An overlooked side of driving safety is tire pressure. Have you ever dreaded the idea of going to a gas station just to pump your tires to the right pressure?
Perhaps sometimes even risked driving with an under-inflated tire?
Well, maybe it’s time to look for a portable air compressor. They are rather easy to carry around, handy to have since you never know when you might need one, and, don’t forget, no more extra trips to the gas station.
There are a few other perks of having one of these around to pump your car’s tires whenever the need arises.
For example, adequately pressured tires last longer, which not only means economy in terms of not having to replace them too soon, but also the fact that they also improve fuel economy (even fewer trips to the gas station).
Handling and vehicle performance also improve when the tires are pressurized correctly.
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Pretty much every vehicle owner has had to pull into a gas station and air up their tires, especially when the weather gets cold. And really, who wants to have to go out of their way to find a gas service station with a working air pump?
This past winter, I got a low tire pressure warning on my instrument panel when it was cold and rainy outside. I ended up driving to four different gas stations, none of which had a working air compressor station!
So, take it from me, you definitely want to add one of these to your home garage before you need it.
With that in mind, here are three portable air compressors that you might want to take a look at:
JACO RoadPro Tire Inflator – Portable Air Compressor Pump, 100 PSI Review
The JACO RoadPro Tire Inflator should prove to be a safe bet for any driver looking for a reliable portable air compressor. Fast and efficient, the JACO can pump compressed air at an impressive rate of 35 liters per minute.
Weighing in at 5.1 pounds and with dimensions of 8x4x7 inches, the JACO should be easy to keep around in the car for emergencies.
It also allows drivers to comfortably pressurize their tires during night time. With the bright LED safety light feature of the JACO, you should have no problem pumping those tires during night-time emergencies.
Still in the lighting department, the JACO also has a built-in pressure gauge that glows in the dark. This gauge is calibrated to a standard accuracy rating of plus or minus 2-3 percent.
For specs, the JACO has a gauge range of 0-100 PSI. It functions on 12V voltage that will work for most 12V car outlets rated at 10A or higher according to JACO. Its working current is 8-9 amps going up to 14 amps as a maximum current, and it has a 168W maximum Wattage.
P.I. Auto Store Premium Digital Portable Tire Inflator Review
Our last portable air compressor is a highly versatile model. This P.I. Auto Store Tire Inflator should cover most of the needs anybody could have for an air compressor.
The P.I. Tire Inflator should work not only on cars, but also on motorhomes, RV’s, ATVs, SUVs, trucks, and even bikes.
Able to pump tires all the way to 150 PSI, the P.I. Tire Inflator is also fast to work with as it can inflate a mid-sized car tire from flat to 30 PSI in less than 4 minutes.
In addition to that speed, the P.I. Tire Inflator also has features like microprocessor monitors, which avoid over-inflation by stopping pressurization as soon as the tire hits your desired pressure.
Viair 00088 88P Portable Air Compressor Review
As light as air compressor pumps come, the 4.75 pound-heavy Viair 88P is the definition of portable.
Practical and easy to use, the Viair 88P has wires long enough for the driver to move around the car comfortably while pressurizing his tires as the power chord is 9 feet long and the air hose is 12 feet long.
It can inflate up to 33-inch tires with a direct battery connection, which makes it a handy portable air compressor in a time of emergency.
Specs wise, the 88P has a 120 PSI pressure gauge, a duty cycle of 25 minutes at 30PSI and a maximum working pressure of 120 PSI. And, like the JACO, an LED work light feature for night-time needs.