My favorite car accessories will help you drive safer and save money

Key findings from ZDNET

• The Syncwire tire inflator is available on Amazon for $50.
• It’s portable, has a decent charge and is very easy to use.
• No way to deflate over-inflated tires.

It’s easy to ignore the little things that make a big difference. For example, tire pressure. If your tires look round, surely they are properly inflated? Incorrect.

Incorrect tire pressure can have a significant impact on fuel economy and safety.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), maintaining proper tire pressure can save you up to 11 cents per gallon on fuel and extend the average tire life by 4,700 miles. While saving money is certainly a positive outcome, the importance of saving lives cannot be overstated.

The NHTSA estimates that one in four vehicles has at least one significantly underinflated tire at any given time. Solving this single problem could significantly reduce the nearly 11,000 tire accidents that occur in the United States each year.

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That’s why it’s important to have a portable and easy-to-use air compressor as part of your automotive equipment. Such a compressor is not only useful for maintaining proper tire pressure, but it also serves a wider range of purposes. From inflating soccer balls to bicycle tires to inflatables, various items need to be inflated. And let’s be honest: If we rely on the power of our lungs, we can only go so far.

What you need is this Syncwire tire inflator.

Technical data for the Syncwire tire inflator

• Maximum pressure: 150 PSI, 18 LPM
• Air pressure units: PSI, KPA, BAR, KG/CM²
• sensor: High precision sensor with accurate readings within ±0.5 PSI
• Automatic stop: Yes
• Charging input: USB Type-C
• Power bank output: USB A
• Adjustable preset modes: Car/Motorcycle/Bike/Ball/Custom
• LED flashlight: Yes, white and red
• Accesories: Four different nozzle adapters, four replacement valve caps for alloy tires

I love this portable air compressor.

Firstly, it is small and light. Not much larger than a smartphone, it packs into a drawstring bag so it can easily be stored in the trunk or glove compartment of a car. The bag also stores all the fuel nozzles, charging cable and spare tire valve caps in one place.

Next, the compressor’s interface is clear and straightforward. The display is large and clear in both daylight and night, and the buttons are clear and easy to understand. Again, the last thing you want to do when dealing with a tire problem is search for a manual to decipher the air compressor.

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The Syncwire has four modes for inflating different items – cars, motorcycles, bikes and balls – as well as a custom mode that you can preset to a specific pressure range.

The two 2600mAh rechargeable batteries that power the compressor give it enough power to fill a typical tire in about a minute and enough charge to inflate about 10 tires before needing to be recharged.

The air compressor also features a USB-A output so the device can be used as a power bank, and there is also a dual-color LED light for nighttime emergencies.

The only downside to this air compressor that I can find is that there is no automatic way to release air from over-inflated tires. This is a minor inconvenience, but auto-discharge would be handy if you occasionally encounter high tire pressure.

ZDNET’s buying guide

The Syncwire tire inflator is a quick and convenient way to maintain proper tire pressure, save money and make your rides safer. And the addition of a power bank function and an LED flashlight gives this part of the kit a lot of flexibility.

With a regular price of $50, this is an affordable portable air compressor, making it a must-have for all car enthusiasts and DIY enthusiasts.