{"id":119027,"date":"2024-10-02T23:54:31","date_gmt":"2024-10-03T06:54:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=119027"},"modified":"2025-01-02T21:16:21","modified_gmt":"2025-01-03T05:16:21","slug":"what-are-handheld-tire-inflators-do-they-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-are-handheld-tire-inflators-do-they-work\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Handheld Tire Inflators? Do They Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column119027_83710f-4e > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column119027_83710f-4e > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column119027_83710f-4e > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column119027_83710f-4e > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column119027_83710f-4e > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column119027_83710f-4e > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column119027_83710f-4e{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column119027_83710f-4e > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column119027_83710f-4e > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column119027_83710f-4e inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-5c3817  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-0bdfc9\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading119027_671a44-d4, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading119027_671a44-d4[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading119027_671a44-d4\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading119027_671a44-d4 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading119027_671a44-d4[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading119027_671a44-d4\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading119027_671a44-d4 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading119027_671a44-d4[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading119027_671a44-d4\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading119027_671a44-d4 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading119027_671a44-d4\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A handheld tire inflator is a great tool to have because you can keep your vehicle at its optimum tire pressure without relying on air compressors at shops or gas stations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Portable air inflators have a motor, piston, and valve that work like your engine. The motor drives the piston and pushes air into your tire. The valve prevents air from escaping the tire.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When using portable tire inflators, remember to straighten the hose, inflate your tires to your vehicle&rsquo;s recommended tire pressure, and keep an eye on the pump&rsquo;s temperature.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Handheld or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/inflate-on-the-go-what-are-portable-tire-inflators\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"portable tire inflators\">portable tire inflators<\/a> are devices designed to pump your vehicle&rsquo;s tires with air. These tire inflators are meant to fit inside your vehicle, allowing you to inflate your tires without going to a gas station or shop. These devices are great for keeping your tires at your vehicle&rsquo;s optimum tire pressure, allowing you to have the best comfort and fuel economy. A portable tire inflator is great to have if you run a flat and notice that your spare tire is also flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most portable air pumps for car tires can measure tire pressure using analog or digital gauges. Tire inflators can also vary in size. Some are small enough to fit your hand, others look similar to a drill. Meanwhile, others are as big as a car battery. Given their differences in size, they also have different features and capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tire inflators aren&rsquo;t just meant for tires. They can come with different valve attachments, allowing you to inflate things like bicycle tires, inflatables, and air beds. This is great when you&rsquo;re taking your vehicle camping and you need an air pump for outdoor activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Do Portable Tire Inflators Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Handheld tire inflators have a small motor that drives a set of gears, which then pushes a piston. As the piston moves up, it&rsquo;ll push air into the hose and your tire. A valve prevents the air from deflating from the tire as the piston moves down and more air is sucked into the piston. This process is very similar to how your engine&rsquo;s pistons and valves work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some tire inflators have a built-in rechargeable battery, which you need to plug into a household 120-volt outlet. Meanwhile, other inflators rely on your vehicle&rsquo;s auxiliary power outlet. There are even portable tire inflators that can plug straight into your vehicle&rsquo;s battery with alligator clamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are portable tire inflators like air compressors for your car? Tire inflators are much like air compressors since they can pump air at high pressures. However, tire inflators don&rsquo;t have a reservoir full of compressed air. Hence, tire inflators can&rsquo;t pump air for long periods, nor can they power pneumatic tools like air compressors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tips on Using Portable Tire Inflators<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keep Your Engine Turned On<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Portable tire inflators can use up a lot of power in a short period. If you&rsquo;re relying on your vehicle as a power source, you should keep the engine turned on so that you don&rsquo;t get a flat battery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Straighten the Hose<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Air might not be able to push into the tire if the hose is bent in an awkward position. When pumping your tires, ensure that the inflator&rsquo;s hoses are straight and air can pass through the hose properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Inflate Your Tires to Your Vehicle&rsquo;s Ideal Tire Pressure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some portable tire inflators allow you to input your desired tire pressure on the device and it&rsquo;ll pump the tire to that setting with a simple press of a button. Other portable tire inflators are just analog pumps that you control by turning them on or off. Most of these analog inflators have a gauge that just tells you your current tire pressure. Remember that you&rsquo;ll only get an accurate reading on an analog inflator when it isn&rsquo;t pumping air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whatever the case, you should know your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-tire-pressure-is-too-low-for-safe-driving\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"vehicle&rsquo;s ideal tire pressure\">vehicle&rsquo;s ideal tire pressure<\/a> and pump it to that pressure. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/overinflated-tires-effects-risks-maintenance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Overinflating\">Overinflating<\/a> or underinflating your tires can cause your vehicle to have a rough ride or excessively burn fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, no portable tire inflator is 100% accurate when it comes to detecting your tire pressure. It&rsquo;s still advisable to double-check your tire pressure with a handheld tire pressure gauge after using a portable tire inflator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Watch Out for Overheating<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many portable car tire air pumps will heat up quite quickly. This is mainly due to the electric motor, but it can also be due to the battery discharging. When using a handheld tire inflator, be careful not to accidentally touch the hot parts. Plug-in tire inflators typically warn against overheating. Generally, you should let portable tire inflators rest and cool after 10 minutes of use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What To Look for When Buying a Tire Inflator<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The tire inflator for you will vary depending on your needs. Are you looking for fast inflation? Quiet operation? Compact storage?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As long as a tire inflator has good reviews, it can probably do the job. That said, you&rsquo;ll need to be aware that tire inflators can be quite noisy. Some tire inflators can also be bulky and heavy. There are certainly quiet and compact tire inflators out there, but they might pump air slowly. You might think larger tire inflators can pump air faster. However, tests from independent sources reveal this isn&rsquo;t the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One tire inflator won&rsquo;t have it all, so we recommend reading product reviews or reviewing vetted lists from reviewers online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Get Your Hands on a Tire Inflator<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don&rsquo;t know where to look, finding a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/tire-inflator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"tire inflator\">tire inflator<\/a> for your vehicle can be difficult. Fortunately, with the help of <a href=\"http:\/\/carparts.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" aria-label=\"CarParts.com\">CarParts.com<\/a>, getting your hands on all kinds of tire inflators, handheld ones included, has never been easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our auto parts and tools are handpicked by a team of professionals to guarantee both quality and longevity. You won&rsquo;t have to worry about your new tire inflator failing you any time soon. The best part? Every item in our catalog is sold at competitive prices, meaning you won&rsquo;t have to break the bank to get your hands on what you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of that, our distribution centers are strategically located all over the US. This means you can expect to receive your orders in as fast as two business days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Neglecting to get a tire inflator increases the likelihood of your tire pressure falling out of standard parameters. This can reduce traction, increase the odds of tire rupturing, and decrease fuel efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&rsquo;t hold off on getting a tire inflator. Browse our collection today.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Handheld or portable tire inflators are devices designed to pump your vehicle&rsquo;s tires with air. These tire inflators are meant&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-are-handheld-tire-inflators-do-they-work\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":119586,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[52,3752],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[2607,2985],"class_list":{"0":"post-119027","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-diy","8":"category-wheels-and-tires","9":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Are Handheld Tire Inflators? 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Learn how they work and find some tips on using one in this article.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-are-handheld-tire-inflators-do-they-work\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-10-03T06:54:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-03T05:16:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/portable-tire-inflator.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-handheld-tire-inflators-do-they-work\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-handheld-tire-inflators-do-they-work\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. 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Guided by CarParts.com&#039;s thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.","knowsAbout":"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews","publishingPrinciples":"\/blog\/our-team\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/thecpteam\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom, https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarPartscom, https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CarPartscomOfficial\/, https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/carpartscom\/"},{"@type":"Person","$id":"4","name":"Richard McCuistian","jobTitle":"ASE Master Automobile Technician","description":"Richard McCuistian has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, and a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others. 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Guided by CarParts.com's thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust."},{"term_id":2985,"user_id":1646,"is_guest":0,"slug":"richardmccuistian","display_name":"Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/richard-mccuistian.png","url2x":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/richard-mccuistian.png"},"author_category":"","user_url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/richardmccuistian\/","last_name":"McCuistian","first_name":"Richard","job_title":"ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician","description":"<div class=\"auth-social-links\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/richard-mccuistian-2681891b\/\" class=\"btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"linkedin\" aria-labelledby=\"linkedin\">LinkedIn<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/McCuistian\" class=\"btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"instagram\" aria-labelledby=\"instagram\">Youtube<\/a><\/div>\r\n\r\nRichard McCuistian grew up in Alabama learning from his father who ran an automotive repair shop. Richard has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others (published every year since May 2000). He has developed training courses and written or edited training material for companies in the U.S. Canada, and the Netherlands, and even Bulgaria. He maintained an \u201cask a mechanic\u201d website for 10 years answering questions emailed to him from all over the world.\r\n\r\nRichard has an instructional automotive YouTube channel \u201cMcCuistian\u201d with 13,500 subscribers and over 1,300 videos. Much of his professional work requires photography and videography in shop environments, but Richard also enjoys taking pictures of landscapes, skyscapes, old barns and houses, small towns. He has produced a coffee table book of digital watercolors called \u201cMemories of South Alabama\u201d created from his personal photos, along with a dozen Christian fiction short original novels and a collection of short stories, all available in Kindle or softcover format. Richard has written a 2,500-word Bible study every week for the past 20 years and uses it to teach a small group at his church every Sunday morning.\r\n\r\n<strong>Credentials:<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"author-list\">\r\n<li><p>ASE Certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Professional Mechanic\/Technician for 25 years with experience on diesel and gasoline engines, vehicles and equipment (including hydraulics).<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Spent 5 years in fleet maintenance, 20 years in independent shops and dealerships (VW, Mazda, Renault, Jeep, Ford, Lincoln), specializing in driveability and electronics for the last 14 years of his career at the same dealership.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Senior Contributing Editor at Motor Age Magazine, first published in Motor Age in May of 2000 and every year since. He has won two International Automotive Media Awards for technical articles published in trade magazines.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Has attended hundreds of hours of automotive training from OEMs including GM, Volkswagen, Mazda, Renault, Jeep, Chrysler, as well as additional training at events like KC Vision and MACS (Mobile Air Climate Systems Association).<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Taught college level auto mechanics for 19 years.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Has written for automotive training companies (including course development work for training companies in Canada and the Netherlands) and has been hired to teach professional trade show technician courses at multiple training events in Texas and Alabama.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>While still teaching at the college level, Richard launched a new automotive program in Geneva, Alabama, setting up a dual enrollment department in a new building, organizing the shop and classroom, teaching morning classes to high school students for 2 years while still teaching at the college in the afternoon.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Richard\u2019s college program at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College worked at professional shop speed during his tenure to prepare graduates for production level work in the real world.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119027","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119027"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119027\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/119586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119027"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=119027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}