Fanttik X8 Apex Review: One Year of Living in My Trunk

I've kept a Fanttik X8 Apex in my trunk for a year. Here are my real inflation times, what the battery actually does, and the things that annoy me about it — with our own photos.

The Fanttik X8 Apex in a user's hand in a garage next to a Porsche GT4

Updated July 2026 · By Alex · We bought this with our own money. Photos are ours.

Buy it if

You want to stop thinking about tire pressure entirely — TPMS light comes on, you fix it in your driveway in two minutes
You've got multiple vehicles (or bikes, or a motorcycle) and want one tool for all of them
You do road trips and like the idea of never hunting for a working air pump again

Skip it if

You have a truck or anything on 33s+ — the duty cycle isn't built for big tires from flat
You only ever park in your own driveway — a $30 plug-in inflator does the same job slower and uglier
You're the kind of person who will never remember to charge it (though honestly, it barely needs it)

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Quick verdict — 4.5/5. After a year in my trunk, the Fanttik X8 Apex still starts on the first press, holds a charge for months at a time, and has aired up more tires than I can count — mine, my wife's SUV, two neighbors', and a friend's motorcycle. The hose is annoyingly short and it costs twice what a basic inflator does, but it's one of maybe three car gadgets I'd re-buy tomorrow without thinking.

I didn't buy this thing to review it. I bought it because the air machine at the gas station near my house went up to $3.50, and it's broken half the time anyway. A year later the X8 Apex lives in my trunk next to the jumper cables, and the update to this review is simple: everything I liked still works, and I found a few new things to complain about.

What it is

A cordless, rechargeable tire inflator about the size of a chunky TV remote. 150 PSI max, digital screen, four presets (car / motorcycle / bike / custom), USB-C charging, auto shut-off at your target pressure, plus a flashlight and it doubles as a power bank. Runs about $90 on Amazon, less when it's on promo — which is often, so check.

Fanttik X8 Apex held in one hand next to a TV remote for size comparison — Next to the living room remote — it really is that small.

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The numbers I actually measured

I checked pressures against a calibrated pressure gauge — the Fanttik read within 0.5 PSI every time, which is better than the gauge built into most gas station machines.

Porsche GT4, all four tires 28→32 PSI — just under 8 minutes total. Cold morning, on one battery charge.
RAV4, one tire +10 PSI — about 2 minutes. This is the typical TPMS-light fix.
Motorcycle top-off — under a minute. Easier than the shop compressor.

Battery life

Full charge to empty — about 6 top-offs, or one to two full inflations from flat.
Recharge via USB-C — about 3 hours from dead. I charge it every 2–3 months.

Holding the Fanttik X8 Apex tire inflator in front of a Porsche wheel in a home garage — Topping off the GT4 before a morning drive.

The annoying stuff

This is the section I wish I'd read before buying.

The hose is short. Maybe ten inches. On a normal car you're fine, but you're kneeling on the ground holding the unit near the valve, not standing. On my neighbor's truck the rear valve stem stopped rotating in a bad spot and it was a genuine stretch.

It's loud. Not compressor-at-the-shop loud, but loud enough that doing it at 6am in a quiet neighborhood feels antisocial.

Not for offroading. This will absolutely top up a truck tire in a pinch, but if you're looking to inflate all four tires back to highway pressures from 15 PSI after rock crawling, look elsewhere.

Fanttik X8 Apex connected to a car tire valve stem on a garage floor with the screen showing PSI — The short hose in action — you're kneeling, not standing.

What about a cheap plug-in inflator instead?

Fair question, because a corded 12V inflator costs about a third as much. I owned one for years. It worked. It also meant unspooling a cord to the 12V socket, running the engine, and standing around while it screamed at me. The X8 Apex's whole pitch is that airing up a tire becomes a two-minute non-event: grab it, screw it on, press start, put it back. Whether that convenience is worth ~$60 extra is a real question. For me, over a year of actually using it instead of putting it off — yes.

FAQ

Will it inflate a completely flat car tire?

Yes, but it's the slowest thing you'll ask of it, and it uses a big chunk of the battery doing it. One flat is fine; don't plan on doing four.

How long does the battery hold a charge sitting in a trunk?

Months. I charge mine every 2–3 months out of caution, and it's never been dead when I grabbed it.

Does it work on bicycles?

Yes — adapters for presta valves and sports balls come in the box.

Is the power bank / flashlight thing a gimmick?

Mostly, but the flashlight is legitimately useful when you're airing up a tire in the dark, which is somehow always when tires go low.

Is Fanttik a real brand?

They're a Chinese consumer-tools brand that's been building a solid reputation the last few years, mostly for jump starters and inflators. Mine has survived a year of trunk life — rattling around, freezing, baking — with zero issues.

Verdict: still in the trunk, still recommended

The test for car gear is simple: a year later, is it still in the car, and does it still get used? The X8 Apex passes both. It turned tire pressure from a small recurring errand into a non-thing, and it's made me the guy neighbors knock on the door for — which I'm choosing to count as a pro.

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We earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no cost to you. We bought this unit ourselves and nobody at Fanttik has seen this review.