Fanttik X8 APEX Tire Inflator Portable Air Compressor, 1 Min Fast Inflation

Why it's worth it

The X8 APEX is a cordless inflator roughly the size of a water bottle, and it tops off a car tire in under a minute. It's accurate, it runs long enough to do all four wheels without a break, and it doesn't need a tool battery you don't already own.

It's fast enough that you won't put the job off. Fanttik rates the X8 APEX at 56 seconds to take a 215/55 R17 tire from 28 to 33 PSI, and that's the difference between checking all four wheels on a Saturday and telling yourself you'll do it next week. Owners describe topping off a tire in less time than it takes to walk around the car.

Set a number and it hits that number. Fanttik claims ±1 PSI, helped by altitude-adjusting calibration and high-frequency sensor sampling, so the reading doesn't drift as you climb into the mountains. Cheap 12V inflators routinely miss by two or three pounds, which is enough to matter on a modern low-profile tire. You should still spot-check with a pencil gauge, but you won't be guessing.

From our review of 9 portable tire inflators, by Genevieve Dubois, Home & Living Expert

What we like

• +It's fast enough that you won't put the job off
• +Set a number and it hits that number
• +One charge covers the whole driveway
• +It's small enough that you'll actually keep it in the car

What to know

• –The battery is sealed in, and there's no wall mode
• –Cold weather and big tires are its two weak spots