I Need Some Kind Of Air Pump/compressor

Looking for advice on what to buy. I want something I can use at home (or maybe even on the road) that will allow me to top off the air in my car tires as well as the 560. There seem to be multiple types on the market and I'm wondering what others use or recommend or recommend to avoid.

My main use would be for topping off car and 560 in the garage and avoiding trips to gas station to top off. I'm not looking to cheap out, but I don't need every bell and whistle. I'll gladly pay for what makes the most sense for my needs.

I'm not so much interested in debating the specific brands posted below, they were just the first examples I could quickly find. But they seem to represent 3 different kinds of "compressors". I'm sure I have the terminology butchered but hopefully you get the idea of what I'm looking for. The one thing in common is that they all work off of battery power.

One seems to have an actual air tank which gets filled...
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-O...HIUM-Battery-and-18V-Charger-P739KN/308974823

No air tank on this one...
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-O...nd-Charger-Starter-Kit-P737D-PSK005/316381960

And no air tank here either...
Best-Selling Portable Mini Air Pump - Airmoto™

They all seem like they could do the job but I have no idea if one "type" is really better than the other. There's plenty of brands to choose from afterwards, but I'd really like to know if I should be focused more on one style/type than the others.

Thanks for any input you may have.

 

Have you tried a bicycle pump?

 

I don’t know if there is some reason you’re thinking a compressor should have its own power? When I bought one I was thinking 12v from the car or trailer battery would be available wherever and whenever I wanted to use it.

I bought a much older version of this:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-12-Volt-Inflator-HD12A/301753171
It’s adequate…

Your use might be different!

 

Well, based on my experiences with air mattresses, I was thinking it would be easier and more convenient than always needing to reach the 12v plug in the car/trailer. But you make a good point, it doesn't have to be. Guess I'll add that to the list of options. Thanks Seth!

 

We have one of those absolute cheapy 12V compressors (no tank) from a Wal mart or random impulse buy at a car store type deals. I bought it thinking it would travel in the car and just be for emergency type use, but we’ve actually pulled it out and used it at the house a number of times when a tire needed air and the local gas station air was busted.

I wouldn’t think it’s durable enough for every day use but it has worked just fine for our sporadic top-offs here and there.

It’s worked well enough I’d probably balk at anything more expensive unless I developed an explicit need for something more robust (example - jeep folks who air down and air up all 4 tires based on what off road scenarios they are doing). I don’t think I spent more than 25 bucks on the thing … and to be fair, it feels pretty flimsy. I think it won’t survive the first time it gets dropped.

 

I definitely have experience with bike pumps over the years, but only on bikes. Way too much work to hand pump car tires, not to mention getting accurate enough readings without constantly stopping to put a real gauge on the tire.

 

I think your usage it close to what I have in mind. Now and then it's good to check your car pressures, especially before a trip. Same with the 560. Gas stations are getting more unreliable for having available air and it just seems like it would be easier to just have something in the garage you could use now and then. Definitely not anything that would get regular usage.

 

a floor bicycle pump that you pump with a foot often has a gauge on it and would do the trick. If you get the kind I have in my head as I type this, you use your leg to pump it and not your arms - a much more efficient and powerful set of muscles to use.

edit - this is what I had in mind https://a.co/d/4uL56vH

 

Well, I'm at the age where I'll gladly pay more to avoid any manual pumps. I barely tolerate them on bicycles and ride with CO2 cartridges to fix flats. Not to mention I can't even see/read a gauge located near the ground. LoL!

 

FWIW, I’ve fallen into the Dewalt tool/man toy ecosystem. It starts with a cordless drill and from there goes on and on - air compressor, impact driver, fan, 20 colt chainsaw, reciprocating saw and my latest toy is the 60 volt chainsaw- this beast is the thing to have when out in the forest - you can cut a fallen tree into rounds in no time. This with a maul and firewood is plentiful! Oh yeah, about the air compressor, you dial in the PSI you want and it will fill and stop. It’s nice to have along. I’ve been pretty happy with the quality of their equipment too.

 

I noticed the battery operated ones do seem to have their own ecosystem. Not sure I'd add much to it but they do seem very convenient which is something I value more the older I get. ;-)

 

I love my milwaukee compressor, but it is definitely not cheap. I like others have bought into a battery tool system, in my case Milwaukee. If you have any Milwaukee battery tools already, their compressor is worth a look.

 

Are you just looking at tire inflation, or mattresses? I'm sorry if I missed it.

These are two separate problems -- high-pressure low-volume, or high-volume low-pressure...

For tire inflation (High Preausre Low Volume) I admit that I am totally spoiled. It's not battery operated, in fact, you have to have the car engine running when you use it, but Viair (and probably the china knocks offs though I have no experience with them) are the bees knees for tire inflation. Be they Bicycle or a semi-truck tires.

When we had our Class A, the tires were semi truck tires filled to 110 PSI. They were exactly the same tire as my buddy has on his Kenworth. A home compressor won't cut it. I used a Husky similar to the small tank ryobi, and it had struggled. I would do it, but no where near as fast as the Viair which would do the job in a few seconds. Viair would add 10-15 psi to a semi-tire (at 110 PSI) in a few seconds. 17 inch car tires at 35 PSI...are child play.

For a car, I wouldn't buy 400P --- very expensive and overkill. Buying one today for this use, I'd look at a Viair 88p at $90 -- If it works half as well as the 400P --- Its a bargain.

Tanks are problem because of condensation which forms in the tanks....they rust. I've seen one explode (see example video) -- and they now officially scare me.


For Mattresses --- My wife got something like this - No good for tires but it stows in the camper with no issues _and_ it gives you an extra battery to charge your phone.

 

I have a Viair 300P. Carry it in the pickup all the time. Seems well made and works well. Clip the leads onto the starter battery and the long air hose will reach all 4 truck tires. I can also hook up to the auxiliary battery in the back of the pickup and reach the TD. The pump cost $150 back in 2019.

 

I've seen the package deals and may consider something like that.

I don't have a battery tool system and that's what makes me wonder if I should go down that road. But they do look like a good system.

No need for a mattress one, just auto. I'll look into the lower versions of the Viair.

Not sure I want to be using a SLA to power it.


Thanks to all who have responded so far. For those using battery operated pumps, do you ever find yourself at home needing to use it but then having to wait while you charge it up?

 

I use the DeWalt one as well, since I had the drill originally, then the inflator, fan, etc I now have several batteries and always have a couple fully charged. I use the tire inflator more than the drill now it seems, my neighbor knows I have it and wants to borrow it all the time

 

Batteries! Oh, now here goes the debate --- get the popcorn

 

Once you start down the rabbit hole, batteries seem to accumulate- I have about 5 or so. They charge fairly quickly. My latest battery is also a beast- flexvolt 15aH. Switches between 20 and 60 volts depending on the tool. It came with the chainsaw. It’s usually good for a weekend of big fires. However this one stakes a lot to recharge - about 300 + watt/hours not counting losses.

 

John I got this lil "Warn" on Amazon a few years ago. Very handy, works off 120v or 12dc cig outlet in car.
It will air up my 215/65/16" tires from aired down in desert to say 20 backup to 40psi but takes awhile, 6-8 min each and will turn off at preset pressure.
If doing all four tires a lot, or bigger truck AT type then would need to wait to let it cool down in between each as the compresser heats up as do the wires...

Looking on Amazon at ranges of inflators thats the trade off -faster more volume is more money.

This has been reliable touching up tires on long drives, after repairing a flat, and used it often to inflate AirLift manual helper bags inside coil to hold up VW wagon saggy butt when heavy loaded, then air down to street ride empty.

If I am going back aways I'll bring my 80psi standup manual pump for mtn bike as a backup but thats painfully slow on car tire, as I'm guessing you know. One is none two is one.