Best 12V tyre inflators 2024
Which of these plug and play inflators deserve a place in your boot?
Having the correct tyre pressures is a simple way to stay safe and legal, and as a bonus you can make some real savings. When your tyres are spot on, your car will stop and corner as it should and they’ll wear evenly; when pressures are too low, you’ll use more fuel and create higher emissions.
Having your own inflator to hand means you don’t have to depend on potentially inaccurate tyre pressure gauges on a forecourt, many of which charge a fee.
This test looks at inflators powered by a 12V socket. They may be a touch bulkier and more fiddly to use (with the cable dragging around the car) than cordless versions, but they’re generally cheaper and will always be ready to use.
How we tested them
Each unit was timed inflating a 15-inch tyre from 20-30psi. We checked before and after pressures for accuracy, as well as the ambient and working noise levels. We also topped up a spacesaver from 55-60psi using the same criteria.
Each was scored for its speed, accuracy and noise, and practicalities such as hose and power-cord length, connector type and ease of use. We particularly wanted to find a clear and easy-to-read display, comprehensive instructions and a programmable/auto- off function to make them easier to use.
Reviews:
Ring RTC1000 Premium Rapid Digital Tyre Inflator
- Rating: 5 stars
- Price: Around £42
- Time 20-30psi/55-60psi: 1:43/0:42
- Website: ringautomotive.com
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The Ring impressed straight out of its strong zip-up case, coming complete with four valve caps, three adaptors and a pair of protective gloves. The 3.5m cable was the longest and the 70cm hose with its screw-on connector was plenty to reach most tyre valves. The large digital backlit display was clear and setting a max pressure was easy with the rotary knob. Once again, it combined great performance and specification to beat the rest.
Halfords Rapid Digital Tyre Inflator 514374
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Price: Around £45
- Time 20-30psi/55-60psi: 2:16/0:30
- Website: halfords.com
Like the Ring, the well made digital Halfords inflator has a usefully large on/off button that can be used with a foot if required. We liked the large display, the Ring-like underslung roll-up power cable and the hose which wrapped neatly around the device. Selecting the scale (psi, bar, kg/cm2) and setting the max pressure was simple. The timings were good, albeit not the best, although the 41dB noise level was second lowest.
Michelin 12V Programmable Fast Flow Tyre Inflator 27266
- Rating: 4 stars
- Price: Around £58
- Time 20-30psi/55-60psi: 1:53/0:20
- Website: halfords.com
A bit pricey, but the Michelin impressed with its onboard 12V and USB power sockets, protective bag and accuracy – just 0.5psi adrift over the 20/30 psi test. It was a touch quieter than the Halfords unit above, the timed results were good and it was one of five to have a three-metre cable. Incredibly, it was the only inflator with instructions that mentioned the need for checking tyre pressures when cold.
Streetwize 150psi 12V Mistral Digital Air Compressor SWAC18
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Price: Around £30
- Time 20-30psi/55-60psi: 1:42/0:21
- Website: streetwize.co.uk
The industrial-looking Streetwize produced some impressive inflation times on both tyres, although it was the only one not to have a light. It was quite heavy, similar to the Halfords digital at 1.36kg, and the top of the motor got very hot. With no case, it was clumsy to store, with both the cable and hose being wrapped around the inflator.
Clarke CT150Li 12V/Cordless Digital Tyre Inflator
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Price: Around £60
- Time 20-30psi/55-60psi: 1:43/0:22
- Website: machinemart.co.uk
The pistol-styled Clarke includes a 2Ah battery (plus a USB socket) as well as the 12V cable, which adds to the price. It was easy enough to use with its lockable trigger and produced some good figures. The digital display was small (25 x 12mm) but the accuracy was reasonable.
Michelin 12V High Performance Tyre Inflator 27012
- Rating: 3 stars
- Price: Around £60
- Time 20-30psi/55-60psi: 1:00/0:18
- Website: mymotorworld.com
The triangular Michelin has an attractive blue digital display and soft-touch controls. It featured five programmable modes, but it was irritating that it reset when the power was removed. Unusually, the 12V cable is detachable and a bit awkward to store. The inflation times were the quickest here.
Draper 12V Analogue Tyre Inflator 13274
- Rating: 2.5 stars
- Price: Around £15
- Time 20-30psi/55-60psi: 3:38/0:26
- Website: drapertools.com
The Draper looks good and, at 650g, it is lightweight and neatly houses the cable/hose. It comes with a bright LED but isn’t programmable. The two scales (bar/psi) were clear on the large central gauge and it produced the only totally accurate results of the test. But it’s slow to inflate.
Halfords Analogue Tyre Inflator 514318
- Rating: 2 stars
- Price: Around £20
- Time 20-30psi/55-60psi: 4:23/23
- Website: halfords.com
The basic design of this analogue device mirrors the current Halfords’ style and seems well put together. It features a large on/off button, a clear central dial and an LED light that remains on permanently. The spacesaver performance was fine, but it really struggled with the larger tyre, and it was 3psi optimistic at both 20 and 30psi.
Verdict:
Ring stays at the top of the pile with its impressive combination of features, performance and price. The Halfords Digital is also easy to use, but lost enough points overall to stay in second. The Fast Flow Michelin’s price harmed its efforts here but it’s still a worthy third.
- Ring RTC1000 Premium Rapid Digital Tyre Inflator
- Halfords Rapid Digital Tyre Inflator 514374
- Michelin 12V Programmable Fast Flow Tyre Inflator 27266
Now check out our list of the best tyres to buy...
