A moment of confession - when I heard about the following product for review, I immediately thought that it was just another unnecessary item that would take up space at home. The wheel has already been invented, and we also know how to inflate wheels, what else can be invented in this place? Electric air compressor Xiaomi Air Compressor 2 was greeted with such distrustful thoughts, which after the first moments of use reminded me of the saying - don't judge a book by its cover. 

What's in the box?

Typical of all Xiaomi products, the product packaging is simple but well thought out. The box in which the Xiaomi Air Compressor 2 arrived is small, but everything is packed safely, so if it were dropped during shipping, the products inside would probably remain intact.

Inside the box you will find the compressor itself, a nozzle for car and bicycle connector types, a needle for blowing up the balls, and a fabric basket to store the compressor and its accessories.

First impressions

The compressor itself surprised with its considerable weight, which reaches almost half a kilogram. The build quality, as usual for Xiaomi products, is impeccable. The body is made of hard plastic, nothing wobbles or scratches in it.

It has a spotlight on top and a compressor air hose, the end of which is pulled out to start the compressor. The length of this hose is about 19 cm (using the length was quite enough). A screen and several physical buttons for controlling the compressor are installed on the front of the compressor. At the bottom there is a USB C connector for charging.

Let's compare it with the Xiaomi Air Compressor 1S compressor, which is a little narrower and has a shorter (16cm) hose, but visually it is very similar to the Xiaomi Air Compressor 2. The 1s package does not include a quick-connect car nozzle.

Operation and air blowing speed

Both Xiaomi compressors (2 and 1S) work on the same principle - they turn on as soon as the hose nozzle is removed from the housing. Using the buttons, you can turn on the spotlight, navigate the menu and change the pressure settings. As soon as it is turned on, the initial pressure setting is fully selectable PSI.

As you navigate through the menu, you will find several presets with pre-set recommended or commonly used pressures. Among them, you will find bike, motorcycle, car, scooter and ball settings. These are only recommended pressures that you can adjust as needed. There are 2 measurements of pressures used - PSI and BAR.

Test results

I performed tests with both the 1S and 2 Xiaomi compressors, and here are the average times for the results:

The 2nd version of the Xiaomi air compressor is faster in all cases, and the included quick-connect car nozzle connector works just fine. It is very easy to connect and disconnect, and due to the speed of disconnection, very little air is lost in the tire.

On a single charge, you can expect about 20 minutes of operation (air blowing), which seems really solid. Charge the battery of both versions from 0 to 100 percent. it takes 2 to 3 hours and the compressor will not be able to be used during charging.

What we didn't like?

Perhaps the only and biggest disadvantage of these compressors is their weight. Although half a kilogram is relatively not much, when traveling longer distances or already with luggage, it becomes noticeable. Another, perhaps more minor thing, is that you cannot save your selections, e.g. that after selecting the scooter's "preset" - the pressure would automatically be set to 55PSI.

Verdict

Although I was against rechargeable air compressors, my opinion changed after the first inflated tire. Yes, the foot pump that I inherited more than 15 years ago works perfectly and reliably, but to inflate the scooter tire you have to tap it. With Xiaomi it is much simpler - a few clicks, the compressor in the backpack and we go on a trip.