RAVPower Jump Starter With Air Compressor Review: A Must

Jun 15, 2023

A multipurpose roadside emergency device you *really* shouldn't leave home without!

There are essential tools that every driver, whether new or adept, should have. I consider the RAVPower 11200mAh Jump Starter with Air Compressor to be among them. Versatility is key with this relatively bulky unit, which satisfies four important purposes no driver should be without.

The concept of an all-in-one device can be marred by poor performance, cheap construction, and at least one feature that doesn't perform well. That's not the case at all when it comes to RAVPower's Jump Starter with Air Compressor kit. In fact, its name doesn't even paint the full picture of what this surprisingly powerful device can do. Along with serving as an emergency jumpstart and air compressor, the unit can also charge mobile devices and serve as an emergency LED light. If there is anything to gripe about, it's the RAVPower's weight. For all it does, there's a lot working on the inside that makes this a little too heavy to be considered fully portable. You're not likely to need to carry it around with you, but if that were ever the case, its added heft is noticeable.

While I haven't been in an emergency situation that required the RAVPower yet, I did test all of its components on two full charges. That alone may be the shining feature of this helpful device, considering I only had to charge it once to complete a full range of tasks.

The RAVPower Jump Starter with Air Compressor is, first and foremost, an emergency kit to store in your car. It replaces the awkwardness of finding someone to jump your battery when the world's already treating you poorly. I didn't expect a portable jump starter to work as well as this one does. The clamps are attached to an indicator that lets you know whether they're properly attached or not. I did run into some difficulty because the wire is so short; even just an extra inch of cabling would have been helpful.

The RAVPower jump starter only works with 12V vehicles.

The device does need to be charged to 50% or more for the jump to work. Per the manual that came with the RAVPower, attempting to jump at a lower percentage could damage the unit. Needless to say, I didn't test this theory. This requirement may sound problematic, considering your battery will dip over time and drain somewhat quickly when charging mobile devices. However, the 11200mAh battery capacity can go a long way, and I was able to perform many tasks before it even crossed that 50% threshold.

When I received the RAVPower, like any other device with a lithium battery, it was only partially charged. It took maybe two hours of charging on the USB-C charger before the battery was fully charged. At that point, I started tinkering with each feature, first by charging my completely dead iPhone.

For a full charge, it took the RAVPower only 2 hours and 10 minutes. When my phone hit 100%, the RAVPower was down to 61%. This is where you may need to be mindful of how much battery life you use.

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Assuming you're using this device as an emergency tool and not strictly a portable phone charger (which there are better options for), you don't want to blow most of your battery charging mobile devices if you may need a good portion of it to jump your car or fill your tires.

Surprisingly, that remaining 61% did go pretty far. I was still able to inflate two bicycle tires from 5 PSI to 20 PSI without going below 57%. Car tires are a little more demanding, but if you're not worried about having to jump-start your car, then you could easily fill all four tires, charge two mobile devices, and still have a bit of a charge left over for the included LED emergency light.

As I really pushed the jump starter and air compressor, I realized that there are quite a few uses that make this a wonderful household device. The air compressor is strong enough to inflate a car tire but not so strong that it will burst a pool float or basketball. The RAVPower actually comes with attachments for the compressor nozzle so that you can inflate air mattresses and sports balls.

Unfortunately, the compressor has a minor pitfall. Even after a few minutes of running, the included tube heats up and can burn you on contact. It's easy to avoid, as long as you remember, but I can't think of another compressor hose I've had that was so hot after use.

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Of course, for its one issue, the RAVPower's air compressor makes up for it with preset pressure settings for cars, motorcycles, and bicycles. You can also easily increase or decrease the required PSI. Regardless of whether you're using a preset pressure or a custom number, the air compressor automatically shuts off to prevent overfilling.

That's also just one of several safety features, too. The unit dissipates heat through four vents and features automatic shut-off functions to prevent over-charging, short-circuiting, overheating, over-voltage, and more.

The RAVPower Jump Starter with Air Compressor is one of those devices that's easy to recommend to just about everyone. It does what it's meant to, and to a high standard. While the jump starter is invaluable, I think most will use the compressor more. There are just more instances that would call for an air compressor.

The two USB-A charging ports are sure to get the most use. The RAVPower charges mobile devices relatively quickly, so you don't have to be without your phone for long. Unfortunately, the unit only comes with a USB-A to USB-C charging cable (for the kit itself), so you'll need to provide your own cord to utilize the charger.

I wish the overall build was lighter so it could be even more portable. It does come with its own zipper hard case, but it doesn't make it much easier to carry. It's really just to keep all the components together.

It's difficult not to recommend the RAVPower Jump Starter with Air Compressor. With only minor faults, which primarily include a hot compressor tube, the unit is something everyone should have on hand. Its convenience, benefits, and safety features more than justify its $129.99 price tag.