We examined the accuracy of several types of air pressure readers.
By: Will Moore
07/10/2022 6:24 pm
When shopping for the best tire pressure gauge, you should prioritize one feature above all others: accuracy. Also important are longevity and your preferred gauge type (digital, analog, or pencil). For this review, we tested several gauges to recommend the best options.
5 Best Tire Pressure Gauges
- Best Overall Tire Pressure Gauge: Joes Racing Products
- Best Tire Pressure Pencil: Milton
- Best Digital Tire Pressure Gauge: Jaco ElitePro
- Grit Performance Tire Pressure Gauge
- Intercomp Glow-In-The-Dark Tire Pressure Gauge
Keeping your car’s tires inflated improves your vehicle’s safety and fuel economy. Even if you aren’t a professional mechanic, it’s wisest to have some way to test your vehicle’s tire pressure, particularly when the seasons change.
Based on our research and testing, we recommend the products in the table above as five of the best tire pressure gauges. Read on to explore them more closely.
Our Review Standards
The tire pressure gauges in this article went through two rounds of reviews. We started by searching Amazon for top products, looking at factors such as customer ratings, Amazon superlatives, and price. We tried to select gauges of different styles and price points.
Later, our review team conducted in-person testing of the five gauges. We based our final recommendations on the following criteria:
- Accuracy
- Longevity
- Ease of use
Accuracy
Accuracy is the most critical aspect of a tire pressure gauge. While you don’t need a gauge to be accurate to the nearest tenth of PSI (pounds per square inch), a quality gauge should be accurate within 3 PSI and ideally within 1 PSI.
To measure accuracy, we compared the readout of the gauge we were testing to our test vehicle’s tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), which is accurate to within 1 PSI.
We weighted accuracy most heavily in our review standards for our overall rating.
Longevity
Every tire pressure gauge can become less accurate over time, but a quality gauge will remain accurate for several years and beyond. Also, gauges built of durable materials will last longer in the potentially rough-and-tumble environment of your garage.
Ease Of Use
The best tire pressure gauges measure automotive tire pressure instantly, and all our recommended gauges are straightforward to use. Some of the best tire pressure gauges come with carrying cases that make them easy to store and keep organized.
Other top-notch gauges include attachments that can help with different kinds of tires. Another feature often seen in the best tire pressure gauges is a backlit or glow-in-the-dark readout, making them easier to use in low-light situations.
#1 Best Overall Tire Pressure Gauge: Joes Racing Products
Joes Racing Products offers high-quality car maintenance products. The company’s glow-in-the-dark tire pressure gauge is an accurate and inexpensive option that’s a great buy if you don’t have a gauge.
| Overall | 5 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | 5 out of 5 |
| Longevity | 5 out of 5 |
| Ease of Use | 4.5 out of 5 |
Key Features
- Type:Analog
- Weight:4.8 ounces
- PSI measurement range:0–60
- Cost:$29
- Glow-in-the-dark
- Includes angled ball and chuck head
- 17.0-inch flexible air hose
- Can deflate tires
Our Experience
Using the pressure gauge from Joes Racing Products is simple and takes less than a minute. The readout numbers are large and easy to see. When compared to the test vehicle’s TPMS, the Joes gauge showed a pressure reading within .5 PSI of the vehicle’s reading.
You can also use this air pressure gauge to deflate tires by pressing the button below the readout head.
What Customers Are Saying
The Joes Racing Products tire pressure gauge has an average Amazon review score of 4.6 out of 5.0 stars from more than 2,200 ratings. Ninety-one percent of reviews award the product 4 or more stars.
Positive reviews often say the gauge is long-lasting and easy to read. Many reviewers also note that they have confirmed the gauge’s accuracy.
“After three years and some abuse, [Joes] is still within 1 to 2 PSI of being accurate in mid-range (20 to 40). [I had] a friend in a lab verify the accuracy recently, using 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 PSI.”
– Matthew Nagata via Amazon
“Very easy to read 1 PSI increment marked on this 0 to 60 PSI gauge. Accurate to 1 PSI as confirmed by the master gauge.”
– D Nelson via Amazon
Some Joes Racing Products users have mentioned a broken bleeding mechanism, rendering the gauge unusable. While this issue seems pretty uncommon, several users have brought it up. Other customers have expressed frustration that the gauge doesn’t maintain its readout once removed from the tire.
“Worked well for a couple of months. It was pretty accurate and easy to use with an angled air chuck. However, on my last Jeeping excursion, the bleeding mechanism kept getting stuck. It became impossible to use because it kept releasing air when checking pressure.”
– LL via Amazon
“The gauge does not continue to show pressure once removed from the tire.”
– M Mowla via Amazon
#2 Best Tire Pressure Pencil: Milton
The Milton pencil tire pressure gauge is portable, convenient, and capable of measuring tire-tread depth and tire pressure in PSI or kPa. Along with being highly accurate, this gauge is inexpensive.
| Overall | 4.5 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | 5 out of 5 |
| Longevity | 4 out of 5 |
| Ease of Use | 4 out of 5 |
Key Features
- Type:Pencil
- Weight:1.6 ounces
- PSI measurement range:10–70 PSI
- Cost:$7.96
- Built-in deflator valve
- Built-in tire-tread-depth gauge
- Measures PSI and kPa
Our Experience
The Milton pencil gauge was simple to use and gave an accurate reading. We found that it confirmed the readout on our test car’s TPMS. The Milton isn’t known for extra features, but its compact size makes it easy to store in your glove box.
We noticed the stick only measures in 2 PSI increments, though you can estimate the halfway space between hash marks. This gauge may not be the best option if you’re looking for the most granular measure of your car’s tire pressure.
What Customers Are Saying
The Milton pencil tire pressure gauge has an average Amazon review score of 4.6 stars based on over 1,000 ratings. Ninety-three percent of reviews give the product at least 4 stars.
Several reviewers say the gauge works efficiently, even after many years of use.
“This gauge feels just as solid and just as heavy as my 15-year-old Milton car gauge. As such, I don’t see any reason not to expect at least several years of constant use from this one as well.”
– Bradley Pool via Amazon
“Solid performer with years of use. … I’ll keep buying them. [I] have one in nearly every vehicle now.”
– Sylvan Rocks Climbing via Amazon
A few users say the gauge is inaccurate, and one reviewer mentions buying two Miltons: one that worked and one that didn’t. It seems that a small number of Milton gauges may be defective.
“Bought two of these, one of which seems to work fine. The other doesn’t work at all.”
– Howie via Amazon
#3 Best Digital Tire Pressure Gauge: Jaco ElitePro
The Jaco ElitePro is a reliable and accurate digital tire gauge. It can display air pressure in several units (PSI, kPa, and bar), and best of all, it includes a lifetime warranty. Given the benefits of the Jaco ElitePro, it could be the last tire pressure gauge you’ll need to buy.
| Overall | 4.5 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | 4 out of 5 |
| Longevity | 5 out of 5 |
| Ease of Use | 4.5 out of 5 |
Key Features
- Type:Digital
- Weight:10.4 ounces
- PSI measurement range:0–100
- Cost:$27.90
- Backlit display
- Includes lifetime warranty
- Measures PSI, kPa, and bar
Our Experience
The Jaco includes the required AAA batteries and is ready to use as soon as you open the box. The readout differed from our test vehicle by about 1.5 PSI, but this is only .5 PSI outside the range of error for our test vehicle’s TPMS. Jaco gauges are certified accurate to industrial American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 2A standards.
The interface of the Jaco is intuitive and straightforward. However, the gauge bleeds some air while you hold it in place, and it takes a moment for the screen to update with a measurement of the pressure.
What Customers Are Saying
The Jaco ElitePro has an average Amazon review score of 4.7 stars, coming from more than 2,000 ratings. Ninety-five percent of reviewers give this gauge at least 4 stars. Most users praise the Jaco for accuracy and ease of use.
“This gauge goes on easily, [is] easy to read, and has a bleeder valve so you can accurately fine-tune the pressure.”
– Greg via Amazon
“Works fantastic! I use it all day long being a tire tech.”
– Denise via Amazon
A few people have complained about the slight delay between attaching the Jaco and the pressure readout appearing.
“It’s OK. It’s nice to have a readout read down to the decimal point. However, it takes about a second or two to update the screen and can easily let out too much air without it updating in time.”
– Energycorse73 via Amazon
“It will eventually read the updated pressure after bleeding. But … it is very, very slow to update, and overshooting when bleeding pressure is very easy to do.”
– LAP99 via Amazon
#4 Grit Performance Tire Pressure Gauge
The Grit Performance gauge primarily serves as a tire deflator. This function removes the valve core from the valve stem. However, the accuracy of this gauge doesn’t make it the best option for regular PSI checkups.
The Grit is exceptionally durable and has a braided hose, a solid brass deflator valve, and a rubber cover protecting the readout.
| Overall | 4 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | 3.5 out of 5 |
| Longevity | 5 out of 5 |
| Ease of Use | 4 out of 5 |
Key Features
- Type:Analog
- Weight:10.2 ounces
- PSI measurement range:0–60
- Cost:$31.99
- Can rapidly deflate tires
- Glow-in-the-dark face
- Flexible braided hose
- Built from rust-free bronze
Our Experience
We managed to get the Grit to work, though it was a little more challenging than the other gauges we tested. It can rapidly deflate tires, with the drawback that it deflates them a bit while it measures. The Grit was the least accurate of the gauges we tested and was off by 3 PSI.
This product is better for those who often go off-roading, which calls for underinflated tires.
What Customers Are Saying
The Grit has an average Amazon review rating of 4.6 stars based on more than 1,700 reviews. Ninety-two percent of reviewers rate the product 4 or more stars.
Positive reviews frequently mention the product’s ability to quickly deflate tires. So, as mentioned, the Grit is a valuable tool if you often go off-roading.
“Deflated my tires from 40 PSI to 25 PSI in mere seconds. Make sure to fully remove the core as described in the instructions. Takes a bit of practice, but it works.”
– Rey O via Amazon
“I’ve been using this to air down the tires on our Jeep before off-roading. Used it at least two dozen times now. Works fast at letting the air out, and the pressure gauge is accurate stopping it on the pressure I want.”
– Txlady via Amazon
Some negative reviews say the product doesn’t deflate tires quickly, but based on our experience and other customers’ comments, these users may not have adequately attached the Grit to their tire valve. However, we made the same observation as some negative reviewers: The product leaks air while in use.
“Leaks air, I can live with it. It is an air down tool.”
– Frank via Amazon
#5 Intercomp Glow-In-The-Dark Tire Pressure Gauge
Intercomp is a storied and reputable brand known for its highly accurate tire pressure gauges. It’s pricier than other options but can be worth it for the quality construction.
| Overall | 4 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | 5 out of 5 |
| Longevity | 4 out of 5 |
| Ease of Use | 4 out of 5 |
Key Features
- Type:Analog
- Weight:4.8 ounces
- PSI measurement range:0–100
- Cost:$72.99
- Glow-in-the-dark face
Our Experience
This tire pressure gauge was very easy to use and accurate to within 1 PSI (the margin of error for our test vehicle’s TPMS). The large face and numbers are easily read.
What Customers Are Saying
Few reviews for the Intercomp glow-in-the-dark tire pressure gauge are available on Amazon, but its ratings are strong (4.4 stars). Other Intercomp analog gauges are highly rated as well.
Although this glow-in-the-dark Intercomp is last on our list of the best tire pressure gauges, the company’s reputation carries enough weight for this device to make the cut.
Tire Pressure Gauge Testing Process
We tested each tire pressure gauge on a 2018 Ford Fusion equipped with a direct tire pressure monitoring system. Sensors in each of the vehicle’s tires can detect tire pressure and display information as close as 1 PSI from the actual reading.
We checked the reading of each tire pressure gauge we tested against the Fusion’s TPMS. In addition to testing for accuracy, using each gauge allowed us to evaluate the ease of use.
To determine our longevity scores, we combed through customer reviews from those who have owned these gauges for a long time. Gauges reported to be accurate and hold up after several years scored the highest in this category.
Tire Pressure Gauge Buyers Guide
It bears repeating: Accuracy is the most crucial aspect of a tire pressure gauge. Many commercial models are pretty accurate, but even the best brands can sometimes deliver faulty products. Whichever tire pressure gauge you purchase, check its accuracy by using it. It can be worth buying multiple tire pressure gauges so you can check them against one another.
You can also take your vehicle to a mechanic or dealership and ask to have your tire pressure measured. Whenever you take your car in for an oil change or tuneup, it may be good to bring your tire pressure gauge and compare it against what the mechanic says.
Tire pressure gauges come in several styles, all of which can be accurate.
- Pencil gauges(or stick gauges) are small, inexpensive, and easy to use. They can be just as accurate as any other type of gauge. The downsides to pencil gauges are that they can be easily lost and may not offer advanced features such as showing several types of readouts (such as barometric pressure, PSI, and kPa).
- Analog gaugestypically consist of a hose and a readout head. These devices don’t require batteries and are easy to use and maneuver. Analog dial gauges may come with several head attachments.
- Digital gaugeslook like analog gauges, except they have a digital display. The advantage of a digital gauge is that it may show several measurement standards. Digital gauges may also read more precisely and offer readouts to the tenth of a PSI. In addition, an LCD screen display can be easy to read in the dark. The downside of a digital gauge is that it may require batteries that need changing every so often.
Whichever type of gauge you choose, keep in mind that even the best pressure gauge requires calibration after a time, so check it every year or so.
FAQ: Best Tire Pressure Gauge
*Data accurate at time of publication.
