My old portable air compressor ran only for 2 seasons with light use. Now I decided to buy a new inflator. I like to buy the 120v type since I was not benefited with the pumps which perform off the car charger. I already used this type two times and I think it is better than the last one.
Once you turn it, the sound feels solid and you will have a sense that it does not have many moving parts. So I think this particular model will serve for a longer time than the common inflators. It is quieter than my last model it also starts fast.
The Bon-Aire BA121L uses screw on valve to pump tires on cars. I prefer personally the snap on kinds of valve, the reason being it is easy and fast. Honestly, I was not very much interested with the screw on valves because it loses air from the tires at the time unscrewing it. It is not a big issue but it is a pet peeve of mine.
The BA121L air inflator is available in portable size. The air tube which is coiled will extends to 20 to 25 feet which is sufficient to complete all tires and it is also better if is installed in the front side or behind the car. There are plenty of attachments for it which permits the things such as basketballs to be inflated and inflatable pools for children.
The gauge is not 100 perfect. According to my experience, the gauge can hit up to 32 Ibs, for my tire it may be about 30 Ibs. The device does not become hot after performing its function, therefore you can pretty much touch or pick it up.
It is worth for the cost I spent on it particularly during winter where I can fill up the tire on my DIY electric car versus going outside to the gas store and freeze my butt off. The following is a short list of reason why I think the Bon-Aire BA121L is a good option if you are thinking of getting a portable tire air inflator.
1) It has the capacity to plug in to a 120 volt outlet.
2) It works fast. I can easily inflate the tire on my homemade electric car from 5 psi to 30 psi within 45 seconds.
3) The pressure gauge is generally quite accurate. My 12 volt inflator is off by 10 psi.
4) The screw valve is not that much of a problem as you might think. When it is removed, it only bleeds one or two psi off the inflated tire. The screw on valve is a better feature compared to the clamp on type. I think that plenty of air is lost during unclamping.
5) It is available with lot of inflation adapters.
Nothing is perfect though. The things which I do not like about the Bon-Aire BA121L are:
1) I like to have ball type valve instead of screw on type.
2) It struggles a bit when it reaches 30 psi. I think it will hard to manage any pressure beyond that.
The pressure gauge can increase up to 150 psi which is worthless. Anyhow I am happy that it is capable of performing well with normal tire pressures up to 38 psi.
So, is the BA121L portable air inflator worth your investment? To me, it is a useful tool. For the price that I paid for it, I think it meets most of my requirement. If you want a small air compressor without spending too much money, click on the button on the right to make your order from Amazon.com right now.