The best tyre inflators
No more queueing for the forecourt air machine, or guessing at the pressure.
Properly inflated tyres grip better, wear more evenly and use less fuel, but checking them at a petrol station is a faff. A small 12V inflator lives in the boot, plugs into the car’s power socket and tops up a tyre in a couple of minutes.
Digital models let you set the pressure and stop by themselves. Cordless ones skip the cable altogether but need charging.
What matters
- Auto-stop at a preset pressure is the feature most worth having.
- Cordless is handiest; 12V plug-in never runs flat.
- A 3m cable reaches all four wheels.
- A built-in light helps at the roadside.
Best overall
#1 of 5
9.1/10
AstroAI S1 Digital Tyre Inflator (12V)
£19.99 RRP
Plug it into the car’s 12V socket, set the pressure and leave it to it: it stops by itself when the tyre is right.
- Digital display
- Stops at the set pressure
- 3m power cable
- LED light
- 0–36 PSI in under 5 minutes
What owners say: A brilliant bit of kit that inflates tyres quickly and easily, and is small enough to keep in the boot.
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A closer look: Keep the engine running while it works so the car battery isn’t drained, and find the right pressures in the handbook or on the sticker inside the driver’s door. The 3m cable reaches all four wheels on most cars, and the spare nozzles handle bikes and footballs.
Best for: Every car boot: quick, simple top-ups
- Power
- 12V car socket
- Stops at the set pressure
- Yes
- Display
- Digital
- Max pressure
- 150 PSI
- Built-in light
- Yes
Best cordless
#2 of 5
8.9/10
SFGSUP Cordless Tyre Inflator
£15–£40 Price range
Small enough to live in the glovebox, and it stops automatically at the pressure you set, so topping up the tyres takes a couple of minutes on the drive.
- Set it and it stops itself
- 150 PSI max
- 4000mAh battery
- Car, bike and ball modes
- Built-in torch
What owners say: Surprisingly powerful for the size: owners say it tops up all four tyres on one charge and takes seconds to attach.
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A closer look: Check the tyres when they’re cold, before a drive, and you’ll find the right pressures in the car handbook or on a sticker inside the driver’s door or fuel flap. The display switches between PSI, bar and kPa, so it can match whichever the car uses. Charge it every so often so it’s ready when a slow puncture strikes.
Best for: Bikes as well as cars, with no cable to untangle
- Power
- Rechargeable (4000mAh)
- Stops at the set pressure
- Yes
- Display
- Digital
- Max pressure
- 150 PSI
- Built-in light
- Yes
#3 of 5
8.8/10
AA 12V Digital Tyre Inflator (AA5502)
£15–£40 Price range
From the AA, the motoring organisation: a straightforward digital inflator with auto shut-off and a long cable, and no more coins for the forecourt air machine.
- Digital gauge (PSI, bar, kPa)
- Auto shut-off
- 3m cable, 52cm hose
- LED lamp
- Adaptors for bikes and balls
What owners say: Easy to use, compact and a handy car accessory. Owners say it saves them money on forecourt air machines.
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A closer look: The hose screws onto the valve rather than clipping on, which gives a secure seal and a steady reading. It shows pressure in PSI, bar or kPa, so it matches whatever the handbook uses, and the lamp helps at the roadside after dark.
Best for: A name you know, with a screw-on hose
- Power
- 12V car socket
- Stops at the set pressure
- Yes
- Display
- Digital
- Max pressure
- 100 PSI
- Built-in light
- Yes
Best budget
#4 of 5
8.7/10
Ring RAC610 Tyre Inflator with Gauge
£12.99 RRP
The simplest option: a small 12V compressor with a dial gauge that tucks in beside the spare wheel.
- Plugs into the 12V socket
- Dial pressure gauge
- Small enough for the spare-wheel well
What owners say: A brilliant bit of kit that works quickly and takes far less effort than a foot pump, and it’s small enough to store beside the spare wheel.
Heads up: There’s no auto-stop, so keep an eye on the gauge as it pumps.
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A closer look: Keep the engine running while it pumps, and pause now and then to let the needle settle, as a dial gauge can read a little high while the motor is going. It’s loud but quick, and small enough to leave in the car all year.
Best for: A cheap standby for the boot
- Power
- 12V car socket
- Stops at the set pressure
- No
- Display
- Dial gauge
- Max pressure
- 100 PSI
- Built-in light
- No
#5 of 5
8.6/10
Ipflin Digital Tyre Inflator (12V)
£15–£40 Price range
Much like the AstroAI, with a bright ice-green display that’s easy to read in sunshine and modes for bikes, balls and cars.
- Digital display
- Stops at the set pressure
- 150 PSI max
- Car, bike and ball modes
- Emergency light
What owners say: Reliable, quick and worth the price, with a compact size that fits easily in the car. Owners use it on footballs as well as tyres.
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A closer look: It can run for 15 minutes at a time, plenty for a full top-up, then needs a rest to cool down. Pick the mode, set the pressure with the plus and minus buttons, and it switches itself off when it gets there.
Best for: Bright sunshine, thanks to its easy-to-read screen
- Power
- 12V car socket
- Stops at the set pressure
- Yes
- Display
- Digital
- Max pressure
- 150 PSI
- Built-in light
- Yes
How they compare
| Feature | #1AstroAI S1Best overall | #2SFGSUP cordlessBest cordless | #3AA 5502 | #4Ring RAC610Best budget | #5Ipflin 12V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Picked Rating | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.6 |
| Price | £19.99 RRP | ££ £15–£40 | ££ £15–£40 | £12.99 RRP | ££ £15–£40 |
| Power | 12V car socket | Rechargeable (4000mAh) | 12V car socket | 12V car socket | 12V car socket |
| Stops at the set pressure | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Display | Digital | Digital | Digital | Dial gauge | Digital |
| Max pressure | 150 PSI | 150 PSI | 100 PSI | 100 PSI | 150 PSI |
| Built-in light | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Best for | Every car boot: quick, simple top-ups | Bikes as well as cars, with no cable to untangle | A name you know, with a screw-on hose | A cheap standby for the boot | Bright sunshine, thanks to its easy-to-read screen |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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