Ring Automotive - RTC1000 12V rapid tyre inflator air compressor car pump with preset digital pressure gauge, memory function, 2 min inflation, LED light, carry case, valve adaptor kit

Product Information

You get the option to insert the pressures and info when you first add a vehicle, but the chances are you won’t necessarily be in front of your car while you’re doing this bit. Suitable for motorhomes, trailers and 4x4s, it makes a great option for multi-vehicle households and could save you quite a bit of money in fuel consumption over the years. It also comes in a handy carry bag and various valve adaptors, making it easy to transfer from one vehicle to another.

Halfords claims that the inflator can pump an R13 tyre (13 inches in diameter) from flat to 30psi in three minutes, thanks to a flow rate of between 28 and 30 litres per minute. While that might sound good, there are very few modern cars that use R13s — even the tiny Smart ForTwo uses 15-inch tyres. Additionally, it comes with an LED light complete with three modes, so you can use it to warn ongoing traffic if you are in an emergency situation. Under the base, there is a well-designed cord storage area that prevents too many kinks from occurring, as well as a handy area to store the included nozzles and adaptors. I don't think we've ever had a Ring Automotive product that hasn't felt like a good quality product, this again feels like it will last.Thanks to its preset pressure function, you can adjust it to your desired levels and the unit will inflate and switch off on completion. It also has a handy memory feature that remembers the last programmed tyre pressure, reducing inflation time and making it faster and easier to get all four tyres up to the correct pressure levels. We're struggling for negatives to be honest and if we're being really critical, when setting a target pressure, it will occasionally fall to just under that pressure after automatically switching off. It’s a Bluetooth enabled tyre inflator, which links to the RING Connect app, available for Android and iOS. Thus making it the Ring Smart Tyre Inflator. When attaching the pump to your tyre valve using the screwed air hose the current tyre pressure will be displayed on the screen after a few seconds. Using the small yellow dial on the front you can set your desired pressure and then press it in to confirm your selection. Then at the bottom is a big power button that you can't miss - this gets the inflation process underway.

Fitted with extra-long 3.5m power cable and fused 12V DC power plug to help you reach all around the vehicle Comes with handy storage case and extra accessories: 1x spare fuse; 4x spare valve caps and 1 x pair of gloves While there are plenty out there, one of the best is Halfords' rechargeable inflator, which features a max pressure of 120psi as well as an auto cut-off function. This means that the engine has to work harder, leading to more fuel being consumed — it’s estimated that if your tyres are under-inflated by 10%, fuel consumption will go up by 2%. Is it worth getting a tyre inflator? You’re waiting for a but, and here it is…the app isn’t the best. Now it works perfectly fine, but it’s a little clunky, and most importantly of all, the tyre pressures it automatically comes up with are wrong.The app saves all your tyre pressures along with other data that you can manually enter, such as date fitted, light or heavy load, winter or summer tyres. You can even add images of each vehicle and the tyres; the app is limited to five vehicles currently. You’ll first need to remove the valve caps (remember — righty tighty, lefty loosey); then attach your tyre inflator or pressure gauge, and compare the number that appears to the recommended pressure for your tyres — more often than not displayed in psi, and usually somewhere between 30 and 35. On the downside, there is no bag or case to store the included adapters. Also, this Ring model does heat up after several minutes of operation, although this is fairly common with compressors. Lastly, the air cord is a little short.

Not anymore; thanks to the Ring Smart Tyre Inflator, all you have to do is whip out your smartphone. The unit is small enough to keep in your boot and comes with its own case to keep the dirt out of your car. The 12v connector can be neatly wound away on a spindle, saving the normal tangle you get yourself into. The 3.5m lead isn’t perhaps as long as some on the market but can do the job of reaching the tyre furthest away from the in-car power supply. Inflators that come with cases always win extra brownie points on our book, so it’s a good start for the RTC1000. The other additions are also a great touch, the amount of times I’ve had to top the tyres up only to be left with hands covered in grime and brake dust for the rest of my journey, not anymore.Another welcome feature is the long power lead, which winds up inside the unit. There is also a recess on the side in which the air hose fits, so everything is neatly out of the way when not in use. And it comes with a zipped grey carrying case as well. Like the Ring RTC1000, its designers have also thought of where to store your valve caps when you’re inflating, and have included a little stand.