A flat tyre can really ruin your day. Imagine being sat at the side of the road in miserable weather, waiting for the roadside mechanic to turn up in their van and breathe new life into your deflated tyre.
Tyres with the correct pressure last longer and get fuel efficiency, saving you serious money. Properly pressured tyres are also more effective if you need to slow down in an emergency. In short, it's a good idea to keep a tyre inflator in your car at all times to make sure your tyre pressure is correct.
What you need to know about tyre inflators
Before you go about checking your car's tyres, there are a couple of things to remember. There are two main methods of measuring how much air is in your tyres; pounds per square inch (psi) or barometric atmospheric pressure (bar). Be sure to check which measurement the tyre pump uses before buying (although some offer both measurements).
The pressure your tyres should be set to can be found in your car's handbook. There are usually two figures shown, one for normal use and another for high-load situations. Be sure to regularly check your tyres (once a month should be enough) to make sure that they stay at the correct pressure as air leaks out over time.
Parkers - Best tyre pumps
1. Ring Analogue Tyre Inflator
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A good choice for everyday use, this tyre pump is capable of re-inflating a mid-sized tyre in four and a half minutes. With 12V (standard in most cars) and wall socket power, this inflator can be kept at home or placed in your car to keep your tyres full of air.
2. Norshire tyre inflator
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The most stylish tyre pump available, the Norshire hand-held tyre pump is a powerful option. Able to inflate a tyre in under 5 minutes and capable of 175psi, it is a stylish option and compact enough to store in the car easily. 12V and USB charging is an added bonus.
3. AA digital air compressor
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A simple-to-use 12V operated tyre pump, this pump will ensure that your tyres stay filled with air. With a programmable automatic shut-off setting, it'll stop you from overinflating your tyres too. The small size makes it easily portable, too.
4. Halfords digital tyre inflator
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This electric tyre pump will inflate a mid-sized tyre in 5 minutes and runs on a 12V outlet. This product is also compact enough to be kept in your car without it taking up too much room. This product also comes with a selection of adaptors for inflating other things like footballs.
5. Audew foot pump
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A simple manually operated tyre pump, this is a great option for dependability. The big benefit with this pump is that there is no need to worry about flat batteries, although you'll probably work up a sweat as you use it.
6. Xiaomi Electric Air Pump
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Perfect for small cars as well as bicycles, motorcycles and mopeds, this gadget may be slower and less powerful than others but is so much more compact and easy to store. It can even be clipped to a backpack. Charged via a USB port it can inflate a mid-sized tyre in roughly eight minutes.
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