Portable tire inflators? Your recommendations

I do keep a portable air inflator in each exotic. Used to use those that plug into the cigarette lighter but those are cumbersome running the wire everywhere and the car has to be running.

Recently stepped up to a wireless (in operation) battery powered one that looks like a Mikita hand tool where it looks like a ray gun and the battery slides in at the bottom.

VERY easy to use, and does have the cigarette lighter adapter if you forget to charge it.

Bought this t on Amazon, don’t remember the brand name, but will be on the first page.

 

I have two portable AC/DC air inflators, bought a few years ago and happy with them. Good luck with whichever ones you find/choose.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RM5D9C3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s02?ie=UTF8&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GKF9NH1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

Ryobi One + which comes in a few different models. I use the Dual Function model with the battery charging kit. Fits easily in all the cars, works on higher pressure bike tires and low pressure items like air mattresses and beach balls. Hand-held portable air compressors with pressure gauges are a great step forward from the air compressor on a cart for these functions.

 

The 12V Milwaukee!

I have an 80 gallon, 210V compressor in my garage and don’t use it. It’s so much easier to hook up the Milwaukee instead of dragging a hose where it needs to be.


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I have a "Bridgestone Auto Safety Emergency Kit" which I bought at Costco a few years ago.

It includes a tire inflator, jumper cables, collapsible oil funnel, among other things.

Something I really like about it is that the storage case has room for extra stuff. I've added adjustable wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, zip ties, tape Tyvek suit, etc. to make a good emergency repair kit.

I've used the tire inflator once to fill all four of my daughter's SUV tires. It plugs into the cigarette lighter and has a long cord. It worked fine.

 

+1 — My bother has one of these 18v Ryobis and he absolutely loves it. He uses it at the track (and everywhere else) and the gauge is very accurate. He has a compressor in his garage, but finds using the Ryobi much more convenient ant faster than cranking up the compressor.

 

+2

Used one for a couple years, I switch it from car to car when I drive, but should probably just spring the extra $$ and get a 2nd one.

also carry a can of tire inflate stuff, in case I get a puncture and I can't stem the tide with the pump.

Have a guy in the neighborhood who does patches on tires, I think I'll get him to show me how it's done, get a kit for each car, and complete the loop.

D

 

Here is my best, real world experience:

buy two. You’ll thank me later.

 

Which

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I use a Milwalkee , they work great,

Big G

 

Doesn’t matter. Always have a backup, even a cheap one. When you need it you need it, and no matter what you buy even the best can fail. Been on motorcycle adventure rides and redundant systems when your 500
Miles from anywhere is more valuable than anything.

 

NASA thinking [emoji6]

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But not Boeing 737 Max thinking, very sadly -- no sensor redundancy

 

I use a portable air tank, filled to about 120PSI, to top up the bikes and sometimes fix a neighbor's flat auto tire.

I never had great luck with the 12V compressors, burst into flames and so forth.
The air tank from Harbor frieght gives you a way....

 

I like this one..

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09LXJPVTP

I keep one in each car even if there is a factory inflator.

 

My tires hold their pressure very well, so for minor adjustments a bicycle pump and a good gauge are all that I need.

 

IMO the hot ticket is to invest in one brand. I happen to like ridgid. They have a lifetime warrantee on some stuff which I have capitalized on. Get the ridgid inflator and battery and drill or impact guns and leaf blower. They work awesome if handy at all working on car and house stuff with swapable batteries that universally fit the tools. So I'd buy the inflator based on what other tools are available from that maker. Electrics have come a long way and I almost don't use my hosed airtools anymore.

 

This is what I use:

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/automotive-rv-and-marine/tire-maintenance/tire-pumps-and-accessories/8063959

Lowes and Ace periodically have excellent sales on Craftsman stuff if you keep a look out for it

 

I check tire pressures before driving. I've never felt that keeping a portable tire inflator in the car would do me any good on the road, if that much air was lost due to damage.

 

The Ryobi One (https://www.amazon.com/Ryobi-18-Volt-ONE-Power-Inflator/dp/B07F88XL24/ref=sr_1_2?crid=ZYYNA45D2RSY&keywords=ryobi+air+compressor+tire+inflator&qid=1674155836&sprefix=ryobi+a,aps,162&sr=8-2) seems like a really good option, at least based on my brother's experience (he LOVES it for track and regular car use), as do others in this thread. At $83 with 18-volt battery and charger, it's pretty reasonable. Normally I try to keep tools like this within a family of tools you own (for me, Makita), but since this would be used with the car all the time, I don't see the battery being removed from it, so I don't think keeping it in the family is that important in this case.

All this said, I don't know how I'd feel about keeping an 18-volt Lithium Ion in the car all the time when parked in the hot sun during summer. I'm sure it would be fine, and it doesn't get that hot in the trunk, but still I'd have some concerns about leaving it in the car all the time.


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I was given an Air Hawk Pro for Xmas 7 years ago. Thought it would be junk. It's great, it pumps up anything. Has virtually replaced my compressor. Very similar to the Ryobi above.

 

Having a tire inflator has saved me a few wheel rims in the past. I had a tire with a nail on my suv. Needed to refill the tire every 1/4 mile but made it to the next highway exit. Sometimes it’s not about the completely torn up tire but the one where the leak is slow enough to get you to a safe place for repair. This is why I like the battery operated digitally controlled inflators. You set it up quickly, hop in the car till it shuts off and then quickly remove it. Sometime being on the side of the road for an extended time changing a tire is dangerous.


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I have one of these. Works well enough for topping up the tires. I keep it in the front trunk of my Corvette C8. The battery seems to last for months on a full charge.