If you have ever had your tire pressure indicator light come on in your car, you know how annoying it can be to have to hunt for a gas station to inflate your tires, especially if it is late at night. One simple and inexpensive solution is to buy your own portable electric air pump.

They are fairly cheap, this Black and Decker air pump which I use only costs $40 and can be found on Amazon here:

BLACK+DECKER BDINF12C 12V Multipurpose Portable Cordless Inflator

The air pump can be powered with a external outlet or the 12 volt outlet in your car. It isn’t as strong as the pump at the gas station (it takes about 1-2 minutes per tire) but it gets the job done. Also, it allows you to pump up your tires in the comfort of your own home (or anywhere if you keep it in your trunk). It also can inflate a bike tire or a basketball in only a few seconds.

I originally bought the air pump because my minivan had a small leak in one of the tires which required the tire to be pumped up once a week (and the tire store couldn’t locate the leak). However I used it several times since then and would highly recommend it to anyone.