A simple tire pressure gauge might be able to tell you how much pressure is in your tires, but it doesn’t offer any solutions if your tire pressure is less than optimal. The best tire inflators with gauges don’t just display how much pressure is in your tires, but they also provide a way to inflate, or in some cases deflate your car’s tires.
Driving long distances without a tire inflator with a gauge tucked away somewhere in your vehicle is a bad idea. In an emergency situation, they could be the difference between a minor inconvenience and a lengthy wait for a rescue vehicle. Ensure you’re prepared for any roadside emergency by reviewing our recommendations for the best tire inflators with gauges on the market, as well as the best tire inflators, tested by our team of auto experts.
Top 5 Tire Inflators With Gauges
What Are The Best Tire Inflators With Gauges?
- Best Overall: Fanttik X8 Apex Tire Inflator
- Runner-Up: Fanttik X8 Portable Tire Inflator
- Best Voltage: AstroAI A220B
- Best Air Hose: Tirewell 12V Tire Inflator
- Most Portable: Fortem Tire Inflator
Tire Inflators With Gauges Ratings: Our Testing Process
The tire inflators in this article went through two rounds of reviews. We started by searching retailers like Amazon, RealTruck, and Advance Auto Parts for top products, looking at factors such as shipping, brand, customer ratings, and prices.
Our product testing team then ordered the tire inflators that best met these standards. A team member tested each product on a car, taking note of how well the tire inflators did at quickly increasing the air pressure in a car tire, how easy the air compressor was to use, and the number of additional features. Each tire inflator with a gauge was given a rating out of 5 stars based on these criteria.
Inflation Speed: The inflation speed of a tire inflator with a gauge is arguably its most important characteristic. We tested this by timing how long it took to inflate a single car tire from 10.0 to 40.0 psi.
Ease Of Use: To test this, our team members inflated a full set of tires on our testing vehicle taking note of any difficulties or issues they encountered during the tire inflation process.
Features: Our team members recorded any additional features on the tire inflator outside of its original intended use. Following this, we tested if each feature worked and how well it worked.
Why You Can Trust Us
Each year, we test over 350 auto products on vehicles and in our testing lab. Our team of product testers thoroughly researches top products, unboxes and puts our hands on each component, and tests the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.
We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here.
Tire Inflators With Gauges Reviews
Before looking at our in-depth testing of each tire inflator with gauges in this review, we compared the best tire inflators, looking at cost, voltage, and power source. By looking at a side-by-side comparison, you can narrow down which tire inflator might be right for you.
Compare Tire Inflators
Cost | Voltage | Power Source | |
---|---|---|---|
Fanttik X8 Apex | Around $130 | 11.1 Volts | Battery |
Fanttik X8 Portable | Around $100 | 7.0V | Battery |
AstroAI | Around $45 | 12.0V | Corded Electric |
Oak & Iron | Around $90 | 11.1V | Battery |
Tirewell | Around $65 | 12.0V | Battery |
Fortem | Around $30 | 12.0V | Corded Electric |
#1 Fanttik X8 Apex Tire Inflator: Best Overall
Key Features
- Rechargeable 7,800.0-mAh battery
- Cordless
- Three modes of LED lights
What’s In The Box?
The Fanttik X8 Apex Tire Inflator comes with a number of accessories: a USB charging cable, an air tube, a needle valve adaptor, a Schrader-Presta valve adapter, an accessory bag, and a user manual.
You can see how the Fattik X8 Apex performed in each category below:
Review Category | Score (Out of 5.0 Stars) |
---|---|
Inflation Speed | 5.0 |
Ease of Use | 5.0 |
Features | 5.0 |
Overall Rating | 5.0 |
Our Experience
Our product testing team awarded the title of Best Overall tire inflator with gauges to the Fanttik X8 for its superior inflation speed and its long list of features.
Inflation Speed: In the automotive industry, there may not be a quicker tire inflator with gauges than the Fanttik X8. This tire inflator was lightyears ahead of our other top picks in this article in terms of inflation speed.
Ease Of Use: The fact that the Fanttik X8 is a cordless tire inflator makes a world of difference. This tire inflator with a gauge is incredibly easy to use, as you don’t even need to connect the device to the car charger or wall. Simply pre-set your desired psi, connect the device to the tire valve, and come back to fully inflated tires at the exact psi you want thanks to the auto shut-off feature.
Features: This tire inflator is incredibly versatile and has a range of features. We found the three modes of LED lights to be helpful, effective, and easy to switch between. In terms of the device doubling as a power bank, our team hadn’t come across any tire inflators with a gauge that offer such multi-purpose features.
What Customers Are Saying
Amazon Review Score: 4.7 out of 5 based on 1,600 ratings
One customer remarked that if you own a car that doesn’t have a spare tire, then you should never go without this device. Another customer praises the quick inflation time of this tire inflator and appreciates how the gauge gave an accurate reading of the psi in his truck tires.
#2 Fanttik X8 Portable Tire Inflator: Most Portable Tire Inflator
Key Features
- Rechargeable 5,200.0 mAh battery
- Cordless
- Three modes of LED lights
What’s In The Box?
The Fanttik X8 Portable Tire Inflator doesn’t come with as many accessories as the X8 Apex, but it includes everything you need. Customers can expect to receive the tire inflator itself, a Presta valve adapter, a nozzle and ball needle adapter, an air tube, a USB cable, a storage bag, and a user’s manual.
You can see how the Fanttik X8 Portable performed in each category below:
Review Category | Score (Out of 5.0 Stars) |
---|---|
Inflation Speed | 5.0 |
Ease of Use | 5.0 |
Features | 4.5 |
Overall Rating | 4.8 |
Our Experience
The Fanttik X8 Portable Tire Inflator was one of our favorite tire inflators to use due to its great feel in hand and quick inflation speed.
Inflation Speed: Although this tire inflator was marginally slower at inflating our test vehicle’s tires compared to the X8 Apex, we still granted it a perfect inflation speed score. This is because both Fanttik tire inflators were much quicker at inflating tires than any other tire inflators with gauges that we tested.
Ease Of Use: Cordless, lightweight, and portable. In terms of a tire inflator with gauges, it’s hard to beat those three characteristics. The X8 Portable Tire Inflator’s auto-detect and auto-shutoff features made inflating our test vehicle’s tires a breeze.
Features: While this tire inflator with gauge can’t claim that it doubles as a power bank, it does come with a wealth of features. The LED light modes were bright and effective, while navigating through different features on the digital display was straightforward and easy for our team members.
What Customers Are Saying
Amazon Review Score: 4.5 out of 5 based on over 800 ratings
Reviewers online rave over the Fanttik X8 Portable Tire Inflator. Many note that they were pleasantly surprised that such a small tire inflator could produce so much power and inflate car tires as quickly as it does. Several reference this tire inflator with gauges being a big step up from a gas station air compressor.
#3 AstroAI A220B: Best Voltage
Key Features
- 120.0-W and 10.0-foot-long power cord
- Large backlit LCD screen
- Professionally calibrated
What’s In The Box?
For customers who purchase the AstroAI A220B, they can expect to receive the tire inflator itself, a needle valve adapter, a valve extender, an easy-connect Schrader valve adapter, and documentation detailing the specifics of the company’s three-year warranty for this product.
You can see how the AstroAI performed in each category below:
Review Category | Score (Out of 5.0 Stars) |
---|---|
Inflation Speed | 4.5 |
Ease of Use | 4.5 |
Features | 4.5 |
Overall Rating | 4.5 |
Our Experience
The AstroAI A220B was recognized by our review team as the Best Voltage tire inflator with gauges, as it offers 12.0 volts of power and inflates tires incredibly quickly.
Inflation Speed: This tire inflator with a gauge was incredibly quick to inflate our testing vehicle’s tires from a low-pressure point after deflating them via the bleeder valve. The inflator had one of the quickest inflation rates, with only the Fanttik X8 outperforming this product in this testing category.
Ease Of Use: Between the 10.0-foot-long power cord and the automatic shut-off feature, this tire inflator is really easy to use. The length of the power cord allowed our team members to easily reach each tire valve to inflate a full set of tires, while the automatic shut-off feature made the inflation process relatively hands-free.
Features: A programmable inflation feature and automatic shut-off capabilities are two features of this tire inflator that stand out. These two features make the actual inflation process itself much quicker with significantly less effort required than most tire inflators with gauges. Additionally, an integrated LED flashlight is a nice feature to have.
What Customers Are Saying
Amazon Review Score: 4.5 out of 5 based on around 55,000 ratings
One customer in particular raves over the flashlight that’s featured on this portable tire inflator, as he found himself needing to find the tire valve stem in low-light conditions. Another customer mentions the time this product saves as she doesn’t have to stand outside at a cold gas station trying to inflate a flat tire.
#4 Tirewell 12V Tire Inflator: Best Air Hose
Key Features
- Stability technology
- Dual-cylinder direct-drive motor
- 5.0-meter extension hose
What’s In The Box?
There’s not much included in the box when you purchase the Tirewell 12V Tire Inflator, outside of the tire inflator itself. Customers who purchase this item can also expect to receive a 5.0-m extension hose, an instruction manual, and a carrying bag.
You can see how the Tirewell performed in each category below:
Review Category | Score (Out of 5.0 Stars) |
---|---|
Inflation Speed | 4.0 |
Ease of Use | 4.0 |
Features | 4.0 |
Overall Rating | 4.0 |
Our Experience
In our experience, the Tirewell 12V Tire Inflator is a simple yet effective tire inflator with a gauge to use.
Inflation Speed: This tire inflator with a gauge was quite quick to inflate our testing vehicle’s tires. Part of the reason this tire inflator had a fast inflation speed was because it automatically shut off prior to the tires being fully inflated, which is ultimately why this product lost one point in this testing category.
Ease Of Use: The long and durable power cord makes inflating all four tires of a car easy work. Additionally, the inclusion of a battery clamp means there’s a variety of ways to power your tire inflator, making the act of inflating tires that much easier.
Features: Stability technology is a unique feature that separates this tire inflator with a gauge from the competition. Rubber feet are also a nice inclusion, but this inflator’s ability to inflate tires quickly and quietly is something that not many other products can offer.
What Customers Are Saying
Amazon Review Score: 4.3 out of 5 based on over 3,600 ratings
Positive reviews praise the heavy-duty nature of the product and its durability. A few negative reviews complain about the airflow this tire inflator produces.
#5 Fortem Tire Inflator: Most Portable
Key Features
- Weighs only 1.94 lbs
- 14.0-ft. power cable
- One-year warranty
What’s In The Box?
There’s not much outside of the bare necessities included in the box with the Fortem Tire Inflator. Customers can expect to receive the air compressor itself, along with three nozzle attachments, a carrying bag to take your tire inflator with a gauge with you, and an extra fuse. A physical card detailing information about the product’s one-year warranty is also included.
You can see how the Fortem performed in each category below:
Review Category | Score (Out of 5.0 Stars) |
---|---|
Inflation Speed | 4.0 |
Ease of Use | 4.0 |
Features | 4.0 |
Overall Rating | 4.0 |
Our Experience
The Fortem Tire Inflator was quick to inflate our testing vehicle’s tires, and our team members found it easy to use.
Inflation Speed: This tire inflator with a gauge had a relatively average inflation speed. This will inflate your tires in a reasonable amount of time without taking too long.
Ease Of Use: This tire inflator was easy to use and simple to get set up. Using this product was nice, as it was notably lighter than the other tire inflators with gauges that we tested.
Features: The built-in LED flashlight and auto shut-off are two features of this inflator. The only drawback to these features that we found is that the flashlight cannot be turned off and will continuously shine light while the tire inflator is connected to a power source.
What Customers Are Saying
Amazon Review Score: 4.5 out of 5 based on over 24,000 ratings
One reviewer praises this tire inflator for being much easier to read thanks to the digital tire pressure gauge than the analog gauge on his old tire inflator. Another reviewer mentions how quiet this tire inflator is. A few negative reviews forewarn others that the fuse broke instantly after first use.
Tire Inflators With Gauges Buyers Guide
At its most basic, a tire inflator with gauges will be made from stainless steel, and you’ll be lucky to get a gauge that swivels as an added feature. This doesn’t have to be the case. From versatile and multi-purpose tire inflators to tire inflators with built-in flashlights for inflating tires in the dark, a tire inflator with gauges can be much more useful than you imagine. Two factors we think are important to consider are voltage and hose length.
Voltage
Low-voltage tire inflators with gauges take more time to inflate a tire with low pressure than those that have higher voltages. A number of the products we tested were 12.0-V tire inflators, which we believe is the optimal voltage for inflating a car tire. Take the time to evaluate whether you can forgo purchasing a higher-voltage tire inflator with a gauge.
Hose Length
While we don’t think you need 20.0 feet of hose to comfortably inflate all four of your car’s tires, we do think that additional hose length can come in handy. At the very least, we recommend making sure that the tire inflator you purchase has a long enough power cord and air hose to reach all of your car’s tires.
Tire Inflator With Gauge: Bottom Line
In this article, along with sharing helpful purchasing tips for those interested in purchasing a tire inflator with gauge, we reviewed the top six tire inflators with gauge in 2023:
- Best Overall: Fanttik X8 Apex Tire Inflator
- Runner-Up: Fanttik X8 Portable Tire Inflator
- Best Voltage: AstroAI A220B
- Best Air Hose: Tirewell 12V Tire Inflator
- Most Portable: Fortem Tire Inflator
Tire Inflator With Gauge: FAQ
*Data accurate at time of publication.