Just saw a you tube video on various ways to pump up,your tires…it was very comprehensive and a Tom Cat mini air compressor performed well and looked very lightweight and compact and scored points on portability…but initially can’ find where to buy them in The UK so just wondering…if there are any other recommendations and does anybody use a tomcat…
Also the guy (mark Victor) used what seemed to,be a very simple one touch analogue guage to compare psi readings from the various methods he used to inflate tires…I liked its clarity and simplicity and I guess it must be highly accurate
Again can anyone recommend one similar or the same.
The Lidl compressors when they have them on special are fist sized and cost less than £10. Sainsbury’s petrol stations currently have small cheap compressors as well.
Digital is more accurate in that in my experience they are in inaccurate but more consistent in that inaccuracy. They tend to over inflate by about half a PSI all the time.
I have an Aldi one I got for £5 during one of their special offer sales a good few years ago. Keep it under the seat and plug it in the 12v socket in the glovebox when required. Bloomin’ handy but the gauge is rubbish so I always check with a digital gauge I got from Halfords.
I’ve got the Slime mini compressor. Does a great job but doesn’t have any sort of built in gauge, which is a little annoying. And yes, it does get really hot!
I’ve had a few mini compressors over the years from various sources and none of them have lasted too long if used regularly. Pack one under your seat and use it to check your tyre pressures and to check it still does the job. Expect it to fall apart, blow up, burn out etc and require replacing on a biannual basis and anything beyond that is a bonus.
The one I’m currently using came as part of a Ford tyre inflation kit and to be fair it’s pretty good for a garage item and inflates to 35 psi in a few minutes. It’s probably too big for under seat use being about twice the size of the mini compressors in the video but it packs a bigger punch for it.
Ring inflator from amazon kept in the van, cheap and works - gauge isn’t too bad. Lasts a year or two (as Art says they don’t last long, especially if you use it for a van as I do as it struggles over 40psi)
Crafty Plugger for on the road, I’ve plugged bikes and car and its worked perfectly for weeks. If you are quick you can keep the air in too. If not, you can hope you are with someone who has a pump or you aren’t too far from a garage
I use the Ring RAC600 at home. I use it twice a week and it is reliable but undereads slightly so the auto cut off hits in about 0.1 Bar too high. I have had it for years although it is the third one I have had as two had to be replaced during the first year due to failures.
Be careful. One of the faliures involved an internal overpressure which went bang, although the casing retained anyting that attempted to break loose.
