The Best Portable Tire Inflators of 2024
This article was updated in July 2024 with new products and information.
If you're in the market for tire inflators/air compressors, you'll run into tons of options that claim to be the best at inflating tires. But how on earth do you sift through the noise and truly find the best? We're here to cut through that clutter.
In order to discover the truth, we called in a truckload of renowned brands, top sellers, and under-the-radar recommendations for a head-to-head test in our garage. Which one came out on top? Which tire inflators surprised or disappointed us? Which tire inflator is the best for you? Here, those questions will be answered.
How did we pick our contenders? First, we polled the editorial staffs of Car and Driver, Autoweek, and Road & Track for the inflators our experts recommended. Then, we scoured the internet to find which inflators were the most popular, the best sellers, and the highest rated.
In order to get a fair and impartial sample of portable tire inflators, we selected several brand names we know and trust, as well as a bunch of best-selling off-brand compressors with (usually) lower prices and (often) better ratings. We assembled a wide range of sizes, power, and styles to represent the many types of portable tire inflators on the market.
Once the contenders were assembled and ready to roll, we ran them through a tough Gear Team trial. From that, we were able to see which ones stood out, which ones dominated the competition, and which ones left us wanting more. Here are the results.
(Editor's Note: The above time-lapse GIF is around two minutes of actual time; that Milwaukee inflator is a BEAST.)
What to Look for in a Portable Tire Inflator
Type
Portable tire inflators are generally manufactured with two design types in mind: handheld devices and console units. Here are the differences between the two:
Handheld is the way to go for a tire inflator to keep in your car in case of emergencies. A handheld inflator should be easily stashable and simple to use. Shop for a handheld inflator that features a work light for nighttime situations, a digital gauge for accurate readings and auto-shutoff, a clamp-style valve connector, and a 12-volt plug to reliably power the device with your vehicle when you need it.
Console units are ideal for everyday household and recreational inflation. Consoles should be able to inflate almost anything, from car tires to sports balls to air mattresses for car camping to rafts, toys, and SUPs for fun recreation (inflatable kayak, anyone?). Most feature multiple power options, numerous inflation attachments, and more features you won't find in a handheld. Some are even incorporated into consoles with other tools, such as portable jump starters.
On the downside, consoles didn't perform as well as handheld units in the one test we at the Gear Team were most concerned with: portable tire inflation. They all got the job done, but up and down the line. most console units can hardly be considered "portable." Yes, you can pick them up, carry them around the house, and pack them in your vehicle for vacations. But keeping a console inflator in the car in case of emergencies? Probably not the way to go, for most of us.
Related: The Best Portable Jump Starters
Power Source
No matter which portable car tire inflator you buy, look for one that features an alternate power source option. Battery-powered handhelds are portable and easy to use, but they should also have a backup 12-volt car plug, just in case. Your vehicle's 12-volt outlet will always be adjacent to your tires and is a trusty power source—unless, of course, in addition to flat tires your car has a dead battery.
Pro Tip: Battery-powered items stashed in cars are often and easily neglected. If you're keeping any battery-powered device in your car, such as an inflator or jump starter, fully charge its battery every few months—say, every time you give your vehicle a detail job that includes vacuuming and interior cleaning.
Wall plugs are great for top-offs at home, but the car will have to be moved close to an electrical outlet, or you'll need a very long extension cord. Or perhaps a portable generator or battery pack to plug into. Direct-to-battery power sources, such as on the Viair unit we tested, provide maximum power but can be unwieldy. More on that later.
Accessories and Features
When shopping for a tire inflator, look for benefits such as:
-An integrated work light for dark roadside repairs; some flash to function as emergency beacons
-A digital gauge with auto shut-off, rather than analog dials
-Clamp-style valve attachments are easier and more convenient than screw-on connectors
-Plenty of attachments, such as a tapered nozzle for inflating air mattresses, rafts, and pool toys; a needle for sports balls; and a Presta valve chuck for some road-bike tires
-Rubber feet to keep your inflator planted while operational
The Best Tire Inflators, Tested
Avid Power Cordless Pistol Grip
Pros
- Inflated quickly
- Rubberized grip felt good to hold
- Comes with a bunch of extras
Cons
- Still a bit on the loud side
The pistol-style AVID Power Cordless stands out from the competition by stepping it up a notch without increasing the price much. It provides a secondary power option via your car's 12-volt outlet, plus the package includes two of each kind of valve adapter.
In our test, the Avid Power was more than a full minute faster to both 30 psi and 45 psi than its main rival, the AstroAI pistol-style cordless (below). But instead of an extra battery, it comes with a supplemental 12-volt DC power cord. (Note: We tested this unit using the battery.) We also preferred the feel of the Avid's rubberized handle to the AstroAI's grip. It was slightly quieter too.
If we were shopping for a portable tire inflator to keep in our car, we'd probably pick the Avid Power Cordless. It retails for just under a hundred bucks—but almost always seems to be on sale. Further, we lose tiny parts all the time, so the inclusion of a backup of each type of inflation attachment is appreciated. The alternate on-the-go power option is a clear advantage to carrying a spare battery—let alone keeping the unit fully charged. Add in the faster inflation time, plus the battery's USB port (for charging phones and such), and our choice for Best Overall Tire Inflator turned out to be a pretty easy call.
| Inflation Time to 30 psi | 3:45 |
|---|---|
| Inflation Time to 45 psi | 8:06 |
| Weight | 2.6 lb |
| Noise Level | 85.5 dBA |
| Hose Length | 19.6 in |
| Valve Connector | Clamp |
| Attachments | Two tapered stems, two needle stems, two Presta adapters |
| Power Source(s) | 12-volt outlet, 20-volt Li-Ion battery |
Black+Decker 20V MAX Multi-Purpose Inflator
Pros
- Three power source options
- Includes two hoses: one for high-pressure (tires, balls) and one for high-volume (rafts, air mattresses) applications.
- Quietest inflator we tested
Cons
- More suited for household use than for car tires
- Battery not included
Because it offers a lot of options in both everyday applications and power, this Black+Decker model BDINF20C makes a fine inflator for almost anyone—but especially for users who already subscribe to B+D's popular 20V MAX battery system.
Not only does it run cordless via the Li-Ion battery, it will also plug into your car's 12-volt outlet and includes a wall plug for domestic use. This means you don't have to worry about keeping its battery charged, or buying into yet another battery and charger system if you're not already using the 20V MAX in your garage.
Despite the garage-familiar brand name, this Black+Decker is clearly more of a household inflator than an automotive one. While its inflation time to 30 psi was fairly impressive, it took more than nine minutes to fill our test tire to 45 psi. It's got a high-flow hose and multiple attachments for various applications, and it's lighter and easier to carry around than most of the other console-type units we tested here. But when it comes time to fully inflate a typical SUV tire, it spits the renowned Black+Decker bit. Also, the necessary 20V MAX battery and charger are not included.
Already a user of the 20V MAX battery system? This inflator might be ideal for use around your house. But for car tires? There are faster inflators out there—many of them smaller and lighter than this one.
| Inflation Time to 30 psi | 4:16 |
|---|---|
| Inflation Time to 45 psi | 9:16 |
| Weight | 4.6 lb |
| Noise Level | 78 dBA |
| Hose Length | 24.0 in |
| Valve Connector | Clamp |
| Attachments | High-flow hose, two tapered stems, needle, Presta valve chuck |
| Power Source(s) | 12-volt outlet, 120-volt AC outlet |
Viair 88P Corded Portable
Pros
- Crazy-fast inflation
- Attractive neo-industrial design
- Plenty of attachments and accessories
Cons
- No work light
- No alternate power source
The neo-industrial design of this miniature workhorse is a delight to both hold and look at. Unfortunately, it's not quite as satisfying to work with.
Let's be clear: the Viair 88P is incredibly fast at inflating tires. We were blown away (sorry again!) by the performance of this device. In fact, next to the monster from Milwaukee in our lead image above, no other compressor in our test came close to inflating our test tire as quickly as the Viair. However, its sole power supply—alligator clips that connect directly to the car battery—and old-school dial gauge keep the Viair 88P from being the ideal car tire inflator for the everyday driver. For the time being, anyway.
Viair built its trusted reputation on its high-quality industrial and commercial air compressors and the 88P is, in form and function, a scaled-down version of one of those. But why the seemingly outmoded power hookup? Why the quaint-but-wonky analog gauge? We didn't want to fault a company we know and trust without hearing its side of the story, so we reached out.
Dave Rittenhouse, Viair Corp.'s Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, told us Viair's main concern is providing a quality product that works, and a direct line to the battery was the only way to achieve that with the 88P. "This unit requires about 16–19 amps for its compressor motor to function effectively," he said. Unfortunately, the typical 12-volt accessory power port in any car "tops out at around 15 amps. AC power runs a different type of compressor motor, and Li-Ion batteries wouldn't provide the power required to drive this motor," Rittenhouse said. Basically, if it plugged into a 12-volt cig-type power source it would blow a car's fuse. Thus, the need to draw directly from the car battery. Dave assured us that options are in the works from Viair. But, for now, alligator clips it is.
The integrated analog dial gauge on the Viair looks as quaint and cool as the rest of the unit, but it didn't get as satisfying a justification from a Viair rep as its choice of power supply did. It proved wildly inaccurate during testing, running about 10 psi higher than the actual tire pressure while the unit was powered on. When the needle hit 30 psi and we shut the compressor off, and the needle dropped to around 20 psi. We had to shut the motor off, check the dial, measure the psi with our handheld gauge, then top the pressure off. We did this several times all the way to 45 psi before we got an acceptable reading on our handheld pressure gauge. Basically, the analog dial gauge on the 88P is worthless (unless you know how high the dial gauge runs—and if you owned an 88P, you'd probably figure that out pretty quickly).
From where we're sitting, the 88P outperformed its competition by leaps and bounds, so we'd love to see Viair come up with a more user-friendly compromise between practicality and efficiency. (An integrated work light would be appreciated too.) In the meantime, if you're comfortable working with alligator clips to your battery and repeatedly double-checking your tire pressure, the Viair 88P is affordable, small enough to stash in the car, includes plenty of inflation accessories, and it's all wrapped up in a convenient carrying case—which is great, because this is an awful lot of hose and cord to wind up every time you use it.
