Today's gadget started out as a simple problem: A front tire was a few pounds low on pressure. I once had a home compressor for blowing up tires, but it was slow at its task, and eventually gave up completely. No problem.

There are plenty of them at gas stations and convenience stores that operate off a handful of quarters and/or a credit card. The problem: Finding one that works. A sampling of obstacles: The coin slot was jammed. The credit card reader didn't work. The air chuck was missing. The machine's built-in tire-pressure gauge gave an incorrect reading.

There must be a working one out there somewhere, but I decided it was time to have a little home helper once again. The new models provide a different experience than the ones of yesterday. The one I bought was quieter — although they still make a noise that the neighbors will hear. But they do the job in a little less time.

They can run off house current or the car's 12-volt outlet (which used to be called the "cigarette lighter.") Some have digital pressure gauges and LED lights. The one I settled on was the Salimur Tire Inflator for car tires and other inflatables from Amazon. It's about $32 (free shipping for Prime members).

It has two cords, allowing it to run off household or car current. And it has an LED light in case you are by the roadside at night. It has a carrying case which can hold all that, plus four nozzle adapters for car, bicycle, motorcycle, basketball and pool toys. It takes care of tires on wheelbarrows and golf carts as well.

The compressor is lightweight — it all weighs barely a pound — and small. The fully packed bag would fit inside a shoe box. The digital readout is bright enough to read in direct sunlight, although shading it with a hand makes it easier to see. The nice feature is an automatic shutoff: Set the desired tire pressure, and it turns off when the preset pressure is reached.

The only caution was that after 10 minutes of continuous use, it be given a brief cool-down period before continuing. I didn't find that to be a problem — at least not for checking four tires and filling them to the recommended pressure. The compressor is shut off during the move from one tire to the next.

The Salimur is light, versatile, easy to use, quick at what it does and gives accurate pressure readings. Moreover, it will save many handfuls of quarters over its lifetime.

But the best part is that I now know where the nearest working tire pump in town is located: Right in the trunk of my car.

Lonnie Brown can be reached at LedgerDatabase@aol.com.