Top 5 compared
The best car jump starters
A car with a dead battery started in minutes, with no jumper cables and no waiting for a neighbor to help.
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The top 5 at a glance
A jump starter is a portable lithium battery pack with clamps that starts a car on its own, with no second car and no cables strung between two hoods. Most double as a power bank and a flashlight, some add a status screen, and the Joltekon has an air compressor built in for a soft tire.
Peak amps, the headline figure, are measured differently from brand to brand, so the engine sizes each maker rates its pack for, gas and diesel, tell you far more. A pack only helps if it’s charged: the makers that give a schedule ask for a recharge every two or three months.
What matters
- The diesel rating, if it’s a diesel: often lower than gas.
- Clamps that guard against sparks and a reversed hookup.
- A charge level you can read at a glance.
- Rated for freezing weather, if it lives in the trunk.
#1Hulkman Alpha85 Jump Starter (2000A)
$100–$150
Rated for gas engines up to 8.5L and diesels up to 6.0L, with up to 60 starts from one charge and a 3.3-inch screen that spells out what’s happening at each step. A 65W charger comes with it and refills it to 80% in an hour, and Hulkman says a full pack keeps its charge for up to 18 months.
What owners say: Owners say it starts the car first time, usually inside a couple of minutes, and that the clamps feel built to last; one calls it a tank. Motorcyclists keep it in a saddlebag or pannier, and one counts four or five starts from a single charge.
A closer look: Clamp on, wait for the screen to say it’s ready, then start the engine; the protections cover sparks and a reversed hookup, so a slip does no harm. Hulkman asks for a recharge every three months and says five minutes on the charger is enough for one emergency start. The 15V DC socket runs a tire pump or a cooler.
- 60 starts per charge
- Holds charge 18 months
- Powers a tire pump, cooler
- Recharge every three months
Best for: Jump starts on your own
- Engines up to
- 8.5L gas, 6.0L diesel
- Peak current
- 2,000A
- Power bank
- USB-C PD, USB-A, 15V DC
- Flashlight
- Yes
- Safety protections
- 10, incl. spark-proof, reverse polarity
- Extras
- 3.3 in screen, 65W charger, IP65
#2NOCO Boost GB40 Jump Starter (1000A)
$75–$100
The glove-box pack: spark-proof clamps, up to 20 starts per charge on gas engines to 6.0L and a tough, water-resistant case. NOCO has been at it since 1914, when it started in Ohio as Nook & O’Neill.
What owners say: It’s far handier than jumper cables, owners say, and small enough to live in the glove box or go on a trip. Battery life and durability are the splits: many find it holds a charge for months and starts the car right away, while some had one that wouldn’t recharge or gave up within months.
Heads up: Its diesel rating stops at 3.0L, so bigger diesel trucks need a stronger pack.
A closer look: The clamps are protected against sparks and against being connected the wrong way around, so a mix-up does no harm. A full recharge takes about three hours over USB-C, and the flashlight has an SOS mode for a roadside breakdown at night.
- 7 light modes, including SOS
- Microfiber bag included
- 1-year warranty
Best for: Gas cars and small diesels
- Engines up to
- 6.0L gas, 3.0L diesel
- Peak current
- 1,000A
- Power bank
- USB-C
- Flashlight
- 100 lumens
- Safety protections
- Spark-proof, reverse polarity
- Extras
- IP65, 20 starts per charge
#3WOLFBOX MegaVolt24 Jump Starter (4000A)
$100–$150
It’s rated for gas and diesel engines up to 10L, enough for big pickups and SUVs, with an 88.8Wh battery that doubles as a 65W USB-C power bank for a laptop. The 65W charger comes in the box and refills it in about 1.3 hours, and an LCD shows how much charge is left.
What owners say: Owners say it starts cars without any trouble, charges back to full quickly and beats cables for ease; one carries it on a motorcycle. Reliability is the mixed point, with a few units dying inside a year.
A closer look: The one-touch boost button is for a battery so low the clamps won’t start on their own; otherwise just clamp on in the order the manual gives, as WOLFBOX warns against reversing them. It works from -4°F to 140°F, so it can stay in the trunk all year.
- One-touch boost for flat batteries
- Works from -4°F to 140°F
- UL and FCC tested
- Flashlight with SOS and strobe
- 2-year warranty
Best for: Diesel trucks and laptop charging
- Engines up to
- 10L gas and diesel
- Peak current
- 4,000A
- Power bank
- 65W USB-C, USB-A
- Flashlight
- Yes
- Safety protections
- 10, incl. spark-proof
- Extras
- LCD, 65W charger, IP64
#4Joltekon VP30 Jump Starter with Air Compressor (4500A)
$75–$100
A dead battery and a soft tire, both handled by one box: a jump starter rated for gas engines up to 9L and diesels up to 8L, with a 150 PSI inflator built in that stops by itself at the pressure you set. A 3.3-inch screen and a pressure gauge are part of the package.
What owners say: Owners like that everything, hose and nozzles included, fits in the carry case, and call it a lifesaver with plenty of power to start a car. Battery life is the mixed point: some say it holds its charge well, others that it runs down quickly.
A closer look: Choose the inflation mode, set the pressure and let it stop by itself; the hose detaches and packs into the case with four nozzles. Joltekon suggests a recharge every two or three months, and the car should be started within 30 seconds of the clamps going on.
- Inflator stops at set pressure
- Detachable hose, four nozzles
- Reads PSI, bar or kPa
- White and red strobe
- 2-year warranty
Best for: Dead batteries and soft tires
- Engines up to
- 9L gas, 8L diesel
- Peak current
- 4,500A
- Power bank
- USB-C
- Flashlight
- 500 lumens
- Safety protections
- 10 built-in protections
- Extras
- 150 PSI air compressor, display, case
#5TREKURE TK10 Jump Starter (4000A)
$30–$50
A phone-sized jump pack, 0.8 lb, with a 16,800mAh battery that keeps phones charged on a road trip as well as starting the car. TREKURE rates it for gas engines up to 8.0L and diesels up to 6.5L, from -4°F to 140°F.
What owners say: Small enough to tuck under a front seat, owners say, with enough power for a pickup; one starts a 2009 Pontiac Vibe with it in seconds. Charging splits them: most keep it charged easily, but a few say it won’t charge fully however long it’s plugged in.
A closer look: TREKURE asks for at least half a charge before each jump, so check it before a long drive rather than at the roadside. The flashlight’s orange strobe doubles as a warning light while you wait for help, and the maker says it’s allowed on planes, so it can ride in a carry-on for a rental car at the other end.
- Allowed on planes
- Orange strobe warning light
- Works from -4°F to 140°F
- Charge to half before jumping
- 2-year warranty
Best for: The glove box and road trips
- Engines up to
- 8.0L gas, 6.5L diesel
- Peak current
- 4,000A
- Power bank
- 16,800mAh
- Flashlight
- Yes
- Safety protections
- 10 built-in protections
- Extras
- Weatherproof shell, 0.8 lb
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Hulkman Alpha85 | #2NOCO GB40 | #3WOLFBOX MegaVolt24 | #4Joltekon VP30 | #5TREKURE TK10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best for big engines | Best with air compressor | Best budget | |
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Price | $100–$150 | $75–$100 | $100–$150 | $75–$100 | $30–$50 |
| Engines up to | 8.5L gas, 6.0L diesel | 6.0L gas, 3.0L diesel | 10L gas and diesel | 9L gas, 8L diesel | 8.0L gas, 6.5L diesel |
| Peak current | 2,000A | 1,000A | 4,000A | 4,500A | 4,000A |
| Power bank | USB-C PD, USB-A, 15V DC | USB-C | 65W USB-C, USB-A | USB-C | 16,800mAh |
| Flashlight | Yes | 100 lumens | Yes | 500 lumens | Yes |
| Safety protections | 10, incl. spark-proof, reverse polarity | Spark-proof, reverse polarity | 10, incl. spark-proof | 10 built-in protections | 10 built-in protections |
| Extras | 3.3 in screen, 65W charger, IP65 | IP65, 20 starts per charge | LCD, 65W charger, IP64 | 150 PSI air compressor, display, case | Weatherproof shell, 0.8 lb |
| Best for | Jump starts on your own | Gas cars and small diesels | Diesel trucks and laptop charging | Dead batteries and soft tires | The glove box and road trips |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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