If you require a quick answer, the best brake bleeding kit is the Sealey VS820, which is a one-man operated system with a 2.5-litre reservoir for flushing the entire system. However, if you have access to an air compressor, the Sealey VS020 is the best alternative that’s faster and far more affordable. Alternatively, if you are on a tight budget but want an affordable yet high-quality brake bleed kit, the AOBETAK Trigger Vacuum is the perfect solution.
To rate the brake bleeding kits within our roundup, we based our recommendations on testing, our experience using a range of kits, the latest research and several factors. Some of the factors that we considered included the ease of operation, reservoir capacity, supplied accessories, compatibility with all ABS systems, warranty and value for money.
Best Brake Bleeding Kit Overview
- Best Hand Pump: Sealey VS820
- Best Value: AOBETAK Trigger Vacuum
- Best For Air Compressors: Sealey VS020
- Best With Spare Tyre: Gunson Eezibleed
- Best Budget: Vizibleed Universal
- Best For Air Compressors Runner Up: Sfeomi Pneumatic
Although it’s possible to bleed the brakes without a kit, it’s much more time-consuming and it also requires a second person to press the brake pedal or loosen the bleed screws. However, using a brake bleeding kit that can be operated with or without an air compressor is a one-man task that’s far more efficient.
Below is a list of the best brake bleeding kits that allow you to easily remove trapped air within the brake lines.
The Best Brake Bleeding Kits
1. Best Hand Pump: Sealey VS820 Brake Bleeding System
The Sealey brand offers a variety of brake bleeding kits but the VS820 is by far their most popular and for good reason too. It’s a one-man operated kit that requires no air compressor or power source, which means you can simply fill the reservoir as you pump the trapped air out of the brake lines.
- Holds 2.5 litres of fluid
- Suitable for all ABS systems
- 90 degree angled connector
- Large gauge that shows the pressure
- During testing, we found it very easy to use via the hand pump
- Desirable pressure release valve
- Backed by a 12 month warranty
- Supplied with detailed instructions
- Most expensive brake bleeder kit within our roundup
Although expensive, the Sealey VS820 is the ultimate one-man brake bleeding kit that’s easy to use and saves plenty of time. To avoid any complications, it’s advised that you thoroughly read the instructions beforehand or watch the hundreds of YouTube tutorials that go into great detail.
2. Best Value: AOBETAK Brake Bleed Tool
Another popular brake bleeding kit that’s much more affordable is by the AOBETAK brand. It makes use of a multi-functional vacuum pump that comes with all the accessories required for brake bleeding and other automotive tasks.
- Ergonomic pistol grip handle
- Gauge range: 0-30 inHg
- Tapered hose adapter
- Comes as a complete 16 piece kit
- Supplied with a rugged storage case
- During testing, we felt that the tool itself was of high quality but the rubber seals could be improved
Overall, the AOBETAK Brake Bleed Kit offers the best value and is far better quality than similarly priced alternatives. The tool itself is a fraction of the cost of bleeding your brakes by a mechanic and it certainly won’t disappoint.
3. Best For Air Compressors: Sealey VS020 One Man Bleeder
If you already have an air compressor in your garage, the more affordable VS020 model by Sealey is the better option. It’s a pneumatic brake bleeder that uses a regular 90 PSI air supply to quickly and easily bleed the brakes.
- During testing, we were easily able to use it as a "one-man" operation
- Uses 90 – 120 PSI air supply
- Doesn’t require specialised reservoir caps
- Backed by a 12 month warranty
- Supplied with operating instructions
- Requires a compatible air compressor
The Sealey VS020 is a high-quality brake bleeding kit that’s perfect for those that own an air compressor. It’s quick, easy to use and far more efficient than the alternatives but it does require an air supply, which many people won’t have.
4. Best With Spare Tyre: Gunson G4062 Eezibleed Kit
By far the most popular brake bleeding kit in the UK is the Gunson Eezibleed. It’s fairly unique in terms of its operation because unlike a pneumatic or pump alternative, it uses air pressure from a spare tyre to bleed the brakes.
- One-man operation as long as you have a spare tyre available
- Max pressure of 20 PSI
- Simple and easy to use
- Universal caps for most vehicles
- Supplied with full instructions
- Made in the UK
- You'll need a spare wheel (they aren't commonly found in modern cars!)
Considering the affordable price tag and reputable brand backing, the Gunson Eezibleed is an excellent all-round option. As long as you have a spare tyre available, you can easily bleed your car’s brakes on your own.
5. Best Budget: Vizibleed Universal Brake Bleeding Tool
One of the cheapest kits that’s actually worth buying is the Vizibleed Bleeding Kit and it’s a universal fit for most vehicles. To use this particular kit, you need to connect the tube to the hose with a retainer clip, pump the brake pedal until the brakes are bled and then tighten the bleed valve back up.
- Easy one man operation
- Unique retainer clip that holds under pressure
- Clear tube to view the fluid
- Durable neoprene connector
- Universal fitting that works on the majority of cars
- Build quality could be improved (it's still great considering its price)
Overall, the Vizibleed is the cheapest one-man brake bleeder that actually works and is able to remove any air within the system. Considering that it’s one of the cheapest, it isn’t going to be as high quality as some of the premium options but for the money, you can’t go wrong with this tool.
6. Best For Air Compressors Runner Up: Sfeomi Pneumatic Kit
Another pneumatic brake bleeding kit that’s built to a high standard is by the Sfeomi brand. It has been designed for one-person operation and features precise fittings that are suitable for most European vehicles in the UK.
- 45 mm diameter cap
- 90 degree angled connector
- Available with a 1 or 3 litre reservoir
- Easy to read pressure gauge
- Heavy duty construction
- Requires an air compressor
Overall, the Sfeomi brake bleeder is a great alternative to the Sealey VS020 and it also has the benefit of a much larger reservoir. However, the only thing that lets it down is the fact that it’s slightly more expensive and it doesn’t have a reputable brand backing.
How We Rated
Although bleeding your brakes with a second person works great, finding the second person to give you a hand in the first place isn’t always possible. However, with the use of a one-man brake bleed kit such as our recommendations listed above, you can easily remove any trapped air bubbles yourself with ease.
As we own an air compressor, we’ve had the pleasure of being able to test a variety of brake bleeding kits. During our testing, we analyse the tool’s usability, build quality, performance and all of the accessories that are included in the kit.
Below are some photos we took during our testing of the brake bleeder tools. As you can see in the first photo, we are testing the AOBETAK tool, which we found was a great tool to use and offered excellent value. The second photo shows us testing the Sealey VS820, which we found very easy to use and preferred using over the alternatives.
To keep up our commitment to reviewing and testing the latest brake bleeding kits (for this article), we are continually testing the latest offerings from top brands in the UK. This means that when we notice that a brand has released a new tool/kit, we will attempt to upgrade our current kits for testing.
As well as our testing and experience of using multiple brake bleeding kits, we also based our recommendations upon hours of research and multiple factors. Some of the factors that we considered included the ease of operation, reservoir capacity, supplied accessories, compatibility with all ABS systems, warranty and value for money.
Conclusion
Bleeding your car’s brakes correctly is a crucial task and it can be very time-consuming without a dedicated kit. It’s advised that you bleed your brakes every four to five years but this is highly dependent upon the type of car you own. Rather than paying a mechanic to bleed the brakes, you can save yourself labour costs and do it yourself using one of the kits recommended in this article.
If you require further information regarding our brake bleeding kit recommendations, feel free to get in touch and we will try to provide our assistance where possible.
