The beefiest of battery chargers, car jump starters can sit ready to inject a brief but powerful jolt of electricity into a dead battery to get an engine running again. Also known as battery boosters, these products are the ultimate cure for a dead car battery.
There was a time when car jump starters required the arms of Popeye just to lift them into position. The good news is that you can put away the spinach – most modern jump starters are small enough to fit inside your glovebox and can weigh less than a kilogram, thanks to rapid developments in battery tech.
Of course, a trickle charger is always a nice thing to have when you’re leaving a car parked for a while. But jump starters are there for the worst of times. When you need to drive your car, but the battery has drained flat, a jump starter can be a lifesaver. And if your battery hasn’t degraded enough, a jump starter can also prevent the need for a new battery as well. The trouble is, a car battery nowadays has a lot to deal with.
The best car jump starters at a glance:
Editor’s choice: GOOLOO Jump Starter 1500A – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best battery charger for ruggedness: NOCO Boost X GBX45 – Buy now on Amazon UK
Best battery booster for portability: Clarke JSM200 Multifunction Micro Jumpstart – Buy now from MachineMart
As modern cars are packed with electrical features that can quickly drain a car battery, it can take only a couple of weeks of inactivity before your battery lacks the power to start your car. It especially doesn’t help if you have a wired dashcam installed either. And with car jump starters happy to sit in your glovebox until needed, it’s worth the investment for when the worst happens. We’ve found the best jump starters, so jump to it.
The best car jump starters
Editor's pick
It’s also a safe option for jump-starting; the GOOLOO makes use of several very clever safety features, including AI monitoring, to ensure no sparking, overcharging, or short-circuiting occurs. Doubling as a power bank and flashlight, it’s also a versatile option to keep in a glovebox. It even features a small in-built compass, a testament to the tough go-anywhere design of this battery booster.
Pros
- Value for money
- Excellent safety features
Cons
- Exterior plastics aren’t as nice
| Weight: | 0.88kg |
| Dimensions: | 19.5 x 12.5 x 10.5 cm |
| Max engine capacity: | 6.0-litre petrol/4.0-litre diesel |
| Amps: | 1500A |
| Extras: | Flashlight, power bank, compass |
Best jump starter for performance
UltraSafe 2.0 technology ensures you're charging the car safely with no risk of reverse polarity or sparking. The included 100-lumen LED torch should shine a light on any problems you encounter with your car, and it works as a power bank. IP65 water resistance also means it'll survive the rough and tumble of daily life. It's also really quick to recharge the device too, completely recharging the device from empty in just 48 minutes.
Read our full NOCO Boost X GBX45 review here.
Pros
- Very robust
- Flawless performance
Cons
- Overkill if you only own a Supermini
| Weight: | 0.59kg |
| Dimensions: | 17.3cm x 8.3cm x 5.3cm |
| Max engine capacity: | 6.5-litre petrol/4.0-litre diesel |
| Amps: | 1250A |
| Extras: | Flashlight, power bank |
Best jump starter for features
Rrp: £169.99
Rrp: £169.99
Like the GOOLOO Jump Starter 2000A, the X7 makes use of AI to keep everything safe and cool, even using a unique honeycomb design to dissipate heat. The 5.1-inch screen is easy to read and serves to show the tyre pressure, complete with PSI, BAR AND KPA readings. It's an excellent choice for any driver, especially if space is a premium.
Pros
- Outstanding jump start performance
- Also tops up tyres effectively
Cons
- Short leads
| Weight: | 989g |
| Dimensions: | 12.7 x 19.5 x 10.7 cm |
| Max engine capacity: | 10-litre petrol and diesel |
| Amps: | 4240 |
| Extras: | Tyre inflator, pressure gauge, flashlight, power bank |
Best jump starter for portability
The body of the product is no bigger than a typical power bank, and it doubles as one too. It’s also very easy to use and is finished in red with a pleasingly retro-inspired decal on the top. While the included wires (a mains charger, 12V charger and jump cables) will take up a bit more room, it’s an impressively miniature battery charger.
Pros
- Genuinely small design
- Doubles as a torch and power bank
Cons
- Not suitable for diesel engines
| Weight: | 0.28kg |
| Dimensions: | 13.2 x 7.5 x 2.4 cm |
| Max engine capacity: | 4.0-litre petrol |
| Amps: | 400A |
| Extras: | Flashlight, power bank |
Best multi-purpose jump starter
Like the GBX45, the GB40 benefits from an IP65 rating which allows it to be durable in the harshest of weather conditions and has a 100-lumen light for assistance at night. It also acts as a portable power bank, so it's not just cars that the GB40 will happily supply electricity into.
Pros
- Multi-purpose
- Great quality and durable
Cons
- Not useful if you have an enormous engine
Best jump starter for battery care
This is an ideal portable battery starter but also works as a battery maintainer and trickle charger. The internal battery will stay charged for a full year, meaning you won't need to worry if you forget about it, and it can even be optioned with a solar panel to achieve totally off-grid charging. The best part, however, is the Adaptive Boost technology that will not only restart a dead battery, it'll also work out the safest and most efficient way to restart a dead battery. Mind you, it'll take about 15 minutes to do this.
Pros
- Multi-purpose use
- Build quality
Cons
- Not a quick car jump starter
| Weight: | 1.4kg |
| Dimensions: | 24.8 x 9.8 x 7.8cm |
| Max engine capacity: | N/A |
| Amps: | N/A |
| Extras: | Trickle charger, battery maintainer, power bank |
Best batteryless jump starter
This car jump starter from Sealey lacks any internal batteries, instead relying on ultracapacitors which work to maximise the volts within the discharged battery and get the car started. The big benefit of this is that the device can be tiny and will never go flat. The downside is that the dead car battery needs at least 5V for the ElectroStart to jump it.
Pros
- Never worry about charging your jump starter again
- Very clever tech
Cons
- No good on a completely dead car battery
| Weight: | 2.3kg |
| Dimensions: | N/A |
| Max engine capacity: | 6.0-litre petrol/4.0-litre diesel |
| Amps: | 1600A |
| Extras: | N/A |
Car jump starters: what you need to know
What features to look for in a car jump starter:
Engine sizes have been shrinking in recent times, and unless you’re running a huge land yacht of a car, you won’t need a hugely powerful jump starter. While portable battery chargers are comfortable with almost any engine, most jump starters will cover up to 6.0 litre petrol and 4.0 litre diesel engines. But you should always check the rating before you buy.
There’s some serious voltage running through both a jump starter and a set of jump leads, and electricity can cause pain and fire if not used properly. Look for non-sparking leads as well as protection against overcharging and reverse polarity. After all, for the money you’re paying, you should expect it to be safe to use. Additionally, many of the jump starter power packs feature a torch and USB ports for charging a smartphone or tablet. In the event of a breakdown, both features could prove very useful and are worth the small price premium.
Is your battery on its last legs?
If the battery was flat, ask yourself why. It might be something simple like an interior light left on, but if not, it could be time to replace the battery. Don’t rely on the power pack to get you home – replace the battery at the earliest opportunity. Remember, batteries deteriorate over time, and their performance suffers in cold weather. A battery tester is a useful tool to check the condition of your battery to make sure it’s still got some life left, or whether you need to charge it up or buy a new one.
Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tools Editor for Parkers, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. A veteran car cleaner; if it details, waxes or washes he’ll be on hand to make sure it’s worth your money.
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