

There’s even an automatic shut-off mode that lets you pre-set how much pressure you want to add and shuts off once that has been achieved. And because it comes with a variety of nozzles, it can be used to inflate or deflate air mattresses, balls, and pretty much anything else you can think of.Īnother nice feature is the easily visible digital gauge, which tells you exactly how much pressure your tires currently have. That makes it perfect to keep in your truck to use on the road or anywhere else you might need it. And because of its powerful dual, solid metal motors, it inflates quickly.īut there’s a whole lot more to this feature-rich inflator/air compressor, including the ability to be used via your 12V outlet in your vehicle or your 120V home outlet. It can also be used for deflating when the need arises. First on the list is the fact that it can inflate to a maximum pressure of 125 PSI, though there is an 80 PSI max for car, mid-size SUV, and motorcycle tires. This compact inflator ticks a lot of boxes for us. Promoted Product: Avid Power Tire Inflator Air Compressor 12V DC/110V AC
#12v air compressor portable
The EPAuto portable air compressor pump weighs 3.81 pounds, and measures a compact 9.6 x 7.8 x 5.4 inches. The whole package is better thought-out than the Pittsburgh, but it’s a slower inflator. A very bright built-in flashlight turns on whenever the inflator gets power and can’t be turned off. The EPAuto has an inconveniently short cord that stows neatly onboard, and a backlit display that’s easily readable, but has a very limited viewing angle and washes out in sunlight. In fact, we prefer the Pittsburgh, and it fell to second place only because of its limited availability. We found the EPAuto inflator loud and harder to use than the #2 Harbor Freight Pittsburgh brand. It does comes with adapters so it can be used on other inflatables. Designed to inflate tires on cars, bikes, sedans, and midsize SUVs, EPAuto says this compressor does not support LT, HT, and truck tires, but we used it on a Toyota Tundra with no issues. The product also has an overheat protection for the compressor when it overloads. Like similarly priced products, EPAuto’s inflator has an auto shutoff feature once it reaches the desired air pressure.

There’s a digital gauge that reads in four display units: PSI, KPA, BAR, and kg/cm. Rated at 120 watts with an inflation speed of 1.06 cubic feet per minute (CFM), this pump has a maximum working pressure of 100 PSI. One of the highest-rated portable inflators on Amazon is the EPAuto 12-volt DC portable air compressor pump. The EPAuto inflator is a better package design than the #2 pick, but is slower and less convenient. Two of the compressors we tested weren’t good enough to make it into our list, so well be doing another round in the future.įor our picks and more on proper tire inflation, see the Table of Contents. To ensure there weren’t any variations in power, either from bad 12V connections or a battery running down, we tested 12-volt models with a freshly-charged Optima Yellow Top battery with a NOCO 12V adaptor. We then purchased several of the most popular brands and tested them in real-life situations. We started with a list based on our metric that weights reviews, then narrowed that down based on product features and price-to-value ratio. But keep in mind some of today’s vehicles are equipped with a standard power outlet, so we include a few recommendations for those as well. It’s more convenient to purchase a 12-volt air compressor, this way you can keep it in your car and use it on the go. Lastly, you’ll want to pay attention to whether the product uses a 12-volt car outlet or a standard power outlet. If time is important to you, you’ll want to see which products inflate a tire quicker, while others have a maximum pressure limit. Some are manufactured better than others, which makes them more reliable and likely to last a long time. There are many small differences between the portable tire inflators and air compressors available on the market. Purchasing a tire inflator is a small investment in helping make sure your tires last as long as possible, saving you money in the long run.

Underinflated or overinflated tires have many adverse effects on your driving experience, affecting your fuel economy, tire wear, and even safety. Owning your own tire inflator means you can conveniently and routinely check your tire pressure, making sure they’re in an optimal range. But that’s not the case, because all tires do lose air over time even if you don’t have a puncture. With all new vehicles coming equipped with pressure monitoring systems coming equipped with pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), and many having run flat tires, people start to think that a portable tire inflator or air compressor is no longer a necessity.
