Astro Pneumatic Tool 3018 3.5" Digital Tire Inflator with Hose

Bought my 1st Astro Pneumatic inflator over 15 years ago, had to replace the hose twice during those 15 years but the main tool still works. I got a new one because the display digits were starting to get dim. I'm a Auto mechanic and i use my inflater every day which is a testament of its durability.

This unit just like so many Astro Tolls is amazing quality! The connector on the valve is solid always making a great connection. the gauge is very accurate, the housing and the hose are VERY Solid and well made. The only con is being made so well it is a bit bulky

This is my second time ordering this tire inflator. First one lasted me 6 years working as a mechanic so to me this is an excellent quality product. $80 for this vs the tool truck's $180 for basically the same product. I recommend this product.

I work in a smaller shop with two other techs and out of all the tools I've purchased, this is one of the few I've had absolutely no issues with. To start, the build quality is very sturdy, with brass fittings and a stainless steel braided hose. Moreover, the strainless hose includes a rubber strain relief where the hose exits the tool. Even after months of heavy usage and getting tossed around, the hose shows no signs of wear at all.As far as air chucks go, it's the most comfortable and intuitive I've ever used. The smooth, yet sturdy steel lever is dual purpose. The first 50% of travel will release air. Squeeze it fully and it will start adding air to whatever it's connected to. In my opinion, this is far more comfortable than the vast majority of analog air chucks, which require you to tilt the air fitting off to the side to release air from the schrader valve. The locking chuck is a nice touch, but depending on the condition of the valve stem, it may or may not seal without some extra down-pressure on the fitting. This is less a problem with the chuck and more a problem with worn, dirty or low quality valve stems on tires. In day-to-day usage it's a non-issue for me.The single button powers on the tool with one press. Press it again and it will turn on the back light. Hold the button and it will switch measurement units (PSI, KG and BAR). The back light does not stay on for very long (15 - 20 seconds), but this is okay as our shop is on the darker side, and I still have no trouble reading the display, even with all the bay doors shut. The back light is there just in case you're airing something up in the dark and need some extra light. It's not something you'll use all the time. It helps a lot with battery life. On average, I use this chuck about 20 times a day, 5 days out of the week and I'm averaging about 1 - 2 months on the 2 AAA batteries. In my opinion, this is excellent battery life. Just keep in mind this tool will give you no warning when the batteries are low. It will simply shut off completely and not power back on. There seems to be no difference in accuracy, regardless of the battery life.As far as accuracy goes, this tool is right up there with the best of them. I frequently air up tires on Alfa Romeos which have sensors that report pressures to the nearest 10th of a PSI. Airing them up to factory specs, I find the sensors to always report within 1 - 2/10ths of a PSI to the pressure I set. And this across 100+ different cars on different days with different sensors. This is excellent and great for picky customers that demand their tire pressures be exact across all four tires. Good luck trying to achieve this accuracy with an old-school Milton tire inflator. And if you're worried about this gauge taking a while to update the reading, worry no more. As soon as I release the trigger to check the pressure, it updates the reading within 1/4 of a second. Awesome.In spite of my glowing review, I do see some areas that could be improved in a later version. First of all, the hanging loop built into the rubber boot that fits around the tool is starting to show very slight tearing (I always hang it from a re-purposed coat hanger on the side of my lift. I would prefer a hard hanger molded into the body of the tool for better longevity. Second, it would be nice to have a mode where the backlight turns on as soon as the trigger is pressed (like some digital gauges from Mac). Lastly, there could be more contrast in the display itself. With the back light on, the reading looks somewhat ghostly and not as clear as you would hope. Again, it hasn't been a real problem in my usage, but those with worse eyesight would definitely appreciate more contrast.TL;DR: This unit from Astro absolutely dumpsters gauges even twice the price in overall comfort, quality, accuracy and reliability. If any of you air up tires very often, and you're still using an analog gauge, I strongly urge you to give this inflator a try. After getting used to this gauge, trying to read an analog gauge is like going back to the stone age. You will not be disappointed.Lastly, if I have any problems with this tool, I will update my review. If there are no updates, then you know it's still working perfect.

Great item

4 stars because my unit's battery life is terrible and I have to remove the whole display to get to it, mine is not the side AA battery like pictured, it's a watch battery behind the display so that sucks to remove. But other than that the unit itself is great.

Worked perfect

This is the 3rd one I have purchased.