Buying the Best Portable Car Battery Jump Starter

Mike Bumbeck

March 20, 2025

6 min read

Mike Bumbeck

March 20, 2025

6 min read

A mechanic wearing white and orange work gloves, along with a blue cap and a blue jacket attaching a jump starter to a car battery. — Battery jump starters are powerful and convenient.

If you try to start your engine and get nothing but a click, your car battery probably needs a jump start. A dead car battery can leave you stranded. Carrying a jump starter in your vehicle can boost a dead car battery and get you back on the road.

Thanks to recent developments in battery technology, portable jump starters are compact enough to keep in your trunk or glove compartment. There’s no reason to buy a bigger starter than you need.

Compact jump starters that fit into a glove box or storage compartment work best for small gas-powered cars.
Larger capacity heavy-duty jump box or jump-start pack batteries have enough reserve power to crank over larger V-8s and high-compression diesel engines. They can be used multiple times before recharging.

Portable lithium-ion jump starters are relatively new to the market. Make a selection based on desired features and brand. Leading brands include Avapow, Clore, DeWalt, Gooloo, Hulkman, Noco, and Povasee.

Jump Starter Functionality and Features

A NOCO GB20 Boost Sport lithium-ion jump starter displayed on a work surface. — The affordably-priced NOCO GB20 Boost Sport lithium-ion jump starter provides 500 amps of power to get you back on the road.

The primary function of a jump starter is to start your engine when your battery goes dead. That should be your priority. Additional features, such as lights and phone charging, can be a distraction. Focus on the parts that relate to jump-starting your vehicle. Look for longer heavy gauge positive and negative cables, quality battery clamps, and safety features like reverse polarity, over current, and short-circuit protection.

Short cables and lightweight clamps make jump starters cheaper and easier to store but more challenging to work with under the hood in the dark.

Many portable starters are roughly the same size, weight, cost, and capacity. They differ primarily on the quality and length of the cables.

Most portable jump chargers can double as a battery bank for charging electronic devices like cell phones and powering 12-volt car accessories. USB and 5-volt input and output ports add capability, but too many cords and adapters inevitably result in a tangled clump that doesn’t fit back into the carrying case. Larger capacity jump starters feature AC inverter sockets.

Built-in flashlight utility depends on where the light points while connecting the battery cables and clamps. Combination jump starter tire inflators promise two-in-one emergency utility, but older designs can be bulkier and less portable than two separate devices. Corded 120-volt or 240-volt super-duty truck jump starter carts and automotive battery chargers with engine start functions are best suited for shop or home garage use.

Jump Starter Battery Types

A TOPDON VS2000 jump starter kit displayed on a white background. — The TOPDON VS2000 lithium-ion jump starter is equipped with a 2000 amp quick charge booster. It also features USB1, USB2, and Type-C power ports, along with a 300 lumen flashlight function.

Jump starters share similar features, but they use different battery chemistry, each with tradeoffs for size, weight, and battery life. Most compact portable jump starters use lithium-ion batteries. Larger and more powerful jump packs use either AGM lead-acid or lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries. Here's a rechargeable jump starter battery breakdown with a bonus on cutting-edge supercapacitors.

Lithium-ion: Lithium-ion battery jump starters are the best choice for most drivers. The majority of portable jump starters use lithium-ion battery cells because of their compact size, excellent power-to-weight ratio, quick charging, and ability to store emergency power for up to six months. Lithium-ion batteries work well in a wide range of temperatures but require recharging after a single jump start.

AGM lead-acid: Some larger jump boxes pack a smaller version of your lead-acid car battery inside their rugged plastic shell. The internal structure of absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries stops the liquid electrolyte from sloshing around, preventing spills and increasing output. AGM batteries work in extreme cold and stand up to multiple starting attempts but are heavier and bulkier than lithium-ion or LiFe p04 batteries.

LiFePO4 lithium iron phosphate: Newer medium and heavy-duty jump starters use LiFePO4 batteries for better life, safety, and excellent performance. LiFePO4 batteries can be charged and discharged more times than lithium-ion or AGM batteries. They also hold a charge for longer. The tradeoff is that their lower energy density makes the cells physically larger and heavier than the equivalent lithium-ion battery. LiFePO4 batteries are also less effective in the cold.

Supercapacitor: One of the newest contenders in the portable jump starter lineup uses capacitors instead of chemical batteries. The supercapacitors charge quickly, deliver instant high-output cranking power regardless of temperature, and have a near-limitless cycle life. Supercapacitors are larger and cost more than lithium battery jump starters. However, they cannot hold a charge for more than a few days.

Does temperature affect jump starters?

Extreme heat or cold can negatively affect your car battery and the batteries in portable jump starters. An old car battery near its end typically expires on the first hot summer day or cold winter morning of the year. Charge your portable jump starter batteries seasonally.

How much should you spend on a jump starter?

Expect to pay $60 to $80 for a high-quality lithium-ion starter. However, prices can range between $40 and $300 based on battery type, capacity, additional features, and build quality. Prices for AGM lead-acid jump starters range between $50 and $200. Portable LiFePO4s cost between $100 and $400, while supercapacitor jump starters run $150 or higher.

Jump Starter Related Parts

Your car battery, starter motor, and alternator work together to start your engine and store power in reserve for the next time around. If a jump start got your engine going again, learn how to tell the difference between a bad car battery and a faulty alternator - opens in new window or tab. .

Check your battery voltage - opens in new window or tab. and condition with a battery load tester - opens in new window or tab. or digital multimeter. Top off the cells with an automotive battery charger - opens in new window or tab. . Cleaning your battery terminals - opens in new window or tab. is easy and effective. Replace worn or corroded battery posts, terminals, and cables. If the battery fails the test, then it's time to replace it - opens in new window or tab. .

If the battery passes the test, learn how to recognize the signs that your alternator is failing - opens in new window or tab. . Read our alternator buying guide - opens in new window or tab. to get the best replacement alternator. Remove and replace the alternator yourself - opens in new window or tab. with our DIY video guide.

About the author

Mike Bumbeck

Mike has written about vintage automobiles and the people behind them for more than two decades. His experience includes writing for Hot Rod, Hemmings, and Mecum Auctions—and working on the pit crew of a nostalgia top fuel dragster. He lives in New England with a multi-vehicle fleet that ranges from a contemporary front-wheel-drive turbo hatchback to vintage Japanese 4x4s. His hobbies include building, flying, and crashing remote control scale model airplanes.

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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.