Gobege 12V Portable Air Compressor – Review & Overview

A Budget-Friendly 12V Portable Air Compressor From Gobege – Review & Product Overview

Portable air is both a luxury and a pure necessity. Whether you’re ascending Hell’s Revenge in Moab or traversing the curbs in your local Target parking lot, having the ability to air up wherever you are can make or break a day out.

In my previous 5th Gen build, I had the luxury of an ARB twin compressor. While it was super convenient to have the compressor tucked under the hood, wired and ready to go, and out of sight, I’m not sure I could ever justify the cost at the end of the day. For a fraction of the cost, there are plenty of other options out there that can offer air on-the-go.

However, one of the more affordable options I’ve stumbled upon recently was the Gobege 12V Portable Air Compressor. Not only did it resemble its more expensive competitors, but it was stout and straight to the point.

Find it Online

• Gobege 12V Portable Air Compressor: Check Price

Key Features

The Gobege compressor is a no-frills, straight-to-the-point compressor that offers exactly what you need.

• 5.65 CFM (Cubic Feet Per Minute): The unit offers a 5.65 CFM. CFM refers to the flow of air emitted by the compressor (per minute). 5.65 is comparable to both the Smittybilt 2781 and the VIAIR 400P.
• 150 PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch): Max working pressure of 150 PSI.
• “Duty Cycle” Time: For most 4Runner owners with larger tires, this is important. The Gobege can run continuously for 40-minutes at 40 PSI before it needs to be cooled down. None of us should need to air up that long, but most portable compressors need to cool after 30-minutes. The bigger the tire, the longer the fill-up time, and if you have friends who don’t have onboard air, you may be running your unit for a while.

What’s Included?

The unit itself is essentially self-contained, but it’s worth calling out what’s included:

• 12V air compressor
• 8′ power cord with built-in battery clamps
• 26′ rubber air hose (perfect length if you’re filling rear tires or a nearby rig)
• “Quick Connector”
• Different nozzle adapters
• Carrying bag to keep everything together

How Does it Work?

The Gobege compressor is not all that different than other portable air systems. Some can connect to your auxiliary power outlet (i.e., the “cigarette adapter”), whereas the Gogebe connects directly to the positive and negative terminals of your 4Runner’s battery.

Step 1. Connect Built-In Battery Clamps

Connect the corresponding battery clamps to the positive and negative sides of your 4Runner’s battery. Be sure to connect the positive (red) side before you connect to the negative (black) side.

Step 2. “Quick Connect” To Valve Stem

Once the compressor is connected to the battery, connect the “Quick Connect” to the valve stem.

Step 3. Fire It Up

It’s really as simple as that. Flip the red power button to the on position and monitor for your desired PSI.

Final Thoughts

I’ve been wildly impressed with this little machine. It dissipates heat quickly, and the air-up times are surprisingly fast. Once your car is powered on, and the compressor is connected to the battery, it’s ready to go.

From start to finish on an OEM 265/70R17 tire, the PSI on my 4Runner went from 12 PSI to 32 PSI in roughly 58 seconds.

With a MORRFlate V2, it would make the process much easier than going from tire to tire. However, you can’t complain about minor inconveniences like that if you’re stuck on the road without air. It’s better to have and not need than to need and not have!