PORTABLE COMPRESSORS

I can't comment from experience, but when it comes time to spend my money I'll be getting an Endless Air for $350. It's a modified air conditioning compressor that runs off your engine via a belt. Most electric air compressors need the engine to be running to provide sufficient current, so why bother with electric at all.
They claim that it can inflate a 4WD tyre in 55 seconds.

Sally,
I purchased an ARB compressor. I was tempted to buy a cheaper unit until a friend with a $100 special was let down first time out.

I think either 4X4 Australia ot Australian 4WD monthly did a comparison of compressors in the last few months. See if you can get a copy of it.

Sally, the Endles air compressors are very good & quick if you have the room under the bonnet, they they are a modified airconditioning compressor& come complete with all the gear for the installation.
If you are or know someone who is mechanically minded, you can pick up an old aircon compressor from the wreckers or automotive airconditioning place at very minimal cost (mine i got for free), then strip it down & block the oil gallery line from the head to the crankcase, tap a grease nipple into the crankcase, reassemble & fill the crankcase full of high temp bearing grease.
The suction side of the compressor runs from the air cleaner & the pressure side is your outlet, a mate of mine has one of these home made units fitted to his GQ patrol for about 5 years now, he's constantly up the beach & deflating & re-inflating his tyres & it's never let him down.

Hi Sally
I have used an ARB compressor mounted under the Pajero's bonnet for 3 years now. It is great, reliable, light weight (especially when compared with the A/C type units and all their belts) and doesn't draw too much from the battery. If you are short on space and don't want the extra complication of additional drive belts get the ARB. You can also fit an air locker to run from the ARB. I do have a dual batttery setup for running the trailer and 2 fridges but the ARB's draw is minimal so I don't keep the engine running.

Sally, we are about to publish our choice of Air Compressor in the next update of our Vehicle Setup Feature. We looked at Endless Air, that others have mentioned to you already because it is a very good concept. The idea's been around for a while but they have had trouble marketing it because of the complexity in providing mounting brackets to suit the range of 4WD vehicles and overcoming how to access other belts in your car if they need replacing outbush. You can read a very trumped-up report in 4WD Monthly, but we give the "warts and all reports" and unfortunately, from first hand experience, we can report nothing about its performance because after 5 weeks of ordering it, the brackets never arrived and the company who make it (who are the only distributers) never returned our calls). The whole thing turned into a nightmare and our recommendation to anyone looking at this product for off the shelf use is that it is still not ready for market release due to the fact that they can't give you the whole kit to simply install it. The compressor itself is about $350 but by the time you actually get it installed it will have cost $1000 and for that, its just not worth it - give the Endless Air the flick!@.. So, which one have we chosen? keep an eye on the feature over the next few days for the update.

Sally if it is of any help I run a blue tonge III
purchased from Opposite Lock,Im very Happy with the unit,maybe is not the fastest unit in the market but is allways a good excuse to have a cuppa while u pump the tyres,Thomas pumps are the manufactures of this pumps and they have a very wide knowledge and a very big market in the USA
I hope this may reduce the confussion
Cheers
Joe

Sally, we've been using the ARB under bonnet unit for two years on a regular basis with no problems - fitted by ARB (cheerful bunch of guys) with an attractive internal on/off switch mounted where you want it that illiminates with your dash lights - tricky eh! - give ARB a go