An air compressor is a must-have for extended travel in a car or truck. Air compressors will plug directly into your cigarette outlet, allowing you to inflate your tires on the spot.

Both analogue and digital gauges can be used to accurately measure the amount of air going into your tires. A helpful quick-fix for a flat or for a tire that is losing air pressure, this can save you from road hazards and catastrophic accidents. You'll need to be careful to allow ample time for the machine to do its work, and you'll save money by taking out a warranty on your portable air compressor.

These same machines can be used at the campsite to inflate your air mattress and swimming gear. They have many uses, including survival uses. Several adapters can be purchased to allow for maximum versatility. Inexpensive and extremely portable, these will make great items as part of a car emergency kit. Never again will you need to be stranded by the side of the road, away from payphones and emergency phones. You will be able to drive to the nearest destination where you can safely call for assistance.

Large air compressors are used in manufacturing environments to assist in powering the automated machinery for production lines. Industrial grade compressors also have many other uses, such as providing air to hydraulic equipment, and for filtering the air in a controlled environment. These are much more costly, but are integral to the construction, manufacturing, warehouse and distribution industries. Pneumatic tools used to manufacture cars and car components are operated by controlled compressed air, and these come from an industrial grade compressor, usually large enough to operate an entire manufacturing facility. If one is not sufficiently powerful to provide this kind of energy, two or more can be coupled for a combined air pressure that is enough to sustain the simultaneous activity of several manufacturing departments.

The main on-going cost of operating an industrial grade compressor will be the diesel fuel or electricity used to power it. This will need to be factored into the yearly budget of the company that plans on operating this way. For immediate usage of a small, portable compressor, the power used will be minimal, coming usually from your car's battery or a small amount of diesel fuel, depending on what model you have.

Compressors can often be found at petrol stations along highways and main roads, or they can be purchased cheaply online. The most you will have to pay when buying this way will come from the cost of shipping, but many online retailers offer discounts on large purchases of several items or accessories. When you want something reliable to inflate your mattress or tires, including bicycle and motorcycle tires, a portable compressor will do the trick every time. One of the most reliable inventions of the twentieth century, a compressor puts forth the right amount of air pressure to save your damaged tires from ruin, and it should be a part of every survival kit when traveling.