Table of Contents
- View The Best Tire Pressure Gauge Below
- 1. JACO ElitePro Tire Pressure Gauge
- 2. JYSW Digital Tire Inflator Pressure Gauge
- 3. Milton Pencil Tire Pressure Gauge
- 4. AstroAI Pencil Tire Pressure Gauge
- 5. Neancer Digital Tire Pressure Gauge
- 6. Vondior Tire Pressure Gauge
- 7. Rhino USA Heavy Duty Tire Pressure Gauge
- 8. SAFELIFE Digital Tire Pressure Gauge
- 9. AstroAI Digital Tire Pressure Gauge
- 10. AstroAI ATG250 Digital Inflator with Pressure Gauge
- Tire Pressure Gauge Buyer’s Guide
- Different Types of Pressure Units
- The Difference Between Wheels and Tires
- How Do I Find What Pressure My Tires Should Be?
- How Do I Know My Tire Size?
- How Often Should I Check Tire Pressures?
- What is TPMS?
- Why is it Important to Check Tire Pressures?
- What is the Difference Between a Gauge and an Inflator?
- What is a Swivel Chuck?
- How Accurate Do Pressure Gauges Have to Be?
- How to Use a Gauge/Inflator to Check Tire Pressures
- Conclusion
When you’re looking after your tires, do you ever wonder what would be the best tire pressure gauge – one that you can really trust? How can you make sure to look after your tires as well as you possibly can?
We have compiled a list of some of the best tire pressure gauges we can find, from analog to digital gauges, along with a buyer’s guide, including everything you should know. We hope you find it useful.
View The Best Tire Pressure Gauge Below
1. JACO ElitePro Tire Pressure Gauge
We have selected this as the best tire pressure gauge you can get your hands on. This is because of its simple ergonomic design and ease of use.
The JACO ElitePro is built from solid brass and shielded by a rubberized protective guard, so it’s built to last. The built-in bleed valve, handy in case the tires need to be deflated, means you will not have to find any fiddly way to let the air out through the tire valve. The swivel chuck rotates through 360 degrees, which means that you can attach the tire pressure gauge from pretty much any angle.
The two-inch display glows so you can easily read the tire pressure. It measures up to 60 psi, more than enough for the average car’s tires.
If all that wasn’t enough for you, JACO Superior Products provide a free lifetime satisfaction guarantee, so if for any reason you find that this tire pressure gauge is not to your taste, return it.
Pros:
+ bleed valve
+ 2”, easy to read display
+ fully rotating swivel chuck
+ lifetime satisfaction guarantee
+ measures accurately (+/- 1.5%)
Why We Liked It – We chose this as the best tire pressure gauge because it’s simple to use and comes with a lifetime satisfaction guarantee.
2. JYSW Digital Tire Inflator Pressure Gauge
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If you want an accurate, heavy-duty tire pressure gauge, look no further. This product from JYSW features an accurate digital display for when you’re pumping up your tires, preventing potential human errors from misreading a dial-type display. This air pressure tire gauge will accurately measure from 3 to 200 PSI, which will certainly be more than enough for your car’s tires. It’s made from steel and brass, meaning it’s designed to be long-lasting.
You can also remove air from tires by pressing the air valve carefully, rather than having a dedicated bleed valve.
This particular digital pressure gauge is powered by 2 AAA batteries, a set of which come included.
Pros:
+ Easy to read digital pressure display
+ PSI range up to 200 PSI
+ Measures accurately to +/- 1%
+ Built to last from sturdy metals
Why We Liked It – We liked this digital gauge because of the large pressures it can withstand. 200 PSI is more than enough for almost all vehicles.
3. Milton Pencil Tire Pressure Gauge
Pencil tire pressure gauges are the classic go-to. This is a simple, easy to use, easy to read, and easy to store device which does the job of reading the pressures in your tires nicely. Pencil tire pressure gauges do not inflate tires in the same way as many of the products we have selected on this list, yet their advantages are still many.
This particular pencil tire pressure gauge is made from machined parts, making it rather unique. This tire gauge also includes a “deflator valve” and accurately measures pressure from 5 to 50 PSI in 1 lb increments, or 40 – 350 kPa in 10 kPa increments if you prefer to use Pascals.
To be durable and long-lasting, Milton has made this air pressure gauge from plated brass.
Pros:
+ Easy to read, store, and use
+ Measures in small increments
+ Deflator valve
+ Can be kept in the car at all times without taking up space
+ Made with plated brass
Why We Liked It – We chose to add this tire pressure gauge to our list because of how useful pencil gauges can be if you need to do a quick check on your tires.
4. AstroAI Pencil Tire Pressure Gauge
This pencil tire pressure gauge offers all of the same benefits as every other pressure pencil gauge, in its accessibility and minimal storage requirements, as well as how simple it is to use. This air pressure gauge, from AstroAI, is made from stainless steel, which means it’s both durable and helps to prevent rust.
Measuring from 10 – 75 PSI means it has a range more suited to cars’ tires’ pressure in general, rather than some of the smaller ranged pencil tire pressure gauges. Like many of the best pencil pressure gauges, it also has an integrated deflator valve.
As well as this, AstroAI provides a one-year warranty.
Pros:
+ Easy to use and store
+ Durable and rust-resistant
+ 1-year warranty
+ Deflator valve
Why We Liked It – We also liked this pencil tire pressure gauge as we were particularly impressed by the warranty. This tire gauge is another good option for you if you don’t have much space.
5. Neancer Digital Tire Pressure Gauge
This inflator cross digital air pressure gauge from Neancer features a digital display, accurately measuring from 0 – 250 PSI to within 1%. The display is easy to read, and the digital pressure gauge as a whole is made of stainless steel, meaning that it’s tough and strong. This digital gauge also has a bleed valve, which deflates tires quickly and efficiently when you need it to.
Pros:
+ Accurate to +/- 1%
+ Measures from 0 – 250 PSI
+ Easy to read digital display
+ Bleed valve
Why We Liked It – We liked this digital pressure gauge for its huge 250 PSI and accuracy of +/- 1%. It’s one of the best heavy-duty inflators and pressure digital gauges you can get.
6. Vondior Tire Pressure Gauge
This Vondior air pressure gauge has a glow-in-the-dark dial display. It’s simply a gauge for pressure, rather than an inflator. It measures up to 60 PSI with a fully rotating valve connector. Calibrated to +/- 1%, you can be sure that the reading on the display is accurate.
To use this tire pressure gauge, you attach the valve connector to the valve on the tire and read the display, much like a pencil pressure tire gauge. Because it’s analog and not digital, it doesn’t require any batteries and, therefore, can be used at any time in any place.
Pros:
+ Accurate to +/- 1%
+ Measures from 0- 60 PSI
+ Easy to read analog display
+ Doesn’t require batteries
Why We Liked It – We love the display and simplicity of this pressure gauge. If you need to check your tire pressure quickly, and you’re worried about not having battery power, you can’t go wrong with this one.
7. Rhino USA Heavy Duty Tire Pressure Gauge
This is also one of the best tire pressure gauges out there. The Rhino gauge comes from a small business in California, and it throws in a lifetime warranty with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. All this means that it’s a risk-free investment in the local economies of America.
Measuring between 0 – 75 PSI means that your tires will be covered. The brass 360-degree swivel makes everything easily accessible, reducing the time spent messing around with attachment angles and awkward places. The display measures two inches across and is glow in the dark and heavy-duty.
Pros:
+ Accurately measures to between 0 – 75 PSI
+ 2-inch heavy-duty glow in the dark display
+ Lifetime warranty
+ Satisfaction guarantee
Why We Liked It – We chose this because it’s another analog tire pressure gauge, but measures up to 75 PSI. You may need to look at it a little more closely if you often work with slightly higher pressures, for example, perhaps in larger trucks.
8. SAFELIFE Digital Tire Pressure Gauge
Here we find a well-respected product from SAFELIFE. It looks a bit different, but it can do everything just as well as any other digital tire pressure gauge. You will require batteries for this one.
It’s easy to grip, due to the design, and has a light in the nozzle so you can make sure that the tire pressure gauge goes on to the valve straight no matter what the lighting conditions around you are like. This gauge can accurately measure up to 100 PSI.
These readings are shown on a small digital display on the side, which lights up (like most digital display products), so it also can be easily read in all conditions. To conserve battery life, there is an ON/OFF switch, but also an auto-off after thirty seconds. All of this means that your batteries should be efficient and last a very long time.
Pros:
+ Measures from 0 – 100 PSI
+ Light in the nozzle
+ Backlit digital display
+ Ergonomic grip
+ Small and easy to carry with you
Why We Liked It – These types of tire pressure digital gauges are simple to use and easy to fit pretty much anywhere. This digital display is great as long as you look after the batteries.
9. AstroAI Digital Tire Pressure Gauge
This tire pressure gauge from AstroAI is very similar, in lots of ways, to the SAFELIFE product mentioned previously, but it has slightly different working ranges. Although it’s of a similar design with a good grip position, this product measures from 0 – 150 PSI, so it’s a little more heavy-duty. Not unlike the SAFELIFE gauge, it has a light in the nozzle and a light-up digital display.
Like all tire pressure digital gauges, AstroAI makes a point of telling you that you should always push the gauge on straight, so the reading is accurate. To power the display and external light, you will need batteries, a 3V lithium coin cell to be precise.
Other differences include the 1-year warranty and the fact that batteries are included. You can also get the digital tire pressure gauge from AstroAI in a choice of silver, red or black.
Pros:
+ Measures from 0 – 150 PSI
+ Easy to read backlit digital display
+ 1-year warranty
+ Multiple colors available
+ Batteries included
Why We Liked It – Here is another example of a handheld digital tire pressure gauge. Keep a close eye on the air pressure in your tire with these type of digital tire pressure gauges.
10. AstroAI ATG250 Digital Inflator with Pressure Gauge
Finally, the ATG250 tire pressure gauge also does a great job. It accurately measures from 0 – 250 PSI, which shows on the backlit digital display. Made to be hardy and durable from strong metals, it comes with everything you need to ensure the tires for pretty much any vehicle are up to scratch. A 3-year warranty is provided by AstroAI.
To save battery life, there is an auto-off after twenty seconds, making sure the battery lasts as long as possible. The batteries needed for this tire pressure gauge are simply AAA batteries, so you won’t have to worry too much about their availability.
Pros:
+ Accurate to +/- 1%
+ Measures from 0 – 250 PSI
+ 3-year warranty
+ 20-second auto-off
+ Made from durable materials
Why We Liked It – This is another example of a simple tire pressure gauge, but with a huge PSI range. This digital gauge is top of the range.
Tire Pressure Gauge Buyer’s Guide
Different Types of Pressure Units
You may see tire pressure being measured in various different units. The most common of these are “Pounds per Square Inch,” otherwise written as PSI. The other is “bar,” which is equal to 100,000 PA or about 14.5 PSI. This is approximately the earth’s atmospheric air pressure at sea level.
The Difference Between Wheels and Tires
This may be obvious, but it’s worth defining anyway. The wheel is a round piece of metal, usually made from either steel or a steel alloy. A tire is a piece of rubber which is fitted around it and pressurized, almost always with standard air from the atmosphere.
How Do I Find What Pressure My Tires Should Be?
The best place to look, first of all, is your car. As this is something that everyone needs to know, manufacturers will only very rarely leave you in the dark in terms of tire pressures. Check places like the area on the jamb underneath both front doors, or inside the fuel cap.
If you can’t find the tire pressures there, open your owner’s manual, and locate your tire size. The readings next to this will tell you what the best pressures are for your tires to be running optimally.
If you don’t have your owner’s manual, use an online lookup tool. There are plenty of websites out there where you can enter your vehicle information, and it will let you know a whole bunch of statistics, including the recommended tire pressures.
If you aren’t comfortable using the internet to find out this information or don’t fully trust it, then pop in to see your local mechanic and ask them if they can look up the tire pressures for your car. They probably wouldn’t charge you for something as small as this, but we can’t guarantee anything.
The large majority of car tire pressures are between 25 – 40 PSI. The best tire pressures for large trucks are more likely to be up to the 50/60 PSI range. Motorhome tires can sometimes be inflated to over 100 PSI.
How Do I Know My Tire Size?
Tire size is written as three numbers, separated by slashes. For example, it might look like 205/55/16 or 225/65/17.
The first number refers to the “thickness” of the tire (the measurement from the one side to the other side) in millimeters. Think of if you were to leave some tire marks on the road; in the example of a 205/55/16 tire, the thickness of these marks would be 205 mm.
The second number is a percentage of the first and refers to the profile of the tires. To understand this, think about looking at the car from the side, and measure the distance between the road (or the “bottom” of the tire) up to the metal of the wheel itself. It’s the “side profile thickness” if you want to think of it that way. In the example of a 205/55/16 tire, this distance will be approximately 55% of 205 mm, which equals about 113 mm.
Finally, the third number refers to the diameter of the wheel itself. In the case of a 205/55/16 wheel, the tire will only fit onto a wheel with a 16-inch diameter.
Again, if you are struggling to find this number, it might be worth asking someone who knows what they’re talking about, or you could even take the car to ask a mechanic.
How Often Should I Check Tire Pressures?
It’s best to check the air pressures in tires as often as possible, at least monthly. Bi-weekly, or even weekly, couldn’t hurt. You should check the condition of all tires before driving. You will be able to see if a tire is deflated, and then you can take the next steps to ensure it’ll be properly inflated.
Lots of newer cars have something called TPMS (see TPMS). This reduces the need to check your car’s tire pressures manually.
What is TPMS?
TPMS stands for Tire Pressure Monitoring System. On these systems, the valves are made of metal and are linked via a sensor to the car’s ECU. They measure the amount of air pressure in the tire at a constant rate. If there’s a drop in the tire’s air pressure, then the system alerts the driver on the dashboard with a warning light.
Why is it Important to Check Tire Pressures?
There are several important reasons why you should always ensure your tires are inflated correctly.
1. Safety. Safety, safety, safety. A car is a couple of tonnes of metal with the potential to do anyone serious damage. Your tires are the point of contact for this machine to the road. The more secure and safe this is, the better for everyone involved. Over-inflated or under-inflated tires are much more likely to fail while you’re driving. In extreme cases, the tire could “blow out,” which can easily cause a loss of control of the vehicle. This is the main reason why you need to ensure your tires are properly inflated.
2. Smoother performance and handling of the car. The car will be more enjoyable to drive, yes, but there is more to it than that. When the car drives smoother, you will find that, overall, it takes less effort to go faster in a safer way. That leads on to the next point:
3. Improved fuel economy. If you have under-inflated tires, you can imagine how there is more friction with the road as you are driving, resulting in more power needing to go to the engine to maintain the same speed as if the tires were properly inflated.
4. Tires will last longer. By keeping them inflated to the proper pressures, the tread will wear more evenly, meaning you will not have to replace your tires as often. You should replace tires if any part of the tread is 1.6mm or less, or if you can see any wires through the rubber. You should also make sure that the wheels are attached properly, the tracking is at its recommended level, the suspension works well, and the steering is accurate, in order to keep the tires living long.
What is the Difference Between a Gauge and an Inflator?
Some of the products listed above are described as gauges, whereas some are described as both inflators and gauges.
The difference may be somewhat obvious. A gauge is used to record something; it has no effect on what is recording (in theory). By contrast, an inflator inflates. In the case of tires, this is crucial.
Some would argue that the best tire pressure gauges incorporate an inflator. Before the days of these joint inflator and gauges, you had to use an air pump of some kind to inflate the tire, before taking the pump off and checking it with a tire pressure gauge. You had to repeat these steps until the tire was at the required pressure. It goes without saying that if you have both the inflator and the gauge as part of the same device, then it saves a lot of time and effort.
What is a Swivel Chuck?
A 360-degree swivel chuck turns every direction. This is useful when you’re working on tires because sometimes it can be awkward to get the right angle on the valve stem. If the angle is not good and the tire pressure gauge not straight, then it will give an inaccurate reading.
How Accurate Do Pressure Gauges Have to Be?
Gauges are difficult things to check the accuracy of. If it’s really important, compare your gauge with one that you know is certified to be accurate. You can potentially find these at workshops and ask if the mechanics will check it for you. If you have two tire pressure gauges and you check them both on the same tire and find they both read within 2 PSI of each other, you can trust them to be accurate.
Most of the tire pressure gauges that we have selected read to be more accurate than +/- 2%, which is sufficient.
How to Use a Gauge/Inflator to Check Tire Pressures
Checking the pressures in your tires is a very simple task, even if you haven’t attempted it before. You will need both an inflator and a tire pressure gauge. We’d recommend choosing from the best tire pressure gauges, as listed above.
First, it’s important to only inflate cold tires. The recommended pressures from your manufacturer are based on the fact that the tires are cold. To make sure that they are cold, you should measure in the shade and wait at least three hours after driving.
Find the valve on the tire. This is a small piece of rubber, usually about the length of an inch or less, which sticks out from the wheel. This part of the valve is called the valve stem.
This valve stem has a cap on the end of it. It’s conveniently called a valve cap; remove this cap and listen for any audible hiss. There shouldn’t be any noise, but if there is, then it means that the valve is faulty and you will need to get a new one fitted at a tire store or an auto shop.
Press the air pressure gauge and inflator onto the valve stem, so it’s straight. It will make a hiss. Keep pushing the gauge on until the hissing stops – at this point, you know that it’s properly attached.
Inflate the tire and use the gauge to measure the pressure, until you reach the amount specified by the manufacturer.
It’s important not to exceed the maximum pressure on the gauge, as this risks permanently damaging it. Any pressures read off the gauge from that point and onwards may be inaccurate.
Conclusion
The best tire pressure gauge for you is out there. When you pick one that’s right for you, bear in mind what you’re going to need it for and how often you’re going to need to use it.
Look after your tires and stay safe.
