SKS Airchecker

The SKS Airchecker is a well-made digital gauge for tyre pressures that's quick to use – once you know how.

• Pros: Good quality from a reputable German company
• Cons: Requires a bit of practice to use it properly

SKS is well known for its mudguards. The Airchecker is a solid digital pressure gauge that comes with the same rugged build quality and carries a five-year warranty.

> Find your nearest dealer here

Operation is mostly self-evident: press the On/BAR/PSI button to wake the gadget up and toggle between scales. The Mode button allows you to change from the default 'snapshot' pressure reading to a real-time gauge that you'll need when you want to let some air out. That's achieved by pressing the little orange 'deflate' button on the valve head.

The valve head rotates and you turn it so your chosen adapter is facing upwards, then push up onto the tyre valve. I had problems at first getting a tight seal, especially on Presta valves, so a lot of air came hissing out. I asked the UK distributor for SKS, ZyroFisher, about this and clearly, other people must have had similar issues as I was sent a helpful little video that demonstrated the correct technique. Basically, you need to put your thumb on top of the tyre and push up firmly on the Airchecker until the valve pops securely into the device.

The reading is done quickly – usually a second or so before the Airchecker beeps. The display is backlit and easy to read. After this, you can hold the 'On' button for 3 seconds to turn off the device or wait 30 seconds for it to turn itself off. I couldn't see anything in the instructions about any way to zero it, though you can do this by switching to "realtime" mode and back again.

Checking it against two analogue gauges in my possession, the readings were consistently lower than one and sometimes higher, other times lower than the other. Like owning three watches, you never know which one is telling the right time, though SKS assures us that this new incarnation is "more accurate than ever".

> How to choose your tyre pressure

The SKS Airchecker sits neatly in the hand and has rubbery strips down each side to stop it slipping in use. The construction is of rugged plastic and the clear screen material seems to resist scratching, so that even as I've pressed this into use in my little bike repair workshop over the past few weeks it's still looking pristine. Battery change is easy, using a small screwdriver to prise the cover off. So far, I haven't had to change it.

It's a tidy little tool that's quicker and easier to use than a pump gauge if you just want to make a quick assessment of your tyre pressures, or your everyday pump doesn't have a gauge. It comes in a smart cardboard box and would make a good present.

Verdict

The redesigned Airchecker is comfortable in the hand, quick and easy to use and rugged