There's nothing worse than being stuck with a dead car battery, especially when you're busy and on a schedule. You also can't always trust someone around you who has jumper cables. And you definitely don't want to spend the money to hire a professional when you can help them. That's why it's so important to be self-sufficient and get your own portable launcher. If your car's battery dies, you can get your car running almost as quickly with a jump starter.
Jump starters can be charged via an extension cord, wall plug adapter, cigarette lighter style 12 volt plug adapter or USB port in work vehicles. This means you can charge your jump starter as soon as you charge your vehicle. The best portable jump starters offer a combination of these four.loadoptions
These portable batteries do what they were originally supposed to do: charge a dead battery to start a vehicle. All battery boosters come with jumper clips that connect to the car battery terminals and almost all have reverse polarity protection. Some come with easy-to-install semi-permanent brackets that allow you to quickly connect them to your vehicle's electric starting system without the booster clips. Most of these jump starters have some form of flash or area light and at least one USB port for charging electronic devices like phones and tablets. When it comes to starter packs, these features are just the beginning.
what else can I do? On a single charge, a portable car battery or charger can power your high consumptionLaptopsmany times longer than its own internal battery. Want a battery booster with a built in air compressor so you can fill up your raft on the lake, or a flat tire before heading home from the airport? No problem. Would you also like a jump starter or battery charger with AC inverter so you can plug in a radio, lamp or other small gadgets during a power outage or while camping? Completed. These power pack devices are basically the ultimate power bank. Need to charge your phone and another (your child's) USB device?Nintendo Switch, for example) at the same time? Many of them have dual USB ports to accommodate your charging needs.
Sure, these features add bulk and bulk to a jumper pack (these devices won't fit in your glove box), but their value in terms of capacity, convenience, and readiness can easily outweigh the extra weight. After all, you want to have enough energy to prepare for almost any emergency.
Criteria for Choosing the Best Portable Car Battery Charger
We've compiled a list of our favorite portable car batteries, from simple starters to battery-powered personal power units for camping trips or power outages. We base our best initial recommendations on testing labs such as consumer reports, user reviews on popular shopping sites, and real-world experience.
Here are our highly rated favorites for the best portable jump starter options, in alphabetical order. We'll update this list regularly as we review new options. If you think you need a portable battery charger and a car battery charger, check out the pro tips on proper safety and care below.
anti gravity
This is the latest evolution of the top rated XP-10 car jump starter. It has all the same features, including the LED flashlight with flashing light and multiple charging options for electronic devices, but the heavy-duty auto-starter motor can provide an additional 50 amps of maximum jump-starting. It also comes with all commercial grade copper heavy duty jumper wire clamps.
DeWalt
The DeWalt DXAEJ14 made our list of the best portable jump starters with a 4.4 star rating from 450 buyer reviews on the Home Depot shopping site. This car starter features a large 21Ah battery, a built-in compressor and a patented feature that lets you know if your vehicle's alternator is working properly. There's a light and USB ports, but the DeWalt's biggest draw is its performance on its first jump. With 700 startamps it is among the most powerful laptops on the market.
Volte
The NOCO Boost GB40 Portable Jump looks like a lot. Consumer Reports liked the NOCO for its quick start but disliked its small storage capacity to power other devices. This add-on has a flashlight and a 5-volt USB port, but can be pricey given its capacity and relative lack of features.
$101 at Amazon $ 100 in Crutchfield
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Schumacher
From a trusted name in automotive electronics, the Schumacher ProSeries 2250 Jump Starter achieves 100% buyer satisfaction across multiple shopping sites. This car jump starter features a vibration-resistant, fiberglass-absorbent battery, a 400-watt, two-plug inverter, and enough booster boost to jump-start almost any light-to-medium sized vehicle with a dead battery. Best of all, it comes with one of the highest capacity batteries you'll find anywhere. Schumacher says it can deliver AC power consumption of 200 watts for 55 minutes and 100 watts for 90 minutes.
Schumacher
This one goes against the spirit of this list because it's just a launcher, with no LED flashlight, USB charging port, or anything else. He did it because it's really cool since it uses the next wave of electrical storage technology: ultracapacitors.
Formerly called capacitors, capacitors store energy electrostatically in an electric field. They store relatively little energy compared to chemical-based batteries, but the benefits are significant. Modern ultracapacitors can absorb energy quickly and discharge it in large bursts, as opposed to something more akin to a trickle with a battery. And they can operate effectively over a wider temperature range than most batteries. This makes them perfect for skipping a low car battery.
Schumacher's ultracapacitor hybrid jump starter delivers 900 amps of cranking power that should light up almost anything, even a truck. It has a small removable lithium-ion battery to prime the ultracapacitors, but if the onboard battery dies, it still charges the ultracapacitors in about two minutes from a 12-volt vehicle load (maybe even the low battery in the vehicle ). . that takes a jump). In other words, it's never really dead. It's primarily intended for business use and doesn't come cheap. But if you want the coolest, most fail-safe portable jump starter, this could be it.
Pro Tips
Portable car batteries and chargers are not regulated to any significant extent, and as Consumer Reports has noted, some manufacturers' performance claims are questionable. Always read the fine print. To be safe, look for batteries that meet Edison Testing Labs/Intertec or UL standards.
Always keep the temperature in mind. Manufacturers do not recommend storing batteries in high temperature environments. If you want to keep a battery in your car, keep it out of direct sunlight in the glove compartment or trunk. In the summer months, it is best to take it with you at the start of your trip and take it out of the car at home.
Then there's the other extreme. Anyone remotely familiar with batteries knows that they don't particularly like extreme cold. Consumer reports have found that when both the portable starter and the car's low battery cool to zero degrees, the performance of even the best portable starter options decreases significantly. If it's really cold outside, warm up the portable battery indoors or in a car first and keep it as warm as possible before jumping with it out of a vehicle.
Chemistry is important when it comes to caring for and feeding an auto jumper. Traditional sealed lead-acid cells are heavier and drain faster at idle than lithium-ion batteries, but they can also be less sensitive to temperature extremes and significant physical impact. Either way, the maintenance strategy is straightforward with lead acid or sealed absorbent fiberglass. Keep the battery charge as close to maximum as possible for as long as possible.
"When you get it, charge it fully," says Dan Portwood, senior product manager at Baccus Global, maker of multiple jump starter brands. "After using it, for a jump or whatever, charge it fully. If it hasn't been used for a month or two, charge it fully. This limits the amount of sulfur in the cells, ensuring maximum capacity and longer lifespan. long . ."
Regardless of the chemistry, it is virtually impossible to overcharge a booster battery. That means you can plug it in and forget about it for days. However, Portwood does not recommend constantly charging. This keeps the charging pad constantly hot (regardless of whether it is an external pad or one built into the battery case) and can reduce its lifespan.
The lithium polymer cells in more compact car chargers and starters pack more energy for their relative size. They also hold a longer charge at idle than sealed lead-acid, but can be a bit more picky. To maximize long-term performance and ensure maximum lifespan, a more hands-on approach may be required.
"If you have a trusted brand with a good cellular structure, you have a good foundation," said Chad Estevez, a specialist in antigravity products. "Try not to store it in extreme temperatures and don't let it sit for a year. Treat it like a cell phone and train the cells. Use it every few months. Kinda drain it a little and then put it away on the charger."
Comparison of portable car battery chargers
| Model | Match-Booster | Capability | Weight | Characteristics | Preis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XP-10 Micro-Start Anti-Gravity Battery | 300 | 6 p.m | 18 ounces | AC and 12 volt charging, two USB ports, LED light | 160 $ |
| XP-10 HD Micro-Start Anti-Gravity Battery | 300 | 6 p.m | 20 ounces | AC and 12 volt charging, two USB ports, LED light | 198 $ |
| Battery Black & Decker Power Plant PPRH5B | 300 | 17h | 20 pounds | 12 volt AC charging, air compressor, 500 watt dual plug inverter, USB ports, LED light | 179 $ |
| Bateria DeWalt Digital Power Station DXEJ14 | 700 | 21 clock | 16 pounds | AC and 12 volt charging, air compressor, two USB ports, LED light | 158 $ |
| Bateria NOCO Genius Boost Plus GB40 UltraSafe | 350 (is) | 4,8ah | 2 pounds | 12 volt charger, USB port, flashlight | 100 $ |
| Schumacher ProSeries 2250 starter battery | 550 | 22h | 31 pounds | AC and 12 volt charging, 400 watt dual plug inverter, USB port | 211 $ |
| Schumacher Ultracapacitor Hybrid Starter | 900 | 2,2 aH | 8 pounds | 12 volt charging, ultracapacitors | 332 $ |
| Stanley P2G7S Single Start Drum Amp | 300 | 2ah | 2 pounds | AC and 12 volt charging, USB port, LED light | 50 $ |
Written for CNET Cars by J.P. Vet.
Frequently asked questions about portable jump starters
What kind of portable starter do I need?
When choosing a jump starter, you should first consider what you intend to use it for. Most auto starters and battery chargers offer some flexibility, but some portable auto starter options are more limited in what they can do. If you're not worried about turning on a small TV when the power goes out, you probably shouldn't be worried about buying a portable car battery with a built-in AC inverter, so make sure the battery has enough power and is suitable for your Needs.
How many amps should a jump starter have?
Many portable jump starters list starter boosters. This is especially important if you intend to use your portable battery primarily for its original purpose: powering motors. A large V8 engine, particularly a diesel engine, can require over 500 amps of power on a cold day to refresh a dead battery. If you have to do that, it becomes more difficult with a starter designed for a four-cylinder engine. Most manufacturers categorize portable automotive starter batteries and motorcycle starter batteries by engine type, so read the fine print on the starter battery. Research booster or kick-start amps and don't worry too much about peaking amps.
Does total storage capacity matter when it comes to portable beginners?
Total storage capacity is usually measured in amp-hours or milliamp-hours (1000 mAh equals 1 Ah) and is most important if you intend to use your car's portable starter battery and portable battery charger as a power source, backup or mobile power source. A higher number means more electrical storage capacity. Typical portable batteries have a rating of five to 22 ampere hours.
What about drum chemistry for beginners?
Portable automotive battery chemistry ranges from sealed lead-acid battery options to absorbent glass mats, lithium batteries and, more recently, ultracapacitors. The chemistry matters less to ultimate benefit than to weight, size, and to a lesser extent cost. If you want something you can keep in your glove box, it probably isn't a sealed lead-acid battery booster.
What Other Portable Jump Starter Resources Should I Look For?
Many portable jump starters have additional features, but the problem is size and weight. Add all the features in one unit and the jump starter gets a lot bulkier, weighing over 30 pounds. For some purposes, such as camping trips, this may not matter much. On the other hand, you might not want to carry the larger portable car batteries in your car.Mazda miata. Some manufacturers, including the highly rated Antigravity brand, are starting to offer standalone accessories, like a powerful little air compressor that runs on their pocket-sized lithium-polymer starter batteries, but this approach is trending.
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