Kenda Kwest 100 psi tires (presta valve)
The puff you hear when you disconnect is mostly air remaining in the pump hose, not the tire.  The tube valves are very fast to reseal when you pop the pump off.

Most quality tires have a range of pressures. Some controversy exists on the "best" pressure to run, the current thinking has folks running about 5psi under the upper limit.  As someone earlier alluded, Sheldon Brown's website is a wealth of vetted information.  Bike shops tend to have the bike pumps that last and work the best. 

Personal note, I like a gauge up where I can read it without magnification or stopping my pumping to squat down to read it.  Glad you're riding.