digital has earned itself a spot in my kit because it is more convenient and easier to use in most situations.

If you hate using mini-pumps or burning through CO2, then the E-Booster, or something like it, is worth checking out.

Topeak E-Booster Digital: Pricing and Availability

The E-Booster Digital mini electric inflator retails for $130. That’s no drop in the bucket, but it is in line with similar options on the market, such as the Muc-Off AirMach Pro ($140) or the Viair Recon Mini-Rider ($130). 

Topeak E-Booster Digital Check Price at REI Specifications

• Measured weight: Pump w/cover: 181 g, hose: 25 g, bag: 9 g, total: 215 g
• Valves: SmartHead switches between Presta and Schrader
• Hose length: 2"
• Gauge: Digital
• Max psi: 120

Pros

• Way faster than pumping by hand
• No CO2 cartridge waste
• Super easy to use
• Preset pressure, auto shutoff
• Charges quickly
• Fits in a pocket or pack

Cons

• Louder than hand pumps or CO2
• Fairly expensive
• Weight of all the parts adds up – still not that heavy

Jeremy Benson

The E-Booster Digital is currently available at various online retailers, through Topeak dealers, and can potentially also be found at a bike shop near you.

Topeak.com