Best Portable Air Compressor for Jeep – Review in 2023

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Among all the other vehicles that are available for the masses, Jeeps might be the most versatile of them all. They are multi-functional and can handle any type of workload with the correct configuration.

With them, you can easily do your regular commuting, and you can even venture through the off-roads in the forest once in a while.

But what if your tires deflate in the middle of the forest? Or in a remote area? In that case, you are going to require an air compressor. They can inflate tires using compressed air.

With one of the best portable air compressor for Jeeps, you will easily be able to refill the air inside the tires at any location and keep yourself going.

10 Best Portable Air Compressor for Jeep

With the overabundance of air compressors in the market, you will find yourself getting lost while trying to find the best in the market. That is why we have scoured up the entire market and picked the best ten for your convenience. These are:

VIAIR 400P Portable Compressor

VIAIR 400P Portable Compressor

Whether you are planning a trip to somewhere far or you just want to go for an off-road adventure, having a portable air compressor in your Jeep is undoubtedly going to come handy. With it, you will be easily able to tackle a random deflated tire on the go.

But among all the options, which is the best portable air compressor for Jeep Wrangler, you might ask, and in our opinion, among all of them, this compressor from VIAIR offers the most value.

This compressor is the portable version of their ever so popular 400 series of air compressors. It will allow you to inflate your deflated tire in any given situation meticulously.

One of the highlighting features of this compressor is that it is incredibly lightweight and portable. You will be able to throw it at a corner of your trunk without having to worry about it taking too much space or giving extra load to your vehicle.

And this no-frills compressor can easily be hooked up to the battery of your Jeep temporarily during pit stops. They come with battery cables for a quick and secure connection. It can deliver up to 150 PSI and 2.3 CFM at a 33% duty cycle.

Also, it takes a short time to recharge the storage tank. You can get your work done within just 15 minutes. And the included air hose is 25 feet long, which is more than enough to get access to all the tires of your Jeep.

The compressor comes with in-built protection against thermal overload and a 40 amp inline fuse to ensure the utmost safety. And the stainless steel valves are resistant to rust and corrosion, and heavy-duty accessories such as carrying bag, sand tray with vibration isolators, and many other things come included.

PROS

  • Extremely portable and lightweight
  • Capable of exerting high powered compressed air
  • It takes little time to charge the tank
  • Thermal overload protected and fused
  • Resistant to rust and corrosion

CONS

  • The hose can not withstand heavy duties
  • It takes quite a long time to cool down after operation

Related Guide: Best GPS for Off-Road Jeep

Porter-Cable PXCMF220VW 20-Gallon Portable Air Compressor

Porter-Cable PXCMF220VW 20-Gallon Portable Air Compressor

Getting prepared for a cross country trip with your Jeep, you tend to pack in all the essentials. These essentials contain all the necessary things that can make the trip that you planned for all this time go smoothly.

But what if the roads decide not to be on your side? What if your tires deflate while you were venturing through a remote countryside road?
Portable air compressors come in handy while you are stuck in a remote area where you can not spot any signs of motor shop around.

They are great and all, but they also need maintenance from time to time. After being kept on the side of the trunk for a long time, they might not perform the way you want them to.

That is why this 20-gallon portable air compressor from Porter-Cable made its way to our recommendation list. This air compressor requires minimal maintenance throughout its lifespan. You will not have to worry about changing the oil and checking on it from time to time.

It comes with an oil-free induction motor, and it can pump air consistently throughout the entire operation. You can rely on this air compressor to inflate all your tires, and then you can do more work with it too. This compressor is also suitable for wrenching, bolting, spray painting, nailing, and stapling.

The compressor includes a pressure switch, pressure gauge, and pressure relief valve for quick and easy tank draining. You can get your work done in no time at all. It requires comparatively less voltage to start as well, which means it has less starting torque on the motor. Thus, it ensures a longer lifespan of the oil-free induction motor.

PROS

  • Large capacity
  • Oil-free induction motor
  • Requires minimum maintenance
  • Less startup voltage
  • Compatible with other workloads

CONS

  • Some packages ships with missing bolts and manuals
  • The copper pipe is not sealed correctly, which makes the air inside leak

Stealth 20 Gallon Ultra Quiet Air Compressor

Stealth 20 Gallon Ultra Quiet Air Compressor

Having a large capacity in case of a portable air compressor does payout when you get stuck in the middle of nowhere with all four tires flat. In such scenarios, inflating a single tire and then refilling the compressor multiple times to get your truck standing can be quite a hassle.

That is why we choose this 20-gallon air compressor from stealth in our top ten recommended list. Just like the name stealth suggests, the air compressor is extremely quiet. You will get the best of both worlds, which is a large air compressor that works in low noise.

This compressor comes packed with a powerful induction motor that generates 1.8 horsepower. As the induction motor is oil-free, you will not have to worry about regular maintenance as well.

You can expect an extended service out of the air compressor. With the innovative technology that lets the motor operate at a low noise level, it also ensures a longer life-cycle at more than 1000 hours.

The compressor features a quick recovery feature. With the peak 150 PSI, you can get 5.5 CFM at 40 PSI and 5 CFM at 90 PSI, and the compressor recovers quickly after the initial tank charge.

You will easily be able to move the compressor around to get to the last deflated tire of your truck. The heavy-duty Q235B steel body comes with 8-inch rubber reinforced wheels, which makes moving the compressor around easy.

Moreover, the compressor is multi-functional as well. You can work around with drilling, wrenching, and other work that is related to compressed air with this compressor. It comes with a 6 feet electric cord, which will let you comfortably get power from a source that might be far from your vehicle

PROS

  • Comes with a powerful oil-free induction motor
  • Requires minimal maintenance
  • Heavy-duty, durable body
  • Highly portable and long-lasting performance
  • Operates at much lower noise compared to other compressors

CONS

  • No clear instructions about the release valve in the manual
  • The wheels break off eventually after moving the unit around for a while

Related Review: Best Mud Tires for Jeep

Campbell Hausfeld 8 Gallon Portable Quiet Air Compressor

Campbell Hausfeld 8 Gallon Portable Quiet Air Compressor

Regular maintenance of the types of equipment that we require is quite a hassle. It requires time and patience. Just like every other essential, frequent maintenance of air compressors can be tedious as well. With all the intricate parts and mechanisms that they have, maintenance requires much stronger dedication.

Thankfully, this compressor from Campbell Hausfeld comes with an oil-free induction motor, which eliminates all the issues regarding the regular maintenance of an air compressor. You will not have to worry about changing the oil and checking on it from time to time.

The air compressor is exceptionally quiet as well. While operation, it only produces just 68 dBA of noise. You can use the unit both outdoor and indoor without having to worry about blowing your brains out.

It comes packed with a power oil-free induction motor that can exert pressure up to 125 PSI. You will easily be able to inflate all your tires at an instant. As the motor lightweight, you will not have to worry about putting a load on your truck while packing it in as well.

And as the motor that the air compressor comes packed with is oil-free, you can expect the unit to last for quite a long time. It comes featured with a dual-piston pump as well, which lets the motor to exert more air compared to all the other 1 HP motor compressors.

Also, the compressor is extremely versatile. As the motor can exert quite an amount of pressurized air, you can use this air compressor for spray painting, stapling, wrenching, bolting, nailing, and other projects at ease.

You can move the air compressor around quite comfortably. The unit comes featured with large, durable wheels. The rubber-grip steel handle makes transporting the compressor easy.

It also comes along with 25 feet hose, which will offer you the convenience of reaching stuff that is farther from the compressor.

PROS

  • Operates at a minimal noise level
  • Comes packed with a powerful oil-free induction motor
  • Requires minimal maintenance
  • Comes with a long 25 feet air hose
  • Highly portable

CONS

  • Customer support is below average
  • The unit is prone to leaking

Sun Joe IONAIR-CT 40V 4.0-Ah Cordless 1.6-Gallon Air Compressor

Sun Joe IONAIR-CT 40V 4.0-Ah Cordless 1.6-Gallon Air Compressor

While you are out in a remote area and find yourself in a spot where all your tires have gone flat, you will be way out of luck if you do not have a portable air compressor.

Even with having a portable air compressor, if you get in a spot where you can not power it up, you will have to walk to the nearest repair shop.

To mitigate problems such as that, Sun Joe came up with this air compressor that is chord-less. By chordless, it means that the unit can be powered using an external battery.

This battery feature can come extremely useful if you can not find a power source to power up your compressor in such scenarios.

The air compressor comes with a powerful 40 volts brushless motor, which is extremely quiet. And the compressor can exert pressure up to 115 PSI, which is adequate for all types of compressed air works, which also includes tire inflating.

With the external battery, you will be able to use the compressor for quite a long time. The battery can make the unit operational for up to 65 mins, which is more than enough for inflating all the four tires. So, you will not have to worry about power anymore.

Also, the air compressor comes featured with proprietary Ecosharp technology. This innovative technology ensures the power not to fade and delivers consistent performance throughout the operation.

It also features a simple pressure measurer, which makes checking the air pressure of the tank, tools, and tires extremely easy and quick. You will be able to do multiple air pressure works with this. Household applications such as airbrushing, brad-nailing can be done with the accessories that come included.

PROS

  • Comes packed with a powerful brushless motor
  • Works with an external rechargeable battery
  • Extremely portable
  • Resistant to power fading and delivers consistent performance
  • Simple, quick and easy air pressure checker

CONS

  • The motor has to turn on frequently as the tank is quite small
  • The fast charger for the battery does not come included

Ryobi 18-Volt ONE+ Cordless 1 Gal. Portable Air Compressor

Ryobi 18-Volt ONE+ Cordless 1 Gal. Portable Air Compressor

Having an air compressor that can power up using an external battery is much more convenient than the ones that require cable power.

With them, you can achieve maximum portability. If they are light enough, you can even carry them around while you are working with them.

Just like every other air compressor that can feature a battery, this air compressor from Ryobi is not different in case of offering the same convenience.

But this compressor excels in the portability sector, which lacks in most other that are available in the market.

As the name suggests, the air compressor is an 18-volt unit. It is a cordless system and requires an external battery to power up. This external battery lets this air compressor achieve the highest portability with power.

With the powerful motor that comes packed in the unit, this cordless air compressor can deliver up to 120 PSI compressed air, which makes it suitable for inflating tires and all other compressed air works.

It comes featured with a professional locking mechanism, which will let you lock in the pressure at the amount that you prefer.

The tank features a one-forth turn tank drain valve for easy draining. This valve makes maintenance of the tank easy. You will not have to go through the hassles that come along while trying to drain the tank.

It comes featured with a metal-air hose wrap for convenient onboard storage. You will not have to worry about the hose dangling around while you are working with the air compressor.

Moreover, the air compressor has rubber over-mold on the handle for easy transporting. You will be able to carry it around while you are working with it without having to put too much strain on your fingers.

PROS

  • Cordless air compressor
  • Powerful motor exerts up to 120 PSI compressed air
  • Portable and easy to carry
  • Easy to maintain
  • Metal air hose wrap for convenient onboard storage

CONS

  • Battery and the charger does not come along the package
  • As the tank is comparatively small, you might have to run it continuously

Tuff Stuff Overland TS-150-CMP-XT Xtreme Portable High Volume Air Compressor

Tuff Stuff Overland TS-150-CMP-XT Xtreme Portable High Volume Air Compressor

Moving a little farther from battery powered cordless portable air compressors, you might prefer cable powered air compressors in specific scenarios. The cable powered ones can power up at any time with the correct power source. You do not have to worry about charging them up before heading out on a trip as well.

This portable air compressor from Tuff Stuff is one of the robust cable powered air compressor. And this compressor provides adequate performance and functionalities to meet all your air compressed works.

You got yourself a flat tire while you were venturing through the woods? Can not locate any repair shop around you? The tires are 35 inches or taller and require PSI above 50? You will not have to worry about a thing if you have this portable air compressor in your arsenal.

And this portable air compressor comes packed with a powerful motor that can exert airflow up to 5.65 CFM. The compressor is adequate to push air at starting pressure 150 PSI; the consistent working max pressure is 120 PSI. You will be able to do any compressed air related work with this at a breeze.

The air compressor is extremely compact and portable. You can put it at the corner of your trunk without having to worry about it taking too much space or putting too much load on your truck.

It comes featured with thermal heat protection. You will not have to worry about damaging the internals in case of prolonged use. The built-in cooling fans keep the internals chilled throughout the operation and makes the unit long-lasting.

Also, the air compressor comes with an anti-vibration rubber mounted sand tray that prevents dust and dirt from getting in. It can also be hard-mounted to a surface. The filters are also cleanable.

PROS

  • Comes with a powerful motor that can exert up to 5.65 CFM airflow
  • Compact and easy to carry
  • Comes featured with thermal heat protection
  • Built-in cooling fins to keep the internals cool
  • Cleanable filters and anti-vibration rubber mounted sand tray comes included

CONS

  • The gauge on the compressor feels cheap
  • The body gets extremely hot after prolonged use

Viair 00088 88P Portable Air Compressor

Viair 00088 88P Portable Air Compressor

Having an air compressor that is small and compact but has the capability of doing most of the compressed air works at ease is a blessing for every truck driver.

As inside the trunk of a truck, there remains a lot of things and accessories, jamming in a large air compressor is a big hassle.

Thankfully, this air compressor from Viair eliminates all the issues regarding storage and portability. This air compressor is both compact and powerful. You can cram this unit into one side of your trunk without having to worry about it taking too much space.

Even though the air compressor might seem small, it packs quite enough power. The motor inside is capable of exerting maximum pressure up 120 PSI and a maximum airflow of 1.47 CPI. You will be able to tackle any compressed air works at ease.

This 12-volt air compressor draws a maximum ampere of 20 amps and requires a power source such as a car battery to power up. With the included alligator clamps, you can easily power up the unit by connecting the cables to your car battery.

It comes along with a status led installed on the body through which you can easily monitor the state of the air compressor.

There is a pressure gauge also, which will let you watch the amount of pressure that the unit is exerting. You can dial up to the exact amount of compressed air pressure that you need for your workload.

The air compressor comes along with a 10 feet power cord and a 16 feet air cord with which you can easily reach to the farthest tire of your car. It also comes along with three different tips to match along with the work that you require.

PROS

  • Compact and lightweight
  • Extremely portable
  • Packs a tremendous amount of power
  • Comes with a long power cord and air hose
  • • Led status indicator and accurate pressure gauge

CONS

  • The unit gets extremely hot during prolonged use
  • Prone to leaking

Smittybilt 2781 5.65 CFM Universal Air Compressor

Smittybilt 2781 5.65 CFM Universal Air Compressor

Having a decent portable air compressor for inflating tires is excellent and all, but what if you wanted to get the most out of the product that you invested in? What if you want your air compressor to excel in other compressed air related tasks as well?

Smittybilt knows about your requirements, and they came out to offer this Universal air compressor to the crowd. The universal in the name serves its purpose quite well.

The air compressor comes packed with a powerful 12-volt motor. It can be powered up easily using the alligator clamps. You can plug the clamps up to your car battery without having to worry about any other power sources.

It can exert a substantial amount of compressed air, all thanks to the powerful motor that it comes packed with. It can output compressed air with pressure up to 150 PSI.

The maximum airflow that it can achieve is 2.5 CFM. You will be able to keep up with the requirement of all compressed air works with this compressor.

And the highlighting feature of this unit is that it has a larger storage tank than other compressors in the same footprint. It can run for a long 40 minutes at 40 PSI before it needs to recharge the entire tank again. Thus, you can do multiple works in just a single run.

Moreover, it comes featured with built-in automatic-thermal protection. This feature prevents the motor from inflicting any self-damage during prolonged operation. You can expect a long term service out of this compressor.

Furthermore, the air compressor comes along with a 24-foot quick-release air hose, tire inflation kit, power cables, and a nifty storage bag to keep all the things organized. It also includes an accurate pressure gauge for your convenience.

PROS

  • Prolonged duty cycle
  • 24-feet quick-release air hose
  • Easy to read accurate pressure gauge
  • Automatic-thermal protection
  • Larger tank despite having a smaller footprint

CONS

  • The unit is a little heavy
  • Is a little noisy during operations

VIAIR 300P Portable Compressor

VIAIR 300P Portable Compressor

It goes without any doubt that a portable air compressor is a necessity for Jeep owners. Choosing the right one for you in the market in this situation could have been very hard, but because of manufactures such as VIAIR, there are multiple reliable options from which you can choose one easily.

This compressor from VIAIR is another of the solid performers from them. It ticks all the factors that are required to make a portable air compressor worth recommending.

The air compressor packs a 12-volt magnetic motor that surely can output a superior performance. You will be able to inflate a full 33 inch sized tired at just 5 minutes at 30 PSI.

And it comes along with a motor that draws a maximum amp of just 28. You can easily power it up using the included cables that come with alligator jaws. You will not have to worry about putting too much stress in your car battery as it draws quite an insignificant amount of electricity.

Furthermore, the compressor can exert a maximum pressure of 150 PSI with a max duty cycle of 33% at 100 PSI. You can use the compressor continuously for 40 mins at 30 PSI without having to recharge the tank again.

Also, you can easily set the amount of pressure you require with the inline pressure gauge. It has five different settings through which you inflate and deflate a tire easily.

Moreover, it comes with an automatic thermal-protection, which turns the compressor off if it heats up too much. This feature ensures the internals to not inflicting self-damage. It has a 40 amps fuse as well.

Additionally, the package includes a handful of accessories and a soft carry case. The case makes the unit more portable and more comfortable to transport.

PROS

  • Comes with a multiple air compressor accessories
  • Portable and easy to carry
  • Automatic thermal-protection
  • Powerful magnetic motor
  • Inline configurable pressure gauge

CONS

  • Quality control is below average
  • The power cords are relatively short

Features to Look for before Buying

Just like every other consumer product, the market is flowing with a plethora of air compressors that are from different manufacturers. Each of them offers some benefits over the others. And each of them excels in one category that the competitor lacks.

To get the best portable air compressor for Jeep Wrangler among all the other options that are available in the market, you should keep some factors in your mind before you decide to head out in the market. These are:

Types portable air compressors

There are usually three types of portable air compressors that are available in the market for the crowd. These types are mainly dependent on the process of power source it requires to turn on.

12-Volt Plug

These are the ones that you can use while being on the road quickly. They come with cigarette lighter looking socket, and you can easily connect them to your car battery to power them on. You can only use them if you have a 12-volt outlet in your Jeep.

Cordless

Just like the name suggests, these type of air compressors does not come with any cable. They require an external battery or come along with a built-in lithium-ion battery.

And they are more portable than the others, but you have to factor in the battery charge every time you head out for a trip.

Direct Power

This type of air compressor comes along with alligator clamps. They can be connected to your Jeep’s battery to power them on. Even though they offer easy access, they can suck up power from the battery quite fast during prolonged use.

Build Quality

As a piece of equipment that you are going to use quite often and have to carry it around now and then, you will require a sturdy body that will last for a long time. Besides the body, you have to factor in the quality of the hose and power accessories as well.

Length of the Air Hose and Power Cord

In case of an air compressor that is not cordless, you have to scrutinize the length of the power cord. As if the power cord is short, you will have a hard time setting the compressor up for inflating your tires.

Besides the power cord, you have to factor in the length of the air hose as well. With a shorter air hose, you will face difficulties reaching the last deflated wheel of your Jeep.

Portability

Just like the name suggests, portable air compressors should give you hassles while you are trying to transport them from one place to another.

If the unit is too heavy and has a bigger footprint, you will face difficulties while packing them in your Jeep before you head out on a trip.

Max-Rated PSI

While most of the air compressors can easily output the pressure that is required to inflate tires, you might find some that are incapable of doing so. For that reason, you have to look closely at the rated PSI levels of the air compressors as well. You will be okay with compressors that can output a minimum of 80 PSI.

Pressure Gauge

When you are inflating your tires, you have to monitor the PSI level that the compressor is outputting, or else you can make your tire burst. That is why an accurate and easy-to-read pressure gauge is necessary in the case of air compressors.

Tank Size

If you require to inflate multiple set of tires at once quite often, you should invest in the air compressors that comes with a larger tank. With them, you can continuously inflate tires without having to wait for the tank to recharge again and again.

Noise Level

You would not want your ears to blow out when you are trying to inflate the tires of your Jeep. So, you have to factor in the operational noise level of the units as well. Look for the ones that are quiet and have adequate vibration insulation.

Accessories

What comes with the package is essential as well. If you opt for an air compressor that has the primary purpose of just spray painting and does not come along with a nozzle for inflating tires, it will be of no use for you.

Besides the different set of nozzles, some come along with easy to carry bags, which makes transporting them very easy. Some also include vibration-proof sand trays, which makes them much more insulated to vibration and noise.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here we have some of the most commonly asked queries regarding the best portable air compressors:

Which air compressors are louder in general?

Usually, the air compressors that are relatively large and heavy will be louder than the ones that are lighter and smaller. Because with heft, the amount of vibration also increases, which leads to more noise production.

Which air compressor will require less tank recharges?

Generally, the ones that have bigger tanks will require less recharge from time to time. With bigger capacity, you can use them for a long time without having to recharge them often.

What do PSI and CFM stand for?

PSI is the unit of pressure, and CFM is the unit of airflow. In the case of air compressors, PSI is the unit at which it can exert pressured air at the given CFM rate.

Does air compressors leak?

If the hose does not come with a proper seal, it might leak. That is why you should always check the quality of fittings and build quality before making a purchase.

Can I upgrade the max PSI of my air compressor?

It is not possible to upgrade the max PSI of your compressor because the motor that comes along each compressor is proprietary to the unit. That is why you should only buy the air compressors that can fulfill the amount of PSI that your workload requires.

Final Words

Each day, more and more options for air compressors are getting into the market. We hope that we have narrowed it all down to a certain amount so that you can select the best portable air compressor for Jeep easily.

And we would like to end it here by wishing you good luck and hoping that all your tires remain inflated throughout all your trips.