Best tyre gauges 2023
Keeping your tyres inflated correctly can save you money in the long run, so it’s worth investing in a good tyre pressure gauge. But which one is best?...
It's easy to overlook the importance of a car’s tyres; maintaining them can often be something many motorists don’t consider until it’s time for a new set. One tool which can ensure both the optimum performance and longevity of a tyre and the safety of your vehicle is a tyre pressure gauge - like the Draper tyre pressure gauge 69924.
These often inexpensive devices are a great way to check that your tyres are inflated correctly. Why is this important? Well, ensuring your tyres have the optimal amount of air inside improves the efficiency with which they rotate, improving your economy and saving you money in fuel. Properly inflated tyres also ensure that your vehicle's steering remains responsive and its braking effective.
There are a range of tyre pressure gauges that come in various shapes and forms, from analogue to digital, and keyring-sized to glovebox-sized.
Here, we reveal which tyre pressure gauges are best, while also sharing the product you should steer clear of. You can find out below which are the best, and worst, products available, but right now our top choice is the Draper tyre pressure gauge 69924.
The products or services referenced in this story have been reviewed independently by our experts. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. However, this will never influence our opinion or ratings.
How to choose the best tyre pressure gauge
Why should I buy a tyre pressure gauge?
You can check tyre pressures at a petrol station using an air compressor, but using a tyre pressure gauge is both quicker and easier and can be done at home or at the roadside. And because most of them are small they are compact enough to be stored in your glovebox or centre console.
Which is more accurate, an analogue or digital tyre pressure gauge?
While analogue gauges deliver reliable readings, digital devices are often more accurate because they can often provide pressure readings to the decimal point. They're also easier to read, meaning you're less likely to take an incorrect measurement.
Are there any disadvantages to buying a digital device?
Despite being more accurate than an analogue device, digital tyre pressure gauges need batteries to function. It's worth carrying some spare batteries in the event your digital gauge loses power.
How to use a tyre pressure gauge
A good tyre pressure gauge makes it very easy to check the amount of air in your tyres and should be an essential part of your car maintenance toolkit. Whether you opt to buy a digital or analogue, the process of checking your tyre pressures is a straightforward task:
– First, check your car's tyre pressure in the vehicle handbook. If you can't find them here then the pressures will be displayed on the tyre's sidewall, in the fuel filler cap or even in the sill of the driver's door.
– Remove the valve dust cap and place the tyre pressure gauge on the valve.
– Apply some pressure to the gauge to ensure you get an accurate reading.
– Check the tyre pressure gauge to see if you you need to inflate or deflate your tyres.
– If you need to inflate your tyre, attach a suitable pump to the valve and increase the tyre pressure in small increments.
– If you need to deflate your tyre, you have two options. You can remove the pressure gauge and carefully use a screwdriver to push the metal pin on the valve to release air. Or if you are using an analogue gauge, you can use the built-in deflator button to bring the pressure to the correct amount.
– And don't forget to put your valve dust caps back on once you have finished checking all four tyres.
How does What Car? test tyre pressure gauges?
We tried out all of our tyre gauges in both daylight and at night, and we tested them on a variety of different wheels – old and new – to check how easily they fitted to different tyre valves.
For overall consideration, we rated them for ease of use, perceived quality, the tyre pressure range that they can function within, and any additional features they might offer, as well as value for money.
1. BEST BUY – Draper tyre pressure gauge 69924
Pressure range 5-100psi
Pros
Very easy to read | Seamless connection to tyre valve | Flexible rubber hose
Cons
Less accurate than digital device | No case | Not as compact as others
This is a super-smart gauge with an analogue pressure dial and solid metal fixtures. It’s also very easy to read, thanks to the simple, clear dial graphics, and it’s straightforward to connect to the tyre valve in order to get a reading. The canted angle of the rotating chuck and the flexible hose help with that, too. We also favour the traditional analogue gauges over the digital options. Because tyre gauges are typically used once in a while rather than on a routine basis, not having to worry about batteries that might have gone flat over a year or more of little to no use is a welcome relief in those circumstances.
What Car? rating Five stars out of five
2. RECOMMENDED – Goodyear portable tyre pressure gauge
Pressure range 0-60psi
Pros
Compact size allows for easy storage | Easy to connect | Good for low pressure readouts
Cons
Shorter neck than other analogue gauges | Can only read to 60psi | Dial not the biggest=
This is another classy-feeling analogue gauge, and the dinky size and convenient plastic case make it easy to store in your glovebox. The 45-degree connector stuck to our tyre valves with no hassle, even if the shorter, solid neck of the gauge makes it a bit trickier to attach than the Draper, above. Even so, if having a compact unit that you can keep in the car is a factor – and you don’t need very high pressure readouts – this is a great little gauge that feels well made and is a doddle to use.
What Car? rating Five stars out of five
3. BEST BUDGET BUY – E-Smarter digital tyre pressure gauge
Pressure range 0-150psi
Pros
Cheap to buy | Very easy to use | Backlit gauge and nozzle
Cons
Feels light and lacks quality | Awkward battery compartment | Smaller gauge readout
This is a really affordable option that has a backlit digital readout and nozzle, making it easy to use in low light. It’s a doddle to use, because it’s easy to press onto the tyre valve, and it then gives you an accurate readout in whatever measure of pressure you like, including KPA and kg/cm3 for trucks or bikes, as well as pounds per square inch (psi) and bar. The batteries are included, too, but their compartment is tricky to access. The handset feels light and cheap, but that’s forgivable at this price.
What Car? rating Three stars out of five
4. Goeco tyre pressure gauge
Pressure range 5-99psi
Pros
Can measure tread depth | Compact in size | Handy keyring
Cons
Tricky to fit onto valve | Shorter than other gauges | Not canted at 45-degree angle like most
The digital Goeco gauge’s neat retractable metal pin tyre tread measure – which shows the depth in millimetres and includes appropriate warning colours to indicate if the tread is low – is a really excellent feature of this gauge. The backlit screen is easy to read, and the batteries are included and easy to access. The gauge’s chuck can be tricky to fit tightly to a tyre valve, because it’s short and not canted at a 45-degree angle as most others are, but this is our favourite of the digital units here.
What Car? rating Four stars out of five
5. Halfords digital tyre pressure and tread depth gauge
Price £12.00 | Buy from Halfords | Pressure range 5-99psi
Pros
Able to measure tread depth and pressure | Compact in size | Inexpensive
Cons
Harder to connect to valve | Shorter chuck than others | Feels cheap
The Halfords gauge is very similar to the Goeco unit elsewhere in this test, with its digital tyre tread readout and tyre pressure functions. It’s not the easiest to get a good fix on the tyre valve, however, because the chuck on is quite short, but it is a dinky unit that stores out of the way in the car, and the tread measure is a worthwhile additional function. The CR 2032 batteries are easy to access and replace. It does feel a bit cheap, though, and there’s no backlight for the readout.
What Car? rating Four stars out of five
6. ATsafepro precision gauge
Price £11.99 | Buy from Amazon | Pressure range 0-60psi
Pros
Robust and good quality | Extendable rotating neck | Glow in the dark dial
Cons
Dial hard to read in good light | Costs extra for 100psi readout | Only up to 60psi
The ATsafepro is an analogue unit that feels hefty and well put together, and it gives an accurate readout. The extended, rotating neck makes awkward valves easy to reach, while the chrome-plated finish and heavy-duty rubber give it an extra-durable feel. Our only gripe is that the dial is a little harder to read than some others, even in good light, but at least it glows in the dark. You have to pay an additional £4 to extend the pressure range up to 100psi, but the spare tyre valve caps that it comes with are a very welcome, free addition.
What Car? rating Four stars out of five
7. AstroAI high accuracy tyre pressure gauge
Price £12.99 | Buy from Amazon | Pressure range 0-100psi
Pros
Feels sturdy and durable | Rotating neck for easy connection to valve | Can be used for high-pressure tyres
Cons
Rubber hose chunky and awkward | Two-handed operation | Not easy to read
This is another solid-feeling analogue gauge that seems durable and hefty. It comes complete with a rotating chuck that makes it easy to get the gauge onto the tyre valve, too, but the rubber hose is chunky and can make the gauge awkward to use, because it’s harder to manipulate. It’s definitely a two-handed job. The dial isn’t as easy to read as those of some rivals, but it is glow-in-the-dark, which is useful, and can be used even for high-pressure tyres.
What Car? rating Four stars out of five
8. AstroAI digital tyre pressure gauge
Pressure range 0-150psi
Pros
Backlit dial | Suitable for lorry or bike pressures | Relatively compact
Cons
Lacks quality | Analogue options will last longer | Nozzle light not that bright
The AstroAI feels fairly cheap and light, but it is effective. The nozzle has a bright blue light to help with visibility and the readout is brightly backlit. Plus, you can switch to pressure readouts more suitable to a lorry or bike and it has a really high range for pressure readouts. However, the heavier-duty analogue options here feel like they’ll last a whole lot longer, so they might well be a better buy in the long run.
What Car? rating Three stars out of five
And the tyre pressure gauge to avoid...
9. AA digital tyre pressure gauge AA1634
Pressure range 0-100psi
Pros
Cheap to buy | Easy to use | Batteries provided
Cons
Short battery life | Small readout screen | Nozzle light not bright enough
The AA gauge is very similar to the other digital gauges here, but it measures pressure only in psi and bar. The batteries are provided, and it’s stated that they give a 12-month life, but there are a lot of online customer reviews suggesting that they don’t last that long. The light on the nozzle of the gauge and the readout are very weak, too, not proving very helpful in the dark.
The products or services referenced in this story have been reviewed independently by our experts. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. However, this will never influence our opinion or ratings.
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