Inflating your car’s tyres can be a strenuous task, especially with foot pumps which involve a lot more sweat than a digital/electrical compressor. However, when all things go wrong, an analogue foot pump can be a bit of a life saver.
They require a little bit more effort than an electric pump, and you can pretty much view them as a leg exercise. However, when you desperately need to pump up your tyres without the need to run your engine or connect up to a battery that’s running low, they can be a useful thing to keep in the boot of your car.
They generate a fraction of the pressure of an electric pump, but they’re functional, old-school, and in the long run, likely going to be more reliable. Whether you have all season tyres or some that are purpose-built, a good foot pump will be a good friend to them.
The best foot pumps 2024 at a glance:
The best foot pump: Heyner PedalMax Pro – Buy on Amazon
Editor’s pick: Michelin 9503 Double Foot Pump – Buy on Amazon
Best value double barrel foot pump: Ring Automotive RFP2 Double Barrel Foot Pump – Buy on Amazon
However, one search of trying to find one, and you’re immediately greeted with cheap, fragile options from naff brands. With that in mind, we’ve done some digging and listed our favourite foot pumps from trusted brands with good consumer reviews. If, by any chance, you’re looking for a temporary repair, we have a guide on tyre sealant, too.
The best foot pumps 2024
The best foot pump
It weighs a little less than the Michelin pump at 2.04kg, but is slightly heavier than the others. It even comes with its own storage bag, which is nice if you want to keep it in the boot of your car.
Pros
- Good quality build quality and construction
- Handy storage case to keep everything neat
- Up to 140PSI of pressure
Cons
- The gauge isn't always 100% accurate
Editor's pick
It can pump up to 100PSI, weighs 2.2kg and is ideal for inflating anything from motorcycles, bicycles, and car tyres. It boasts great build quality, too, which is important for any high-stress piece of equipment.
Pros
- Great build quality
- The best foot grip
- Powerful enough
Cons
- Will never be as easy to use as an electrical pump
- Not many attachments included
Best mid-range foot pump
As well as the rubber foot pedal, the feet are also rubberised for optimum grip and stability on the ground. The gauge reads in both Bar and PSI, so you shouldn't have much issue in reading the units.
Pros
- Rubberised pedal and feet means it's a stable item during operation
- Gauge reads in both PSI and Bar
- Twin-cylinder design means it'll be stable on the ground
Cons
- The blue and yellow contrast may be a bit bold for some
Best value double barrel foot pump
Ring Automotive's RFP2 is a great value pump. It only weighs 1.62kg, but come with three adaptors and a rubber pedal. All for a little over £20, which makes it a great-value product. It pumps up to 100PSI and even has rubber feet for added grip.
Pros
- Anti-slip rubber pedal
- Includes adaptors for use on other things like bicycles
- Superb value for money
Cons
- Slightly lower PSI than others
Best simple foot pump
It even has a rubber foot pedal which is a neat bonus, too. You also get a couple of different attachments for different purposes, which adds to the versatility of the FP2.
Pros
- Very lightweight at just 1.68kg
- Has a rubber foot pedal
- Is a good quality item
Cons
- Lacks attachments
Best budget foot pump
It's a twin-cylinder design, which is impressive to find at this price point, and like the others on this list, there are three valve adaptors included for different jobs. The gauge numbers are a bit smaller than some others, but it still reads in either PSI or Bar, and is also available in single-cylinder guise should you wish.
Pros
- Great value for money at a few pence under £17
- Twin-cylinder design makes it stable under operation
- Three valve adaptors included
Cons
- The overall build quality won't be as great as others
Best space-saving foot pump
This foot pump has a 60cm hose along with three attachments for different uses as well as a lock-on connector for securing the hose into place. It pumps up to 100psi, but unfortunately, the pedal isn't coated in rubber, which can make things slightly more slippery for your foot.
Pros
- Great value for money
- High PSI range
- Lock-on switch is a useful tool
Cons
- Metal foot pedal
FAQs and things to remember about foot pumps
Are foot pumps better than electric tyre inflators?
In the same way that we would perhaps keep a little toolkit in the back – or a set of winter tyres in the garage if you’re feeling thorough – they’re only really there as a precaution for a car. They don’t have a few issues that electric tyre pumps have.
For instance, a lot of electric tyre inflator compressors require you to plug them into the car’s 12V socket to generate power. If you can’t run the engine for whatever reason, an analogue foot pump will be useful. If your electric pump is cordless and battery-operated, running out of juice in one of those could be an issue on the road – hence the usefulness of an old-fashioned foot pump. Furthermore, if you need to inflate air into a non-running car so you can push it, foot pumps are brilliant for that, too.
They’re also very versatile in the sense that it’s not just car tyres you can inflate with them. Because they deliver pressure far more gently than digital tyre inflators, you can use them to inflate footballs, bicycle tyres and more.
How long does it take to inflate a tyre with a foot pump?
Surprisingly, not as long as you may expect. With a bit of effort, you can inflate a tyre from below pressure to the recommended figure in minutes. The benefit of cordless electrical tyre inflators is that they can reduce that inflation time to under a minute, but come at an extra cost. From completely flat, expect the foot pumping time to last quite a bit longer.
Are single or double-barrel foot pumps better?
That depends on how much you want to spend and at what pace you want air to be pumped into your tyres. If you’re using a foot pump for your car, we recommend you go double barrel. But there’s no harm in wanting a single barrel if you’ll have other, lighter uses for it. If you want pure speed, a tyre inflator compressor will be for you.
However, do bear in mind that a single-barrel foot pump is less stable than a double-barrel variant. The former can have a tendency to flop over to the side if you push too hard, whereas this issue isn’t evident with a double-barrel pump, thanks to the weight distribution.
Aaron Hussain is a commercial content writer at Bauer Media writing for Parkers and CAR. He is obsessed with classic cars and anything with a fascinating story to tell.
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