Jump starters are the single most powerful form of battery chargers. Top-quality jump starters and portable power packs are shrinking in size and increasing in versatility. This is fabulous for all sorts of reasons; for one, you can always have a device which can help fire up your vehicle, should you find yourself with a flat 12V battery.
Secondly, they come with a number of different features, so you can use them as power banks for either holidays or lots of travelling in order to keep your mobile devices charged up. Some also have torch functions now, so you can either illuminate what you're connecting the clamps to or something else completely, should you not have a standalone torch on you.
A reliable portable jump starter should mean you're never left stranded. If your battery is going flat regularly, then it's probably time for a replacement unit as it's not holding power as well as it should be. But a good quality jump starter is a great thing to keep in your car for when your battery needs a little persuasion. Although, getting a good trickle charger might be a great way to keep your car's battery in check while you're not using it.
The best jump starters tested 2025 at a glance:
We've put a selection of jump starters to the test to find out how they all performed on a set of cheap bangers bought on eBay for less than £1,500 each. Each jump starter differs slightly in order to cater for different requirements, such as engine size, longevity, and features - and certainly, not many flat battery scenarios are the same. This means there will certainly be one here for you, your vehicle and your situation. And if not, maybe a smart battery charger might be the thing to opt for.
How we test jump starters
The jump starters were tested on a few cars that had either flat batteries or had their batteries drained after leaving the lights on. The latter was done in order to recreate a situation where a consumer might accidently do the same after parking up.
Quite simply, we wanted to see how well the jump starters fired up car engines. We also tried out their extra features to see how practical they could be in other situations as well as feeding life back into dead batteries.
The cars in question consisted of three cheap second hand buys: a 2.4 litre Volvo V70, an MG TF Roadster, and an old Ford Puma. Each have different engines and slightly different batteries, which was great for our test.
This of course, can't be replicated with every vehicle though. Some jump starters can start up cars with petrol engine sizes of up to 9.0-litres+, so if you've got a 6.2-litre AMG Mercedes or 8.4-litre Dodge Viper, there will be a jump pack suitable for your needs. However, most people don't, and we believe our tests of the various jump starters replicate what most motorists might experience, using vehicles with engines smaller than 3.0-litres.
What we look for in jump starters
Ideally, consumers will be looking for a jump starter primarily based on how well it can pump some life back into a battery. So, power is key in our test - our judgements are based on how effortlessly they can help fire up the cars.
We also like jump starters to be as easy as possible to keep and carry around. As petrolheads, we can value this sort of thing as lots of sports cars won't have much in the way of boot storage, so the more portable and easy to place the jump starter, the better, so portability is the next thing we look out for.
We like to be able to carry a jump starter around within our cars, so they're always around whenever we need them. This can be while on road trips to the Nürburgring, so when we need our cars the most, we know we can always grab the jump pack when required.
On that front, having extra features is a huge bonus. Things like USB ports for charging your mobile devices as well as integrated torches increases their versatility. If you're doing that trip to the 'Ring, it's a long haul from anywhere in the UK, so a jump pack that quickly charges your devices while holding a lot of charge will be a true lifesaver if your vehicle doesn't have many charge ports - or even none at all.
Lastly, while these sorts of products are retailed at prices reflective of their quality, power capabilities and features, a jump starter that represents value for money is a bonus that surely any buyer can enjoy. They can vary, depending on brand value and subsequent build quality, and these factors will also be taken into consideration throughout our tests.
The best jump starters 2025
Tested product
On sale now
Aaron Hussain: CARTo refer to that overused cliché, at the cutting edge, American brand NOCO is, in fact, the one that is sharpening the blade. Its new Boost X range rules supreme in the world of jump starters and power packs. The GBX45 promised to be the class act of our jump starter group test, and it proved nothing less than our deserved winner.
For starters, it's a compact device that packs a great deal of power. So, not only is it easy to carry around in the car, but when you need it, it's there to provide all the power you could possibly need to your dead battery. It covers vehicles with petrol engines up to 6.5 litres and diesel engines up to 4.0 litres.
Simply connect up the two leads to the terminals, and it fired up the car's engine like the battery itself was fully charged. There was no hesitation from the starter motor whatsoever, and we were impressed by the prowess and performance of the GBX45. Furthermore, the flashlights are greatly powerful with 100 lumens within.
It also has USB ports for charging your phone or tablet, and we can testify that it feeds battery charge into a smartphone remarkably quickly. This is useful, should you need to charge your phone on the go while on a long drive.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Premium-grade build quality and materials
- Flawless performance to restart a battery
- The torch and power bank functions are excellent
Cons
- Slightly overkill if you only own a supermini
| Weight: | 1.2kg |
| Dimensions: | 9.2 x 12.6 x 20.9cm |
| Max engine capacity: | 6.5-litre petrol/4.0-litre diesel |
| Amps: | 1250A |
| Extras | Flashlight, power bank |
Tested product
On sale now
Aaron Hussain: CARThis unit from Swedish firm CTEK is a little different to the other products recommended here because it is a charger rather than a boost jump starter. Yet, it's here because the CS FREE is very efficient and a little bit more gentle to the battery as far as jump starters go.
We tested it out on an early 1980's Audi 80 5S; the instructions implied that I should hook it up, leave it for around 10-15 minutes before turning it over. I did just that while admiring the boxy lines of this elegant, compact saloon.
While waiting for the big moment, I took some time to admire the CS FREE's immense quality and attention to detail. It's clearly a premium product, and feels it. The materials feel high-end and you can tell it's a clear cut above its competitors in the battery charging segment.
Eventually after waiting, I buzzed the security tag in the Ingolstadt classic, turned the key, and sure enough, a 5-cylinder purr followed showing no signs of rough idling. The CS FREE had done an amazing job at jumping the car's battery and provided that you wait a little bit longer than usual, you can use the CS FREE as an effective jump starter.
Unlike the others, it even doubles as a battery trickle charger which makes it massively more versatile than the others on this list. The power bank slots are plentiful, but there is no flashlight function, which is a slight drawback. Overall though, this is my personal favourite out of all the jump starters, simply because I can use it for all manner of things.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Clever dual-purpose unit
- Adaptive Boost works very well on our test
- Tremendous build quality and materials
Cons
- Bigger and heavier than the NOCO and Ring units
- No flashlight function
| Weight: | 1.4kg |
| Dimensions: | 24.8 x 9.8 x 7.8cm |
| Max engine capacity; | N/A |
| Amps: | N/A |
| Extra features | Power bank, trickle charger |
Tested product
Editor's pick
Aaron Hussain: CARTo help you understand the difference, the GB40 is slightly different to the GBX45 because it falls into a slightly different product range from NOCO. This one is from the Boost Plus Range, which is a model range that sits below the Extreme range, where the GBX45 sits and bears the X in its name. To provide a bit of more understandable context, the GB40 is the BMW 330i, whereas the GBX45 is more like an M3.
The GB40 caters for petrol engines up to 4.0 litres and diesel engines up to 3.0 litres. This comfortably covers most cars sold in the UK market. Subsequently, it's therefore one of the brand's best sellers.
So, how did it perform on our test? Quite simply, like its more powerful sibling, it didn't feel like there was a flat battery at all upon start-up. A quick terminal connection followed by a push of a button, and I turned the key like the car's battery was at its healthiest.
But that's not all; the integrated flashlight is also 100 lumens bright, so you can really help yourself out if things are a bit dark. It also performed profoundly well as a mobile phone power bank on a road trip, and managed to fully charge up my phone in just over an hour from around 26%.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Same premium feeling quality as the GBX45
- Effortless performance at starting up a dead battery
- Extra features are very useful for all sorts of tasks
Cons
- Doesn't quite cover as large engines as its sibling
| Weight | 1.1kg |
| Dimensions | 11.7 x 20.8 x 10.7cm |
| Max engine capacity | 4.0 litre petrol, 3.0 litre diesel |
| Amps | 1,000A |
| Extras | Power bank, flashlight |
Tested product
The best jump starter for durability
Aaron Hussain: CARThe immediate thing that strikes you with Draper's 1,200A power pack is there aren't any grips to keep it in place under the bonnet. The whole outer casing is coated metal, and none of it has any rubber supports or magnetic areas to help it stick anywhere.
For our test, though, this didn't end up being an issue as we placed it flat on top of the Ford Puma's battery. However, lots of cars have awkward battery placements - the E36 BMW 3-Series being one example - and so, you might find things tricky with this device depending on what vehicle you have.
How did the jump starter get on then? In short, exceptionally well. After hooking up the clamps to the terminals, the engine fired up as if it was the first time it rolled off the dealership floor. It was an effortless, flawless start and you couldn't really ask for anything more from a jump starter pack. That being said, we can only judge these things based off the performance they give to the provided test subject at the time. Things might differ for you and your vehicle.
The Draper pack also comes with a little flashlight as well as two USB outlets to charge up your mobile devices. The whole thing even comes in a handy little pack to make portability a breeze.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Very powerful for its size
- Great build quality and durable feel
- Effortlessly fired up our test vehicle
Cons
- No grips or magnets to secure it in place
| Power | 1,200A |
| Compatible for | 6.0-litre petrol, 4.0-litre diesel |
| Extras | Power bank, flashlight |
| Weight | 0.82kg |
| Dimensions | 17.6 x 8.3 x 3.2cm |
Tested product
The best jump starter for smaller engines
Aaron Hussain: CARIf you have a car with a petrol engine of up to 3.0-litres, this option from Ring Automotive should do all you really need it to, should it require the help of a jump pack. The UltraBoost comes in three spec levels signifying the amount of amps it has: 500A like we have here, 1,000A and 1,500A. Think of it therefore, as your base-spec Porsche Boxster with the S and GTS models also being available.
For a hot hatch or lightweight sports car, I don't see any reason why the UltraBoost isn't perfect for boosting their batteries. I hooked it up to our company MG TF, and what followed was about five episodes of it coughing its Longbridge lungs out every time I turned it over. It misfired badly and simply wouldn't run smooth out until long after the fifth attempt at cranking it over.
I half expected the UltraBoost to run out of guts by the end, but when I went to disconnect it, it still indicated 75% of charge left from 100%. It coped with multiple fire-ups and probably still had enough energy to do a few more. I found that very impressive from a less powerful unit, and I would recommend it to anyone with a small petrol-engined car like a Fiesta, Polo, or Mini.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Durable enough to last multiple start-ups
- Useful power bank and flashlight functions
- Good build quality and materials
Cons
- Is naturally quite limited with 500A on board
| Weight | 0.84kg |
| Dimensions | 25.4 x 9.4 x 4.2cm |
| Max engine capacity | 3.0-litre petrol, 1.5-litre diesel |
| Amps | 500A |
| Extra features | Flashlight, power bank |
Tested product
The best jump starter for portability
Aaron Hussain: CARCapable of jumping petrol engines up to 8.5-litres and 6.0-litre diesels, the GE1200 is a powerful little unit for its relatively compact size. You can get a wide array of GOOLOO jump packs, but we tried this one out because we felt it was all you could ever need from a jump starter, plus its in-built accessories. It includes a power bank and flashlight features, which makes it fabulous for travelling and/or camping.
Tested on a separate day from the others, the GE1200 was used to jump some life - once again - back into our company MG TF. I hooked it up to the battery terminals, engaged the boost setting on the unit, and turned the key of the K-Series. Sure enough, it fired right up - pretty smoothly as well, which was a nice bonus. This GE1200 was tested around two weeks after the Ring Ultraboost unit on the same vehicle, so it was pleasing to see that the misfiring issue had gone away.
You also get a carry case where you can keep the jump starter. This is especially useful if you're carrying it around in the boot of your vehicle, and don't want anything scratched or rattling. If I were to criticise the GOOLOO, I'd say the overall feel and quality of it simply isn't as good as the others. You can sense a slight cheapness, and this comes as a slight disappointment as the GE1200 is priced pretty comparably to the others at around £80 RRP.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Very versatile for the money
- Can jump start big engines
- Good enough build quality
Cons
- The NOCOs have the edge on durability
- Battery doesn't last as long as others
| Weight | 0.53kg |
| Dimensions | 27 x 20 x 7cm |
| Max engine capacity | 8.5 litre petrol, 6.0 litre diesel |
| Amps | 1,200A |
| Extra features | Power bank, flashlight |
Tested product
Most versatile jump starter
Aaron Hussain: CARwww.ebay.co.uk
Perhaps the quirkiest jump starter we had on test was this. The Worx WX852.1 Cordless Jump Starter is shaped like a torch. It also acts as one rather brilliantly as not only does it have a front-facing flashlight, but also an inspection light should you ever need to look underneath your vehicle.
The base is also magnetic, which is useful if you need to shine a constant light on your engine bay or other task. It also has USB ports which make it useful as a power bank. All of which work very well, but how did it perform at its primary task?
The answer is very well. Upon connecting the clamps to the battery, the test car fired right up - albeit with a bit of hesitation compared to the two NOCO units. The magnetic base also proved very useful in having somewhere to place the item before connecting the clamps.
The overall build quality of the Worx doesn't match that of the NOCO devices or really even a couple of others we tried, but I still covet it as a very trusty companion should you ever need a travel tool that, well... does it all. For an overlanding adventure in a Land Rover or even a camping tour in a VW Caravan across the NC500, this is a great tool to have on hand to keep you on the move.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Magnetic base is immensely useful
- Torch functions are impressive, especially the inspection light
- Great performance at jumping a flat battery
Cons
- A slight hesitation upon start-up was experienced on test
| Weight | 0.47kg |
| Dimensions | 31 x 10 x 12cm |
| Max engine capacity | 4.0 litre petrol, 2.0 litre diesel |
| Amps | 1200A |
| Extras | Power bank, flashlight, inspection light |
Tested product
Best heavy duty jump starter
Aaron Hussain: CARThis unit is hefty compared to the others above. Very hefty. But the trade-off is that the Draper is also immensely powerful and even doubles as a tyre inflator, thanks to its built-in compressor.
Not only does it jump-start vehicles (check your battery CCA to see if the Draper's 900A can jump-start it), charge devices via its USB ports and bears a flashlight. It's very heavy though, which is my ultimate con for the thing. It weighs seven kilos, which is monstrous compared to the others on the test, so you ideally need a heavy-duty task to justify the thing.
Its flashlight and charging capabilities are impressive, as there's a lot of power reserved for those features. When it comes to jump-starting a vehicle, it does so effortlessly. It has a peak amperage of 800V and easily fired up our test vehicle without any hesitation. It's just a shame that the dimensions and sheer weight of the thing let it down, slightly.
Long story short, it's fine if you want to jump start a car and for that purpose only. But given that the competition provides so much more than a jump pack and come in lighter, more compact forms, you can't really take this unit on a trip to Le Mans for the famous weekend.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- True all-in-one heavy duty power pack
- The air compressor gives it one more feature than the others
- Effortless jump starting capabilities
Cons
- Very, very heavy to carry around
- The size and weight makes it difficult to place in an engine bay
| Weight: | 7kg |
| Dimensions: | 34 x 19 x 35cm |
| Max engine capacity: | Not listed |
| Amps: | 800A |
| Extras | Flashlight, power bank, air compressor |
FAQs and what to consider with jump starters
Your biggest concern when looking for a portable battery charger is power. Particularly whether it's powerful enough to deal with your engine, a bigger engine will require more power to run. Thankfully our choices cover more-or-less every new petrol or diesel car on sale today and many from beforehand.
Things only really get tricky with HGVs and other heavy-duty vehicles, but you can get battery jump packs that cater for those sorts of vehicles. If you're wanting to keep your vehicle's battery charged up without using the mains electricity or have little access to it, then a solar battery charger might be your answer.
You should also note that some battery boosters don't pair well with Start-Stop systems, so it's our advice to check before buying and perhaps consider one of the best batteries for stop/start systems. Another thing you should consider is the size of your car. While these are portable units, some are bigger than others and may eat valuable storage space. This can be valuable storage saving if you run something like a Lotus Evora with a small boot.
Do jump starters have other functions?
One of the best features that most of these chargers offer is that they'll also act as power banks for other electronics. These will usually have USB slots that'll allow you to charge up your mobile phone if you're broken down.
Some offer built-in air compressors, but these tend to be more expensive and take up more room than other options. And more often than not, you'll find flashlights integrated within jump starters. This is to aid you when connecting the terminals, but we can imagine a number of different uses, including for camping trips and more.
How to use a jump starter
Before you hook up a jump starter, you should ensure the power pack is charged enough to jump-start a vehicle. And remember, the bigger the engine, the more power is needed to start it.
Next, you need to establish where the battery itself is in your vehicle. We searched for a sizable long time with our Volvo V70, because as it turned out, the battery is located underneath the boot floor.
Nine times out of ten, every normal vehicle has its 12V living under the bonnet, sharing space with the engine itself. But some cars don't; our favourite wacky example being the Ferrari Mondial - where it lives in the front-right wheel arch. Or if that's not wild enough, what about the Bristol 411, which has its 12V underneath a flap on the front-right wing?
Next, connect the jump starter to the battery terminals, making sure both the vehicle and the jump starter are off beforehand. You connect the red positive terminal first followed by the black negative terminal. Then you switch the jump starter on and, subsequently, start the vehicle, following the specific instructions of the jump starter. Turn off the jump starter, disconnect the black negative clamp first followed by the red positive clamp, and you're good to go.
It's always a good idea to leave your car running for several minutes - or even take it for a sizeably long drive. This simply gives time for the alternator to generate enough charge back into the battery again, so you won't have to repeat the process. If however, your battery keeps on getting flat, it may be time to upgrade to a brand new one.
Who tested the jump starters?
The jump starters that were tested were put through their paces by Aaron Hussain. Along with his role as a commercial content writer, he is also responsible for no less than dozen different product group tests for CAR and its sister site, Parkers. With a keen eye for product performance and whether its worthwhile, he was the ideal candidate to determine the rankings of these portable power packs.
Aaron Hussain is a commercial content writer at Bauer Media writing for Parkers and CAR. He is obsessed with classic cars and anything with a fascinating story to tell.