Getting into your car and realizing that the battery is dead is really annoying. If you assume that the only solution to the issue is jumper cables, think again. Without having another vehicle for a jump, portable jump starters will get the car running, making them a lot more easy to use than jumper cables. These devices are compact enough to fit inside your glove box and give you a response in the event of an emergency to jump start your car.
If you’ve ever been unable to start your car on winter or cold morning, you know the importance of getting a quick jump. Until recently, this meant relying on strangers, but in recent years a new solution has emerged, and it’s the portable jump starter.
There are various jump starter models available on the market. They all offer different features to deliver the best roadside assistance and we’ve rounded up the top picks for you.
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How many amps do I need to jump start my car?
As you can see, portable jump starters have a range of requirements that could make it tricky to find the correct one for your vehicle. What you need to note is that jump starter power is typically used in cold cranking amps (CCAs) or peak amps (PA). In order to measure CCA, the fully charged battery is placed in a cold environment—0°F—and the number of amps it discharges for 30 seconds is measured. This value explains what to expect from the battery under the toughest starting conditions.
It is true that the more amps a jump starter provides, the more efficient it is. But does that mean you really need to buy the most strong product? Not necessarily that.
What’s important is to decide how much power you need for your vehicle. Compact cars or even small sedans will start with as little as 150 CCA, while full-size trucks and SUVs require around 450 CCA. But there are other things to remember, such as the size of the engine and how old the car is. Larger engines and older cars would need more amps to start jumping, which is why you will usually find powerful jump starts marketed as capable of starting engines as large as 8.0L. In general, however, 400-500 CCA is necessary to start most of the vehicles.
Keep in mind that there will be times that you need to help jump and start someone else’s vehicle. Most of the items on this list would cover every passenger car on the road today, but it never hurts to have anything more effective at your disposal if you are willing to spend extra money.
Best Jump Starters For Your Car – Reviews
1. Best Car Jump Starters: NOCO Boost Plus GB40
This portable jump starter from NOCO would be just what they need to get their dead battery running again for most car owners. This jump starter is compact in size but strong, it is rated at 1000 amps and provides up to 20 jump starts on a single charge. For cars with gasoline engines up to 6 liters and diesel engines up to 3 liters, you can easily use this jump starter.
When it comes to jump starting your car, protection is extremely important, and this device is the best one. With spark-proof technology and reverse polarity safety, it features an error-proof design, meaning things would not go wrong even though you accidentally hook it up to your battery incorrectly. Moreover, as a portable battery bank, you can use this jump starter regularly, charging your USB devices with ease. In the event of an emergency, an advanced 100-lumen LED flashlight with seven modes does not see regular use, but it is nice to have.
Another major aspect to take into consideration is durability. This charger crosses all the right boxes in the department as well. Thanks to high-discharge lithium technology, it is safe to use in any climate, whereas the durable, water-resistant enclosure is rated at IP65. A rubberized over-molded casing is on the exterior, which helps keep objects from scratching or marring.
This company has a diverse lineup of portable jump starters, so make sure to take a look at its other products if you need anything more powerful.
2. Versatile and Powerful: Audew 1500A Portable Jump Starter
The Audew 2000A is one of the best portable jump starter for your car, if you want o buy for 2021. This recommendation provides 2000A peak current and has USB-C support for a 20000mAh battery capacity and we were pleased with the results. It is capable of up to 8.5 liters of jump-starting gasoline engines of any scale and diesel engines, making it one of the most powerful deals out there.
This portable jump starter, with its elegant build, also comes with a cigarette lighter adapter, allowing you to control 12V accessories directly from the unit itself. It comes with a sturdy, hard carrying case and many accessories, including a pair of USB cables and a jump starter wall adapter for charging. On all of these products, a built-in LED flashlight is a standard feature, and Audew’s specific offering has three modes: regular, strobe, and SOS.
A large acrylic lens protects an LCD panel at the top of the unit, which indicates the remaining battery life on the jump starter and whether it is connected up to another device or not. The monitor is a little dark in broad daylight if we have any concerns, and the jumper cables are on the shorter side, but this is by design to ensure jump starting abilities.
3. Best Jump Starters for Car: TACKLIFE T8 800A Peak Car Jump Starter
This choice from TACKLIFE is capable of jumping from 12V vehicles, SUVs, trucks, or vans up to 30 times on a full charge, delivering 800 amps of peak current. It also acts as a 18000mAh capacity portable battery bank, allowing you to charge your phone or any other devices. It has two USB ports, one of which is a Fast Charge 5v/9v port, and it can also be used with a 12V 10A DC port to power other car accessories.
For this portable car jump starter, one standout feature is that you can manually turn it off to slow down the self-discharge of your battery. This helps the TACKLIFE T8, when it is not in service, to retain its charge for up to 12 months. It is also fitted with ultra-bright LEDs and a built-in compass, while the remaining battery life is seen by the optical LCD panel. You would be alerted by a specially built indicator if the clamps are used incorrectly.
TACKLIFE provides a two-year warranty with this jump starter.
4. Best for Large Vehicles: STANLEY Jump Starter (J5C09)
Although the STANLEY Power Station Jump Starter provides 1000 peak, 500 instant amps along with an integrated 120 PSI air compressor, it is not as compact as the other jump starters we’ve looked at so far on the list. This is something like a heavy-duty jump starter with bigger engines under the hood, targeted for truck owners. What it shares with the other portable jump starters is that it has a USB output and a DC outlet of 12 volts to allow you to charge other devices with it. A built-in LED light is also available that swivels 270 degrees, allowing you to change it accordingly.
For protected connections, it may also serve as an emergency air compressor with a brass-tipped SureFit nozzle. This jumper has a reverse-polarity warning for additional safety that will warn the user if there is an inappropriate connection. Simply connect the clamps to the charger, turn on the ignition, and start your engine. It’s incredibly simple to use.
Just keep in mind this is a larger jump starter, tipping the scale at nearly 18 pounds while measuring 11.2″ by 8″ by 13.5″.
5. DBPOWER 800A Portable Car Jump Starters
This DBPOWER advisory has a peak current of 800 amps, making it capable of jump starting automobiles with gasoline engines up to 7.2 liters in size and diesel engines up to 5.5 liters. It’s easy to get up to 20 jump starts on a single charge with a built-in 18000mAh battery, assuming you don’t need it to charge your portable devices. However, it is more likely that you can, since you probably won’t need to jump start your car every single day.
The USB devices can be charged by this portable jump starter and DBPOWER also provides an eight-in-one laptop charger so that certain laptops can be charged. Overcurrent protection, short circuit protection, overload protection, over-voltage protection, and overcharge protection are included on the heavy-duty clamps and cables. On the side of the unit is an LCD panel, indicating how much total battery life it has left. There’s even an LED flashlight and a compass, just in case you might need it.
The company provides a three-year warranty and great customer service.
6. Clore Automotive Jump-N-Carry Jump Starter (JNC660)
The Clore Automotive Jump-N-Carry Starter is another more conventional lightweight jumper. This portable starter features PERFORMER battery technology, which is designed to provide exceptionally high power output, extended cranking power, and long service life, providing 425 cranking amps and 1,700 peak amps. There are 46-inch, heavy-duty #2 AWG copper insulated cables and industrial grade Hot Jaw clamps supplied with this charger.
While it’s not as modern with no USB ports as other jump starters on this list, this product has a 12-volt power output to power a range of accessories. There is a voltmeter on the front as well, so you can check the battery condition inside the starter.
For car owners who require something more reliable, this jump starter is perfect. It is installed in a high duty case that is impervious to fluids from shopping and is designed to survive the rigors of professional everyday use. A good handle is also offered, making it easy to bring around.
7. POTEK Jump Starter with Tire Inflator/Air Compressor
This POTEK recommendation provides 900 peak amps and includes a 150 PSI air compressor which, in six to eight minutes, will inflate a standard car tire to 30 PSI. Featuring a DC outlet socket and a 5V 2.4A USB port to charge other devices, it is fitted with a 9AH sealed lead acid battery. An onboard storage compartment is helpful, so you can store charging cables and other accessories, such as the inflator nozzles used.
8. GOOLOO 2000A Portable Jump Starter
A 2000A portable car jump starter, capable of starting vehicles with up to a 10.0-liter petrol engine or a 7.0-liter diesel engine, is also offered by GOOLOO. This choice can also be used as a portable battery bank, like related items on our list, and it does feature USB Type-C for both input and output. It can also be used by 12-volt devices as a DC power source, but the cigarette lighter socket adaptor is not provided.
Not surprisingly, a built-in LED flashlight with three modes: standard flashlight, strobe light, and SOS light is also included with this portable jump starter. If you’re inflating your tires in the dark or if you’re holding this battery bank while camping, it’s a bonus that can come in handy.
Security features include short-circuit, high temperature, reverse contacts, overcurrent, high voltage, and over-discharge security on this unit.
9. Michelin Power Source XR1 Portable Jump Starter
If you’ve ever ordered new tires for your car, you’ve heard of the Michelin brand already. The organization also provides a compact jump starter, with 1000 peak amps and 300 cranking amps. It’s a flexible option, with a power inverter built-in to provide you with AC power while you’re on the go. The power inverter has a rating of 200 watts and a surge capacity of 400 watts, allowing you to power devices such as a DVD player, small blender, fan, and more.
Since Michelin specializes in the manufacture of tires, it is also little wonder that this portable jump starter has a built-in tire inflator. It’s a 260-PSI compressor that, in an emergency, can do a decent enough job of inflating the tires. And not only does the power inverter come in handy if you’re planning to go hiking, but this option can also act as a Bluetooth digital radio. Stream your favorite music or audio directly to the speakers on the jump starter from your phone or music player, or you can attach your device through the input auxiliary port.
On the outside, the case is constructed from resilient, high-impact-plastic that is designed for safety and maximum durability. It is then wrapped in a rubber tire tread armor for additional protection against bumps and drops. The top features a non-slip grip handle so you can easily transport this too and from your vehicle.
10. NEXPOW 1500A Battery Starter
This suggestion contains several new features, including USB Type-C and Fast Charge 3.0.0. support. When you’re using this gadget as a portable battery bank, those features come in handy, so how is it when it comes to jumping starting car batteries? Well, it promises to deliver 1500 peak power and 21800mAh energy amps, capable of starting vehicles with gasoline engines of up to 6.5 liters and diesel engines of 4.0 ounces. And it is capable of 30 jump starts on a single charge with that large capacity.
The USB Type-C port is supported by a pair of regular USB ports, allowing you to top off all your devices no matter the connection you need. Not surprisingly, there is also a built-in LED flashlight for emergencies with a blinking S.O.S feature. Spark-proof safety, reverse polarity protection, over-current protection, high-temperature protection, and overload protection are security features of this system. That means not having to think about mistakenly hooking up the cables accidentally because if that happens, the device would alert you.
Conclusion
Our suggestions above are what we found are the best car jump starters available on the market. These are the best car jump starters to buy in every price range for you. We have analyzed the features and functions of each product and reviewed our best for you.