Ryobi Cordless High Pressure Inflator R18PI-0
Price: Around £35 (around £105 with battery and charger)
Inflation time tyre/space-saver: 104/13 seconds
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Website: uk.ryobitools.eu
Ryobi’s new offering is a typical pistol-style device, although it’s alone here in being fitted with an analogue gauge. This is a touch old-school and it’s tricky to see its psi/BAR scales, which read one psi high at 20 and 30 psi. Unlike with some rivals, the hose is the thumblock type, but at 50cm, it’s plenty long enough to be practical.
The inflator lacks a light and deflator button plus, irritatingly, a target facility, but it performed speedily on both tyres (joint best on the space-saver). The price for the bare unit is good and includes a three-year warranty.
A portable tire inflator is an important tool to add to your vehicle's Best portable air compressor for car tires emergency kit. But, like with many things in the automotive market, there are a plethora of confusion options to choose from. How do you sift through all that noise to find the best? That's where we come in—let's cut through the clutter together.
In order to unearth the truth, we called in a truckload of top sellers, renowned brands, and under-the-radar recommendations from staff for a gladiator match in our garage. Which one came out on top? Which tire inflators were surprises or disappointments? And finally, which tire inflator is best for you? This test aims to help you make that informed decision.
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.