Need a new tire inflator for my car

August 23, 2024 9:09 AM

Hi. Fifteen to twenty years ago, I got myself a Craftsman 12V tire inflator. It provided reliable service for a number of years, until it eventually started crapping out on me, i.e. it seemed to be taking far longer than before to inflate tires and I had reason to doubt the accuracy of its built-in PSI gage. So I'm looking for a replacement.

I don't have much in the way of specific requirements aside from the following:

– Under $200, ideally under $100.

– I can use my car's USB charger as the power source.

– Can be counted on to provide years of reliable service. (Bonus points if you can recommend something which you've owned for at least five years.)

posted by DavidfromBA to Travel & Transportation (13 answers total)

USB-A chargers are 5V, the cigarette lighter socket is 12V, is that what you mean? A USB-socket inflator would be painfully slow as it would top out at 12W. If you're OK with a 12V, I highly, highly recommend the VIAIR 85P. The most powerful electric inflator you can get without hooking up directly to a battery or wall outlet. (It's so powerful at 180W that you really should have the car running while you operate it, to prevent discharging the battery.) US$65 and very well made. Heavy compared to some but still sized to keep in the trunk.
posted by wnissen at 10:20 AM on August 23

I anti-recommend the Kobalt 120 Volt Dual Power Inflator (Model #KLDP1). Attractively cheap and lightweight, but the one I bought worked approximately four times and then died.
posted by demonic winged headgear at 10:42 AM on August 23

Totally agree on the VIAIR compressor as the way to go.
posted by foodgeek at 10:58 AM on August 23

There was a similar question a few months ago that may have some helpful answers.
posted by knile at 11:32 AM on August 23

Thank you everybody for your feedback.

@demonic winged headgear: Good to know, sounds like I need to avoid that one like the plague.

@wnissen: Right, I guess that's what I meant. The Craftsman I have is a 12V, but it is indeed fairly slow, and I'm certainly open to something more powerful assuming it's compatible with my charger. This is what that looks like in my car (not my photo BTW): https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2F2012-nissan-versa-hatchback-replacing-power-outlet-v0-vvyam7qcuvlb1.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1080%26crop%3Dsmart%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3Da7e50df9a9950693a93d47a36efb0c94feb59f72
(Sorry for asking you to copy and paste the link – I always seem to have technical difficulties inserting them here.)
posted by DavidfromBA at 1:07 PM on August 23

If USB charging is a requirement (which, sounds like no), you'll need to get one with a battery included for it to be any good, like this one or this one. Don't expect them to be any more powerful than one that plugs directly into a 12V lighter socket. I personally have one of these as it's easier to get them on the tire than something large that has a cord attached, and they store easily in a glovebox, but if that doesn't sound like a thing you're interested in I'd skip them.
posted by Aleyn at 2:07 PM on August 23

Another recommendation for the VIAIR line. Mine is the 87p. It's 3.5 years old, has been used maybe 15 times, and is as good as when it was new. It won't win any inflation races, but reliability is much more important than speed for this.
posted by Snerd at 4:51 PM on August 23

I have the AstroAI, which is now $30, and uses a 12V Accessory Socket (aka "lighter plug"), rather than USB. I would never suggest anyone try to use a USB device to inflate a tire, it's likely that would take hours. It's been used probably 50 times, mostly for quick touch-ups of 2-6 pounds of pressure—Lady Mrs. majick had a slow leak that took us a while to get around to fixing—and worked quickly and efficiently.

In fact, it was faster than I thought it would be, and that's coming from someone who used to have access to a relatively beefy compressor.

The thing's light as a feather, the power cord is surprisingly long, and it's pretty easy to use. Can't go wrong with it.
posted by majick at 6:02 PM on August 23

Three options:

I have inherited a Husky (home depot) dual power model that's reasonably fast on my big truck tyres and easy enough to stash.

For normal car tyres I would guess the one I carry in my motorcycle would work for you (probably bigger tyres too; honestly, it doesn't show much depletion after four or five top ups, and might do a truck tyre from dead flat to 55psi but I haven't tried). The Amazon link above is one of many that all seem to have the same display and innards but differing battery capacities, and if you pay more than $35 you're probably going to find another model cheaper with light searching. Note that they have weird setups where in 'car' mode the pressure range may not actually suit your car; it has a higher range for bicycle tyres and a lower one for inflatables, so experiment before returning it if you encounter that problem. It's also a USB power bank, which is helpful.

I have a Ryobi inflator that runs from a standard tool battery and is very cheap ($20 or so) if you have batteries available from your power tools ($50 a battery, commonly, but HD sell have regular sales). This isn't actually a recommendation for that model - they're likely available in different battery systems if you favour annother one, and if you don't collect power tools I would probably peruse Harbor Freight for their equivalent. HF is all about weekend sales and coupons, so check that, but note that power tools are frequently excluded from their 20% off coupons.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 11:47 PM on August 23

For ease of use, you can get a handheld battery-powered one. No more cables that are too short to reach.

I now have a 12V working one with an extension cord for sale. If you pay shipping, you can have it. I have it on FB for $20 with no takers.
posted by Ferrari328 at 7:30 AM on August 24

I also have the Astro AI. Works great, and sits, summer and winter, in the spare tire well of our Honda Civic. (Snuggles next to the spare tire.) 12 Volt, plugs into the power port (formerly, cigarette lighter) of the car. I recommend this.
posted by mbarryf at 8:57 AM on August 24

Just came off the RV'ing road where I had a ViAir Compressor...it attached to the battery and was easily able to go to 120psi (my RV pressure).

Now we're off the road and I'm using a Dewalt 20v battery powered compressor and it works great...fast, small, light. I can do all four tires on my car in less than 5 minutes, start to finish.

$117 on Amazon, $212 with battery & charger.
posted by jeporter99 at 9:34 AM on August 24

Mine came from "slime,"
it has a pressure switch cuts out at desire psi. Quick and easy to keep all four tires topped off. Pugs into 12volt cig socket Im thinking of tapping the door locks power, mounting the inflator under seat. The hose that came with this long enough to reach all four of my tires, had it 6 or 7 years.. 50.00 at Wally's.
posted by hortense at 10:54 AM on August 24