Roadside emergencies are never something you expect to happen, regardless of whether you drive gas or electric vehicles. In fact, many even come at the most inopportune time. That’s why having basic tools in your car repair kit can make the difference between getting you back on the road quickly or spending a good chunk of your time trying to get help.
When the low tire warning lights up on the dashboard, all you know is that your tire pressure is low. Whether it’s caused by a puncture, a faulty valve, or just natural pressure loss after many miles, an underinflated tire puts a dent on both your ride quality and gas mileage. Even worse, you can end up struggling to make it to the nearest service station if the low tire pressure came from more serious tire damage. Having a portable tire inflator (or a car jack, in extreme cases) in the car can help with that.
What should you look for when shopping for the best portable tire inflators? Well, there are a number of points for comparison. For one, do you want a compact handheld unit or a bigger air compressor that can be used for not just the tires on cars, but those on trailers, RVs, and heavy machinery? As far as brand goes, we never saw much difference between big names and off-brand ones as far as function is concerned. Maybe some of the more reputable brands are built better, but that’s about the extent of it.
Obviously, portable tire inflators with integrated batteries will be more convenient than ones you have to plug in, but any upside is usually offset by their more expensive price. As far as sound goes, all the portable tire inflators we tried are equally noisy, so you might not have much choice on that end (at last, as far as our experience is concerned).
These are the best portable tire inflators to put in your road emergency kit.
AstroAI Tire Inflator
Pros
- Very affordable
- Integrated flashlight for nighttime visibility
- Auto-shutoff when target pressure is reached
Cons
- Requires power connection
The most affordable portable tire inflator in the list, this one costs at least half the price of everything we have here mostly because of one reason: it requires a power connection to your car’s 12V auxiliary outlet. If you’re willing to put up with the hassles of a dangling cord, though, then this inflator will let you pump air into your tires at a rate of 35 liters per minute, which should translate to around five minutes of inflation from 0 to 35 psi. It’s automatic, too, since you can set the desired pressure and leave it to pump air on its own, with the compressor automatically shutting off as soon as it reaches the target. The included cable and hose are long enough to not give you any hassle, while three nozzles allow it to work with any Schrader valve on cars, SUVs, and motorcycles. We particularly love the carry handle and the integrated flashlight, which really comes in handy when you need to inflate your tires during the night. It even comes with accessory adapters for using it with balls, air mattresses, and other gear.
Avid Power 20V Tire Inflator
Pros
- Impressive speed for its size
- Dual power supply
- Rubberized grip feels good in hand
Cons
We love the pistol form factor of this tire inflator, which makes it easy to hold in hand during use. It’s quite fast, too, despite the compact size, as it’s able to inflate from 0 to 30 psi in around 3.5 minutes, allowing you to get back on the road in short order. The inflator is powered by a detachable battery, so you don’t have to deal with any cords, although it also includes a 12V adapter, in case your battery conks out unexpectedly. Do note, the battery only holds enough charge to fully inflate around three to four tires (from 0 psi), although it does include LED indicators for easily gleaning the amount of charge left. Other nice features include programmable pressure with auto-shutoff, duplicates for each inflation attachment, and a USB port for use as a power bank.
Viair 88P Tire Inflator
Pros
- Super fast inflation rate
- Long hoses and power cords
- Plenty of attachments included
Cons
- Requires clipping to car battery for power
- Full manual operation
Another corded tire inflator, this one is worthy of consideration simply because it can inflate from 0 to 30 psi in well under two minutes. That’s right, this thing pumps air at a crazy-fast rate, all while coming in at a reasonable price. It also comes with a very long cord and hose, so you won’t have any issues on that end, while being very compact. However, the big bummer here is the fact that it requires you to connect to the car battery for power using alligator clips, which feels like such an outdated design. Granted, we have a feeling that power source has a lot to do with how it’s able to pump air so fast, which just might be a worthy tradeoff for those who like being able to finish pumping up their tires as quickly as possible.
Makita MP1000DZ Cordless Inflator
Pros
- Decent speeds
- Accurate and consistent gauge
- Compact and lightweight
Cons
- Accessory and hose storage could be better
Designed to work with Makita’s 12V batteries, this portable tire inflator is very easy to use, allowing you to quickly boost your tire pressure without breaking a sweat. It’s decently fast, reaching 30 psi in under four minutes, while being accurate within 0.5 psi when compared with out dedicated handheld gauge. which makes it the most accurate of all the compressors we’ve used. The display lets you set the pressure in either psi, bar, or kPa, so you can with whichever metric you’re comfortable with, while automatically shutting off as soon as it reaches the desired pressure. We like the fact that the attached hose is over two feet long, which is not the case with many inflators, as well as the built-in LED Light (for nighttime use). The integrated storage for the hose and accessories is a little tight, though, so it’s a bit annoying to put back in once you’re done.
Fanttik X8 Apex Tire Inflator
Pros
- Very compact size
- Fast inflation for its size
- Informative display
Cons
- Short hose
- No secondary power source
This portable tire inflator looks and feels like a cellphone from the 80s. You know… those gigantic bricks with a telescoping antenna on top? Well, that form factor is actually quite compact for a tire inflator, making this one of the most portable in the list. It comes with a 13-inch hose, which is just long enough to let you set the whole thing down on the ground while it inflates, although you might need to hold it in hand if the valve ends up on the upper end of the tire. A rechargeable 2,600mAh battery is onboard, which, the outfit claims, can hold up to 40 minutes of runtime, with the integrated display also showing battery levels, so you can easily monitor it at a glance. As far as power goes, it’s impressive for its size, inflating a fully-flat tire from 0 to 30 psi in well under four minutes. Other features include extra adapters (for balls and bicycle tires), a bright LED light for nighttime visibility, and a USB slot for use as a power bank.
DeWalt 20V Max Tire Inflator
Pros
- Fast and powerful inflator
- Three power options
- Handy start/pause button
Cons
- Still wiggles when inflating despite the rubber feet
- Bigger than others
If you want something still compact, but packs a little more power than your typical portable tire inflator, you might like this one from DeWalt, which uses the outfit’s 20V batteries. Yep, it uses the 20V volt batteries, so this delivers plenty of power, allowing it to inflate from 0 to 30 psi in just under two minutes. It’s also powerful enough to inflate tires on trucks and trailers, which we appreciate. We love all the little details, from the dial that lets you set the target psi and the start/pause button to the three power sources (battery, 12V DC, and 110V AC), easily making this the most well-rounded of all the options in the list. Do note, this is best for people who already own DeWalt batteries and chargers, since neither of those come with the unit.
Milwaukee M18 Tire Inflator
Pros
- Super fast inflation rate
- Usable with bigger tires
- Stable when inflating
Cons
- Screw-on attachment valve
- No alternative power source
The fastest portable tire inflator in the list, this one inflated a flat car tire to 30 psi in slightly over a minute, allowing you to get back in your car in short order. It’s roughly the same size as the DeWalt above, so it’s still big for a portable unit, although we prefer this particular form factor better (it looks nicer). The device uses Milwaukee’s 18V batteries, which should explain the fast inflation rates, although we don’t appreciate the screw-on valve attachment, which can be annoying in bad weather conditions. It also doesn’t offer any alternative power source or a flashlight, which makes it feel incomplete, considering most offerings at this price range have them both.
