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I'm off to the Alps this weekend and have borrowed my sisters plug-in-to-the-ciggy-lighter car tyre pump, just in case of emergencies. It's a cheap one off Amazon but I should really get myself one when i get back.
I have a budget of £35/40.
Are they all pretty similar? Any recommendations, or one's to avoid please?
I would try and stretch to a battery type like the Ryobi. Less faff.
Unless it is only for emergencies.
The plug-in ones are all a bit rubbish but that's OK, they don't have to be good. If you're using them at all frequently then you'll come to hate them but for just occasional use they're perfect (and a battery one won't be, because it'll probably be flat when you need it). Get a small cheap one. All that really changes is that they get more nicely packaged and yeah, you might think that being able to tidily stow away the hose and cable is a bonus but actually it just makes them harder and more annoying to use, a crap one that you just wrap the cable round the outside is way better.
This is the definitive cheap crap one and it's damn nearly perfect
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374776792727?hash=item5742700697:g:sfYAAOSw5JxkmVRs&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwAGcJBED1LtFDOVsDXkLbGQrfVKiJh4RkYPPnhfZlrbuf39AcaZUH5apTcT7Mbu%2F67lJ9CNsjwEFey%2F9x%2BtexdDVf0SIgeRKygdtNU%2FJVuOcJv43r0AfPUCPBCrFlvPHuo4wRKANZVmowfMrCjc8IMoh0CICWg%2Be%2BmINPAxc7BMEeeWtSA1SjTd9H9kWE7zXGkX63%2FaUwZegtaNFWWwmJWclqMUqYl057FgjPVQm1ZA5Ti%2Fmvy%2F6FLiK%2Fsv1Q7CDgg%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8ry19-hYg
If you're in any sort of power tool family like makita or ryobi then the ones that take the same batteries are good. Expensiver and bulkier than some but they hold the charge and they actually inflate quickly. I have one of the makita ones, it's the only thing I use now.
Everything else seems to come into "little lipo rechargable thing" and if it's compact then no matter what the battery will struggle to hold longterm charge but also it'll take forever to pump a tyre. But they're still quite handy as long as you remember to charge it every couple of months, which I literally never did. Some double as power banks which is definitely a worthwhile addition as long as you remember to keep it charged AND also have some usb cables for your stuff that you want to charge, which I also literally never did.
Used the Michelin one for years. Works well
I got given a cordless inflator a few years ago - about the size and shape of a cordless drill - I thought it was going to be rubbish. Moderately surprised - it did the 4 half-inflated tyres on my camper the other day taking them from 20 to 40psi in a few minutes each.
I've got the Ryobi double sided thing and it's awesome but then I already had the battery and charger. High pressure on one side for tyres, low pressure on the other for tents and airbeds etc.
Works like a dream.
I’ve got makita tools so got the makita one. It’s really good and definitely recommend if you’ve already got a makita battery. Pumps up car tires pretty fast and battery lasts ages. It goes up to 120 psi so I also use it to pump up my Airshot inflator sometimes when I’m feeling lazy!
Got the round ring one recommend on here ages ago, does the job, minimum faff other than having to plug it into the lighter socket.
I bought one of these recently (mostly based off the reviews, which may or may not be real :p ) https://www.amazon.co.uk/TowerTop-Tyre-Inflator-Air-Compressor/dp/B09QMCK62D?ref_=ast_sto_dp
Seems pretty good, only used it once though (it's frequently discounted to £35)