Table of Contents
Introduction
This article presents reviews of best jump starters in the market. First off, we’ll at several reasons why you may need a jump starter and then proceeds to enumerate several products that you may be interested in. If you want to go straight to the portable jump starter reviews, check the Table of Contents at the beginning of this article.
You will need a car jump starter if your battery died or if it has been discharged. Most batteries last for about two to five years. After that, your battery needs to be replaced. Failure to do so will lead to unwanted situations–you might not be able to start your car just when you need to leave badly.
Those things don’t just seem to mind your schedule and your life, right? They happen at just the worst possible times!
Remember Murphy’s Law: “what could go wrong will go wrong!”
Even if you take good care of your car, there’s just some instances when you become frantic and hurried and you forget some things. Like turn off the headlights after parking your car. And when you get back to it the next morning, you just want to slap yourself silly because your car won’t start.
Some aftermarket products like some stereos and alarms may cause battery discharge.
If this happens to you at home and an extra car is sitting in your garage, well and good. You can simply jump start your car by using booster cables to connect the dead battery to a live one. But what if your battery died while you’re on the road and there are no cars passing by?
Having a jump starter will help you save money because calling for roadside assistant would be too expensive. If you have a portable jump starter, you can simply connect it to the car’s battery, charge it for 15 minutes and get it going. Most of these devices can also monitor the health of your battery and will tell you when it is safe to start your batter. Besides, most of these jumpstarters can be carried in one hand and will fit snugly into your trunk.
These products may also be known by other names. Some people refer to them as battery chargers, or portable power. But they all refer to the same product: a battery-powered electronic device that will help you start your car during the cold season, or if your car battery dies.
Jump starters have different amp settings. Some of them range from 300 to 3,000 amps although most models for consumers are between 400-600 amps. Most often, that is enough for most people’s cars.
By using a jump starter power will flow into the battery and into the starter motor. A completely dead battery will be more difficult to start because it will absorb the power instead.
It’s easy to get a jump starter from your auto store or from online retailers. But what features should you be looking for?
What is the Best Jump Starter?
The best car jump starter may depend on your needs and your situation. But here’s the list of features you should consider in choosing the best jump starter. We provide several lists of the best jump starters that we have found. But it’s still up to you to make the choice and the purchase.
Performance (Cold Cranking Amps).
When you compare two jump-starters, peak power ratings are pretty much useless. Just look at the cranking amps (CA) or cold cranking amps (CCA). Read this post to know more about Peak Amps and Cold Cranking Amps.
Higher cranking amp ratings are better, in general. This would be the actual power to start your battery. The cold cranking amps (CCA) on your battery is usually shown. CCA represents the number of amps that a battery can deliver at 0 degree Fahrenheit without dropping down below 7.2 V. Your jump starter doesn’t need to match the CCA in your battery, a lower one should be enough to get the job done.
Speaking of peak power ratings, should you have multiple vehicles, you just need one jump starter for all of them. Just make sure that it can start the largest vehicle. No need to worry about overloading the electrical circuits of smaller vehicles because the jumpstarters will only pull in enough power to start your car.
If you suspect that your battery is dead or about to go dead, make sure to get the highest cold cranking amp rating. In case your battery dies, then this kind of jump-starter has a highest chance of reviving the dead battery.
Reverse Polarity Protection Feature.
Jump starting really means that you’re supplying power to a car with a discharged or dead battery so that it can ignite the engine of the car.
Get your jump starter and connect the Red Jumper cable to the Positive terminal of your battery. Then connect the Black jumper to any unpainted metal part of your car such as the chassis or a bolt. If you do it wrong, you will do serious damage to your battery and to the electrical system of your car.
That’s why it is very important to look for the Reverse Polarity Protection Feature in any jumpstarter: it should sound off an alarm if you connected it wrong.
Accessories.
Some jumpstarters also sport additional accessories such as a flashlight, tire inflator, and a few other things. This may come in handy for emergency situations in the road.
Price.
Of course, it goes without saying that PRICE is an important consideration in your decision. While it is tempting to get the least expensive model, price should be the last consideration after performance.
What Size Jump Starter Do I Need?
Jump starters are also known as battery chargers or jump box. And you may be wondering what size of a jump starter you need. You probably are not just looking for the dimensions of the product, but also to the capacity of a jump starter. So here are some size considerations as you buy a jump starter:
Cranking Amps
Look for a jump starter that can give you around 500 cranking amps. Most of the jump starters listed on this page do have that. A lot of car batteries have a 660 cranking amp (CA) rating. A jump starter with a 300 CA rating can still jump start such a car.
But if you have a heavier car with a big ass battery, then you probably need a more powerful one. So look for the best heavy duty jump starters in the market.
Physical Size or Dimensions
With so many advanced technologies these days, there are now jump starters that can double up as powerbank for your Smartphone, laptops, or tablet computers. Most of these jump starters, too, are very small–some could even fit in your pocket. If you want an ultra-portable, really small-sized jump starter, these compact battery boosters could also work.
Most of these products though tend to have Lithium Ion batteries, and during really cold weather, the performance of these batteries could be compromised. So if you want something that’s more reliable even in extreme cold, get one of the bigger products in the market. All of them could really fit in your car’s trunk.
Best Jump Starter Reviews
We review the Top 5 jump starters according to each criteria above to help you make a better purchasing decision.
Top 5 Best Jump Starter Under $100
If you are short on budget and you still trust your car’s battery yet you also want that extra peace of mind when you travel long distances during the cold months, then you might want to check out these jump starters. They are inexpensive but they can do the job just fine. And when you’re stuck in the highway and the car won’t start, you’ve got an inexpensive jump starter to get you going.
Top 5. Clore ES2500 ‘Booster PAC’ 900 Peak Amp 12V Jump Starter
Features:
- 300 cranking amps (900 peak amps)
- 21″ #4 gauge cables, Automatic recharging
- Industrial grade, Hot Jaw clamps
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars (Based on 40+ Reviews)
Top 4. Schumacher XP400 400 Peak Amp Instant Portable Power Source
Price: $40
Features:
- On/Off switch activates the jump starting mode
- Built-in charger for automatic charging of internal battery
- Battery status LEDs tells when battery is charged or needs to be charged
- Sure-Grip clamps fit both top and side-mount batteries
- A maintenance-free, sealed lead acid battery allow for storage in any position
Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 Stars (Based on 100+ Reviews)
Top 3. Black & Decker JUS500IB 500-Amp Jump Starter with Built-in Tire Inflator
Price: around $80
Features:
- 500 Instant starting amps for maximum performance
- 120 PSI inflator for vehicle tires, sports equipment and more
- Low-profile design for easy storage within vehicle or garage
- Visual and audible reverse polarity alarms warn against improper connections to battery terminals
- Ultra bright area light for increased visibility in dark areas
Average Customer Rating: 4.1 out of 5 Stars (based on 60+ Reviews)
Top 2. Stanley J5C09 500-Amp Jump Starter
Price: Less than $80
Features:
- 500 Cranking Amps (1000 Peak)
- DC & USB charging plugs as well as a high powered LED light that rotates 270 degrees;
- Consists of reverse polarity alarm for safety along with a top-mounted rubber molded handle for easy grip
- Heavy duty metal clamps and Number 6 AWG cables;
- Contains power/charge indicator and audible & visual reverse polarity alarm
Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars (based on 230+ reviews)
Top 1. Clore JNC300XL ‘Jump-N-Carry’ 900 Peak Amp Ultraportable 12-Volt Jump Starter with Light
Price: Less than $70
Features:
- 900 peak amps and 225 cranking amp
- with 27 inches of #4 gauge jumper cables
- Full size clamps to penetrate battery corrosion
- Equipped with a high intensity work light
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars (based on 440+ Reviews)
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Best Jump Starter with Air Compressor
In case you want to rely on a device that helps you revive your dead battery AND also give your tires a boost when they fall below their recommended pressure, then better check out these jump starters.
Stanley J5C09 1000 Peak Amp Jump Starter with Built in Compressor
This item is also included in the list above. It is a good product!
Price: Less than $80
Features:
- The Stanley J5C09 packs in a 120 PSI air compressor
- 500 Cranking Amps (1000 Peak Amps)
Average Customer Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars (based on 1,200+ reviews)
PowerStation PSX-3 18Ah Jumpstarter with Air Compressor
Price: around $90 plus shipping
Features:
- Has an EHP 18aH rechargeable battery
- The air compressor will inflate your tire with high volume air
- Also features a worklight to help you at night.
- Has reverse polarity safety feature
Average Customer Rating: 4.3 out of 5 Stars (Based on 100+ Reviews)
Jump-N-Carry JNC660C 1700 Peak Amp 12-Volt Jump Starter
Price: A little over $200
Features:
- 425 cold cranking amps and 1700 peak amps
- PROFORMER battery technology
- 68″ cables – perfect for even the rainy season and you want to keep the jump starter under the shade
- Air compressor with 12-inch coiled air hose with screw-on chuck
- Read our review of this product here: Review of Jump-n-Carry JNCAIR 1700-Amp 12-Volt Jump Starter with Power Source and Air Compressor
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars (based on 275+ Reviews)
The above products are the best jump starter reviews we offer. We might have not included some products that you find useful. Feel free to suggest your favorite jump starters in the comments.
If you want to check out the best jump starters offered by each brand, do check out the following articles:
Having a battery charger, though, is not the ultimate solution to a battery that fails to crank your engine. It’s not really advisable to use your jump starter every single day. It’s important to take care of your battery so it will last long. When it is no longer functional, then you might as well change it. That’s the best solution!
This article was extremely helpful for me to determine a jumper for my vehicle. I wasn’t sure about the amperage of the unit vs. the size and amperage of my battery to choose a jumper. Of course everyone had a jumper to sell me but provide little information other than it will start your car. I appreciate the explanation given here. It made a big difference for me and gave confidence to purchase the right product. Thanks again.
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Very informative in judging which charger I should purchase. Detailed info with specs and all. Have a Stanly fatmax and it didn’t start my car but this article helped me in understanding the specs
Tks
Verry useful like anything else you mite as well get the biggest baddest and most expensive one ypu can get
Thanks , this was very helpful for first time buyer of this type of product. Especially the AMP explanation.
Tech has rapidly changed in the last 2-3 years. I just paid under $20 (11/18) for a cheap plastic lightweight phone charger/jump starter combo I found on eBay- unbranded but with the promise of 200A and 500A Peak power, 20000mah, one high powered USB output and a flashlight… That I really thought “no way this will work”… it was just so lightweight, had such thin cheap plastic and looked like it came out of a Cracker Jack box, but looks can be decieving… it clearly had power to spare and it took about a good 10 cranks to get the old car to start- it passed it’s first test with flying colors jumping my friends 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0L six cylinder “boat” that hadn’t been started in 2 months and within a few minutes it was up and running. No long dirty cables or long waits for the service tech to arrive… Popped the hood, connected the well made staggered clamps and turned the key and it was ON! The whole process took less than two minutes… Don’t forget to quickly disconnect the cables (there’s a warning the thing could melt and I believe it!). Overall, I was shocked and impressed and it’s 2.1A USB output is charging my phone FAST as we speak and it’s still showing full power (although after the jump it dropped from 4 bars to one). It charged up pretty fast too. It’s only about a quarter inch taller than my phone and just about the same width and length. Brand names aren’t always the best- I had to get a refund on a 10800mah branded unit because it kept shutting off. It had a nice QC3.0 output and “felt” well built, but for my $20 purchase, I’m a happy camper. Half the price and it works great. I plan on giving them out as Christmas gifts. It could save your life! Everyone should keep one in their car at at that price you could and should get one for each car you own because you never know where you’ll be when you need it! My guess is new smart phones will be able to jump any car in the next few years, just add the cables to your plan! My advice is to update this article to show just how portable the invention has become. I wouldn’t want to carry arround one of those “bricks”. Just saying. Good write up! Cheers!
I would love to know the brand name of this and if it’s available on Amazon for overnight delivery. This article was great, very helpful but if I could afford $100. Right now I could buy a new battery!
Please note and check reviews on Amazon regarding ALL lithium jump starters – compared with standard battery units, there is a high instance of these batteries exploding when trying to jump start a car. The explosion sends plastic case fragments like shrapnel, and can cause injury or blindness. If you MUST have a lithium-based unit, choose one with a substantial case around the battery, and read the caution section carefully.
Car jumper is very much like of life support .if you go for a long run and if your car doesn’t look to be started it can be work as a life support. you did a great job doing this items review.keep it up
Great information about jump starter product reviews! There are so many review websites about this subject. But since i run into your site and learned so much about the products, I have good ideas came up with for my blog ! Thank you for providing us such a informative article and keep up with your good work!
Descriptions and explanations are well put together with literacy being strong and positive. Words are flowing in the correct direction for communication value. English language is working well here.
I am in az.
I bought a 600 amp stanly.
It jumpstarted a v6 ford explorer.
If it was snowing would i need the 700 or 1000. For a v6?
And please review how the 600 and 700 would do for a 4 cil on a snowy day.