For the last 15 years, I was an automotive journalist and it came with some pretty sweet perks, like driving a new test car home from work every day. That meant that most nights, my car sat in the office parking garage. And about two or three days a year, I spent my lunch break filling up the tires, which had usually deflated to the point where the rims touched the ground. That’s when I realized the value of a tire inflator like the top-rated Milwaukee M18, on sale for 55% off at Amazon for Black Friday.

(Psst: For even more savings, check out our roundups of the best Black Friday deals from across the web.)

Why is this a good deal? 💰

If you’re lucky, you have a “tool guy” in your life — a person you can go to for everything from a bike pedal wrench to a chain saw. My tool guy’s name is Kyle, and his garage is full of Milwaukee tools, because they work and they last. Sure, there are cheaper tire inflators, but in my experience, they’re more difficult to use, skimp on features and burn out after a year or two of light use. Buy this once and you’re set — it’s gone for as much as $190 in the not-too-distant past, so $141 is a nice discount.

Why do I need this? 🤔

There’s never a good time for a flat tire, but they always seem to happen at the absolute worst moment. That’s where the portability of this tire inflator shines. It doesn’t take up much room and, once you’ve charged the removable battery, it’s ready to go whenever you need it. The built-in nozzle and hose storage will also keep everything organized when it isn’t in use.

The M18 is Milwaukee’s fastest cordless tire inflator, so you won’t be waiting around forever for your tires to be filled, whether you drive a small car or a truck with 33-inch tires. It can also pump out an impressive amount of air pressure — up to 150 PSI — and comes with valves for your bikes, an inflator nozzle for everything from pool toys to rafts, and a needle for all of the balls in your garage.

Going on a road trip and need to pack up before you leave? The M18 has an auto shut-off, allowing you to walk away while it’s working. You can save up to four PSI memories as presets, so you don’t have to worry about changing the shut-off preset for each of your vehicles.

What reviewers say 💬

Nearly 3,000 reviewers have given the Milwaukee M18 a five-star rating.

Pros 👍

“Finally an inflator that actually does the job,” said one happy reviewer, who tried multiple cheaper inflators first. “I tried it right away on my utility trailer tires and it only took a few seconds to inflate a tire from 47 to 50 PSI.”

“We recently took a trip out west, and we tow an auto behind our motorhome,” wrote another satisfied customer. “I needed to add small amounts of air (3 pounds) several times to get the pressures in all four tires equal. This little compressor did a great job topping the pressures off, and it is very simple to operate.”

“It inflated from completely flat to full in a little over 3 minutes,” said another user, who has experience with more than one brand of compressor. “I have DeWalt at work, and I like their portable compressor, but I prefer my Milwaukee tools that I use at home for everything else. So I took the plunge and I am happy.”

Cons 👎

“My only gripe is that the only power source it accepts is batteries,” mentioned one four-star reviewer. “It seems intuitive that it should also have an option to be powered by the DC port in a vehicle. Kind of a silly oversight in my opinion.”

Other shoppers say the price is high, especially if this is their introduction to the Milwaukee ecosystem. “Great product design and quality construction,” said a final customer, “but overpriced at close to $300 when you add the required, but not included, battery pack and charger.”

Amazon

Stop burning through cheaper tire inflators or searching your local gas stations for an air pump that actually works — this smart buy has you covered. 

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$141 at Amazon

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)

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