"Tired" of always having to schlep to the gas station when you need to top off your tires? No more! (Amazon)
Spring is here, which means road trip season, my favorite time of year, will be here before you know it. Not to be a worrier, but before you head off across the country, where there are barren stretches of highway with nothing but pavement in both directions for dozens if not hundreds of miles, maybe you should ask yourself: Am I prepared if my car breaks down? Or if I get a flat tire?
The good news: If it's a flat tire you're worried about, Zgzuxo's Tire Inflator can save the day, and it's on sale for just $27. Yahoo's tech-savvy Rick Broida reviewed this gadget and said it "might be [his] favorite car accessory" of last year.
Imagine this: You're stopped at a red light when the car in front of you starts to back up. Before you have time to think, let alone drive away, bam! They hit your car, but claim you rear-ended them. Unfortunately, these kinds of insurance scams happen all too often, and unless you have a dash cam that shows what actually happened, you might be shelling out a lot of dough to make this problem go away. Fortunately, high-quality dash cams don't have to cost an arm and a leg: For instance, this dash cam is on sale for its lowest-ever price thanks to this lightning deal.
Prefer a smaller tablet over a bulky laptop? This one's on sale for its best price ever. Our tech writer Chris McGraw says, "Think this is just a slightly larger version of your phone? Think again. With a 3:2 aspect ratio compared to the iPhone's 2:1, the iPad Mini is much wider and, for those who use their tablets to read, can fit more text and feels more like a book or magazine in your hand. Speaking of fitting in your hand, it's much less cumbersome than the full-size iPad, making it great for travel or slipping into a backpack for your commute."
This brawny little air pump will save you untold dollars, and its built-in safety light might even save your life on a dark roadside.
When you get a flat, calling a tow truck can leave you with a hefty bill — to say nothing of the cost of a new tire. At just $27, down from $53, this inflator can help you at least limp to an auto shop to have a leak fixed. Plus, keeping your tires properly inflated can help your car get better mileage, saving you some cash at the pump too.
This tire inflator can put out as much as 150 PSI, which is more than enough to inflate even the most stubborn tire. The battery lasts long enough for the pump to fill multiple tires, but if it runs down, you can power it off the 12-volt port in your vehicle. Speaking of battery life, if your phone is on 0%, this doubles as a power bank — just use it to charge your tech while you're on the road!
The built-in LCD screen displays the current tire pressure as well as the target goal you've set. You can monitor the process to ensure it's working as intended, but you don't have to babysit it; an automatic stop feature will turn off the pump once it reaches your desired pressure.
You also get three light modes with the LED. One is a steady, bright light for working at night, while another flashes for emergencies. The third is a strobe light for increased visibility (which could quite literally be a lifesaver when you're stuck on the shoulder of a pitch-dark highway).
Nearly 1,300 shoppers are pumped enough to give this tire inflator a five-star rating.
Pros 👍
"I am in love," said one smitten shopper. "That's right. I am in love with a tire pump! I can easily pump my front tires at 32 PSI and my back tires at 34 PSI. I used to inflate all four tires on the same PSI because it's easier. I did not like that I had to drag the cord and wind them up. This pump is so much smaller and fun to use. It even has a USB 'out' port so I can use it to charge my phone too."
"(The) air pump is super easy to use. I use it primarily on my wheelchair tires, which need an inflation 'top off' a couple of times a week. Just hook up [the] hose, set [the] pressure at 120 PSI and hit the button. In less than a minute the tire is topped off; I do the other tire, and I'm good to roll on! Should be just as easy on car and truck tires also. A very good unit!" said another user.
This shopper even said it was good to go right out of the box. "I got it delivered in less than 24 hours," the fan wrote. "It came fully charged and I topped off four underinflated tires in about 10 minutes."
Cons 👎
One reviewer warned that "it does take a few minutes to inflate the tires," but added that they don't consider that to be a major issue. "The attachment to inflate things like kids' swim tubes or arm floats is also small enough to fit in those little valves. For the price, you are not going to find a better product!"
Another shopper mentioned that "a slightly longer hose or a swivel end for it to rotate" would've taken this pump from good to great. And while it's not a dealbreaker, "it would just make it a little less awkward to use," they said.
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)