REVIEW: RING RTC1000 PREMIUM

● Price: £49.99

The RTC1000 Premium is a small portable tyre compressor from accessory powerhouse Ring.

It runs off your car’s 12V power supply and allows you to check and top up your car’s tyre pressure wherever you are. At 22cm x 20cm x 8cm it’s a fairly small unit, and it comes with its own padded carry case, adaptors for everything from bikes to airbeds, latex gloves and four spare valve dust caps.

Italsofeaturesabrightled to make life easier if you need to use it at a dark roadside.

The unit is small and light but features a massive digital readout and a big power switch that make it easy to use. The dial for setting the pressure could be larger, but the system remembers your setting so if it’s only used on one car it won’t need adjusting very often.

The power cord is 3.5m long and winds up into the body of the compressor, keeping things neat when it’s not it use. The air hose, likewise is long enough and folds neatly into the side of the case. The light is a useful touch, as is the slot to put your valve cap in to keep it safe.

In operation it’s relatively quiet and impressively quick. The digital read-out tracks the pressure as it rises but it has a habit of stopping just short of the preset target, but it’s not the only compressor to do this. And it’s not enough of a flaw to detract from a handy and easy to use piece of kit that’s ideal for anyone looking to keep on top of basic maintenance at home.