Recommendations on 12V Air Compressor

Looking for a good quality 12v air compressor. Went to do some research and was overwhelmed by the choices and varying reviews. Mainly for filling up the sxs at the lease. We have a generator however a 12v would be more convenient.

The one I have is from Northern Tool. The reason I got it is because it had alligator clips to connect directly to the battery instead of plugging into a cigarette lighter. I just looked it it up, it is the Klutch 12v heavy duty, on sale for 77.99. I've also seen a few different ones that will run off a drill battery, but I know with my luck, the time I need it my battery would be dead.

Ok, I’ve had 5 over the years. My uses are 35” truck tires, 59hp plus tractor tires, trailer(boat, utility, gooseneck) tires, utv 30” tires, Soccer balls, and bicycles.

My review-
smitty built (2781, I think).
Worked great for about 5 years heavy use(truck, trailer, Tractor, utv. Etc)
Loud but dependable, but got hot quick, so need to let it cool before putting it up. Finally blew seals on it.

Klutch 12 Volt Heavy-Duty Portable Tire Inflator — 120 Max. PSI, 2.1 CFM
Got about 2 years out of it before screws just started coming out and it literally fell apart. Not near the smitty built quality, louder, slower and vibrates a lot more(why it fell apart)

Klutch 12 Volt Heavy-Duty Portable Tire Inflator — 150 Max. PSI, 5.3 CFM
Bought for tractor due to high Air, burned up after 7th use, vibration and heat same as smitty, thought it might be same compressor as smithy, but not and 1/3 quality

Klutch 12 Volt Dual Cylinder Portable Tire Inflator — 150 Max. PSI, 3.9 CFM
Figured this would be the end all be all, going to be a bear be a grizzly. Worked for a grand total of two minutes on side of the mountain in CO. Biggest POS known to man, hindsight look at the ratings

Current situation Viair 400P-Automatic Portable Compressor
So far extremely impressed, very, quiet and well built and robust, automatic cut off when no air not being used. Best craftsmanship out off all of them. Only complaint is they don’t give you a set and go nozzle, understandable because it goes to 150psi and can blow a tire, but it’s annoying. I’ve add some big rubber bands. Air tube and battery cable are long enough I can air up a 20ft trailer’s tires while attached to my f250. Only one out of all of them that would do that.


Over all budget wise, go with smittybuilt, best overall quality/last a life time buy the $$$ Viair. I would only buy gator clips options and not cig lighter plugs or you will being changing fuses all the time


Hope this helps

I also high recommend the ARB 10000011 Speedy Seal Tire Repair Kit (Universal), 1 Pack

These things have come a long way from the old days. Old ones would take 2 hours to pump up a balloon.

My wife bought me one from Sharper Image a few years back. It went on a shelf because I figured it was a POS. I decided to try it out on the Mule tire one day after I added some sealant and it took the tire from zero to 16 PSI quick. I was impressed. You can also set it to the PSI you want and it shuts off when done.

Instead of a shelf, it lives in the Mule now.

It' runs off a drill battery but also has a cig plug on it.

Viar will be the best you can buy. Ran it on my jeep for years and put that thing through hell. Ran air tools, aired tires back up, aired up innertubes at the river, you name it. It was permanently mounted in the jeep and kept a 10 gal tank full while wheeling.

Mine is extremely portable. I have an ARB in my Tacoma's engine compartment. About as handy as a pocket on a shirt.

Project farm on youtube did a good review on these.

Had great luck with Ryobi compressor/inflator.
It runs on the Ryobi 18V batteries.
We use them in the pits at races and on the farm.
We also have Ryobi drills, impacts, saws, weed eaters, etc. and abuse the crap out of them while racing.

This is the info I was looking for, thank you

Been happy with Viair. I have a couple and each different size for application. The 400p is awesome.

ya'll are better than me ... I have a couple of cheapo 12vdc from various places, couldn't begin to tell you what manufacturer they are or output. I carry a couple in my truck tool box that I have used to air up truck, tractor, RTV, trailer, etc. tires ... noisy and slow but get the job done in time.

And I thought Judd was a slow learner. What’s that saying about repeating the same thing over and over hoping for a new result?

My ARB is used to operate a front end locker which provides true 4WD with no (zero) slip. The cost of the air compressor alone is in line with the Viair systems. Open the hood, plug in the hose and good to go.

Convenience, if I lived close to 4wheel parts in Coppell I’d just got another Smitybuilt, but northern power is 5 mins.

Both the built in ARB and Built in Viair get pretty high reviews.

I bought the compressor for the front wheel locker. The shop told me there was a port where they could put an "extra" chuck on. I said yes, because it was right there, cheap & easy. I had no idea how much I would use that thing and just how convenient it is to have it.

My Old f250 caught on fire on side of a mountain. To this day I think it was the Warn Quick connect/winch Cables shorting out some where(I converted everything(jumper cables, air compressor etc) to just plug in to the quick connect at front or back of the truck. After the fire, I just go straight alligator clip on any accessory over 60w

I think anyone that hunts should have on board air in some form or fashion.

Got a ARB twin compressor and adding it to the engine bay with a Rago Fabrication engine mount, have used my buddies several times, Game Changer at the lease always airing up stuff!
Investing in something like this is always Painful in the beginning but in the long runs works out way better...

I use a CO2 tank. Carry a 10lb on the mule, and a 15lb on the truck.

Second for the viair. Have two in vehicles now. Any others will be replaced with the same.

same for me, replaced original air ride comp for 5000# overload bags, the 380c viair is hands down better. quiet, will put 20psi in the bags in a few seconds. about to add a 1.5 gal. tank/quick connect frame mounted (I hope. lol).

https://www.viaircorp.com/c-models/380c-compressor


worth the money for what you will use it for.

https://youtu.be/kTpSgUyyBA8