RTC1000

Easy to use, clear display and once target pressure set, pump runs until preset reached and switches off. Cable and air line length both good to reach all 4 wheels. Seems reasonably sturdy construction. Complete with deflate option which is a good feature when air pressures need to be adjusted on a tow car. Carry case supplied. Overall good value for money and relatively quieter than its predecessor

This was a replacement for an earlier model which packed up after quite a few years service. This one is a much better design though, and inflates more rapidly. The digital display is large and clear and as it's in Psi only, it's a doddle to set. The integral cable on the rear pulls out, sort of like a turntable which you wind back in when finished with the raised knob The air connector hose folds away in a recess on the side and there's an adapter for blowing up other things to car tyres. The whole thing fits neatly into a soft carry case. The unit is operated from the car 12 Volt socket (remember the days when it used to be called a cigarette lighter with a cigarette symbol on it?). For connecting to car tyres the metal valve is good quality, and when screwed in place will give you the current air pressure in the tyre. Simply turn the knob to set the target pressure, and then press the bar type button at the bottom of the unit, which will begin to inflate, and stop when the target pressure is reached. If you are letting air out, there is a bleed button on the valve connector to do this 15 minutes is quoted as the max continuous running time for the unit. The integral light is quite adequate to see what you are doing in the dark. For auto use, these are an indispensable aid that I think everyone who doesn't have one should have, and very handy to keep in the car. To think years ago I used foot pump!

My car had recently developed a slow puncture, pinging up the warning light every 3-4 weeks and prompting a trip to the local supermarket or filling station for a top-up. It had a habit of going ping when I’m commuting to work early in the morning, never the best time. So I thought I’d invest in a tyre inflator to keep in the boot of the car so I can top up at my leisure, at least until I inevitably have to get the tyre repaired. There are dozens of tyre inflators available, some with digital readings and some with traditional analogue dials. What very few of them do is have the safe-guard feature of being able to set the desired pressure and the machine turns off when it reaches it. It is this functionality that swung me towards the Ring RTC1000. Ring, not to be confused with the Ring who make smart doorbells, are something of a specialist in the tyre pressure market so I was confident in the brand. The inflator arrives in its storage bag that also contains some protective gloves which are ideal for protecting you from the filth on your wheels and valves (although I’ve long been an advocate of just wiping my fingers on my jeans but that’s just me). Opening the bag you find the inflator, and at a quick glance you could mistake it for a defibrillator. It has a large blue digital display that shows the current pressure reading and your target pressure, plus a status indicator across the middle. You set the desired pressure using the yellow dial below the display, pressing it in to confirm your selection. At the bottom of the machine is a big “On” button, which begins the inflation process. In the centre is a button that illuminates the light found on the right-hand side of the device, and a moulded depression for placing your valve caps. On the left is a recess which contains the inflation tube and connector, and on the underside is an enclosed reel that tucks away the 3.5m long power cable which can be quickly wound away when finished. In operation, the Ring RTC1000 is easy to use and although noisy as you would expect from a pump it isn’t offensively loud. As you’re likely to be running your engine while operating the inflator it’s not much worse than the sound of your car. Both the power cable and inflation tube come out quickly and easily. The power cable is easy to wind back in, but you need to manually manipulate the inflation tube back into the recess. On the end of the inflation tube is a screw-on fitting that attached to the valve on your car’s tyre to enable a hands-free inflation. Just behind the fitting is a pressure-release button to allow you to adjust the tyre pressure without unscrewing the inflation tube. There is always going to be a question mark as to how accurate the reading is on these home inflation machines. When you first screw on the inflation tube it’s important to wait a few seconds for the display to finish taking its initial reading. Occasionally I found that the inflator would go up to the desired target, and then drop down by half a point. What I tend to do is set it for half a point (PSI or Bar) higher to compensate, and allow for any loss in pressure when removing the inflation tube. To get an idea of accuracy I compared readings on the Ring RTC1000 with those on my trusty little Rolson digital tyre gauge. Typically, I’ve found the initial reading prior to inflation to be identical, but 0.05 Bar higher on the Ring after inflation. My photos show before and after shots of readings from both the Ring and the Rolson. I would caveat this by saying I have no idea of how well calibrated the Rolson is either, it’s merely for guidance. Whatever, I’m satisfied that the margin of area is acceptable. Other notes I’d make is that realistically you’d never store your valve caps in the depression on the device as they’d fall out the moment you moved the whole lot to your next tyre. Also, a minor quibble, the light for me is on the wrong side. As a right-handed person I would crouch with the wheel to my left so as to bring my right arm across towards it (in a forehand-tennis shot approach). The torch is therefore shining in the wrong direction as I’d need to have the tyre on my right side (in a backhand approach) which doesn’t make it as easy to screw on the inflation tube. In summary though, I think the Ring RTC1000 is a very good digital tyre inflator and does everything I’d ask of it. A few minor points remind me it’s not perfect, and it is quite expensive compared to others, however the auto-stop function to me is a valuable safety feature and if I had my time again I still believe I’d buy the Ring RTC1000.

I’m genuinely impressed with the Ring RTC1000 digital tyre inflator. It’s incredibly easy to use, and the digital pressure gauge is very accurate. I especially appreciate the memory function and how quick the inflation process is – it took under 2 minutes per tyre! The preset target pressure feature is brilliant; I just set it to my desired value and it automatically stops once reached. The built-in LED light is a nice touch for night use, and the carry case makes storage simple and tidy. The cable and hose length are also more than enough to reach all tyres comfortably. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a reliable, compact, and efficient tyre inflator to keep in the car!

Good price, fast inflation, cable length is enough to reach all tires without overstretching. Easy to set up, fast to put away, comes with extra valve covers and adapters as well as a storage bag. Digital screen means you can choose between different units of pressure and you can set it to inflate to a certain pressure and it will turn off automatically when done. Good product, would highly recommend.

My previous six year old streetwize air compressor wasn't working well - over hearting issue and last week it gave up. I borrowed this ring compressor from one of my neighbours and bang I liked it instantly. I ordered this which has a few more options eg you can release the air (deflate) by simply pressing a small button on the tip of the nozzle. It stops automatically when it reached the set PSI/bar pressure. Large LCD screen and a LED light for those stuck in dark times. I used it to inflate a large tyre and it topped it up fairly soon and there was no hearing issue. LCD digital screen is easy to use, just set the desired pressure and it will do the job. Best investment so far. The charge plugs goes into 12Volts charger in the car. Wind up the cable and it's neat and tidy little device. You don't need to go a air pressure pump and pay £1.50 for each time you top up air in the tyres. Do it at home and it will return its value within a couple of years. I bought two, one for my each car.