Buying an off road air compressor is not that hard. There are so many of these products in the market. But getting the best ones, there lies the challenge. Of course the best of anything is a subjective matter. But there are products that have awesome features that make the majority consider them the best off road air compressors.
With that said, you must closely examine these special characteristics before buying a compressor.
Typically you will want to buy an off road air compressor that is fast enough in pumping. This is perhaps the first consideration for purchasing an air compressor. A fast pumping air compressor ensures that you can go back on the road as soon as possible after deflation. It is great for making sure that you are adhered to your plan of how long the trip will last.
Besides that, you should consider some other characteristics like – its capacity, ease of use, amount of noise it makes, the air hose quality and length, the accuracy of the pressure gauge, price, etc.
All those features are perhaps some of the most basic yet important factors to consider. Of course other compressors will have their own unique features that no other product has. But those special features are not really necessary for a function of an off road air compressor.
Keeping all those in mind, I’ve prepared this best off road air compressor review article, where I will be reviewing 5 top-notch off road air compressors.
Not to mention, I will be referring to all the highs and lows of all the units.
Without any further ado, let’s get started.
Top 5 Best Off Road Air Compressor Review
Our Rating
ARB CKMTA12 is not that typical budget air compressor out there. It will cost some money, but as I said, it’s worth the money without any doubt. For how well it works and how durable it can be if properly and regularly maintained, I say that this is even a bargain of an air compressor.
It takes about 1 min 30 seconds to go from 20 PSI to 40 PSI. So, yes, it’s satisfactorily fast in pumping. The maximum working pressure of this unit is 150 PSI
You can easily connect the inflator with the hose. Hooking the unit with the vehicle battery is easy, too, with the help of high-quality alligator clamps.
Overall, this air compressor is an excellent powerful, fast, and portable option for any serious or occasional off-roaders.
You can buy a digital tire inflator from here. It gives a pretty accurate result. Of course if the digital tire inflator is not of high quality build, then it can potentially be a liability. But as long as you don’t air your tire too much, it will be no problem.
Pro Tip: Set the nozzle correctly to avoid air-leak.
- It’s relatively faster than other air compressor units.
- The size of this unit is so convenient for my liking. I don’t know about you, but I like a compact air compressor.
- This unit is mounted in an advantageous waterproof carry case that has the compartment to put the air hose effortlessly.
- The air hose (20’) shines in quality. It’s not that typical flimsy kind of hose by any means.
- You can regulate the pressure from 135 PSI to 150 PSI using a pressure switch.
- The motor doesn’t get too hot. Kudos to the anodized aluminum motor mounting brackets and IP55 sealed brushed DC cooling fan.
- Setting up this air compressor is as easy as pie. In fact, you can use it right off the bat.
- You will get prompt support from the company. Their technical support is really quite impressive.
- Pricey compared to other air compressors on my list. However, regarding the quality and performance, it’s still worth buying.
- A tad heavy, but that is something you should expect from a twin compressor unit.
Our Rating
VIAIR air compressors are one of the most used units among the off-roaders. So, no doubt about its user acceptance. Undoubtedly it’s one of the best off road portable air compressors for the money out there.
It takes about 3 minutes to go from 35 PSI to 60 PSI.
This unit can inflate up to 35” tire and allows operation up to 150 PSI for 15 minutes of continuous use. The company recommends a 30 minutes break afterward to let the motor cool.
While this unit is undoubtedly reliable, I would have preferred it better if it comes with a waterproof feature. Or at least a waterproof carrying bag. I understand that it is ultimately up to the owner if they can be careless enough to expose it to water. But I would have preferred it with waterproofness all the same.
But what I really like about this unit is how accurate its pressure gauge is. As long as you use it right, you will no doubt get accurate results.
Pro Tip: Turn off the air compressor before you take the pressure reading to get the accurate result. Otherwise, the airflow into the tire will give misleading value. This applies to all the air compressors.
Use the handle to grab the unit after the operation. Don’t touch the motor. Otherwise, the hot motor will burn your hand.
Let’s watch a video review of VIAIR 400P portable air compressor.
- A convenient zipper carry bag with storage compartment comes along for easy transportation.
- The handle of the unit has an excellent grip to hold it comfortably.
- The air hose is substantially long (25’) to reach all the way to the front from the back of the jeep.
- The quality of the hose is quite remarkable too.
- It weighs light and is easy to move.
- The gauge gives pretty accurate results.
- It’s a self-lubricating unit. Therefore, you don’t have to do the lubricating.
- This one is a maintenance-free unit.
- A heavy-duty sand tray with a vibration isolator is there to make it more stable.
- The power cord (8’) consists of high-quality alligator clamps. The package includes three extra adapters that make this unit more versatile.
- The motor gets hotter than usual.
- The power cord could have been a bit longer.
Our Rating
This Smittybilt air compressor is made from heavy-duty steel, and it’s quite well built, I should say.
It takes about 2 minutes to go from 5 PSI to 30 PSI. So, yes, considering the price of the unit, it works satisfactorily fast. The maximum pressure is 150 PSI.
The auto thermal cut-off switch is really a wonderful feature. If you are one of those people who kind of forget about keeping the temperature of an air compressor low, then it is great for you, too. An innovative cooling system would be much preferable for me, but I can see myself settling for this.
If you are looking for a quality, useful and portable budget off road air compressor, then go for this one.
Pro Tip: Don’t turn on the power of the compressor until you plugged in the inflator to the tire.
- An auto thermal cut-off switch helps to protect the possible damage.
- A convenient handle to grab the unit effortlessly.
- The air hose is long enough (24’) and has an easy twist screw on top of the brass inflator.
- It has different mounting systems on a rubber base that minimizes the vibration.
- Connecting the unit with the battery is a cakewalk with the power cord (10’) having high-quality alligator clamps.
- The gauge is more accurate than what other reviewers say.
- It is not that loud unit at all.
- Three extra adapters are included in the kit.
- It’s well worth the money.
- The quality of the storage bag could have been much better.
- It might turn out to be a little heavier than what you are thinking.
Our Rating
This VIAIR 300P air compressor inflates up to 33” tire.
It’s a fast enough unit that takes about 1 minute 18 seconds to go from 18 PSI to 30 PSI. The maximum working pressure is 150 PSI.
When it comes to convenience, I think that this one takes the trophy. The deflator and inflator combination is a great feature. With this, you need only bring one item instead of two.
All in all, this one is a small but powerful portable air compressor, which is inexpensive too.
Pro Tips: Don’t touch the motor area after using the compressor unless you give it enough time to cool down properly. Always hold the handle to grab it when required.
- A high-quality storage bag with a storage compartment comes in with the unit.
- The handle has a comfortable grip that helps to hold and carry the unit effortlessly.
- The alligator clamps shine in quality, I must say.
- It’s a lightweight unit.
- An ample length (25’) of quality air hose comes in with the kit.
- The tire gauge gives pretty accurate results all the time.
- This unit has both an inflator and deflator system all in one. Therefore, it’s super quick to inflate and deflate using this unit.
- A fuse is in place to save the vehicle from possible damage.
- The base of the unit has a lot of feet to make it stable on the ground.
- The package includes three extra adapters to make it usable for other vehicles, balls, etc.
- The motor gets hot after any operation, and if you are not careful enough to not touch the motor, then it will burn your hand.
- The length of the power cord (8’) is satisfactory but could have been a bit longer.
Our Rating
This Teromas tire inflator air compressor is super lightweight that has sockets for both AC (110V) cables (60”) and DC (12V) cables (126”).
It takes less than 4 minutes to go from 5 PSI to 40 PSI. Considering the size and price it is quite acceptable, I must say.
If you are looking for a super budget yet useful air compressor, then try this one. It may not be the most glorious of all air compressors, but it does a fine job, all things considered. I have seen many an air compressor terribly fails at this price point. But this model performs and exceeds wonderfully.
Pro Tip: After connecting the AC outlet, let the unit energize for at least 5 seconds. After inflating for 10 or 15 minutes, give it a 10 minutes break.
- It’s super easy to operate using the convenient buttons.
- The LED comes in handy for working in the evening.
- This unit comes with both a wall plug and a car cigarette lighter plug that makes it versatile to use both home and outside.
- This unit also includes three extra units to make it usable for bikes, cars, RVs, balls, motorcycles, etc.
- It’s super affordable for what it offers.
- You can preset the desired pressure value, and the unit will off automatically once the desired pressure is achieved.
- The bright LCD makes it easy to use in the dark.
- This unit comes with a quality carrying bag. A substantially long (21.65″) high-quality air hose comes in with this kit.
- It’s mostly for light-duty jobs. Don’t try to inflate truck tires with this.
- The power button is a bit flimsy.
Verdict On Best Off Road Air Compressor
If money is not an issue for you and you are looking for a fast working premium off-road air compressor, then go for the ARB CKMTP12 twin-motor unit.
If you want to go for a budget solution, then any of the other four units will do the job for you.
Whatever your needs are, one of these products can surely be a great fit for you. These models are very useful, functional, more convenient than others, and certainly more cost effective than most off road air compressors.
Let me know which one do you think is the best off road air compressor for you.
