The 10 Best Jump Starters
Updated by · How we research
What matters in a jump starter is engine rating, clamps and real capacity, not peak amps. The WOLFBOX MegaVolt24 leads ten lithium and lead-acid picks. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
The peak amp number printed on a jump starter's box says little about whether it will start your car. Engine ratings and real battery capacity tell you more, and some packs hold far less than claimed. Most drivers keep a compact lithium pack in the glove box, while shops and truck owners use heavier lead-acid jump boxes.
Editor's Notes
October 17, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
Lithium packs have taken over this category, and several old picks are simply gone: the Weego 22s, Schumacher SJ1332, Beatit BP101 and DieHard 71688 are discontinued or unavailable, and the old DeWalt Portable Power Station gave way to the DeWalt DXAEJ14. The Rugged Geek RG1200 Safety Plus is now hard to find, and the Clore Automotive JNCAir is a heavy older design. We also dropped the Noco Genius Boost HD GB70, which costs a lot for its rating, and moved the 24-volt Clore Automotive Truck Pac ES1224 to the special honors.
The WOLFBOX MegaVolt24 takes the top spot. It holds a lot of energy for its size and price, and when GearLab measured its battery, it came close to what the maker claims. The NOCO Boost Plus GB40 is the pick for a small glove box, and the Clore Jump-N-Carry JNC325 has the best cables of any lithium pack here.
The Clore Jump-N-Carry JNC770R stays for shops and tow trucks.
One thing we learned along the way: peak amps on the box say little. Engine ratings, real battery capacity and decent clamps matter more, so the guide below explains how to read them.
December 08, 2020:
Because we consider jump starters to be emergency equipment, we feel it is more important to have something reliable and that can definitely start your vehicle even if the battery is totally drained, as opposed to something that is more convenient to store in small places, but which could be somewhat underpowered. And, based on much research of independent testing, we have found that the compact lithium battery-powered models just can't compete with traditional lead-acid battery-powered options. This resulted in quite a bit of moving things around to better represent how strongly we recommended particular models.
The above said, we aren't dismissing small, lithium battery-powered models like the Noco Genius Boost HD GB70, Rugged Geek RG1200 Safety Plus, Weego 22s, and Beatit BP101 as being poor options, but rather that it is important to have realistic expectations and not expect any of them to be able to jump a big truck with a completely dead battery unless you get really lucky and it turns over quickly, despite what their marketing may state. Even with their limitations, if you have a sedan or small SUV, they may be the best option for you. Unlike the large and bulky traditional models, they can be easily stashed just about anywhere. Plus, many of them have great extra features, like the included USB ports on the Beatit BP101 and Rugged Geek RG1200 Safety Plus, the former of which also as a grounded AC outlet, and the latter of which happens to come with an equally compact compressor. Perhaps their biggest benefit though, is that they don't require as frequent of recharging as the lead-acid models. This means there should be less of a chance you reach for your jump starter only to find that it, too, has a dead battery.
If you have a larger vehicle, like something with 8 cylinders or a diesel truck, you should stick with the tried and true lead-acid powered models. Of these, the Clore Automotive Truck Pac ES1224 is one of the most powerful and most versatile. It can produce up to 3,000 peak amps and has the ability to be used on 12- and 24-volt systems. If you don't need quite that much power though, the DeWalt Portable Power Station may be a better choice as it features an integrated compressor to help inflate your tire if you get a flat. While the DeWalt Portable Power Station may have a couple USB ports to charge mobile devices, the Schumacher SJ1332 puts it to shame in the regards, as it has a USB port, and dual 12-volt DC outlets and 110V AC outlets.
November 11, 2019:
Having a dead battery in your vehicle is bad enough, but it would be even more annoying and inconvenient if you were to reach for your jump starter only to find that it too had a dead battery. To minimize the chances of this happening to you, we did our best to include models that had a slow discharge rate, as well as the capacity to jump start vehicles multiple times before needing to be recharged.
On that note, we eliminated the Allstart 555 Camo Pro Pac because there were too many complaints of it either being dead on arrival or not holding a charge long enough during storage. And though surprising because this company generally offers high-quality products, we also had to remove the DeWalt DXAEJ14 due to complaints regarding its longevity. The Stanley J509 was eliminated for similar reasons, as well.
Continuing to win favor with users, the Noco Genius Boost HD GB70 still remains as one of our favorite models and we highly recommend it based on the combination of features, power, and size. It weighs a mere five pounds, is slim enough to fit in a glovebox, and can jump start pickup trucks.
The Weego 22s is a new addition that offers a good compromise between cost and power. Though best suited for small sedans and motorcycles, it comes for a budget-friendly price and has a water-resistant construction that should help ensure a long service life. We also added the Beatit BP101, which has a grounded 110-volt outlet and multiple USB ports, one of which supports QC 3.0.
If you would like the ability to jump heavy-duty equipment and large diesels, the Clore Automotive Truck Pac ES1224 is your best bet. However, it is rather heavy and quite a bit larger than many of our other recommendations, so make sure to bear that in mind.
Special Honors
Clore Automotive Commercial Jump Starters Fleets and shops that service 24-volt trucks and equipment need a jump starter that works at both 12 and 24 volts. Clore Automotive, which makes the Jump-N-Carry and Solar lines, sells commercial units such as the Truck Pac ES1224, rated at 3,000 peak amps at 12 volts and 1,500 at 24 volts, with 60-inch cables. It weighs about 43 pounds and costs several times as much as a consumer pack, which is why it sits here rather than in the list. cloreautomotive.com
How To Size A Jump Starter
A pack rated for 6 liters of gas and 3 liters of diesel covers most four- and six-cylinder cars.
Ignore the peak-amp number on the box at first. Makers measure it in different ways, and it isn't comparable from brand to brand. Start with the engine rating instead, which most makers state as a maximum displacement for gas and for diesel engines. A pack rated for 6 liters of gas and 3 liters of diesel covers most four- and six-cylinder cars. V8s, diesels and big trucks call for a pack rated around 8 to 10 liters or more, and so do cold climates, because a cold engine is harder to turn over. AutoGuide suggests 1,500 to 2,000 amps or more for larger engines (AutoGuide).
Treat the maker's claims as a ceiling. GearLab measured each pack's real battery capacity and found big gaps on some: the NOCO GB40 held 15.6 watt-hours against a 24 watt-hour claim, while the WOLFBOX MegaVolt24 came close to its rating (GearLab). Car and Driver jumped drained cars from a junkyard and found that the smallest packs may manage only one or two hard jumps per charge (Car and Driver via Yahoo Autos).
Then look at the clamps and cables. Short leads and small plastic clamps were the most common complaints in Car and Driver's test. Thick cables, longer leads and clamps with strong springs and copper teeth make a solid connection easier, especially on side-post batteries.
Lithium Pack Or Lead-Acid Jump Box
Most drivers should buy a lithium pack. These weigh about 1 to 6 pounds, fit in a glove box or under a seat, hold their charge for months, and double as a power bank and flashlight. Bigger ones add USB-C ports strong enough to charge a laptop, and some, like the WOLFBOX MegaVolt24 Air, build in a tire inflator.
Sealed lead-acid jump boxes weigh roughly 17 to 45 pounds. They keep cranking longer, which helps with a stubborn engine, and their long, heavy cables suit shops and tow trucks. The tradeoff is upkeep: lead-acid batteries lose charge sitting on a shelf, so they need recharging after every use and every month or two. Consumer Reports found in an older test of lead-acid packs that only one of four worked on all its vehicles, which shows how much a neglected battery matters (Consumer Reports).
Whichever type you choose, charge it fully before you put it away, and top it up at least every three months, as most makers advise. Heat shortens lithium battery life, so avoid leaving a pack on the dashboard of a car parked in the sun. For flights, check the watt-hour rating. Packs of 100 watt-hours or less can generally go in carry-on bags but never checked luggage, and larger ones need airline approval (Hulkman).
How To Use A Jump Starter Safely
Read your car's owner's manual first, especially for a hybrid or electric car, which may have a dedicated 12-volt jump point. With the pack switched off, connect the red clamp to the battery's positive terminal and the black clamp to bare, unpainted metal on the engine or chassis, away from the battery. Switch the pack on, start the car in short attempts with rests between them, then disconnect the black clamp first (Battery Tender, Harbor Freight). Never try to jump a frozen or cracked battery.
Lithium packs from established brands include reverse-polarity and spark protection, so a mix-up won't harm you or the pack. An override or boost button bypasses some of that protection to feed a battery that reads near zero volts, so check the clamps twice before pressing it.
A jump starter only gets the engine running. If the car dies again soon after, test the battery and alternator. Cheap lithium packs from unknown sellers can be a fire risk: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warned in September 2026 against using Hererod jump starters and power banks (CPSC). We checked every brand on this list and found no jump starter recalls.
How we researched this
We screened 24 jump starters, including the 10 older picks on this page, and pulled detailed listing data for 17 current models. We read the makers' published specs, three independent tests (GearLab, Car and Driver and AutoGuide), Consumer Reports' archived buying guide and patterns in owner feedback, and we checked every brand for recalls and warnings with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Sources (10)
- GearLab: best jump starters (updated April 2026)
- Car and Driver: best jump starters (May 2026, via Yahoo Autos)
- AutoGuide: best portable car jump starters
- Consumer Reports: jump starter buying guide
- Clore Automotive: JNC325 product sheet
- Battery Tender: how to use a jump starter safely
- Harbor Freight: how to jump-start a car
- Hulkman support: carrying a jump starter on a plane
- CPSC warning: Hererod jump starters and power banks (September 2026)
- CPSC recall: Whistler Jump&Go (2015)
Frequently asked questions
What is the best portable jump starter for most cars?
For most cars and SUVs, the WOLFBOX MegaVolt24. It's rated for engines up to 10 liters, its battery tested close to its claimed 88.8 watt-hours, and it costs about the same as smaller packs. For a small glove box, the NOCO Boost Plus GB40 is lighter.
How many amps does a jump starter need for a truck or SUV?
Go by the engine rating rather than peak amps. A pack rated for at least 8 to 10 liters of gas, or the diesel size of your engine, suits most V8 trucks and SUVs. AutoGuide suggests 1,500 to 2,000 amps or more for larger engines.
Is a lithium jump starter better than a lead-acid jump box?
For most drivers, yes. Lithium packs are light, hold a charge for months and charge phones. Lead-acid jump boxes are heavy and need frequent recharging, but they crank longer and suit shops and heavy trucks.
How long does a jump starter hold its charge?
Lithium packs lose charge slowly, but makers advise topping them up at least every three months. Lead-acid boxes should be recharged after each use and every month or two.
Can I take a jump starter on a plane?
Packs of 100 watt-hours or less can generally travel in carry-on bags, never in checked luggage. Larger ones need airline approval. Check the watt-hour rating on the pack and your airline's rules.
Will a jump starter charge a dead car battery?
Not really. It delivers a short burst to start the engine. After that, the car's alternator or a battery charger has to recharge the battery. If the car won't hold a charge, test the battery and alternator.
