A good digital tire inflator is a handy tool to have if you like to use a compressor to inflate your vehicle’s tyres (or anything else that needs inflating for that matter). The AstroAI Digital Tire Pressure Guage with Inflator is one of the most popular inflators available, so we decided to purchase one to see what all the fuss is about.
In this review we will cover everything from the price and packaging to how the AstroAI 250 PSI Digital Tire Inflator Gauge performs and whether or not we think it is worth a buy. Carry on reading to find out more.
Table of Contents
How Much Does the AstroAI Digital Pressure Gauge & Inflator Cost to Buy?
Digital pressure gauges and inflators tend to range from around US$20 to $100, with some higher end products falling outside of this range. The AstroAI gauge is normally priced at $32.99 (at the time of writing), but often goes on sale for less. This puts it closer to the lower end in terms of price, but as we have seen before that doesn’t necessarily mean worse quality.
You can purchase the AstroAI gauge here on Amazon.
AstroAI Digital Pressure Gauge & Inflator Specifications & Features
| Inflation Range | 0 – 250 psi |
| Accuracy | + or – 1% |
| Display Resolution | 0.1 psi |
| Display Type | Backlit LCD |
| Measurement Units Available | psi, KPa, Bar, kg/cm2 |
| Compatibility | NPT air compressor connector (both ¼” and ½”) |
First Impressions and What’s in the Box
The AstroAI Digital Inflator Gauge comes in a simple box with no additional padding/packaging, so it is free to move about which does increase the chance of damage during transit. Luckily, we had no problems with our unit and the gauge does feel quite solid, so we imagine it can take a bit of abuse before something goes wrong.
The trigger on our one was nice and tight with a good feel, however, some buyers have complained that the trigger on their ones is quite loose. Everything else felt nice and secure, including the 1/4 fitting at the base of the gauge. The rubber hose also feels nice and sturdy, but during use we wished for a bit more flexibility.
Along with the Digital Inflator Gauge itself, AstroAI also includes a number of extras including the following:
- 2 x AAA batteries (already installed in the unit)
- Valve core tool
- 4 x valve caps
- Thread seal tape roll
- Shrader/Presta adapter
- Manual & other documentation
Using the AstroAI 250 PSI Digital Pressure Gauge & Inflator
While we were very happy with the build quality of the AstroAI Digital Pressure Gauge & Inflator given the price, we did find some issues when it came to actually using the product.
The most notable issue revolves around the brass air chuck and how it seals against the tire stem. It is extremely fiddly and difficult to get the chuck to latch on without letting out a how bunch of air, so those that want to use the gauge one handed should probably look elsewhere.
We found that if we press and hold the chuck against the stem the AstroAI gauge works as intended. This seems to be quite a common issue on many gauges with an air chuck that features a latch, but we were hoping it would be better on the AstroAI given the number of 5-star reviews it has.
The brass air chuck can be replaced with another different-style chuck, however, this does come at an extra cost and we wanted to review the AstroAI as it comes as stock.
When you get the AstroAI Gauge & Inflator locked on properly it works well. The trigger has a very nice feel compared to other inflators we have tried around this price point. Additionally, the digital display is nice and bright, and is easy to read. You can either turn it on via the power button or it will turn on automatically during use. It will also turn itself off after around 20 seconds to conserve battery.
With the display on, pressing the power button will cycle through the different units that the gauge can read in. There is also a light button that makes the gauge easier to read in the dark, so that is quite handy.
When it comes to accuracy, AstroAI claims that users can expect a difference of plus or minus 1%. However, during our use we found this to be more like 2%. This really isn’t a major problem for us, especially given the price, but if you are looking for the most accurate gauge you may want to go with something else.
We were pleased to find that the gauge comes with a Schrader/Presta adapter (even though we already have one). This means that you can use the gauge/inflator with pretty much all bicycles out of the box. In fact, this is our main use case for the AstroAI Digital Gauge & Inflator as we usually use another AstroAI product, the CZK-3631 Portable Car Air Compressor, to inflate the tyres on our vehicle.
Conclusion – Is the AstroAI Digital Pressure Gauge & Inflator Worth a Buy?
This really depends on whether or not you don’t mind holding the air chuck to the stem of the tyre or whatever you are inflating. If you want something that just latches on and seals perfectly this isn’t the product for you, but then again most gauges in this price range aren’t going to be any better.
The other issue is of course the accuracy. Two percent isn’t much to us for our use cases, but we can imagine it might be too much for some people. Additionally, the accuracy is also very dependent on getting a good seal, which as we mentioned can be quite difficult when you first operate the gauge/inflator. However, after a bit of practice we had no trouble getting a good seal.
Overall, we think the AstroAI Digital Pressure Gauge & Inflator is worth a buy given its relatively low price. If those two issues we listed above are a deal breaker for you then we recommend you look for something else, but we are happy with the product.
You can purchase the AstroAI gauge here on Amazon.
