Are you looking for a tire inflator to prevent any delays while you are on the road? Having a tire inflator really is convenient because when your tire gets deflated while on your journey, even when you are nowhere near any gas station or repair shop, you can just inflate it yourself and be on your way.
If you are looking for the best tire inflators with gauge in the market, we can definitely give you quite a selection.
1. EPAuto Commercial Grade Dual Head Tire Inflator Gauge with Air Hose
2. EPAuto 12V DC Portable Air Compressor Pump, Digital Tire Inflator
3. EPAuto 255 PSI Digital Tire Inflator Gauge with Hose and Quick Connect Plug
4. Astro Pneumatic Tool 3018 3.5" Digital Tire Inflator with Hose
5. AstroAI Digital Tire Inflator with Pressure Gauge, 250 PSI
6. JACO FlowPro Digital Tire Inflator Gauge - 200 PSI
7. ACO FlowPro Tire Inflator Gauge - 100 PSI
8. Milton (S-506) Original Dual Head Chuck Tire Inflator Gauge
9. P.I. AUTO STORE - Tire Inflator 12V DC Air Compressor
10. Kensun AC/DC Rapid Performance Portable Air Compressor Tire Inflator
What Is A Tire Inflator?
It is important to know what is a tire inflator first before going to product specifications and details because most of the time “inflators” and “compressors” can be confused with one another.
Tire inflators are machines that help to compress air in your vehicle’s tire. They normally come in small sizes compared to compressors and they are easy to use having a low posture. They usually run in around 12 volts of energy and even can run with the use of batteries unlike compressors which normally requires more power to run. Lastly, compressors are usually built for home or garage use while tire inflators usually are portable and can be carried around for “on-the-go” use.
So in a sense, tire inflators are the outgoing little brother of compressors who likes to go on an adventure!
Features To Consider Before Purchasing A Tire Inflator With Gauge
Pressure Gauge
When buying an inflator with gauge, this is the first thing you want to look for whether you want a digital or an analog one. Both of them have their pros and cons and it's just up to you which one do you prefer.
Analog inflators are known for their durability and are generally compact. Plus they don’t require any energy source and their attachments or accessories are readily available in stores.
On the other hand, digital inflators are known for their accuracy and convenience because most of the time increments are not needed. And they also come with the necessary lights that will surely be useful when operating in the dark.
Maximum Pressure
Most of the tire inflators in the market range up to 250, but what you really need depends entirely up to you whether you want to go with a 0-100 PSI range, which is also good or go for the 0-250 PSI range.
Power Supply
This is the one of the features that needed to be looked into. First you can check if it will be cordless, which is generally supported by AAA batteries or if it runs on AC, DC or both currents.
If it runs only on a single current, DC is a good choice due to its portability because AC current runs around 12 volts while in DC it should run around 110 volts.
As for inflators running on AAA batteries, generally an auto shut-off system is included which has an automatic shut-off time around 15 to 90 seconds.
Hose Type
A good quality tire inflator should have a durable hose since it needs to cope up with high pressures. Quality materials like rubber, braided steel or premium fibers should be the materials to look for to ensure the best quality.
Bleeder and Lever
An air bleeder with lever is essential in your inflator. It helps you remove the extra air out the inflating object, which can also be done manually. Its lever should also be easy to handle during inflating or deflating an object
Air Chuck
An air chuck is one of the primary components of an inflator since it is the one that regulates the flow of pressure when inflating or deflating. Some air chucks have an auto-lock feature which is pretty convenient. Other variations to look for are NTP air chucks, dual air chucks, brass air chucks, and twisted air chucks.
Benefits of Having A Tire Inflator
Peace of Mind:
Having peace of mind that you don’t have to go to the workshop to maintain your car’s tire pressure.
Precision
Knowing the precise measurement of pressure inside your tires
Fuel Consumption Benefits
Optimizes your car’s fuel consumption
Longer Tire Life
Prolongs your tire’s life
Reduced Emissions
Tail-pipe emission will be reduced
Safety
You will be confident that you are in control and you are driving safely
These are just some of the benefits that you will experience if you have a tire inflator in your trunk. And these are just the basics, if you own a good quality tire inflator you might experience some more!
All in all, it is convenient and it makes you feel more confident in your driving when you own a tire inflator.
How To Use A Portable Tire Inflator
Step 1
Know Your Current Air Pressure
Step 2
Determine The Amount of Pressure You Need
Step 3
Locate And Prepare The Caps And Valves
Step 4
Use The Inflator
Step 5
Intervals Of Checking Pressure
Faq
A: In order to check the current tire pressure a gauge will be needed. Upon inserting a gauge or an inflator with gauge in the tire valve, the gauge will indicate the current reading. To adjust the current pressure you can either turn on the inflator to increase the pressure or use the bleeder or deflating lever, if you have any of those, if you don't have any, you can manually loosen up the valve using your hand.
A: All inflators with gauge use the same process, wait until the display shows the reading after the air chuck was attached to the tire valve then operate the machine like a normal inflator.
A: Like any other compressor, an inflator works the same way. The machine pushes air into the tire until the desired PSI is reached. While on digital inflators with a gauge, as the tire is being automatically filled the gauge will indicate the current PSI reading.