Having a tyre inflator handy in your car makes it easy to check the pressure of your tyres and pump them up whenever needed. They plug in to your vehicle’s 12v power socket, and typically take around two minutes for a top-up.
As well as ensuring that your tyres are at the right pressure to deliver maximum grip – so ensuring the best braking performance – keeping your tyres at the right pressure can also avoid fast wearing and lower fuel consumption. It makes sense to do this regularly, and a tyre inflator makes the task a whole lot easier than an old-fashioned foot-pump.
To help you find the best tyre inflator for you, we tested inflators from a range of manufacturers for the accuracy of their gauges, the time taken to pump up tyres, as well as their ease of use and additional features.
How to buy the best tyre inflator for you
How do I find out the correct tyre pressure?
Car manufacturers list the correct tyre pressures on a sticker that you’ll either find close to the fuel filler cap or around the driver’s door, usually on the frame or the edge of the door itself.
The stickers often carry the pressures for different wheel sizes and specifications. Each one is identified by a series of numbers and letters that describe the tyre’s size and width; you just need to find the sequence that matches the one on the side of your tyres.
The pressure is usually shown in two formats: bar and psi. There are typically two sets of these. The lowest is for normal use, but you may well see another set of higher pressures for when the car is heavily loaded, increasing the weight that’s pushing down on the tyres.
Tyre pressures are typically between 30 to 40psi (or 2 bar to 2.8 bar)
How to test your tyre pressure
All of the inflators tested have gauges to give you an instant readout, letting you know whether the tyre needs pumping up. This just involves removing the dust cap on the valve that pokes out horizontally, and pushing the end of the air hose over the valve before pressing or releasing any catch to clamp it on. Petrol station tyre inflators have pressure gauges too but these aren’t always accurate, so it’s best to test them using your own equipment.
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How often should you check your tyres?
The AA recommends checking your tyres every fortnight, and doing so when they are cold, as the pressure increases slightly as your tyres warm up through driving. According to Michelin, one of the major tyre manufacturers, tyres that are under-inflated by 15psi (1 bar) will raise fuel consumption by 6% and increase your braking distance by five metres when travelling at 56mph.
It’s also a good idea to examine each tyre’s condition at the same time, ensuring that there are no cracks or bulges that could lead to one of them bursting, and testing the amount of tread left. It’s illegal to have less than 1.6mm of tread around the central part of the tyre, covering three-quarters of its area. One quick test is to place a 20p piece between the grooves. If the border is still visible on the side touching the tyre, then your tyres are likely to need replacing soon.
What should I look for in a tyre inflator?
Size is probably the most important thing. The smallest inflators are around 20cm x 20cm in size, so you can leave them in your car without affecting luggage space, and the best don’t skimp on the length of the power lead and air hose, making it easier to reach all four valves. Most can be preset to stop inflating when your tyre reaches the correct pressure.
Larger inflators include rechargeable batteries, making them completely portable. These are a better option if you want to pump up bicycle tyres, for example, without having to wheel them next to your car. You may also need a larger inflator for tyres that need higher-than-average pressures, such as a larger van or campervan.
What about extras?
With mini torches, adaptors and USB ports, some tyre inflators sound like they’ve dropped out of a Christmas cracker, but these features can come in surprisingly handy. Any light source can be useful when you find yourself having to inflate a tyre late at night, while and adaptors allow you to pump up bicycle tyres, children’s toys and footballs.
Some inflators have 12v ports, so that they can effectively be used as an extension lead, to connect other accessories to your car’s power. If your car isn’t fitted with a USB port, then it’s handy to have a tyre inflator with this feature so that you can charge a tablet or smartphone.
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The best tyre inflators you can buy in 2018
1. Wolf Glovebox Genie 3 in 1 Digital Tyre Inflator: The best budget tyre inflator
Price:£24 | Buy now from Amazon for £24.00
As 18cm in length and height and just 8cm deep, there’s a reasonable chance that this Wolf inflator will fit in your glovebox. Yet, despite the size and the extremely affordable price, this inflator does the basics well, adding air at a reasonable rate and measuring tyre pressure accurately. A straightforward layout makes it easy-to-use, particularly when it comes to pre-setting the right pressure. You can’t expect many extras for the money, but you do get adapters for bicycle tyres, balls and inflatables plus a light. The 60cm air hose has enough reach for most vehicles and users.
Wolf 12v Digital 3 in 1 Air Compressor Tyre Pump Inflator+ Torch Light + SOS Flashing Warning Light
Key specs - Inflation time from 20-30psi: 2mins 23secs; Power lead length: 3m; Air hose length: 60cm
2. Michelin 12267 Cordless Rechargeable Inflator with DPS: The best cordless inflator
Price: £90 | Buy now from Halfords
It’s not the price that makes this Michelin inflator unique in this group (although it is the most expensive), but the product’s integrated rechargeable battery, which means that you can pump up tyres and inflatables anywhere without it being plugged in. The 12267 takes around four hours to fully charge and, once complete, can operate for around half an hour, which is enough to inflate ten average tyres from flat to full.
This time will be affected if you take advantage of the 12v or USB outlets to operate or charge other items, such as additional lights or mobile phones and it’s worth noting that you’ll need to find another mains socket once the battery runs out; this heavy-duty inflator isn’t designed to charge from the car’s power outlet. There are bright LED lights and adaptors, but also one inconvenience – you can’t pre-set the tyre pressure, so you need to watch it while it works.
Key specs - Inflation time from 20-30psi: 1min 53secs; Power lead length: 3m; Air hose length: 60cm
3. Ring RAC 635 12v Preset Digital Air Compressor with LED Light: The best tyre inflator under £35
Price: £35 | Buy now from Amazon for £30.99
The extremely competitive price, accurate pressure gauge and decent performance make this RAC 635 compressor the best all-round tyre inflator tested here. It’s simple to use, with a rotating dial to set the required pressure, ensuring that the pump switches off when the tyre is correctly inflated.
A long air hose and power lead offer plenty of reach, although stowing them is a bit fiddly. The compressor includes a large white light, as well as a red one for alerting other drivers. There’s also a three-piece adaptor for use with bicycle tyres, blow-up toys and footballs included, along with a padded case for tidy storage.
Key specs - Inflation time from 20-30psi: 2mins 34secs; Power lead length: 3.5m; Air hose length: 70cm
4. Michelin 12265 High Power Tyre Inflator with DPS: The best tyre inflator for under £50
Price:£50 | Buy now from Amazon for £36.03
A cheaper version of the Michelin 12266 inflator below, this lower-specification model still offers fast performance and an accurate tyre pressure gauge. The 12v outlet enables you to extend power from your car to other 12v accessories, while the USB port will charge your phone wherever you can connect the inflator. Narrow but bright LED lights offer powerful illumination and there are adaptors for balls, toys and cycle tyres.
There’s just one problem. Unlike the more expensive model, you can’t pre-set the correct tyre pressure, so you’ll need to monitor the readings until they hit the correct level. Still, given the speed of inflation, this isn’t really a hardship, though stowing the hose is a pain.
Key specs - Inflation time from 20-30psi: 1min 55secs; Power lead length: 3m; Air hose length: 60cm
5. Michelin 12266 High Power Rapid Tyre Inflator with DPS: The best mainstream inflator over £50
Price:£65 | Buy now from Amazon for £61.75
With the most accurate gauge on test, the ability to pre-set pressures and a swift inflation time of 2min to add 10psi, this Michelin device is an efficient compressor - as it should be, given its lofty price. It offers the same features as the cheaper 12265, including 12v and USB outlets, bright LED lights and adaptors, and the tricky stowage system for the hose.
However, this model adds the ability to pre-set pressures, which makes it that little bit more convenient, as you don’t need to monitor the compressor while it’s at work. And unlike the lower-specification version, it comes with a carry-case. For some, these two additions won’t justify the £15 price premium, but for others, that’ll be money well spent.
Key specs - Inflation time from 20-30psi: 2min 0secs; Power lead length: 3m; Air hose length: 60cm