There are also very good inflators that plug into your vehicle’s 12v power (cigarette lighter). The best ones are made by a company called Viair. Shown here is the Viair 84P.
Viair/TNS
A reader wrote to ask about my recommendation for a tire inflator he could keep in his car. That request got me thinking about a gift guide centered on items to keep in your vehicle to help with maintenance and emergencies.
Here are a few things that can give you a little peace of mind when you take your next road trip. Please note I list retail prices, but you’ll likely find some of these items a bit cheaper due to sales around the holidays.
Tire inflator
I used to carry a Black and Decker tire inflator that was about the size of a shoebox, but there are better and smaller options.
I personally carry a Ryobi One+ High-Pressure Inflator (P737D, $36.98 without battery), which resembles a cordless drill in shape and has a digital pressure gauge. It runs on an 18-volt battery from Ryobi’s One+ tool system. I chose this inflator because it works well and I already had several other Ryobi cordless tools, so I have a few batteries I can use.
The inflator is available with a 1.5-amp-hour battery and charger for $89.97. You can buy Ryobi gear from Home Depot. While we are on the topic of Ryobi tools, since I have Ryobi batteries, and they work in all the One+ tools, I picked up a half-inch 18-volt impact wrench, which makes quick work of removing lug nuts from tires. No more straining myself with those tiny lug wrenches.
There are also very good inflators that plug into your vehicle’s 12v power (cigarette lighter).
The best ones are made by a company called Viair. A good choice would be the Viair 84P portable compressor kit ($69.95 from Amazon), which comes with a case that makes it convenient to store in your vehicle. It has a 10-foot power cord to reach whichever tire you need to inflate.
These inflators are also great for inflating bicycle tires and basketballs.
Jump starter
I used to keep jumper cables in my car, but I’ve switched over to a battery-powered jump starter, which I can use without needing someone to stop and help me.
The jump starter is like a bit larger version of an external battery that you might use to charge your phone. Most of them are about the size of a paperback book.
The Weego 44s 12-volt portable lithium jump starter ($79.99, Amazon) has 440 cranking amps and can jump start up to 7-liter gas engines or 3.5-liter diesel engines.
It has smart clamps that will only work if you have them connected correctly. Once charged, the battery will remain charged for more than a year and it can be recharged in just 2.5 hours with a microUSB cable.
It is rated for more than 1,000 charge cycles and it is water, dust and dirt resistant.
The 44s cannot charge your phone, but there are other jump starters that can charge your USB devices, if that feature is important to you. The 44s comes with a charging cable, jumper cables and carrying case.
Flashlight multi-tool
I’m a sucker for flashlights, and I found the BY-J LED Keychain Light ($14.99 from Amazon) to be a really handy light that has a ton more features.
This little light fits in the palm of your hand. It is powered by a rechargeable battery that uses a USB-C connector. The light also has two screwdrivers, a whistle, bottle opener, seatbelt cutter and a cigarette lighter.
The light emits up to 500 lumens, which is bright enough to help you change a tire at night. The light will shine for two to three hours. It has several brightness levels you can cycle through by pressing the power button. It has white light as well as red light, and it can also flash red.
There is a small but strong magnet on the back, which is helpful to help keep it in place. It’ll stay put if you stick it up under your hood while you’re working on the engine, or you can stick one to your trunk or tailgate in the red flashing mode if you’re stranded on the road.
The light is IPX6 waterproof and corrosion resistant. The cigarette lighter is a small metal coil on the back that glows hot when you press the lighter’s power button. It would certainly help you start a fire if you were stuck in the wilderness.
One of the more overlooked features is the seatbelt cutter, which can really help if you find yourself upside down or under water and need to cut through your seatbelt to get out of your car.
These are inexpensive and would make great presents.
