Portable Tire inflator

acitydweller · #1 03-24-2008, 11:48 AM

Some help here if you will. I am trying to figure out how to save trips to the local gas station to check and fill the tire pressure. I have 4 cars at home to watch over so its keeping me busy in more ways than one. Each trip costs about $.50 plus gas. Not much really but it does add up.

I have started shopping on sears.com and home depot for portable air compressors and tire inflator units that plug either in the cigarette lighter socket or in the garage a/c wall power outlet. Nearly purchased a unit from Sears until i read the horrid reviews on failure rates.

Does anyone here use such a device and could advise on where to get one and how much one costs?

I'd rather spend time with my daughter than do car maintenance if at all possible. Thanks in advance,
AC

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E61Silver · #2 03-24-2008, 12:21 PM

I like this one

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-A.../dp/B000IE0YIQ

PersonaNonGrata · #3 03-24-2008, 12:28 PM

If you don't care about portability, I would skip the small 12V style tire inflators and get an air compressor. With 4 cars and 16 tires, if you use a small inflator you'll be wasting time, especially if tires every get really low.

You can get a small one from Home Depot, Lowes, or even Costco. An air compressor will fill your tires very quickly and you can use it for small jobs with air tools like a brad nailer, paint sprayer, etc. It's a worthwhile investment.

Something like this.

E61Silver · #4 03-24-2008, 12:40 PM

The great part of the Black&Decker is that it works on 12v and 110v, when using 110v it has more power.

motordavid · #5 03-24-2008, 02:09 PM

City Dweller,
I'm with Blue on the B&D: my orig. unit that I have back on the Mtn.,
is 20+ yrs old and still runs fine...my new one, for here in FL, is that
same unit that Blue linked: works like a champ.

The Porter Cable unit is first class, but unless you need that kind
of pressure/volume for other pneumatic power tools, the B&D
will fill any tire(s) you have quickly. My 2Cts.
GL,mD

PS...if you get the B&D unit, cop a sturdy extension cord:
it makes that one-plug-in-the-garage deal more handy for
getting to all for tires at a time.

MrLabGuy · #6 03-24-2008, 02:53 PM

I have a BMW portable tire inflater in a nice BMW soft case. If I remember correctly it came from an E39 M5 that I picked up on eBay some time back.

lakai · #7 03-25-2008, 08:51 AM

buy a air compressor for your garage!!! The portable ones are no good, they all die sooner than later. Most of them have very tiny chambers and are slow to compress air. If you leave them on for more than 10-15 mins at a time, it will burn out for sure.

alexz · #8 03-25-2008, 09:44 AM

I bought a "truck" grade portable air compressor 12v from Walmart about 8 years ago, its still works, I use it ALL the time. it was about $29 I beilieve.
the only time it failed when its fuse burned in a 12v plug.

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