NOCO AIR Series Portable Tire Inflators Review

For our younger readers, there was a time when the most convenient way to put air into your tires was by visiting a local gas station and paying $0.25 to use their air compressor. That started giving way in the late 1990s and early 2000s when some companies offered portable tire inflators, but they were typically purchased from your local auto parts store. Even then, they were sold at a bit of a premium, and the average car owner didn't understand the importance of having one. As tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) became more ubiquitous, those same average car owners became more aware of their tire pressure.

As gas prices rose and fuel economy became more of a priority for car shoppers, general knowledge of how overinflated and underinflated tires can affect MPG became commonplace. All of these factors contributed to the increase in portable tire inflators in the market over the last 10 years or so. Even now, taking a look at Amazon, you'll see dozens of options from brands you've never heard of to household names like DEWALT. That also means the cost of a portable tire inflator can vary widely, and with it, the quality, construction, and reliability. Over the years, I have tested many portable tire inflators, some of which weren't even worth writing about because the brand disappeared from Amazon before my review was ready to be published.

Truth be told, many of these cheaper tire inflators available on Amazon will do the job of inflating a tire. However, they're plasticky, loud, and will overheat. Many of these won't work past a year or two because the motor stops functioning. Others aren't very accurate when it comes to reading tire pressure. For some car owners, that's perfectly fine when the tire inflator costs under $25. For those who want a quality product that will last years, if not decades, this is the review for you.

I recently had the opportunity to test NOCO's new lineup of AIR tire inflators/portable air compressors. The brand's portable jump starters have always impressed me, so I had high expectations for the tire inflators. Admittedly, I was a bit excited to see what NOCO had created for the market and how the brand could actually improve on what is seemingly an already oversaturated market. NOCO shipped me all three available models: AIR10, AIR15, and AIR20.

The first thing I noticed with the NOCO AIR tire inflators was how hefty the units felt. As expected, these products felt premium, and your first impression is that they're well-made and the price tag is justified. The AIR10 and AIR15 units are powered by a traditional 12-volt outlet, while the more powerful AIR20 features a 20-foot power cord with battery clamps. My test vehicle was a 2022 Toyota Prius Prime, which means my experience should be fairly consistent with that of the average car owner.

Once I was done admiring the craftsmanship of each unit, I took a look at how each tire inflator handles onboard storage. The braided inflation hose wraps up nicely and is held in place at the foot of the unit, while underneath you find clever storage for the multiple adapters. Unfortunately, there isn't convenient storage for the power cable, which means using the Velcro straps before putting the inflator back into the microfiber storage bag. The overall presentation and design of the product are thoughtful and well-done, justifying its premium pricing. Visually, each pump essentially looks identical, except for the model branding and the accompanying inline fuse. Again, the AIR20 has the most noticeable difference, with clamps at the end instead of a cigarette lighter plug.

With three pumps and four tires, I was able to test each pump individually to see how it performs. Like many other portable tire inflators on the market, you can preset the desired air pressure, and the pump will automatically shut off once it reaches that value. This is where I found my biggest complaint with NOCO's AIR series portable tire inflators. The rubbery, soft-textured buttons feel like the ones that will eventually wear out. I'm honestly surprised NOCO didn't opt for hard buttons here, but then again, the average owner likely won't push these buttons enough to wear them out. It's still worth mentioning, however minor it may seem. After setting my desired tire pressure, I turned the pump on and immediately noticed how quiet it was compared to most of the other inflators I have tested in the past. The noise almost sounds muffled, as if it was being smothered by a pillow. This may not seem like a big deal for most people, but believe me when I say that some tire inflators are outright annoying to listen to for 10 minutes. These NOCO units are the least bothersome to my ears that I have ever experienced and deserve praise.

What makes these NOCO units different than every other portable tire inflator I have tested so far is that once the pump inflates the tire to the set pressure, it will actually cycle the pump to confirm accurate tire pressure. It is possible there are other products on the market that do the same, but these units from NOCO are the first that I've experienced it. Features like this are what truly set a premium product apart from a budget one, but whether that's worth the price difference ultimately comes down to you and your wallet.

When you're dealing with a brand that has a reputation for high-quality products, you expect them to perform well. All three models from NOCO do just that, but they might actually perform too well because it's hard to justify purchasing the more expensive AIR15 or AIR20 models if you drive a conventional car. Now, owners of trucks or SUVs with larger tires will want the more powerful inflators, but I honestly believe the average car owner is just fine getting the AIR10. On paper, this is how NOCO advertises the three tire inflators.

• AIR10: 3.8 minutes for 0 to 40 PSI; less than 41 seconds for 35 to 40 PSI top off
• AIR15: 2.9 minutes for 0 to 40 PSI; less than 29 seconds for 35 to 40 PSI top off
• AIR20: 2.5 minutes for 0 to 40 PSI; less than 25 seconds for 35 to 40 PSI top off

As you can tell, those differences probably won't matter for the majority of car owners. What will matter is if you constantly inflate much larger tires, as the AIR20 supports tires up to 35 inches, while the AIR15 is designed for use up to 33 inches and the AIR10 is for up to 31 inches. The motors in each unit are also different, with a 138-watt motor in the AIR10, a 200-watt motor in the AIR15, and a 280-watt motor in the AIR20.

One minor difference between the three units is the range for the digital display: 15-60 PSI on the AIR10, 15-80 PSI on the AIR15, and 15-100 PSI on the AIR20. Other than that, each inflator also comes with a selection of PSI, kPa, and bar pressure measurements, and a built-in flashlight with multiple modes, including SOS.

The AIR series portable tire inflators from NOCO are premium offerings in the market, and as a result, they have a higher price tag than most products. Personally, I think it's worth the price difference, knowing you get a product from a reputable brand that is very well-made. Since these are new to the market at the time of publishing, I can't comment on whether or not they will last for years, but I'm confident they will given my previous experience with other NOCO products. While the soft-touch buttons are a disappointment for me, I don't believe they are going to be a dealbreaker for most people.

More importantly, when you need to use a portable tire inflator, you shouldn't have to worry that it's not going to work when you plug it in. Sadly, that is how some of the cheaper products I've tested have performed over the years. With what I know about NOCO, I feel like these tire inflators will last a long time, or even if they're failing, you'll be able to tell.

Given how positive this review is, I plan on updating it every six months or so to report on how well (or poorly) the tire inflators are performing. These are worth a long-term evaluation, especially given their price tag, so expect updates as time goes on.