Top 5 Best Tire Repair Kits (2020 Review)

If you are in search of the best tire repair kit, you likely fit into one of two categories. You are either a highly motivated forward thinker or have found yourself in the past with a leaking tire and no way to fix it. 

If you fall into the latter category, you are far from alone, as we have all likely found ourselves in this predicament at one point in time or another.

These are the moments when we would have given a good penny for a quality tire repair kit that could be used to stop a pesky tire leak in its tracks. 

Today, a nearly endless number of these repair kits are available for purchase, all of which feature subtle differences in the depth of tools and accessories that they offer.

However, it can often be difficult to sort out which of these kits offers the most bang for your buck.

We have created the following guide to answer this question, and to provide you with the necessary information to locate the tire repair kit that is best suited to your personal needs. 

Below is a quick list of all our top products. Keep scrolling to learn more about how to choose the best tire repair kit.

Read More >> What Are The Top Tires For A Nissan Altima? 

1. Boulder Tools - Heavy Duty Tire Repair Kit
2. Tooluxe 50002L Universal Tire Repair Kit
3. Blackjack KT-340 Tire Repair Tool
4. Smittybilt 2733 Tire Repair Kit
5. Safety Seal KAP30 30 String Pro Tire Repair Kit

What Is a Tire Repair Kit?

A tire repair kit assists a motorist in stopping a leak that is found in their tubeless tire. These kits use specialized tools to prepare any hole that is found in a tire. This is then followed by the application of a suitable plug.

Though the use of an internally applied patch/plug combo is the only form of tire repair that is deemed professionally to be “permanent” in nature, properly installed external plugs can last for years.

Not only will a repair kit of this nature serve you well when trying to prevent a flat tire, but it is a far better alternative than the use of Fix-a-Flat or Slime.

These products have a reputation for damaging TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) sensors. 

This can be quite detrimental, as your vehicle’s TPMS system is designed to alert you when a loss of air pressure has been noted in one or more tires.

The use of a tubeless tire repair kit stops a tire’s leak while keeping the integrity of this valuable system intact.

TPMS

Every American vehicle built after September 1, 2007, must be equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system.

This mandate came as a direct response to the numerous SUV rollover accidents that occurred in the 1990s. Many of these accidents were attributed to heat build-up and tread separation that resulted from underinflated tires.

A Tire Pressure Monitoring System consists of several components that all play a role in the system's operation.

Each wheel features an individual pressure sensor that records and transmits each tire’s inflation status.

This reading is recorded in PSI (pounds per square inch) and is related to a control module, which computes the difference between each tire’s inflation

If more than a 25 percent difference in air pressure between any two tires is noted, a light on the vehicle's dash is illuminated.

Additionally, many newer vehicles that feature tire pressure display options within their digital display. These displays allow an individual to assess their car’s tire pressures at any given point during their trip.

The far-reaching usage of TPMS systems in the last two decades has promoted driver awareness and stressed the value of properly inflated tires.

The use of this technology has undoubtedly prevented numerous wrecks and increased the service life of tires in general.

Read More >> What Are The Best Tire Shine Products?

How Do Tire Repair Kits Work?

A tire repair kit works by addressing the root cause of a tire’s air loss. You must first find where the puncture is located.

This can be done by spraying your tire with soapy water and watching for bubbles to rise when the water reaches the source of the leak.

Alternatively, sometimes a leak can be heard, making identification easy.

Once the source of your leak has been discovered, you must evaluate if it can be repaired. Large holes or gashes are not easily plugged, and tire replacement is typically necessary.

Additionally, it is not advisable to attempt repair of a sidewall puncture, as this portion of a tire’s casing distorts somewhat while in motion.

Upon deeming the source of your tire puncture to be repairable, a t-handle rasp, also known as a reamer, is pushed through the puncture. This provides a uniform hole that a plug can easily adhere to. 

From this point, a string plug will be inserted with the help of an insertion tool.

This is done by pushing the rubber plug downward until it fills the puncture, at which point the handle of the insertion tool can be twisted, and the tool itself retracted. 

Most plug kits also contain a vulcanizing compound to aid the plugin creating a better seal.

You can then cut off any excess repair plug material that is left exposed above the tire’s surface with a pair of cutting pliers. 

It is always a good idea to spray the tire once more after repair to ensure that all air leakage has stopped.

You will also want to inflate your tire to its designated air pressure using a tire inflator and tire gauge and replace the tire’s valve cap when finished.

Check out this article for more on repairing tires.

Read More >> How Do You Clean A Spark Plug Yourself?

What To Look For In The Best Tire Repair Kit

When it comes to selecting the best tire repair kit, the saying “less is more” doesn’t apply. Ideally, any tire repair kit that you purchase should include a multitude of plugs, patches, and tools, to get the job done under a wide array of circumstances.

The best tire repair kits typically include t-handle repair tools, pliers, and valve core tools. Kits of this grade also usually include consumable supplies such as additional valve cores and valve caps. 

Aside from being well furnished, a quality tire repair kit should feature plugs that are of premium quality.

This is of immense importance, as all the extras in the world are of little value if the plugs contained in a kit are not able to safely and successfully remedy a leak.

The highest quality of plugs come pre-saturated in a vulcanizing compound.

Vulcanizing compound allows a plug to securely bond to the puncture which it is applied to. This adds an extra level of security to any repair.

Another characteristic of a quality repair kit is its compact packaging. We all know that the confines of our vehicles can become cramped at times. The last thing you need is the added bulk of a large, awkward tire repair kit. 

The majority of quality tire repair kits come in a convenient, low-profile carry case. A case of this size is often easily stored beneath a seat, in a car’s trunk, or even in a glovebox if compact enough.

When a tire kit is easily stored, you are more likely to carry it wherever you go. This ultimately ensures that you will have your tire repair kit at the ready whenever trouble occurs.

​Read More >> What Are The Best Tires For A Mercedes c300?

Best Tire Repair Kits (2020 Review)

Our Top Pick: Boulder Tools Heavy Duty Tire Repair Kit

Also included are several consumables such as valve stem extensions, and replacement valve cores.

Boulder also backs the quality of this kit with a 1-year warranty. The company takes their customer relations to heart, saying, “If you're strong enough to render one of our tools ineffective, our auto tire repair kit is covered by a 1-year warranty and our customer service is second to none.”

If I were to purchase on tire repair kit to bail me out of trouble when the going gets tough, it would most certainly be the Boulder Tools Heavy Duty Tire Repair Kit.