4th Michelin 12V Digital 25.99

Michelin 12V Digital Tyre Inflator 12250
RRP 25.99
Best price 24.99 (Skidrive.co.uk)
Weight 0.89kg

For Accurate gauge; auto pressure cut-off; well screwed together
Against Slow inflation; cheaper units offer more performance

Overall

Performance
The Michelin took a whopping 10 minutes 23 seconds to reach 30 PSI. When it finally got there the pressure wasnt far off the mark, though. The true pressure was only half a PSI less than Michelins gauge said it was. Still, there are far cheaper units that will pump up your tyres a lot quicker.

Ease of operation
No problem here. The Michelin was simple to connect up and the pre-set auto cut-off feature saved worrying about switching the unit off when the correct pressure had been reached. The bright digital display was easy to read, too, and there were recesses to tuck away the power lead and hose.

Buying
The Michelin isnt too pricey, but wed expect a bit more puff for 25. There are cheaper units that are considerably quicker at pumping up tyres. The preset auto cut-off is worth paying a bit extra for, though. The Michelin is widely available, and discounts are available by shopping around.

Quality
The Michelin was nicely designed and the plastic casing was of fairly high quality. Unlike some of the units here, we reckon it could take or drop or two without smashing into tiny pieces. The rubber pads on the base could have done with being a bit grippier, but the Michelin didnt shift about too much when running.

Special features
The most useful feature was the preset auto cut-off, which allowed us to dial in a pressure then leave the unit to go about its business. You also get a digital gauge rather than an analogue dial, so reading pressures is a lot easier. The Michelin also comes with a handy drawstring bag, and a variety of adapters for bikes, football and airbeds etc.