March 23--Name: The Only Automatic Cordless Tire Inflator from Hammacher Schlemmer
What it is: A portable tire inflater that can either operate from its rechargeable lithium-ion battery or from the 11-foot cord with a cigarette-lighter connection. The device is compact enough (12 inches long) to slide under a car seat and light enough (3 3/4 pounds) to make it easy to hold while inflating, though you can stand it on its base if your tire valve is within reach.
The good: The thing is so light without its battery attached that I wasn't expecting much, but when I returned from a train trip to find a mere 8 pounds of pressure left in one of my car tires, the inflater felt like a lifesaver, because I wouldn't have wanted to drive to a gas station for fear of blowing the tire. Too, so many gas stations now lack a functioning air hose that this inflater or something like it is a necessity for any emergency road kit. To inflate from 8 pounds to 35 took nearly 10 minutes, but it saved my $150 tire from driving damage. I used the inflater two more times until I could get my slowly leaking tire to a repair shop on the weekend. The device can inflate to a designed setting, then automatically shut off (it will go a tad over to allow for some air loss when you disconnect it). The inflater also has a flashlight, in case your little disaster occurs at night.
The bad: If inflating cars tires, I would just stick with the cigarette-lighter connection, which is what I did. I also kept the car running, for fear of putting a drain on the battery, but that might have been my own paranoia. The inflater's internal battery is much handier for smaller jobs, like bikes and basketballs.
Cost: $89.95
Available from: http://www.hammacher.com
rwerland@tribpub.com
