This leftfield unit from Sealey gets the bulk of the basics right – but often in an odd way. For instance, the generous 5m power lead means the inflator can always be positioned right by the wheel, making its 2m coiled air hose a little excessive. We assessed each compressor based on their practical merits, such as the length of hoses and power lines and the clarity of display gauges and controls. The crucial metric by which they were judged was the time taken by each to inflate a 15-inch tyre from 20 psi to 30 psi. 1. Ring RTC1000 Premium Rapid Digital Tyre Inflator

Wolf Glovebox Genie 3 in 1 Digital Tyre Inflator - PressReader Wolf Glovebox Genie 3 in 1 Digital Tyre Inflator - PressReader

The Sealey MAC01 smoothly adds air to a flat tyre in an excellent time – but it's let down by its lever-type valve which feels primitive when compared to other inflators in this test. Some units are also equipped with an Auto-stop function, where you simply dial the target pressure into the inflator and it pumps out air until that pressure is reached. Simple. Most tyre inflators also feature screwed valve couplings which are faster and more effective than the old-fashioned lever coupling, making it even easier to add an accurate amount of air. The Sealey tyre inflator gets the bulk of the basics right, but often in an unusual way. The generous 5m cable means the device can be positioned right next to the tyre, making the 2m air hose actually a little excessive. We like the digital gauge and auto-stop, but pressure is in PSI only, unlike with all the other units here that also offer BAR. The gauge also only shows target pressure rather than actual pressure, while a less precise bar display shows inflation progress. Our final complaint is the old-fashioned lever-type tyre coupling. Despite its smaller size, the Ring performed well, inflating the tyre faster than some of the larger models in this test. The Ring also retains a leisure inflator/deflator and is fitted with a Deflate button. We were also a fan of the foolproof knob and display set-up, and the smart carrying bag.Powered tyre inflators are an essential piece of maintenance equipment for any driver, helping car owners inflate or deflate the tyres on their car with ease. And even though the Sakura is beaten by its closely related Sealey sibling, its modern attributes make it an appealing alternative, albeit at the compromise of speed. Wolf’s Glovebox Genie is definitely the best all-rounder for the money thanks to its solid inflation time and reasonable price. It may be slower than some tyre inflators ranked lower in this test, but it's only 25 secs slower than the brisk result set by the Sealey MAC01. Another low-priced inflator that puts up a decent effort, the Sakura is louder and slower than the Glovebox Genie, but is one of the most portable on this list as it weighs less than a kilo and even comes with its own carry bag. The three-metre power cord was a particular plus point with the Sakura, but the gauge misread by around 1.5 psi. 4. Ring RAC830 12V Rapid Digital Tyre Inflator

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Here's a great concept: an inflator that’s cordless for maximum convenience but can also be connected to a 12-volt supply so it can continue pumping if the battery drains down. The large display shows actual pressure as well as target pressure, and a single knob is used to set the target level. You press it to toggle through PSI, Bar and other units, and twist it to set the value. Couldn’t be easier.Tyre maintenance is vital for the performance and safety of your car, so to help you easily maintain the correct pressures we tested a collection of 12V mini air compressors to find the best on the market. Sakura hasn’t skimped on the extras here, with the SS5332 featuring a digital display, a built-in auto-stop function and a deflate button. The air hose and power lead are both decent lengths, too. The Ring lost the inflation speed test here by only two seconds to the Michelin Superfast, but in almost every other way there's almost nothing to choose between the two models. The large display shows actual pressure as well as target pressure, and a single rotary dial is used to set the target level. It allows you to toggle through PSI, Bar and other units, or twist it to set the pressure you want. Simple, and effective. The draper inflator is cordless, which is really convenient, but there’s also a 12-volt cable provided so that you can plug it in and carry on pumping if it runs out of battery before you’ve finished inflating the tyre. However, while the cordless use, auto-stop feature and compact size make this a very convenient unit, the slow inflation speed and short, 15cm air hose make longer pumping jobs tedious as you have to hold it for the duration of the inflation if the tyre valve is more than a few inches above the ground. But while its portable nature and trigger style are perfect for squeezing in the odd PSI or two, this model's rather slow inflation speed and short (15cm) air hose make longer pumping jobs tedious.

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The Sakura is barely any bigger than the dinky Michelin Top-Up yet, impressively, it has enough power to inflate most tyres from totally flat. The 5min 10sec taken to blow up our test tyre, though not terribly rapid by the standards of some others here, was rapid enough and well within the 15-minute duty cycle of the Sakura. They haven’t skimped on the extras either; there’s a digital display, auto-stop, a deflate button and both the power lead and air hose are decent lengths.

We like the digital gauge and auto-stop facility, but pressure has to be expressed in PSI only, unlike with all the other units here. The gauge, annoyingly, shows target pressure rather than actual pressure, leaving a coloured bar display to chart inflation progress. Our final niggle is the old-school lever-type tyre coupling. If, for instance, the tyre's valve is even a few inches above the ground, that short hose means you'll have to hold the unit for the duration. At that point, the auto-stop, when target pressure is reached, becomes rather academic.

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The inflator is simply too slow to pump up most tyres from flat without exceeding its 8 mins on/8 mins off duty cycle. Using it with tyres needing more than 40 PSI isn’t recommended either. Although this is a nicely made product, cheaper – and only slighter bigger – rivals are much more versatile. No matter the output of your engine or how sophisticated your suspension might be, poorly maintained tyres will always restrict performance, compromising ride quality and increasing tyre wear. To prevent this, it's crucial to keep them in tip-top condition, with the first step being to ensure they're inflated to the correct pressures. We factored in how easy each unit was to use and, particularly, whether the wire was long enough to be convenient, and how the air hose was suitable for our needs. Auto-stop, where you select the pressure you want and the inflator stops when it gets there, is the ultimate in ease of use, and deflate buttons are also worthwhile. Finally, we looked at other features including lights and other useful emergency- or domestic-use functions that can make these inflators useful for more than just sorting out your tyres.