SKS Airkompressor Compact 10.0

The SKS Airkompressor Compact 10.0 is the German company's entry-level floor pump that delivers straightforward performance at a very accessible price. You can inflate tyres up to a maximum of 145psi using three different valve attachments. It's easy to use, fills tyres at a reasonable rate and provides analogue readings, though the gauge display is quite small. At this price, however, it's still a decent option.

The pump has a metal shaft but much of the rest of it is made of plastic that doesn't feel particularly high spec – which is to be expected on a pump that costs just £38.

In spite of this, the performance it delivers is largely good. Other pumps I own with plastic valve heads have lasted well, but it does feel less sturdy and smart than those that are at least partially constructed of metal. I found it easy to get tyres up to a high pressure thanks in part to the pump's 60cm height. The more air in the chamber, the quicker the tyre will pump – so this speeds things up for sure.

This compares well with the Cannondale Precise Pump that we liked and is pretty tall at 54.5cm. The stated maximum pressure of the pump is 145psi and I was able to easily reach 120psi – though I didn't go any further as there are no circumstances when I would ever need to go that high. If you're an Olympic track sprinter perhaps...

The handle is plenty wide enough either side for my hands to get good purchase. The plastic is largely smooth with four contoured sections added to provide additional grip. This is helpful, as there would otherwise be no traction on its surface. The material is totally rigid and doesn't have any give, but I didn't find my hands in particular discomfort when pumping a tyre from flat to full. 

SKS has put the pressure gauge on the floor next to the footrests. This isn't a problem in itself, but by making the gauge small (coupled with the pump's tall height), it does make it hard to keep track of progress with any specificity. It's barely wider than the diameter of the shaft, which just won't be big enough for many. I'm lucky enough to have pretty good vision and even I was taking guesses at what was happening down there.

I used the pump on a few different systems and encountered no problems. Tubed road bikes and unseated tubeless gravel tyres were both no problem, seating the tyre quickly with a few big efforts. Sometimes the dial needle on pump wobbles all over the place before deciding what the exact pressure actually is, but there was a satisfying gradual glide to the Airkompressor.

There is an auto-select head with two different openings so you don't need to make any hardware changes to inflate different valve types. It uses a clip-down valve head system – you clip out the orange valve head so that it's perpendicular to the hose, attach it to your tube's valve, and to engage it you clip it down so it's parallel to the hose.

To me this is counter-intuitive from what I've always known. This is perhaps just my own historical bias, but flipping the clip from parallel to perpendicular seemed to present fewer issues with bending tube valves and generally creating a secure bond. Also, you store the pump with the valve clicked in, which means unclicking it to use it, and then clicking it again to lock it: an additional and unnecessary step. Others might think differently but this took me some time to get used to.

The footrests measure 27cm across, which is okay, but it's still very easy to knock the pump over, unlike pumps with wider, metal bases that weigh slightly more. The lighter a floor pump is the more flimsy and breakable it feels.

Value

For £38 I think this is money pretty well spent. There are no bells and whistles, but the ergonomics are pretty good and I wouldn't expect a super heavy, metal pump with a solid, stable base for this kind of money. The base works pretty well as it is.

Sam reviewed the Truflo Easitrax 4 Floor Pump, which now costs £29.99. The metal base actually caused a few slip issues when wet and he didn't love the handle, but the spec is largely the same and overall he enjoyed using it.

Go a bit more upmarket and we rated the £55 Cannondale Precise Floor Pump. The gauge is very easy to read and comes with more gradations to help with nailing accurate lower tyre pressures. He was also impressed with the build quality and the foot stand.

For more choices check out our best track pump buyer's guide, or our best bike pumps buyer's guide for our favourite inflators of all sorts.

Conclusion

This SKS a no-frills floor pump that doesn't offer any extras but does the basics pretty reliably. It doesn't feel fancy or professional in any way, but unless you need to get your tyres up to over 145psi – and let's face it, that's not many of us – it will have your needs pretty well covered.

Verdict

Very reasonably priced floor pump that covers the basics