Best portable jump starter: 4 of the top-rated jump starters online
Having a portable jump starter in the trunk means not having to depend on anyone to get out of dead-car-battery situation
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A portable jump starter can be a lifesaver if your car battery decides to suddenly give up, especially during the winter. Modern day jump starters are compact enough to carry with you in the car; powerful enough to crank the biggest engines; and are, by and large, quite easy to use. Having one on you gives you the confidence you won’t be left stranded by the side of the road, ever. To help you choose the best portable jump starter, here’s a guide to the best-rated ones online.
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What features to look for in a Portable Jump Starter
Cranking Amps (CA): This is measured at 0 degrees C, and is the number of amperes (current) the jump starter can deliver for 30 seconds.
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Cold Cranking Amps (CCA): This is measured at -18 degrees C, and is again the number of amperes the jump starter can deliver for 30 seconds. This number is more important because of the extreme cold-weather winters we often get in Canada. Your car’s battery also has a CA and CCA rating, and the jump starter should ideally have a higher rating than your battery. A rating of 400 to 500 CCA is good enough for most cars.
Battery type: Modern jump starters have lithium-ion batteries, making them lightweight and portable.
Battery capacity: A higher number of mAh (milliampere-hours) indicates a bigger number of jump starts on a single charge.
Additional features: Some jump starter models also double as USB power banks, or have built-in flashlights and tire inflators.
Top-rated jump starter on Consumer Reports
Antigravity Batteries XP-10
Rating: 78 out of 100
Capacity: 16,000 mAh
Price: CDN$285.26
This jump starter comes with a digital display that shows the charge level in percentage, and has USB-A and USB-C ports to charge electronic devices such as smartphones. The jump starter itself can be fully charged in about three hours.
Buy here:Amazon.ca
Top-rated jump starter on Amazon
NOCO Boost Plus GB40
Rating: 4.6 out of 5
Total Reviews: 107,349
Cranking Amps: 1,000 amps
Price: CDN$149.99
As you can see, this jump starter comes highly rated! The manufacturer says the jump starter is rated for gasoline engines up to 6.0 litres; and diesel engines up to 3.0 litres, which is pretty much most cars and SUVs out there. The device has a USB charging port for mobile devices; comes with a 100-lumen LED flashlight; and can crank the engine 20 times on a single charge.
Buy here:Amazon.ca
Top-rated portable jump starter on Walmart
NEXPOW 3500A Peak Car Battery Jump Starter
Rating: 4.3 out of 5
Total Reviews: 62
Capacity: 20,000 mAh
Price: CDN$109.99
Featuring a 20,000-mAh battery and a peak output of 3500 A, this jump starter is claimed to be be able to jump-start engines of up to 8.0-litre capacity about 50 times on a single charge. Plus, there’s a built-in 160-PSI tire inflator, a flashlight, and the ability to charge a mobile device.
Buy here:Walmart.ca
Top-rated portable jump starter on Canadian Tire
Schumacher 1500A SL1611
Rating: 4.9 out of 5
Total Reviews: 92
Capacity: 8,000 mAh
Price: CDN$219.99
This jump starter is claimed to be capable of jump -tarting gas engines up to 6.0 litres; and diesel engines up to 8.0 litres in capacity with its 8,000-mAh battery. It has a continuous power output of 1000 watts, and can crank engines up to 25 times on a single charge. There’s also a 12V car charger, so the jump starter can be charged on the go.
Buy here:Canadian Tire
How to use a portable jump starter to boost your car
- Ensure the cables are plugged into the battery pack, then connect the red cable to the positive terminal.
- Ground the black cable to an exposed metal part in the engine compartment.
- Switch on the battery pack; make sure the jump starter is at least 60% to 70% charged.
- Turn the key in the car and the engine should come to life. If it doesn’t, wait for 30 seconds before cranking the engine again.
- Remove the negative (black) cable first, and then the positive (red).
- Unplug the cables from the jump starter.
- Let the engine run for a few minutes, or, better still, drive the car for half an hour to charge the battery.
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Abhishek Saksena
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