Best Inflatable SUP Electric Pumps | 2021

While most paddle boards these days come with a good manual hand pump, the best inflatable SUP electric pumps are an absolute game-changer in terms of overall convenience. If the thought of automatically inflating your iSUP in 10 minutes or less sounds a whole lot better than the intense 5-10 minute pre-paddle workout involved with manual inflation, keep reading…

It’s no secret that inflatable SUPs are the best choice for anyone who is looking for the ultimate in extreme portability and convenience. Unfortunately, that portability does come with a tradeoff — namely, having to deal with the hassles of inflation. For this reason, we’re huge fans of inflatable SUP electric pumps and believe they’re one of the best investments that any iSUP owner can make.

While it’s true that an electric air pump is in no way an absolutely necessary accessory, it’s a luxury that you’ll never want to be without once you’ve owned one. Electric SUP pumps allow you to push a button, walk away, and return a few minutes later to a fully inflated paddle board. Furthermore, auto-shutoff technology makes them extremely safe to use and you’ll conserve a lot of otherwise wasted energy for your time on the water.

In this buyer’s guide, we’re going to list the best electric paddle board pumps for 2020 and give you a complete breakdown of the pros and cons of each model, timed inflation performance to both 15 psi and 20 psi, included accessories, warranty coverage, and more.

2021 Best Electric Paddle Board Pumps Compared

Our Favorite iSUP Pumps Reviewed

iROCKER 12v Electric Pump 

The new top electric pump on our list for 2021 is the iROCKER 12v electric pump. It is essentially a slightly updated version of the Seamax SUP20D that featured on our list last year but at an even better price, making it the best value electric iSUP pump for most buyers.

In addition, iROCKER’s broad international distribution may make it easier to find for our readers in Canada, Europe, and Australia. Since the two pumps are very similar, we continue to recommend the Seamax pump as an alternative if you are unable to get your hands on the iROCKER pump. We’ve noted the few differences below.

One of the faster pumps on our list (bested only by the much more expensive Scoprega), the iROCKER 12v electric pump has worked very reliably for us under heavy use. In testing, the pump came in at a respectable 9 minutes and 34 seconds (15 psi) and 14 minutes (20 psi) and overall loudness was in line with the other pumps at 90 dB to 99 dB. For inflation testing, we used NIXY’s Newport iSUP — a board that measures 10’6″ x 32″ x 6″ with a total volume of 300 liters.

The iROCKER pump features a nice digital display instead of an adjustable dial and traditional pressure gauge found on most other electric pumps. We really like the digital readout as it is extremely easy to set a precise inflation pressure and to get an exact readout of how much air is in your board as it’s being pumped up. We have also found it to be the most accurate in inflating to the pressure for which it was set. It will automatically shut off once it has hit the target pressure — an important safety feature.

Included with the iROCKER 12v electric pump is a high-quality inflation hose, cigarette lighter adaptor, and alligator clips (for connecting to your car’s battery). Missing from the bundle is a travel bag, although we didn’t find this too inconvenient as the built in handled makes it relatively easy to carry around. It also includes a 1-year warranty, which is typical of most electric pumps.

In terms of pro’s, the iROCKER 12v electric pump checks a lot of boxes — it’s fast, affordable, and accurate. We really also like that it also allows you to easily deflate a SUP. We found it pulled a better vacuum than the other pumps, getting every last bit of air our of our test board and making it easy to then roll up.

If we had to find issue with it, it would be nice if they added a carry bag option. And it doesn’t have an internal battery — if you’re looking for a pump that will work without connecting it to a vehicle, your only option on this list is the Scoprega Bravo GE 2.

Who is the iROCKER 12v electric pump best for?

This is a great option for just about anyone looking for an electric pump for their inflatable SUP as long as you have access to a vehicle for power. It cannot be plugged into an AC outlet (nor can any of the other pumps on this list) and it does not have an internal battery (see the Scoprega if you need that).

Alternative: Seamax SUP20D

The Seamax SUP20D was on our recommended electric pumps list for 2019 and is very similar to the iROCKER 12v electric pump. If, for whatever reason, you are not able to get your hands on the iROCKER pump, we can still recommend the Seamax SUP20D as an alternative.
You should know that the Seamax does not include alligator clips like the iROCKER. On the plus side, it features a longer 2-year warranty.

Scoprega Bravo GE 2

Last updated in 2019, Scoprega’s Bravo GE 2 is a beast of an electric paddle board pump. Weighing approximately three times as much as the other pumps on our list, this iSUP pump features a built-in battery and delivered the best inflation speed of any pump we’ve tested to date.

The newest version of this pump has a larger dual motor for faster and more efficient inflation, and it comes with a really nice bundle of accessories. Included with the GE 2 is an extremely nice carrying bag, inflation hose, adapters, wall charger, alligator clips, cigarette lighter adapter, and spare fuse. Also, the Bravo GE 2 comes with a 1-year warranty which covers manufacturer defects.

When compared to the other pumps in this buyer’s guide, the Bravo GE 2 is unique in that it contains a built-in 12V battery. This gives you an incredible amount of versatility as you can literally inflate your board anywhere without having to connect it to your vehicle’s cigarette lighter or battery. Of course, you also have the option of bypassing the pump’s internal power source by connecting it to your car’s cigarette lighter or battery with the included alligator clips.

In terms of head to head performance with the other pumps in our list, Scoprega’s Bravo GE 2 led the pack with inflation times of 7 minutes and 52 seconds (15 psi) and 10 minutes and 53 seconds (20 psi). For inflation testing, we used NIXY’s Newport iSUP — a board that measures 10’6″ x 32″ x 6″ with a total volume of 300 liters.

In addition to our timed inflation tests to both 15 psi and 20 psi, we also recorded the total noise output of each pump. To our surprise, despite the fact that this Bravo SUP pump is larger and more powerful than the other pumps on this list, it produced very similar results in terms of loudness (89 dB to 94 dB).

Obviously, the major advantages of Scoprega’s Bravo GE 2 pump are the fact that it delivers faster inflation times and is more convenient, giving you the opportunity to pump up your inflatable SUP on the beach, next to a lake or river, and anywhere else you can imagine.

As far as cons go, this pump is quite a bit more expensive than our other recommend pumps and as mentioned, it’s approximately three times as heavy. We feel that the higher price tag is justified if you need an entirely self-contained pump. In most cases, the added weight isn’t really a big deal and we’d gladly accept that tradeoff for the extra convenience afforded by the pump’s built-in battery.

Last but not least, we feel the pump’s inflation hose could be improved a bit as it began to leak a small amount of air when pushed to 20 psi. Obviously, for most boards that recommend a 15 psi limit so this won’t be an issue, but there are an increasing number of high performance boards that allow a max of 20 psi or even greater. So you should keep that in mind if higher pressures are a priority.

Who is the Scoprega Bravo GE 2 best for?

If you can afford the premium price tag and want the absolute best in terms of convenience, versatility, and performance, Scoprega’s Bravo GE 2 high-pressure pump is the one to get. To learn more about this pump, be sure to read our in-depth Scoprega Bravo GE 2 review.

NIXY 12V DC Electric iSUP Pump

NIXY’s 12V DC iSUP pump is super easy to use and very convenient to travel with thanks to the included carry bag.

NIXY covers their pump with a 1-year warranty and in addition to the handy carrying bag, the pump includes a flexible inflation hose, cigarette lighter adapter, alligator clips, and four rubber replacement feet.

This pump has performed well for us to date and we really love the added convenience offered by the included carrying bag. The pump is lightweight at only 3.5 pounds and extremely easy to operate.

As far as performance goes, this pump has shown excellent reliability but delivered the slowest inflation times of the pumps on our list. In timed inflation tests, NIXY’s pump came in at 10 minutes and 53 seconds (15 psi) and 14 minutes and 13 seconds (20 psi). In terms of loudness, the pump produced output of 90 dB to 95 dB.

This is a lightweight and extremely easy to use 12V air pump that is convenient to carry along with you and can be powered directly through your vehicle’s cigarette lighter socket. Having the added ability of connecting the pump to your car battery with the included alligator clips is nice and the flexible inflation hose has been rock solid thus far.

As far as cons go, the lack of a built-in battery means you’re limited to using your vehicle as a power source and the slower fill rate means you’ll have to wait just a bit longer for your boards to be inflated.

Who is NIXY’s 12V iSUP pump best for?

For those who want a reliable inflatable paddle board pump without the high price tag of Scoprega’s GE 2, the NIXY 12V DC pump is an excellent option. While inflation speeds are significantly slower than the GE 2 and it lacks the versatility of having a built-in power source, it does come with a travel bag which is super convenient. Be sure to check out our NIXY 12V DC pump review for more details on this model.

THURSO SURF Electric Paddle Board Pump

The fourth electric iSUP pump on our recommended list for 2020 is the THURSO SURF electric SUP pump. This pump was released in March of 2019 so it wasn’t available at the time we initially put our buyer’s guide together (that’s also why it isn’t included in our video overview).

The lightest and most compact electric iSUP pump on our list, THURSO’s new pump is a nice option for minimalists or travelers who want the convenience of automatic SUP inflation without the added weight and size of other models. This pump weighs in at only 2.6 pounds and will easily fit into your gear bag without adding much in terms of additional weight or bulk.

THURSO’s pump doesn’t come with a carrying bag or assortment of accessories — in the box is the pump (which features an attached cigarette lighter adapter plug) and a flexible inflation hose. Operation is also very straightforward, with four push-button controls on the top and an easy-to-read digital LCD display which gives you a precise readout of your board’s inflation volume.

On the bottom of the pump are four rubber suction cup feet which we don’t find particularly useful other than serving as shock absorbers. Also, due to the incredibly compact size of this pump, it doesn’t stand upright well during the inflation process so we recommend setting it next to one of your vehicle’s tires…

As far as performance goes, this smaller pump does deliver slower inflation times than the other pumps on our list (which is to be expected). The pump inflated our test board to 15 PSI in 11 minutes and 21 seconds. A 20 PSI inflation test was not possible with this pump due to the fact that it has a maximum capacity of 16 PSI and overall loudness was comparable with the others, ranging from 92 to 93 dB.

Lastly, THURSO SURF covers this pump with a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty. The company is well-known for their outstanding customer support, so rest assured, if you ever have an issue and need to take advantage of the warranty, you’ll be very well taken care of.

While this is a great little pump that offers a lot in terms of portability, there are a few negatives. First, the lack of alligator clips means you’ll have to rely on your vehicle’s cigarette lighter adapter, giving you fewer options when it comes to powering the pump. Secondly, the fact that THURSO’s pump is only rated to 16 PSI eliminates it as a potential option for paddlers who need to inflate to higher pressures. The third downside is the pump’s lack of stability while in operation — not a big deal if you set it next to a tire as we recommended, but it’s worth mentioning.

Who is THURSO’s electric paddle board pump best for?

If you’re looking for the lightest, most compact electric iSUP pump to bring along on your adventures and don’t mind the fact that it only inflates to 16 PSI, THURSO’s new pump is worth considering. While it does take slightly longer to inflate boards with this pump, we the convenient form factor and the packability can’t be beat.

Electric SUP Pump Video Overview

NOTE: Since this video was created in 2019, we’ve added the iROCKER and Thurso electric pumps to our recommended list. See our written review below for more details.