I have always wanted to buy a portable air compressor ever since we got those air beds my dad brought home from Germany and every summer, we always had to bring my kids' inflatable life vests and boats to the vulcanizing shop just to get some air put in them.
So last Christmas, I thought of giving my dad a home inflation system that I can also borrow from time to time.
I got him a Black and Decker ASI300 Air Station Inflator.
There were a couple of other brands in the hardware store, but I was immediately impressed with the fact that it can be powered by an AC current or by a 12V plug in your car.
I really liked that feature a lot because it means that we can use it anywhere.
I was also fascinated with its over-all look.
It isn't that heavy, and it is relatively compact.
The back-lit pressure gauge is right on top of the unit so you can easily see it when you are using the inflator.
The AC and DC power cords, plus the air hose, are stored in a compartment right above gauge.
The air hose is fairly long so you can use it to inflate anything without apprehension.
The AC power cord is your typical 3-prong plug, and it is permanently attached to the compressor.
The DC cord connects to two prongs in the back side of the unit, and the other end plugs into your cigarette lighter socket in the car.
Also included are two nozzles and a needle inflator.
This model is also very easy to use.
A two-way switch turns on the unit.
Push up for AC, and down for DC.
Set the gauge to the pressure you want, and the unit will just turn off automatically when it reaches that point.
It is really cool, and the automatic feature was what blew my dad away.