Safe
2
Best Power Stations for Pancake Air Compressor
We tested 33 portable power stations against the Pancake Air Compressor (6-Gallon) (1620W running / 8343W surge). 3 passed our True Surge protocol — 9% compatibility rate.
Tight
1
With Soft-Starter
8
Incompatible
22
○ Device source: Engineering Est.
Derived from variant list (max of variants). Running worst case = Metabo HPT EC914S (1620W). Surge worst case = Metabo HPT EC914S (8343W). Surge ratio 5.15x derived from CRAFTSMAN CMEC6150 OEM-published start/run watts (6800W/1320W).
Our Top Picks
2 compatible models rankedRanked by value, balance, and endurance from 2 compatible generators.
Best Overall Safe
Delta Pro Ultra X
Running 12,000W
Surge 24,000W
Capacity 6,144 Wh
Weight 187.4 lbs (85.0 kg)
Carry Two-person recommended
Runtime 2.7h
Best Budget & Runtime Safe
Delta Pro Ultra
Running 6,000W
Surge 12,000W
Capacity 6,144 Wh
Weight 182.1 lbs (82.6 kg)
Carry Two-person recommended
Runtime 2.7h
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Our methodology
Runtime at a glance
How long each station runs a Pancake Air Compressor on a single charge (after 0.70 real-world derate)
Delta Pro Ultra X 6,144 Wh 2.7h
Delta Pro Ultra 6,144 Wh 2.7h
DELTA Pro 3 4,096 Wh 1.8h *
Anker SOLIX F3800 3,840 Wh 1.7h
Yeti Pro 4000 3,993.6 Wh 1.7h *
Delta Pro 3,600 Wh 1.6h *
Pecron E3600LFP 3,072 Wh 1.3h *
Explorer 3000 Pro 3,024 Wh 1.3h *
Safe
Tight margin
With soft-starter
Showing top 8 by runtime. See full table below for all 11 stations (3 pass, 8 with soft-starter).
* Requires a soft-start device installed. Without one, these stations cannot handle the startup surge.
What to Know About the Pancake Air Compressor (6-Gallon)
Power Profile
Running range: 1200W to 1620W depending on motor size (0.8-1.3 HP). Surge range: 6180W to 8343W — pancake compressors surge at approximately 5x running watts due to compressed air resistance on restart. Voltage: 120V AC for all models.
Real-World Usage
Compressors cycle between cut-in and cut-out pressure, creating repeated surge events during use. Daily energy consumption at 1 hour use ranges from 600 to 1215 Wh depending on model and duty cycle. Recommended duty cycle is 50-75% (30-45 minutes per hour max).
Pro Tip
Compressor startup surge is the primary compatibility bottleneck — not running watts. A power station rated at 2000W continuous but only 3000W surge will fail to start any compressor in this set. OEM data shows pancake compressors surge at over 5x running, far exceeding the 3x often assumed for motor loads.
Full Compatibility Matrix
All 33 generators tested against the Pancake Air Compressor (6-Gallon) (1620W / 8343W).
| Power Station | Running W | Surge W | Capacity | Weight | Verdict | Runtime | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Pro Ultra X | 12,000 | 24,000 | 6,144 Wh | 187.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 2.7h | View |
| Delta Pro Ultra | 6,000 | 12,000 | 6,144 Wh | 182.1 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 2.7h | View |
| Anker SOLIX F3800 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 3,840 Wh | 132.3 lbs Two-person recommended | Tight | 1.7h | View |
| DELTA Pro 3 | 4,000 | 8,000 | 4,096 Wh | 113.5 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 1.8h * | View |
| Yeti Pro 4000 | 3,600 | 7,200 | 3,993.6 Wh | 115.7 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 1.7h * | View |
| Delta Pro | 3,600 | 7,200 | 3,600 Wh | 99.2 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 1.6h * | View |
| Pecron E3600LFP | 3,600 | 7,000 | 3,072 Wh | 79.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 1.3h * | View |
| Explorer 3000 Pro | 3,000 | 6,000 | 3,024 Wh | 63.9 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 1.3h * | View |
| AC200MAX | 2,200 | 4,800 | 2,048 Wh | 61.9 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 0.9h * | View |
| DELTA 2 Max | 2,400 | 4,800 | 2,048 Wh | 50.7 lbs Heavy carry | Soft Start | 0.9h * | View |
| Explorer 2000 Plus | 3,000 | 6,000 | 2,042 Wh | 61.5 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 0.9h * | View |
| Zendure SuperBase V4600 | 3,800 | 3,800 | 4,608 Wh | 121.3 lbs Two-person recommended | Fail | N/A | View |
| Elite 200 V2 | 2,600 | 3,600 | 2,073 Wh | 53.4 lbs Heavy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| AC200L | 2,400 | 3,600 | 2,048 Wh | 62.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Fail | N/A | View |
| Explorer 2000 v2 | 2,200 | 4,400 | 2,042 Wh | 39.5 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| Yeti 1500X | 2,000 | 3,500 | 1,516 Wh | 45.6 lbs Heavy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| DELTA (Gen 1) | 1,800 | 3,300 | 1,260 Wh | 30.9 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| AC180 | 1,800 | 2,700 | 1,152 Wh | 36.2 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| Explorer 1000 v2 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 1,070 Wh | 23.8 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| SOLIX C1000 | 1,800 | 2,400 | 1,056 Wh | 28.4 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| DELTA 2 | 1,800 | 2,700 | 1,024 Wh | 26.5 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| DELTA 3 Plus | 1,800 | 3,600 | 1,024 Wh | 27.6 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| VTOMAN Jump 1500X | 1,500 | 3,000 | 828 Wh | 36.2 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| SOLIX C800 Plus | 1,200 | 1,600 | 768 Wh | 24.0 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| AC70 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 768 Wh | 22.5 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 2 Pro | 800 | 1,600 | 768 Wh | 18.3 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| Explorer 500 | 500 | 1,000 | 518.4 Wh | 13.2 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 2 Max | 500 | 1,000 | 512 Wh | 13.4 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| SOLIX C300 | 300 | 300 | 288 Wh | 9.0 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| Explorer 300 Plus | 300 | 600 | 288 Wh | 8.4 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| EB3A | 600 | 1,200 | 268.8 Wh | 10.1 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 2 | 300 | 600 | 256 Wh | 7.7 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 3 | 300 | 600 | 245 Wh | 7.7 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
* Runtime with soft-starter installed. Without a soft-starter, these units cannot handle the startup surge.
Why 67% of Power Stations Fail
22 of 33 generators tested cannot safely run this device. Here's why.
Startup surge too high
The Pancake Air Compressor (6-Gallon) draws 8,343W at startup, 5.2× its running watts. Most portable power stations can't handle this inrush.
What to consider instead
- ▸ A soft-start device could make 8 additional power stations compatible Soft-start guide →
- ▸ Only 3 stations can handle this device. Check our top picks above for the best options
Model Variants
Different models have different power requirements. Check the specific report for your exact model.
Metabo HPT EC914S 'The Tank' (6-Gal, 1.3 HP, 200 PSI)
Running: 1,620W
Surge: 8,343W
Frequently Asked Questions
How many power stations can run a Pancake Air Compressor?
Out of 33 portable power stations we tested, 3 can safely run a Pancake Air Compressor (2 with full safety margin, 1 at tight margin). 22 are incompatible.
What specs should I look for to run a Pancake Air Compressor?
Your power station needs at least 1,620W continuous output and 8,343W surge capacity. We recommend a safety buffer of 25% above these minimums for reliable operation.
How do we test compatibility?
Every pairing is evaluated using our True Surge protocol: we compare OEM-verified running watts, surge watts, and voltage requirements against each power station's published specs, with load-profile-specific safety buffers applied. Read our full methodology.
What size power station do I need for a pancake air compressor?
Only if your power source can supply at least 1620W continuous and 8343W surge at 120V. Compressor startup surge is typically 5x running watts for this class of equipment.
Compare these models
Side-by-side comparisons for the top picks on this page.