These are the best portable air compressors for car tires that you can buy online.
If you’ve been driving for any lengthy amount of time, you’ve most likely had to deal with a tire that is low on air. If you’re lucky, you might be nearby a gas station that has air that you can use, for a price in most places.
But what if you are in the middle of nowhere and you notice your tire has a leak? You can change to a spare if you have one, but that is usually unnecessary if you simply keep a small air compressor in your trunk wherever you go.
In this post, I’m going to show you the best portable air compressor that you can get for cars and other small tires.
Our Top Pick – This Is The Best Portable Air Compressor For Car Tires
Viair 88P Portable Compressor Kit
Product Info:
Weight: 4.75 lbs.
Dimensions: 12.73″ x 9.16″ x 5.88″
For most applications the Viair 88P will be your best bet for reliably filling up your car tires. It puts out up to 120 PSI so you won’t be waiting around all day while your tires fill up.
This model has heavy duty clamps that will connect to your car battery to power it, with 10 ft long power cords.
The air hose on this has a length of 16 ft giving you plenty of reach for all four of your tires.
If you are only in need of a pump for emergency leaks you can get away with something like the AstroAI pump. However, if you are going to be doing any more than the occasional slow leak, the Viair will give you the best bang for your buck.
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Important Things To Consider When Choosing A Portable Air Compressor For Car Tires
Choosing the right air compressor is as easy as it might first seem. There are quite a few models, sizes, and types to choose from and the right option really depends on your specific needs.
Before buying an air compressor for car tires, there are a few things that you shoulder consider:
Will it be used only for your car tires?
If you are planning to get an air compressor that you can use for anything other than filling car tires, bike tires, and other small things, you are probably going to want something different than what is mentioned in this article.
You should maybe even consider other options than the ones that we mention if you are planning to fill up tires on large trucks.
Is your car battery easily accessible?
Some car batteries aren’t easily accessible and can make reaching all four tires potentially difficult depending on the air compressor that you buy.
If your car battery isn’t easy to get at, you might want to consider an air pump that connects through your cigarette socket or is cordless instead.
How quickly do you want the tires to be filled?
This is where the PSI of the air compressor is going to be important. If you just need a top-up you can get away with a compressor that is a little below 100 PSI, but if you are filling multiple tires, or filling them often, something over 100 PSI is going to save your precious time.
Alternative Air Compressors For Your Car Tires You May Want To Consider
Runner Up Air Compressor For Occasional Car Tire Top Ups
AstroAI Air Compressor
Product Info:
Weight: 2.2 lbs.
Dimensions: 8.4″ x 6.8″ x 3.9″
It was a difficult choice in deciding our overall top pick for the single best air compressor to recommend. Our top pick the Viair 88P is a little more versatile and reliable than this option, but if you only need some emergency air top ups every now and then for your car tires, this is an incredible lightweight option that should serve you well.
This compressor hooks up to your cigarette outlet for easy use and has a digital pressure display that is easy to read at any time of the day.
The AstroAI puts out 100PSI so it won’t fill up your tires as quickly as the Viair, but it still manages to be pretty quick for it’s size.
Not only is this compressor a little smaller, but it is also cheaper than our top pick, making it a great budget pick.
Cordless Air Compressor For Small Cars
Ryobi 18V Cordless Power Inflator
Product Info:
Weight: 3.74 lbs.
Dimensions: 10.25″ x 8.5″ x 6.5″
If you are looking to ditch the power cord then the Ryobi Power Inflator is probably going to be your best option for small car tires.
While you ditch the power cord with these compressor types, you obviously need to have a battery that will power this device and a charger if you don’t already have one. This ease of use bumps up the overall price just a bit but the convenience makes up for it.
The downside of going with a cordless option like this is that most tires will usually take a little longer to fill up.
Summing It All Up
Choosing the right air compressor depends heavily on what your exact needs for it will be. The air compressors that we recommend in this article are great options primarily for cars and other small vehicles. You can of course also use these compressors for other small things such as bike tires, and footballs as well.
From the three options that we recommend, the Viair 88P is the most versatile and reliable pump for the money. There are numerous posters on Reddit who all recommend this compressor over the others as well.
If you want something solely for emergencies and don’t want to spend a lot of money, the AstroAI is probably our favorite alternative.
And for those that hate power cords, the Ryobi Power Inflator will be perfect for you.
Hi, I’m Carmine, the guy behind Helpful Tiger. Tired of crappy search results? Me too. That’s why I started this website. It’s a one-stop shop for simple tutorials and guides on a little bit of everything. Have questions? Reach out, and I’ll do my best to help!
