RIDDEN AND REVIEWED E-MINI PUMPS

Six electric mini-pumps tested in real life conditions by the CW tech team

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Electric mini-pumps are the latest gadget to hit our saddle packs and jersey pockets. Thanks to rapid advances in lithum-ion batteries and motor techonology, these sub 100g tools can reinflate a tyre in a minute or less and get you quickly back on the road.

Electric mini-pumps measure little more than seven by seven by three centimetres and look set to make both manual mini-pumps and gas canisters redundant.

Longevity and performance in poor weather will play a part in their popularity, but if they do become a staple part of our ride kit they can do away with both the desperate, roadside arm action needed with a mini-pump and the wastefulness of the CO2 canister.

In our grouptest we’ve put six pumps through their paces to find out which ones deserve that precious space in our pockets. We've looked at charge time, time to inflate, user-friendliness, battery life, portability and value.

Muc-Off AirMach

£75 | 97g

• Battery capacity: 300mAh

• Max pressure: 100psi

With Muc-Off arguably the most recognisable name in the world of pink-branded bike cleaning and accessories, we had reasonably high expectations for the brand's foray into the electric pump space, and we're pleased to say the AirMach delivers where it counts.

Our first impressions were strong, for a number of reasons. The silicone outer sleeve not only gives the AirMach a premium, tactile feel in the hand, the textured pattern also adds a useful amount of grip when you're fumbling around with cold fingers or muddy gloves.

The valve head itself is machined with a grippy, knurled finish that makes switching between Presta and Schrader feel satisfyingly deliberate. That said, the actual valve seal is made from quite a soft rubber.