We've all heard (or told) the story before. It's too early to be alive, you forgot to restock your coffee supply, and you're wearing what you came home in. So, of course, you left your headlights on and now you need a jump. It's too early to call anyone or bother your neighbors, so you're stuck.
Next time, you'll be prepared, because you were smart enough to click on this article and learn a little more about the mighty jump starter. Whether it's a little brick of lithium power or a bulky box with
cables hanging off the sides, one of these battery-reviving machines can easily save the day. While factors like portability, compatibility with your vehicle, and overall power are important, knowing which brands to look for and which to avoid is a solid first step.
SlashGear has done the work for you, ranking 13 major jump starter brands from worst to best. Customer feedback, sales data, professional hands-on reviews, and my own personal experience as an automotive technician were all considered, and the result is this handy list. Links to purchase solid examples from all ranked jump starter brands are included, along with some information on what to look for in a good jump starter.
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Scatach
Scatach makes affordable jump starters that are affordable, two of which are among the 11 best-selling jump starters on Amazon at the time of writing. The manufacturer claims that the 3000-Amp model of its jump starter can start a 9.0-liter gas engine or a 7.0-liter diesel 50 times on a single charge, and lists numerous safety protections. The unit also functions as a portable power bank, flashlight, and even has a built-in emergency hammer. So why is it so low in our rankings?
Nearly 10% of all reviews of Scatach jump starters are 1-star, and the brand receives consistent complaints of poor construction, unreliable storage batteries, and product failure after a single use. For something advertised as sturdy enough to be used as an emergency escape hammer, multiple reports of plastic buttons just falling into the unit are concerning. And issues with questionable starting power, poorly built clamps, and poor customer service are common enough to suggest literally any other brand on our list. If you're in the market for a portable power bank for your phone...well, SlashGear would recommend nearly anything on our list of major power bank brands over the Scatach jump starter, despite its price tag of around $40 on Amazon.
Stanley
Stanley is known for reliable if unremarkable products. Its tape measures top our brand rankings because of the wide variety of well made but not over-engineered products, and other tools from Stanley's many brands and sub-brands follow suit. Unfortunately, the better of Stanley's jump starters suffers from a glut of add-ons that make it feature rich at the expense of portability.
Several of Stanley's jumpers also include air compressors, power inverters, and other premium features, and while those are all solid reasons to invest in a full-on power plant like the Stanley Professional Power Station, there are drawbacks. Size, is the first big knock against this powerhouse -- it weighs around 20 pounds. Another is that ratings on Stanley's own website are poor, with out-of-the-box failure to charge being a major factor in many one-star reviews.
The highest-rated Stanley jump starter on Amazon, the 1200-Amp Jump Starter with a built-in air compressor, sells for about $100 and, per reviews, seems to avoid the issues Stanley's power stations have.
DieHard
DieHard has long been one of the most reputable automotive battery brands. However, if you compare DieHard batteries to the fantastic original film that shares its name, consider other DieHard products more like the sequels -- a recognizable name slapped on products of varying quality.
In my experience as a Sears mechanic, DieHard jump starters aren't very dependable. They're heavy, the hard plastic used for the larger boxes breaks at the smallest bump or fall, and the cables are short. If you're trying to charge a battery rather than just jump it, prepare to wait a while, as the majority of DieHard jumper/charger combos are basically a motorcycle battery encased in a shell, rather than the more modern lithium models.
DieHard jump starters are available at Advance Auto Parts, among other retailers. While we wouldn't recommend the compressor/jump box style for the reasons mentioned above, newer and more portable lithium jump starters have decent reviews. The 800-amp model should start a 4.0-liter gas engine up to 20 times, and the unit also features an LED flashlight and two USB ports.
The DieHard Silver 3-in-1 800-Amp Lithium Jump Starter can be purchased from Advance for $120.
EverStart
Several of the best seller spots at Walmart are filled with EverStart jump starters. The brand, which also produces automotive batteries, cables, and accessories, makes a variety of cheap jumpers that feature different levels of peak amperage. Being a brand primarily sold at Walmart doesn't necessarily mean it's a low-quality label -- after all, SlashGear wrote positively about EverStart batteries. Unfortunately, while affordable, EverStart's jump starters don't earn the same positive treatment.
All but one EverStart jump box has a four-star average but under a thousand reviews, which is surprising at a retailer like Walmart where nearly every item easily surpasses that review threshold. The most common problems for those lower-rated jump starters are an internal battery that won't hold a charge, recharge, or jump a car -- all pretty damning issues for an item designed to do exactly those tasks.
The EverStart Maxx 1000-Amp Jump Starter seems to be the exception to those rough ratings. A combination air compressor, USB charging battery, jump starter, and work light, this tool is available at Walmart for around $60 and maintains a solid 4.3 star rating over nearly 2000 ratings.
Ryobi
Ryobi's bright green tools are a staple on Home Depot stores across the country, and you'll spot its outdoor power equipment, drills, and drivers in any suburban garage if you're peeking in while walking your pug, as I often do. The brand has a reputation for making reliable, affordable tools for nearly every project or task a DIY-minded individual can set their mind to. Apparently, that includes starting a vehicle without jumper cables, too.
Ryobi only makes one jump starter, but the Ryobi 18V One+ Jump Starter's basic design and unique power requirement make it hard for us to recommend at its current price point. The tool's instructions are a little fuzzy on advanced features like its override mode is useful for completely drained batteries, but other highlights are basically limited to an onboard LED work light and safety precautions like reverse polarity protection. Its jumper cables are noticeably short, and the tool's reliance on the availability of a charged Ryobi One+ battery make it best suited for a garage setup in a home already invested in the One+ system, rather than an in-car jump starter for emergency situations.
The Ryobi 18V One+ Jump Starter is available as a bare tool at Home Depot for $180.
DeWalt
A brand beloved by professionals and homeowners alike, DeWalt's yellow and black tools are as common to see on a construction site as they are in a suburban garage. And while the company's tools are often praised on SlashGear, particularly DeWalt's impact drivers and useful tools for beginners, we have run into a few items to steer clear of. The problem, which we discuss in that linked article, is that occasionally DeWalt is paid to slap its brand name on a product made by another company, and sometimes that product doesn't reach the standard set by DeWalt itself.
DeWalt's jump starters and power stations, made by Baccus Global LLC, are some of the most popular at Home Depot. The DeWalt 1600 Peak Amp Jump Starter with Digital Compressor and USB Power Bank, for example, combines the benefits of a portable jump starter with an air compressor with digital readout. USB and USB-C charging ports and an alternator tester to make sure your battery is recharging during driving add to the feature list of this jump starter. Unfortunately, the drawbacks, like its 35-pound weight and lead-acid power source, make it a tool that is versatile, but more suited to store in a garage rather than a trunk.
The DeWalt 1600 Peak Amp Jump Starter with Digital Compressor and USB Power Bank can be purchased at Home Depot for $159.
Clore Automotive
Clore Automotive has been making jump starters for professionals since the 1990s. The company, and its sub-brand Solar, makes everything from commercial rolling jump starters to small handheld jumpers, along with replacement batteries and jump starting accessories like memory savers. The brand has designed its most popular portable boxes to be easy to carry, durable enough for everyday use, and powerful enough to be used in a professional shop setting.
Clore's Jump-N-Carry line of jump boxes combine the classic box and cable design with a reliable internal battery for portable charging. One of the independent shops I worked at had a pair of the JNC770R boxes, and in the two years I was there never needed replacement. However, for personal use, the Clore Automotive JNC325 is a solid, portable alternative. It's priced about the same as the JNC770R, but its battery is lithium-ion, and the JNC325 is a more portable block design that can be stashed in a car trunk or large glove box. Its long jumper cables, built-in LED flashlight, and USB charging capability earn it a solid recommendation.
The 2000A Clore Automotive Jump-N-Carry JNC325 is available on Amazon for around $150.
Nexpow
Nexpow's founder worked for a roadside assistance company, where he learned firsthand the need for a portable, reliable solution to dead auto batteries. After two months of trial and error, he developed his first portable jump starter, a lithium-ion based tool that maintains a charge longer than a traditional lead acid battery, making it great for emergency backup situations.
Nexpow's jump starters are often small enough to keep in your glove box, but some have the power to jump a 12-liter diesel engine. Prices scale up with amperage, but I have the Nexpow 1000A T11F compact jumper in the glove box of my 1996 Ranger for a couple years now, and it's never let me down -- unlike my truck's battery, which often does. The T11F could be considered barebones, but still includes several safety features, can be used as a power bank with USB quick charge, and has a built-in LED flashlight. The cables are short, but that's pretty common with these compact li-ion jump starters since easy storage is part of why this style of jumper is popular.
The Nexpow 1000A T11F Jump Starter can be ordered from Amazon for $70, but is often available with a markdown from that list price -- when I purchased mine, a combination of a lightning deal and promo code knocked it down to just $30.
Wolfbox
Wolfbox is a newer brand, founded in 2019 with operation centers in China and Colorado. The company's dash cams, EV chargers, jump starters and tire inflators are all featured on its Amazon storefront, but its many positive videos on YouTube and social media helped it to become a top seller at some major retailers.
Popular and powerful, two of Wolfbox's jump starters are top 10 bestsellers on Amazon, and all of the brand's jumpers on Walmart's website maintain 5 star ratings. Reviews say the most popular Wolfbox jump starter on Amazon, the 4000A Wolfbox MegaVolt24 Jump Starter, does what it says on the tin, starting engines up to 10 liters while also charging electronics via USB or USB-C, and also featuring a built-in flashlight and a boost mode for super-dead batteries. However, professional reviews note that it's simply a jumper that does what it should, while few quality-of-life upgrades to put it solidly near the middle of our rankings.
One final note: While it's available at Walmart, Amazon, and other retailers, Wolfbox offers a lifetime warranty on its jump starters if they are ordered via the brand's own website. The Wolfbox MegaVolt24 is around $150 directly from Wolfbox, and a little less through other retailers.
Schumacher Electric
Since 1947, Schumacher Electric has been an industry leader in power innovation. Whether it's larger products like custom transformers, or power-conversion solutions like battery chargers, the Texas-based company has always been proud of its American ingenuity. Schumacher's jump starters are top sellers at Auto Zone, Advance, and Walmart, and the company's jumpers aren't just for cars. Schumacher makes specialty jump boxes for marine and agricultural applications, as well as rugged outdoor models -- they even packed a 1000A jump starter into a flashlight!
Schumacher Electric's best selling jump starter at Auto Zone is the DSR165 ProSeries 12V 2200 Peak Amp Jump Starter. That mouthful of a name describes a lot of what the jumper is capable of, but it's worth running down some of the highlights of the tool. Schumacher says this jump starter is capable of outputting 525 cranking amps, or 350 cold cranking amps. The internal battery used in the DSR165 is a high-output AGM, and the attached cables are a generous 60 inches with color-coded clamps. As a portable power station, the jump starter also includes a 12V accessory outlet and a 2.1A USB port.
The Schumacher Electric DSR ProSeries 2200 Peak Amp 12V Jump Starter and Portable Power Station can be purchased from Auto Zone for $250.
Avapow
One thing to keep in mind about larger jump starters is that they tend to discharge. That's because they are typically housing the equivalent of a motorcycle battery in that bulky plastic frame, and standard batteries naturally discharge over time. One of the first things Avapow lists in its product descriptions is a nine month standby -- long enough to keep you from worrying that you're going to be caught in the snow with a dead battery and a dead jump starter, if you're aware enough to recharge the little guy twice a year.
Makers of some of the highest-rated, while still affordable, jump starters available, Avapow has good reviews among both pros and YouTubers. The A07 is one of its more popular models, and produces up to 1500 peak amps. That's enough power to start a 7-liter gas engine or a 5.5-liter diesel up to 40 times, according to the manufacturer. USB ports allow for phone charging, and the A07 has a flashlight with 21 LEDS, basically turning the entire front end of the jump starter into a light bar if you're stuck in the dark.
The Avapow A07 Jump Starter is available on Amazon with a list price of $60.
Gooloo
SlashGear has written about the glut of word salad products on Amazon and how they came to be, and Gooloo ranks up there with some of the best of them. If you get past the name and dig a little deeper, though, you'll discover a best-seller on Amazon and other retailers. Gooloo's portable jump starters are small enough to fit in a pocket, but powerful enough to jump a truck. Extra features like phone charging and LED lighting are also useful, although at this point in our rankings they're expected on a brick-style lithium-ion jump starter like this one.
The Gooloo GP4000 has positive reviews on a number of sites -- not just customer reviews, but actual writeups by professionals with hands-on experience with the tool -- writeups like this one, written for SlashGear by me, a former mechanic who keeps this jump starter in my partner's daily driver. The bright yellow and black jump starter features an LED power indicator, multiple USB ports as well as a 12V outlet, and an LED flashlight. The manufacturer says it can start any gas engine and diesels up to 10 liters, and its 4000 peak amps more than justify its moderately high price.
The Gooloo GP4000 can be ordered from Amazon. It's got a list price of $170 but I've never seen it sell for higher than $100.
Noco
Data suggests this is overwhelmingly one of the best major jump starter brands on the market, earning it the top spot in SlashGear's rankings. Noco's jump starters are well reviewed, and are best sellers at nearly every retailer that carries it. The brand, established in 1914, was initially a tire and battery distributor, but the owner made his claim to fame by creating the world's first battery corrosion preventative -- a precursor to the red-and-green rings or sprays that auto part stores try to upsell you when you buy a battery.
Today, Noco's portable jump starter lineup includes the best-selling jumper on Amazon and Auto Zone and the top performing jump starter as rated by independent YouTube tester Project Farm. That best-seller on Amazon, the Noco Boost Plus GB40, is a portable lithium-ion powerhouse designed to start cars, boats, RVs -- anything with a gas engine up to 6 liters, or up to a 3-liter diesel. The tool itself is water resistant, and the casing is rubberized and overmolded to protect both the jump starter and the surfaces it's resting on, often the paint job of your vehicle. The GB40 weighs in at just 2.4 pounds, and it's small enough to rest directly on your battery as you clip its sparkproof connections onto the terminals.
The Noco Boost Plus GB40 is available on Amazon with a list price of $125, although it is often discounted.
Methodology
SlashGear used information from a variety of sources to produce this list of major jump starter brands ranked worst to best. Sales data from Amazon, Home Depot, and auto parts stores like Auto Zone and Advance was considered. Customer ratings from those places were aggregated along with reviews from trusted YouTubers and automotive websites. Finally, my own opinions as a professional automotive technician with 15 years of experience and plenty of experience with several of these jump starters helped to finalize our rankings.
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