You will also want to look out for a jump starter which is easy and safe to use, with features like spark-proof connections which won’t crackle into life when they touch your car’s battery, reverse polarity and short-circuit protection to prevent you causing any damage, and sturdy cables.Īdded extras include USB ports for charging your smartphone and other devices, a torch, and a digital display for showing how much charge is left in the battery. A large battery capacity will be able to jump start an engine more times before it needs charging, but larger of course means heavier and, generally speaking, more expensive. Once you have found a jump starter suitable for your vehicle, you’ll want to consider the size, price and extra features. The product information of most jump starters clearly states the maximum engine size they can shock back into life, and you’ll find the maximum engine size will be smaller for diesels than for petrol vehicles. The most important factor to consider is the size of your car’s engine, as this will dictate the power of jump starter you require. We’ve rounded up ten of the best jump starters, including the Ring 13000, Noco Boost Plus GB40, and Arteck 600A, all of which are a solid combination of decent build quality, compact design and performance.
View Deal How to choose the best jump starter Many also come with integrated lights – helpful if you’re trying to locate the bonnet catch and attach the power leads and don't have a torch or head torch handy.
Speaking of which, some car jump starters can even double as a portable battery pack, complete with USB ports for charging up your gadgets when it isn’t needed for jump-starting the car. But these days, thanks to the compact power of lithium batteries, they can be around the same size as a large smartphone power bank. Not too long ago, car jump starters were huge, heavy and expensive items which took up a sizeable amount of space on your boot. Without a World’s Strongest Man competitor to hand, and no kind neighbour reaching for the jump leads, you’ll need to get yourself a jump starter. We’ve all been there you mistakenly leave your car’s lights on overnight and the battery is dead when you need to get to work in the morning.