We often heard that: “Big blessings come in small packages.”
That’s very true indeed, especially in case of small-sized air compressors for your car tires, when you are a person who loves road trips or long drives for refreshing your mind.
Portable air pumps are a must-have item in your car during traveling as it will prove itself to be a huge blessing, once you find yourself stuck on the road with a punctured tire because you never know when you will need it.
An air pump helps you to cope up with a flat tire during a trip then and there. It saves your time as well as effort, that you would need otherwise to remove the flat tire using a jack manually, which is quite a strenuous activity. But the air pump surely saves you big time only if you buy one.
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Top 5 Best Small Air Compressors for Filling Tires 2021
We have a compiled a list of top 5 best compact size air compressors that will prove themselves to be your true companion during your road trips.
Best Small Air Compressors for Filling Tires
1. EPAuto Portable Air Compressor Pump (Best-Seller on Amazon)
EPAuto 12V DC Portable Air Compressor Pump, Digital Tire Inflator
$32.97
It is an amazingly small size air pump that weighs only 1 pound and has multiple uses, as it can be used to inflate tires of cars, sedan, SUVs, as well as it comes with additional adapters which are used to inflate other variety of products like sports balls and many other inflatables too.
It is easy to operate since it plugs directly into a cigarette lighter socket of your vehicle. It is only Compatible with 12V DC power supply.
It is also equipped with an auto shut-off feature when the preset desired pressure limit is reached, thus preventing over-inflation and overheating.
2. P.I. AUTO STORE Premium Air Compressor
P.I. AUTO STORE Premium Air Compressor Tire Inflator for Automobiles and Bikes. Portable 12V DC Electric Car Tire Pump, Auto Shut Off, Digital Pressure Gauge, LED Light. New Improved Version
$23.84
This upgraded pump is more powerful than other pumps, as it can generate 38L/min airflow. This means it is efficient enough to fill a medium-size car tire from completely deflated to 30 psi within 3 minutes time.
It is highly versatile as it conveniently inflates tires of cars, bikes, SUVs, as well as comes with additional adapters for inflating sport balls and inflatables.
It is compact in size with a weight under 2 pounds, which makes it easy to carry everywhere. It also comes with the Auto shut-off feature to avoid overheating and over-inflation.
It comes with built-in white LED light, as well as red emergency light with SOS pulse for the purpose of road emergencies.
3. JACO SmartPro Digital Tire Inflator Pump (Amazon’s Choice)
JACO SmartPro Digital Tire Inflator Pump - Premium 12V Portable Air Compressor - 100 PSI
$39.90
This compact-sized air pump inflates up to 45 psi (auto tires) and up to 100 psi for bike tires, at an amazing rate of 25L/min.
It can inflate a variety of products including car tires, truck tires as well as bicycle tires. It comes with additional adapters making it useful for multiple purposes.
It also comes with a white LED flashlight, as well as red light with an SOS pulse for emergency situations.
Best Small Air Compressors For Inflating Tires- Buying Guide
Before you decide to buy the best compact and portable air pump for your car, the following factors are very important to consider:
- Pumping Time:
You know you are buying an air pump for the sole purpose of filling car tires when the car breaks down in the middle of the road, so the pumping time is very crucial to monitor before deciding to buy any pump; since the longer the time it takes to inflate tires, the longer you will have to wait on the road, and that can be quite risky and unsafe. Make sure you opt for a fast air pump for your comfort and safety.
- Auto Shut-Off Feature:
The air pump you buy must have the automatic shut-off feature that will ensure automatically cutting off the air supply when the desired or pre-set pressure has been reached and no more capacity for air is there in the tire. It helps to prevent over-inflation as well as protects from overheating, hence ensuring security.
- Multi-Purpose Air Compressor:
You should always go for a pump which can be used for various product inflation. The pump which comes with additional nozzles and adapters are ideal to buy; since they have more uses as compared to any pump which can be used for any single purpose.
The pump which comes with additional nozzles for inflatables, sports balls and bicycle tires, additional fuse, and AC/DC Converter plug must be preferred for your convenience.
FAQs
Q1) Why small-sized air pump is ideal for inflating tires of vehicles?
Ans) Compact sized air pumps are easier to carry than large-sized air pumps which offer the same functions. You have to keep them in your car during traveling, so small air pumps fit perfectly in your trunk without occupying much space.
Q2) Why most of the pumps cannot inflate truck tires?
Ans) Most of the tire inflators are designed to fill tires up to 100 psi, which is the pressure range for small and mid-sized cars like Sedan, SUVs, but it is not enough to fill the truck tires efficiently since they are large and require much higher air pressure for inflation.
Q3) Why metal-body air pumps are more durable and efficient than plastic ones?
Ans) The plastic air pumps generally are not able to radiate heat better like the metal ones, which result in the increased wear and tear of the inner parts of the plastic pumps, which also make them fragile, noisy and result in a shorter life span than the metal-air pumps.