![]() ![]() Like many dial gauges, it holds the reading after you remove it from the tire, with an air pressure relief valve that doubles as a deflator, if a very slow one. That made it easy to get one end on the valve stem, and the other where it is convenient to read. This was the most versatile gauge we tried, with a swivel connection at both the chuck, and at the body of the dial. We found it to be within 1.0 PSI of the other gauges in our test. It’s calibrated to the ANSI B40.1 standard, but they didn’t list the grade, which tells you the permissible error across the range. It features a 16.75-inch braided hose and chuck assembly, 2.0-inch glow-in-the-dark high contrast dial with 0.3-inch protective rubber bumpers, and solid brass hardware. Take a look at our picks for the best tire gauges below, and see our Table of Contents for lots of tips on use and proper tire inflation.Ī long braided hose that swivels in two places and an easy-to-read dial make this our top pick.Īfter testing seven pressure gauges, and drawing on the experience of our editors, our Editor’s Pick is the Rhino USA 75 PSI Heavy Duty Tire Pressure Gauge. We’re going testing more them to see if there’s a real reason to choose one over the other. The inexpensive ones are a commodity product, made by a few different factories in a handful of styles, then sold with small cosmetic changes as different brands. Digital tire gauges are easy to use and the easiest to read, but you usually have to pay more for one with certified calibration. Some come with convenient deflators built in. They often have hoses attached, so you don’t have to put your face as close to the tire valve. A calibrated dial gauge is the most accurate in this price range (race teams use super accurate digital gauges that cost hundreds of dollars), and usually most expensive. A quality pencil style gauge won’t cost much and will last for decades, but they’re harder to read and not the most accurate, usually with 2.0 PSI increments. Tire air pressure gauges are available in pencil, analog (dial) face, and digital, and they all have advantages and disadvantages. You’re even more likely to get a puncture and a flat with low tires. And if you haven’t noticed, not just gas but tire prices are climbing, and low tire pressure makes them wear out faster. You can’t see a tire that’s a couple of pounds low by eye, because radial tires don’t start to look low until they’re about 5 PSI down on air, which going back to our numbers above is starting to make a real dent in your wallet. That makes spending 20 bucks on the best tire gauge you can get (and a great inflator) a lot easier to take, especially when you only have to buy it once. Doesn’t sound like much? That’s like paying 3¢ more a gallon, 30¢ more for a 10 gallon fill-up…or $168 a year for the average driver. It’s a small investment that will keep you from having to replace your expensive tires too soon, and save money on every fill up.Īccording to the US Environmental Protection agency, the average tire is underinflated by 1.8 PSI (1.1 PSI in front and 2.8 PSI in back), and for every pound of pressure too low, you lose 0.4% in fuel economy, or 0.7% on average. Keeping your tires properly inflated ensures they wear evenly, and that you’re getting the best possible gas mileage. Every car owner should include one of the best tire pressure gauges in their toolkit.
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