You can't have too many tire pressure gauges, and these are some of our favorites (2024)

FAQs

What is the best and most accurate tire pressure gauge? ›

The three most popular types of pocket tire pressure gauges are the pencil type, the dial type, and the digital type.

Tires will wear out prematurely. Overinflated tires round out on the tread section and cause the center to wear down significantly faster than the outer edges. This could cause them to last only half as long as they typically would. Overinflation can cause loss of traction.

You may even experience sharper cornering and increased fuel economy. So, when filling your tires, the recommended tire pressure is the best compromise between handling, comfort, fuel economy and safety. But it's certainly fine to go over the recommended inflation by a psi or two.

I was surprised that a cheap tire gauge was as accurate as the more expensive ones. All three gauges offer superb accuracy, the Jaco gauge has excellent accuracy at a great price. The Longacre is similar, fun to use, and has top-notch build quality, better than the Jaco.

A bourdon tube is the most commonly used pressure gauge. It is a mechanical instrument that measures the pressure without an electric supply. It is made of steel to resist wear and corrosion. A bourdon tube pressure gauge can measure pressure from 0.6 to 7000 bar (8 to 10000 psi).

You can safely over-inflate tires by up to 10%. For example, if your tires have a recommended PSI of 35, you can go up to around 38 PSI without worry. Anything more than that is too much and not recommended.

Uneven Tread Wear:

Overinflated tires cause the center of the tread to wear faster. Conversely, underinflated tires result in the outer edges wearing down more quickly. Uneven wear reduces the lifespan of your tires, making frequent replacements a costly affair.

In most of these cases, 40 psi should be more than enough, and since most modern tire designs will allow up to 44 psi (in some cases more) this is not a problem. If you have a heavily loaded vehicle, up to 44 or even higher is ok if the tire allows it, but this is a little high for most vehicles.

Why do car dealers over inflate tires? ›

The short answer is that when they service and change your oil the tires are generally hot. The PSI in your door is for cold (car has sat overnight). If your tires are hot the pressure will be higher than cold. Thus when they fill the tires they do so to the appropriate “hot” level.

In conclusion, tire pressure is an important factor in keeping your vehicle safe and performing optimally. The recommended tire pressure for most vehicles is between 30-35 PSI (pounds per square inch). A tire with a higher PSI rating such as 40 can have both benefits and risks depending on the driving conditions.

However, a tire's sidewall lists the maximum pressure it should hold, meaning you shouldn't even be getting close to that number. The other place the PSI is usually listed is inside the door jamb of your driver's side door. This is the correct number to reference when filling your tires.

Calibration - A calibrated digital pressure gauge stays calibrated much more reliably than a pressure gauge with analog output. Digital calibration is done using software, so it's much more precise.

All Prisma Electronics digital tire pressure gauges offer an accuracy of measurement of 0.1% over the complete pressure range 0-5 BAR (0-72 PSI).

Digital gauges are known for their high level of accuracy and precision. They provide readings with greater accuracy compared to analog gauges, often displaying pressure values up to the decimal point. This precision can be particularly beneficial for vehicles with specific tire pressure requirements.