Best tyre pressure gauges 2024
Correctly inflated tyres keep you safe and save you money – we reveal the best gauges to check the pressures
Running a car nowadays is an expensive business, but investing in a good tyre pressure gauge is an easy way to save money while staying safe. When your tyres are inflated to the manufacturer’s recommendations, they’ll last longer, your emissions will be lower and your fuel consumption will reduce. You’ll also ensure your car is braking, handling and cornering at its very best.
You could pay to use a forecourt tyre pressure gauge, but these are often inaccurate because they suffer at the hands of uncaring users. Your own tyre pressure gauge is more reliable, but which is the one for your glovebox? We put eight under pressure to find out.
How we tested them
We checked readings at 20, 25 and 30psi on a 15-inch wheel and scanned the instructions, looking to be told of the need to work on cold tyres and, where appropriate, tread depth requirements. We also tried several wheels to check the fitment of the nozzles on the valves.
We liked the reading to stay on the screen for a few seconds, because often it’s tricky to read while on the valve. And it’s good if the gauge stays ‘live’ long enough to check each tyre without the need to reboot the device. We looked for a clear display, preferably backlit, and a nose light to help locate valves in the dark. We expected all to have at least scales for psi and Bar, any others being a bonus.
A case to keep the tyre pressure gauge clean and safe is always good, and we took the latest online prices in to account.
Reviews
Ring RTG4 Digital Keyring Tyre Pressure Gauge
- Price: Around £9.50
- Rating: 5 stars
- Website: ringautomotive.com
Despite being almost £3 more expensive than when we last tested it, the Ring is still good value and the second cheapest we tried. It’s light enough to be a genuine keyring gauge, and we like the bright blue backlit display and switchable nose light.
It fitted easily on the valves, the reading remained on the screen for 12 seconds, and the device stayed live for almost a minute – perfect for moving between tyres. Uniquely, it got our three pressure figures spot on, but the instructions are limited to a few diagrams and there is no mention of testing cold tyres.
Draper Digital Tyre Pressure Reader 01071
- Price: Around £8.40
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Website: drapertools.com
Like the others here, this Draper features all four scales, although we’d have liked nose and back lights. On the plus side, it’s the only one to beep a confirmation that a reading has been logged. Plus the figures stayed live for more than 30 seconds – very useful.
We found the gauge comfortable to use and it was easy to get the nozzle onto our test valves. The accuracy was almost perfect – just 0.5psi off at the 25psi level. The instructions covered cold tyres, and a super-low price kept it near the top.
Sealey Digital Tyre Pressure & Tread Depth Gauge TSTPG11
- Price: Around £10.30
- Rating: 4 stars
- Website: sealey.co.uk
The Sealey is more bulky than the two top gauges, but it packs in more, not least a simple tyre tread depth gauge with readings printed into the casing. It also features a bleed valve operated from the large central button. With both backlight and nose light, it stayed live for 30 seconds, keeping the reading for around 13 seconds.
It has no instructions, but there’s a list of specifications on the packaging. Accuracy wasn’t bad, just 0.5psi adrift at 20 and 25psi. All in all, a good package and very well priced.
Draper Digital Tyre Pressure Gauge 91348
- Price: Around £13
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Website: drapertools.com
This is designed to resemble a conventional analogue gauge, its 65mm central main unit fitted with a thick rubber cover for protection. In its centre is the backlit display, which stayed live for 15 seconds, although the reading stayed put until it was reset.
We found the long nozzle useful for getting onto more awkwardly placed valves, especially with the 360-degree push-on connector. Usefully, it measures in tenths of psi and wasn’t bad, with an overall difference of 1.6psi. However, like the Sealey, the ‘instructions’ merely listed the specification.
Michelin Programmable Digital Tyre Pressure Gauge
- Price: Around £25
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Website: halfords.com
Easily the most comprehensive and gadget-laden device we tried, and reflected in the second highest price. It was simple to use, offering the option to set up target pressures for front and rear tyres on two vehicles – ideal for multi-car families.
We like the swivel nozzle, the reading that stayed on for 20 seconds and the bleed valve. It got our 30psi correctly, but was 1psi and 0.5psi adrift on the other two. It has a nose light but irritatingly, the button needs to be held. Though not backlit, the bright white-on-black numbers were easily visible.
Halfords Digital Tyre Pressure/Tread Gauge
- Price: Around £12
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Website: halfords.com
Despite not being backlit, the gauge was clear enough, displaying its large, dark characters on a light background. The instructions are reasonable and mention that quoted figures are for cool tyres. It read correctly at 30psi, and was just 0.5psi over at 25 and 30psi.
The readings stayed on for eight seconds, but the display had gone in 13 seconds, making it a bit tight to get to the next tyre. Not the cheapest, but reasonable value, because it includes a depth gauge that produces digital readings in tenths of a millimetre.
PCL Digital Tyre Pressure & Tread Depth Gauge DTPG7
- Price: Around £21
- Rating: 3 stars
- Website: pclairtechnology.com
Like the Halfords, PCL’s offering is square and has a depth gauge. Its fixed nozzle at the top was tricky to get to some more recessed valves, but sensibly, the nose light is directly below it.
We like the large display, with a 90-second auto-off function and switchable blue backlight. Swapping to a digital readout of tyre depth was easy. Oddly, the instructions didn’t cover cold tyres or the need to refer to the official recommendations. Its results were just 1psi adrift overall, but it’s hampered by its price, particularly compared with the similar Halfords.
Clarke Rechargeable Tyre Pressure Gauge with pen light PGL1
- Price: Around £30
- Rating: 3 stars
- Website: machinemart.co.uk
As the name suggests, this gauge is not typical, starting with its built-in, rechargeable 750mAh battery with a USB charge lead. It also has two LED lights, one on the nose and a second flood on the other side, ideal for emergency use.
We like the large, green backlit display, which held the reading for 10 seconds and stayed live for 30 seconds. It was 1psi out at 25 and 30 psi. Instructions are reasonable, but omit the cold tyres warning. It’s a touch expensive, but its versatility makes it worth it if you can use its features.
Verdict
Accurate, inexpensive and easy to use, the Ring RTG4 remains a winner, although the Draper 01071 ran it close and the Sealey TSTPG11 would be a good bet if you need a combined pressure and tread-depth unit.
- Ring RTG4 digital keyring gauge
- Draper Digital Tyre Pressure Reader 01071
- Sealey Digital Tyre Pressure & Tread Depth Gauge TSTPG11
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