Fanttik X8 Review: Helpful Cordless Inflator for Motorcycles Also Works for Car Tires

Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Automoblog earns from qualifying purchases. Commissions from Amazon and other affiliate partners, like Fanttik, come to us at no cost to you when making a purchase via this page. The X8 inflator seen here was sent to us by Fanttik for this review. See our Privacy Policy to learn more.

Fanttik X8 Crash Course

The X8 is a cordless and portable tire inflator with a range of attachments.

Although primarily for motorcycle and bike tires, the X8 can handle car tires.

Includes a built-in LED flashlight that doubles as an SOS emergency beacon.

Fanttik X8

Pros

Small Yet Robust

Adapters Included

Will Handle Car Tires

Cons

Noisy

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Via Fanttik's Website

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Automoblog Review & Evaluation Process

During the summer of 2023, we received the X8 portable tire inflator from Fanttik. While using the unit and writing this review, we kept three things in mind, outlined below.

Versatility & Robustness: We imagined our readers would purchase something like the X8 with the intent to use it for a range of applications, from vehicle and bicycle tires to balls and other inflatables. We also looked for “value-added” features, such as the built-in LED flashlight for inflating a tire at night. Since Michigan is home to Automoblog, one of our key benchmarks when evaluating products like this is if we would feel comfortable placing it in our winter emergency kit.

Ease-of-Use: The Fanttik X8 has a digital screen with multiple attachments and accessories. We looked at how quickly everything could be removed from the storage bag and assembled since having a low tire is both an inconvenience and a potential safety hazard.

Battery Life: We looked at two considerations here: the time it takes the battery to recharge from empty and how many minutes the unit can run under repeated use.

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Fanttik X8 Review Summary

Portable tire inflators, like the Fanttik X8, pack the convenience and functionality of a larger air compressor into a cordless, handheld unit. Complete with different connectors and adjustable presets for vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, and balls, the Fanttik X8 provides a max pressure of 150 psi.

Although designed primarily for motorcycles and bikes, the Fanttik X8 can handle slow-leaking vehicle tires due to a nail or bead leak. The X8 will also operate in colder temps, making it especially handy as tire pressures can drop during the fall and winter months with the chilly weather.

Not counting any sales or promotions, the X8 usually retails for at or below $100. Here, we will cover the main features to help you decide if you are in the market for a handheld, portable tire inflator.

Fanttik X8

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Although designed for motorcycles and bikes, the Fanttik X8 can handle slow-leaking car tires due to a nail or bead leak.

LED light doubles as an SOS beacon.

One-year manufacturer warranty.

Fanttik X8: What It Offers

The X8 has a digital display screen, an eight-inch rubber air tube, nozzle and ball needle adapters, a Presta valve adapter, a USB-C charging cable, and a storage bag. Inside the storage bag is a separate pocket for the adapters and charging cord. The adapters attach to the top of the rubber air tube.

On top of the X8 is an LED light that doubles as an SOS emergency beacon.

Air Tube

The air tube screws clockwise into the top of the X8 for inflating vehicle and motorcycle tires. According to Fanttik, when the X8 is fully charged, it can continuously inflate up to seven motorcycle tires (110/70R17) from zero to 35 psi.

Although Fanttik does not provide similar specs for car tires, when it comes to a marginally low vehicle tire, the X8 will have you back on the road within a few minutes.

Presta Valve Adapter

The Presta valve adapter is for electric scooters and bicycle tires, including mountain bikes and 700cc road bike clincher and tubular tires. The Presta valve adapter makes the Fanttik X8 a more versatile tool, especially if your vehicle has a receiver hitch bike rack. If needed, the X8 can inflate your vehicle and bike tires.

Ball Needle & Nozzle Adapters

Use the needle attachment for basketballs, footballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, and that giant beach ball you take to the pool. If you are adventurous, you can also use the needle attachment to inflate a few dodge balls!

By contrast, use the nozzle adaptor for balloons and swimming rings.

Fanttik X8 Battery Life & Charging Tips

Once fully charged, the Fanttik X8 will provide about 30 minutes of battery life in ideal conditions. If the internal battery is almost completely discharged, expect the X8 to take between two and 2.5 hours to charge fully. We recommend charging the Fanttik X8 right after you buy it and before you use it for the first time.

During the fall and winter, when tire pressures drop due to cooler temperatures, the X8 can be a handy tool. Living in Michigan, we have started our vehicle on cold mornings to find the tire pressure light on, so we are glad to have our X8 for these occasions.

However, we have gotten into the habit of periodically charging our X8 to avoid getting caught off guard on a cold morning with a low tire and a portable tire inflator with a low battery! Once a month, we charge our X8 back to full again, so it’s ready to go if and when we need it on a cold day.

The Fanttik X8 has a built-in LED light for working at night. Photo: Danielle Anthony.

Display Screen & Mode Selection

Press and hold the power button to activate the Fanttik X8. The display screen shows the different modes, battery life, and the current and target pressure together with +/- one psi accuracy.

The mode button, to the right of the power button, is indicated by a small “perpetual circle” icon. Hold the mode button to switch between psi, kPa, and BAR (in the United States, psi is most common). To the left is the button for the LED light.

The Fanttik X8 has five modes – Car, Bicycle, Motorcycle, Ball, and Manual – each with its own preset pressure value that can be adjusted according to what you are inflating. Each mode represents what Fanttik calls “controlled inflation,” meaning the X8 delivers the desired pressure and no further. The numbers on the display screen will climb as the X8 delivers air pressure, stopping automatically once said pressure is reached.

Nail In Tire Fanttik X8 3 — Notice the small nail in the passenger side rear tire. I used the Fanttik X8 until I could get a replacement tire (the nail was too close to the sidewall). Photos: Danielle Anthony.

Nail In Tire Fanttik X8 2 — Notice the small nail in the passenger side rear tire. I used the Fanttik X8 until I could get a replacement tire (the nail was too close to the sidewall). Photos: Danielle Anthony.

Fanttik X8 In Action

Right about the time I received the X8 from Fanttik, I noticed a slow leak in my right rear tire from a nail near the sidewall. Typically, I would use my Slime 12V Inflator for something like this, but now I had the chance to fire up my Fanttik X8. I’ve used the X8 every few days as I wait for a replacement tire to arrive from the dealership.

While I have had good luck with my Slime 12V Inflator, the cordless, handheld design of the Fanttik X8 does provide some advantages in terms of convenience and storage. Granted, it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, and Slime also makes a cordless and portable tire inflator, but in general, I would opt for a cordless unit regardless of the brand. With handheld, battery-powered tire inflators, you don’t need to hassle with draping the 12V cord out your window.

In a discussion with Fanttik over e-mail, the company noted that although the X8 can handle the occasional vehicle tire, its more powerful X8 Apex inflator is better suited for the job. As described by Fanttik, the standard X8 is designed primarily for motorcycle and bike tires, whereas the Apex is intended for larger tires.