If you are a car driver, you must have some accessories at your fingertips. Among these are a car battery charger and a portable tire inflator. Indeed, the tire inflator is a very necessary tool for a driver. It is used if your tires run out of air while driving. To do this, you need to have the best tire inflator. The choice of this accessory must be made according to very specific criteria. To help you out with the same, I have compiled a list of the 5 best tire inflators. So, all you need to do is go through consumer reports best portable tire inflator reviews followed by a buying guide to decide which product suits your needs the best.
Reviews Of 5 Best Portable Tire Inflators
1. AstroAI Tire Inflator Portable Air Pump
For lightning-fast inflation with greater accuracy, invest in AstroAI tire inflator. If your car runs on 195/55/R15 tires, then this air compressor can fill up those from 0 to 35psi in under 5 minutes. You can set the desired pressure unit by pressing the ‘M’ button on the machine and then, pressing the ‘+’ and ‘-’ buttons to set the desired pressure. When the machine reaches the pre-set pressure, the air compressor would shut down automatically. You can change the pressure units from PSI to BAR, KPa, or KG/CM.
The tire inflator boasts a large white backlit LCD screen to ensure easy reading of display in the dark. It also features an LED flashlight with independent switch control for emergency use. It also comes with a 12-volt, 120-watt, 3 meters long durable car cigarette lighter cord. You will also get 3 nozzles and a fuse in the package to inflate Schrader valve on cars, motorbikes, SUVs, and bicycles. But you can’t inflate an inflatable pool with it, so you will have to buy a pool pump for that. Another thing to keep in mind is that you shouldn’t use the product continuously for 15-20 minutes, stop it after 10-15 minutes of use so that it can cool down. It can’t be plugged into a 110-volt AC plug, so you will need a 10 or 15-ampere converter to connect it to a wall plug.
2. EPAuto 12V DC Portable Digital Tire Inflator
What I like the most about this air compressor is how conveniently it can be plugged into the cigarette lighter socket of your vehicle. You can quickly plug it to inflate the tires of your vehicle one by one. It also comes with a universal valve connector that can be used to connect the Schrader valve. You will also like the inclusion of some more adapters such as short cone/long cone adapters for inflating pool accessories, inflatable kayaks, and more and needles value for inflating basketballs and other balls.
The product doesn’t support truck tires, including the light ones. You can easily change the pressure unit from PSI to KPa, KG/CM, and BAR. It also comes with a bright LED flashlight to inflate tires in the dark. As the machine reaches the desired tire pressure, it shuts off automatically. Moreover, there is an overheat protection given in the product to automatically shuts off the unit during overloading
3. VacLife Tire Inflator Portable Air Compressor - Air Pump for Car Tires
Check out this tire inflator, which can easily inflate standard car tires in seconds. To operate it, just plug into the 12-volt power outlet in your vehicle and attach the stem to the tire valve. Then, a single press on the tire inflator will start the process. Just like other branded products, it too comes with an auto-shut-off function, so as the reading reaches the pre-set value, the machine shuts off automatically. It also comes with LED lights to allow you to inflate the car tires in low-light conditions.
The company has provided an 11.9-ft power cord to easily inflate tires at the front or back in a hassle-free manner. The product comes with 3 more nozzles along with the original one to cater to different needs such as inflating balls, air mattresses, bikes, inflatable boats, and more. Keep in mind that the product is not meant for large vehicles with a tire width of more than 245 mm and tire pressure of more than 50 PSI.
4. GSPSCN Tire Inflator Heavy Duty Double Cylinders
Have a look at this tire inflator, which is equipped with a couple of heavy-duty cylinders that deliver a maximum pressure of 150PSI and air flow of 70L/min. The machine is capable of inflating a standard tire in less than 2 minutes. The sturdy design of the product is complemented by rubber feet, which ensures that the air pump stays where it is during the operation. It also helps reduce vibration and noise.
The presence of a direct-drive motor allows the two cylinders to generate compressed air at the same time. That motor also results in low rotating speed along with higher efficiency, stability, and control. You can use this tire inflator for trucks, SUVs, RVs, vans, MPVs, crossovers, and campers. You can also use it for bikes, motorcycles, cars, trailers, minivans, golf carts, etc.
5. Kensun Portable Air Compressor Pump, Tire Inflator For Car
Last on the list is a portable air compressor pump from Kensun. It incorporates dual solid metal motors that provide excellent power and make tire inflation fast and easy. You will also like the unique AC/DC switching of the product with a 12-volt car cigarette light plug along with a 110-volt wall plug for the home outlet, as it allows you to use the product anywhere.
You can easily read the readings on the large, bright pressure gauge, which comes with a unit conversion that easily converts the pressure unit from PSI to KPa and BAR. It can easily measure up to 100 PSI. You can inflate the tires of bikes, cars, sedans, and even midsize SUVs. The company has provided adaptors for inflatables and balls in the package, so you can use them for different products without any issue.
How To Buy The Best Portable Tire Inflator
In the eyes of many drivers, the tire inflator represents the ultimate equipment because of its life-saving role in many situations. Indeed, your wheels will not be able to run out of pressure by equipping you with such a device. However, as there are more and more models, they should be compared and evaluated. This buying guide for the best tire inflators is a quick shortcut for those in a hurry, but wanting a high-performance product.
The pressure offered
To know how to choose the best tire inflators, you will first have to focus on the pressure that your equipment will offer you. Yes, you will not be able to resolve to just take a look at price comparison, because performance must be your priority above all else.
As a reminder, your inflator must be able to inflate your wheels using air that has been pressurized beforehand, hence the importance of this first criterion which is the pressure. As you can imagine, not all models have the same maximum pressure. The latter has the bar as its unit of measurement, and in general, you will find a good number of articles with 8 bars. However, you can also find much more powerful models that can go up to a pressure of 13 bars.
Of course, it is much more recommended to turn to items that can deliver higher pressure, since this will allow you to enjoy a versatile inflator. Indeed, the higher the pressure, the surer you will be able to use your equipment on a wide range of wheels.
In addition, it should however be noted that if you make a price comparison, you will quickly find that the models whose pressure is more or less high are a little more expensive. So, if your budget does not allow you such a purchase, you can always turn to a model that can help out your vehicle. Obviously, for this, you will have to refer to the particularity of your wheels.
The various functionalities
In order not to miss your purchase and ask yourself later where to buy a new tire inflator, it goes without saying to focus on this second criterion which is based on the functionalities of the article.
Indeed, although it is mainly used to restore your wheels, it will be much more advantageous for you to have in your possession a tire inflator that can be used in many other situations.
Already, to start, you will have to make sure that the model you are thinking of taking has a pressure regulator that will allow you to increase its versatility. In this sense, you will be delighted to use it to inflate, for example, balloons or even bicycle tires.
Apart from that, equipment that will provide you with a screen will also be more practical, because the settings will be made with more precision to obtain a better rendering. Another strong point that you can also note is the presence of a compartment that will allow you, for example, to store your belongings or any other accessory. So, sift through all these details if you want to know how to buy a better value tire inflator.
Power supply size and type
Here are criteria that you should not neglect either in order not to regret anything. This is the size and power type of the tire inflator. For the first point, we are not going to teach you that such equipment must be able to accompany you on your car trips, because it will be more useful to you than stored in the garage.
The lighter and more portable the product is, the easier it is for you to manage. In addition, be aware that there are even models that are directly accompanied by a storage bag, which is a real asset. However, this criterion must be taken into account upstream with what we mentioned a little above. Because yes, the smaller and lighter a model, the more its weight is likely to impact its performance.
Finally, you should know that the type of power supply differs according to each model. While some can be powered by 110V mains, others can draw energy from the cigarette lighter. And for professionals in the field, there is equipment that operates using thermal energy, such as gasoline or diesel.
How To Use A Tire Inflator?
It's one thing to buy a tire inflator, but knowing how to use it is another. It should be noted that a tire inflator is a tool to be used correctly so that the tire can inflate as it suits you. In addition to tires, you should especially know that this device can be used for several types of inflation. Through these next few paragraphs, learn how to make the best use of your equipment.
Inflate more than tires
You should know that a tire inflator is an air compressor. It is therefore a versatile and/or multifunction device that can be used when needed. Often portable, it gives you a pleasant grip and can be used to inflate cars, bicycles, motorcycle tires, or even air mattresses.
Some models can even be used to inflate your sports equipment. Note that their power in terms of pressure can go up to 10 bars. That said, you will have to choose the model that suits your needs. Easy to use, the tire inflator stops automatically at the end of inflation. It is therefore sufficient to adjust the device to the desired pressure.
Check your tire pressure
The advantage of having a device like a tire inflator is to always be safe from unpleasant surprises. Thus, an air compressor can also be used to check your car tire pressure regularly. In addition, given the compact size of most models, this type of device is not likely to clutter you up, which makes them very practical.
Therefore, if you have a few hours of driving ahead of you, remember to stop at least once to check the pressure and condition of your tires. You can immediately inflate them if they need a lot more air.
Read the leaflet
Since there are so many choices available in today's market, some aspects of their functionality may be different. Some models can easily adapt to more demanding inflation tasks. On the other hand, others will not be able to bear such a task.
In this case, you should quickly refer to the product instructions to make sure you don't make a mistake. Know the specifics of your tire inflator before using it for any inflation task. If you encounter a problem, especially about the handling of the device, you will immediately have the reflex to consult the manual. Hence the interest of not throwing the manual in the trash since you may need it at some point.
Wrapping Up
I don’t think there is a need to convince you or explain to you why you should have a tire inflator in your car. This product can save you from a lot of troubles that you may experience on the road. So, make sure to have a portable tire inflator in the trunk of your car. You can buy one from the list of consumer reports best portable tire inflators, as only top products are reviewed for the convenience of readers.