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The 10 Best Portable Car Jumpstarters of 2023

A dead car battery is never fun, and calling for help is less fun. If you have one of these top portable vehicle jumpstarters handy, you'll be self-reliant and can bring your car back to life quickly and easily.

person starting car with portable jump starter
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We’ve rounded up the 10 best portable car jumpstarters so you can say goodbye to the days of being stranded for hours with a dead battery. The beauty of a portable jumpstarter is you no longer need traditional jumper cables and another vehicle to get your car battery up and running again.

With a portable jumpstarter, you can easily get your car running in a few easy steps. We think it is one of the most important things you should keep in your vehicle, along with your emergency kit.

Benefits of Portable Car Jumpstarters

First and foremost, having a portable car jumpstarter allows you to jumpstart your car without anyone else’s help! No need to flag down a car or call roadside assistance — just correctly hook up the portable jumpstarter to your car battery using the attached cables, and you’re golden. Carrying a portable jumpstarter with you will make you feel safer and more prepared at all times.

Besides the main benefit of effectively jumpstarting your car with no assistance, these modern units are useful for several other things. Most act as power supplies and will charge other devices. If you need to plug in a mobile device or power a laptop on the go, you can often plug it right into the portable car jumpstarter pack, offering a convenient way to charge mobile devices without running your vehicle.

When purchasing a portable car jumpstarter, consider other possible features. Some portable car jumpstarters also double as tire inflators, have integrated flashlights, and more.

Key Features of Portable Car Jumpstarters

portable jumpstarter connected to 12V car battery

Size

The size range for portable car jumpstarters varies from small lithium-based jumpstarters that you can stow in your glove box to larger power stations that are about the size of a grocery bag. Depending on where you store the jumpstarter and how portable you want the device to be, you’ll want to consider the overall size and weight when making your purchase.

Power

To determine the power output of a portable car jumpstarter, pay attention to the peak power and starter current measured in cold cranking amps (CCA). CCA measures how many amps a battery can successfully produce within 30 seconds at zero degrees Fahrenheit.

Generally speaking, 400 to 600 amps should be enough to jumpstart a battery on an average passenger car, truck, or SUV. If you have a larger battery or are operating a heavy-duty truck or commercial vehicle, you may need a more powerful jumpstarter.

Reverse Polarity Protection

Spark-proof and reverse polarity protection are safety features you should look for when purchasing a portable car jumpstarter. Reverse polarity protection will alert you if the jumpstarter isn’t hooked up properly to the battery terminals.

This crucial feature will alert you when incorrectly connecting the jump leads and temporarily disable the jumpstarter. That said, always double-check and verify that the positive and negative leads are connected to the right battery posts before beginning this process.

Additional Features

A number of portable car jumpstarters have USB ports for charging, LED flashlights, radios, compasses, and sometimes air compressors. If a portable car jumpstarter has numerous additional features, it’ll generally be larger and heavier. Whether or not you will benefit from these extra features largely depends on personal preference.

The 10 Best Portable Car Jumpstarters on the Market Today

Below, we’ve outlined the 10 best car jumpstarters available. After our extensive guide on the best portable jumpstarters, we’ve also answered all of your most frequently asked questions surrounding portable jumpstarters for cars. With that, let’s get started and find the one that best fits your needs!

Best Overall Portable Car Jumpstarter

Tacklife T8 Pro

Specs

  • Capacity 18,000mAh
  • Peak power 1,200A
  • Starting power 500A (3s), 300A (5s)
  • Jumpstart engines up to 7.5L gas / 6.0L diesel
  • Operating temperature -4F to 140F
  • Dimensions 10″ x 4″
  • Weight 1.1 lbs.
  • Warranty 2 years
The 10 Best Portable Car Jumpstarters of 2023(Photo/Tacklife)
Best Budget Portable Car Jumpstarter

Audew 1000A

Specs

  • Capacity 10,800mAh
  • Peak power 1,000A
  • Starting current N/A
  • Jumpstart engines up to 6.0L gas / 4.5L diesel
  • Battery standby time 6-12 months
  • Operating temperature -4F to 140F
  • Dimensions 6.5″ x 3.5″ x 1.5″
  • Weight 0.88 lb.
The 10 Best Portable Car Jumpstarters of 2023(Photo/Audew)
Best Premium Portable Car Jumpstarter

GOOLOO GT3000

Specs

  • Battery capacity 22,800mAh
  • Peak current 3,000A
  • Starting current 600A (3s)
  • Jumpstart engines up to 10.0L gas / 8.0L diesel
  • Operating temperature -4F to 140F
  • Dimensions 9.0″ x 3.9″ x 2.1″
  • Weight 2 lbs.
  • Charging time Approximately 1 hour (PD100W)
  • Note USB-C 100W charger and hard case are sold separately
The 10 Best Portable Car Jumpstarters of 2023(Photo/Gooloo)
Best of the Rest

NOCO Boost Plus GB40 Portable Lithium Jumpstarter

Specs

  • Capacity 10,800mAh
  • Peak power 1,000A
  • Starting current 1,000A
  • Jumpstart engines up to 6.0L gas / 3.0L diesel
  • Battery standby time 6-12 mo.
  • Operating temperature N/A
  • Dimensions 7.7″ x 3.2″ x 1.7″
  • Weight 2.45 lbs.
The 10 Best Portable Car Jumpstarters of 2023(Photo/NOCO)

Teluxe TE01 Portable Jumpstarter/Tire Inflator

Specs

  • Battery capacity 18,000mAh
  • Peak current 2,500
  • Starting current N/A
  • Jumpstart engines up to 8.5L gas /6.0L diesel
  • Operating temperature -4 deg. F to 140 deg. F
  • Dimensions 9.61″ x 5.28″ x 4.41″
  • Weight 3.16 lbs.
  • Max inflatable output pressure 120 psi
The 10 Best Portable Car Jumpstarters of 2023(Photo/manufacturer)

IdeaPlay J8 Plus Portable Jumpstarter & Power Supply

Specs

  • Battery capacity 8,000mAh
  • Peak current 800A
  • Starting current 400A
  • Jumpstart engines up to 7.0L gas / 5.5L diesel
  • Operating temperature 32 deg. F to 113 deg. F (0 deg. C to 45 deg. C)
  • Dimensions 5.7" x 3.2" x 1"
  • Weight .073 lbs.
The 10 Best Portable Car Jumpstarters of 2023(Photo/IdeaPlay

TopVision G26 Portable Car Jumpstarter

Specs

  • Battery capacity 21,800mAh
  • Peak current 2,200A
  • Starting current 1,000A
  • Jumpstart engines up to 7.0L gas / 6.5L diesel
  • Operating temperature -40 deg. F to 140 deg. F
  • Dimensions 9.84″ x 5.28″ x 4.29″
  • Weight 2.79 lbs.
The 10 Best Portable Car Jumpstarters of 2023(Photo/TopVision)

GOOLOO GP2000 Portable Car Jumpstarter

Specs

  • Battery capacity 19,800mAh
  • Peak current 2,000A
  • Starting current 500A (3s), 400A (5s)
  • Jumpstart engines up to 9.0L gas / 7.0L diesel
  • Operating temperature -4 deg. F to 140 deg. F
  • Dimensions 8.97″ x 3.92″ x 1.29″
  • Weight 1.39 lbs.
The 10 Best Portable Car Jumpstarters of 2023(Photo/Gooloo)

Schumacher DSR132 Ultracapacitor/Lithium Ion Hybrid Jumpstarter

Specs

  • Battery capacity 22,000mAh
  • Peak current 1,200A
  • Starting current 900A
  • Jumpstart engines up to 8.0L gas / 5.0L diesel
  • Operating temperature N/A
  • Dimensions 10.0″ x 10.5″ x 6.0″
  • Weight 7 lbs.
The 10 Best Portable Car Jumpstarters of 2023(Photo/Schumacher)

Clore Automotive JNC660 Portable Car Jumpstarter

Specs

  • Battery capacity 22,000mAh
  • Peak current 1,700A
  • Starting current 425A
  • Jumpstarts engines all passenger vehicles, light commercial
  • Operating temperature N/A
  • Dimensions ‎16.3″ x 14.1″ x 5.1″
  • Weight 18 lbs.
The 10 Best Portable Car Jumpstarters of 2023(Photo/Clore Automotive)

Get Your Car Running in Minutes With These Portable Car Jumpstarters

Once your car emergency kit is equipped with a portable car jumpstarter, get ready to take on all kinds of adventures. Keep it secure in your glovebox or your trunk.

Looking for other items to build a car safety kit? Check out our guides on the top winter emergency car kitstire chains, and first-aid kits.

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FAQ

jump starter connected to car battery
(Photo/Clore Automotive)
How do I jumpstart my car using a portable jumpstarter?

Jumpstarting your car is quite simple. With that said, it is vital that you do it properly. Follow these steps to ensure a safe and easy experience.

  1. Set the portable car jumpstarter in a stable location in the engine compartment (or on the ground if the cords are long enough). Double-check that the device is charged.
  2. Connect the positive jumpstarter cable to the positive terminal on your car’s battery.
  3. Connect the negative jumpstarter cable to the negative terminal, the engine block, or another grounded location.
  4. Start the car.
  5. If the car starts, carefully disconnect the negative jumpstarter cable and secure it back to the portable jump box.
  6. Finally, carefully disconnect the positive jumpstarter cable.
Is a portable car jumpstarter worth it?

Having a portable jumpstarter in your car is a valuable asset to any emergency car kit. They are small, relatively inexpensive, easy to use, have built-in safety features, and much easier to stow away than a set of jumper cables.

Usually, you’d have to rely on another vehicle if your vehicle’s battery is too weak to turn over the ignition. With a portable unit, you have everything you need. Simply attach the portable jumpstarter to your car’s battery, fire up the vehicle, and you are all set.

How long does a portable car jumpstarter take to recharge?

It generally takes a portable jumpstarter around 3-5 hours to recharge. In some rare cases, it can take up to 10 hours to fully charge a portable jumpstarter if the battery is totally drained.

The good news is that you don’t need a full charge to jumpstart a car. Recharging the lithium battery to at least 20% is usually sufficient to jumpstart most vehicles. With this in mind, it’s best to read your specific car jumpstarter’s user manual for the recommended charge times.

How can you tell if the car battery is dead?

If you put your key in the ignition to start your car and it makes a low, whirring sound, but the car doesn’t turn on, your car battery is too weak to turn over the engine. No sound at all and/or no dash lights come on are also indications that you likely have a dead battery.

Warning signs of a failing battery include a weak or sluggish start and electrical components (like your dashboard) not lighting up.

Can a portable jumpstarter recharge a 12V car battery?

No, portable car jumpstarters are not meant to recharge a car battery. They can provide the power to start a vehicle with a tired battery, but they are not designed to repower it. The vehicle’s alternator recharges the battery while the vehicle is running, or you can hook up a battery charger when stationary.

Can you jumpstart a car in the rain?

Yes, you can jumpstart a car in the rain.

Nonetheless, things can feel a lot more chaotic in a downpour. Don’t let that make you hasty. Be careful, take your time, and always pay attention to the order of the cable connection — rain or not!

Is it possible for a portable jumpstarter to damage your car?

A portable jumpstarter can only damage your car if it is attached incorrectly, just like with regular jumper cables. However, most portable car jumpstarters have intelligent safeguards to warn you if connected incorrectly and prevent potential damage.

Avoid damage by connecting your cables in the right order. First, connect the positive terminals. Then, connect the negative terminals. If you are concerned about user error, purchase a jumpstarter with reverse polarity protection and an audible alarm that will alert you to any potential issues.

How high should the starter current or cold-cranking amps (CCA) be for a jumpstarter?

When it comes to a universal CCA, a portable jumpstarter with a minimum starter current rating of 400-600 amps will likely jumpstart most cars, crossovers, SUVs, and pickup trucks. Vehicles with larger engines require more power and a higher starting current.

Can you overcharge a jumpstarter?

Overcharging a properly working portable jumpstarter is highly unlikely. Modern jumpstarters have several safety protections aimed at preventing accidents, including over-charge and over-current protection.

How many times can you use a portable car jumpstarter?

The lithium polymer batteries used in portable car jumpstarters have enough capacity to start a vehicle several times over without having to recharge.

For example, a portable jumpstarter with a battery capacity of 10,800mAh is good for up to 20 starts. A unit with a larger 22,000mAh capacity will start up to 50 cars.

Furthermore, the batteries do an excellent job holding a charge, as they can go 6 to 12 months without recharging.


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