10 Best Jump Starters for 2020: Portable & Lithium Ion Options

Last Updated on March 30, 2020 by Team TRA

We’ve all been there. Approaching our car and clicking away at the unlock button on our key fob but nothing is happening. We unlock the car manually, get in, turn the key and the engine doesn’t roar to life. Dead battery. There’s not a soul in sight in the parking lot of course, and the jumper cables won’t do any good. Time to make the call of shame to one of our friends or family members for rescue. Avoid the hassle and embarrassment with one of the best jump starters in our list below.

Comparison Table: 10 Best Car Jump Starters for 2020

These car jump starters are sorted by price ascending.

Image	Product	Peak Amps	Air Compressor	USB	Weight	Price
	Arteck Car Jump Starter	300	No	Yes	0.5 pound
	FlyHi Compact Portable Car Jump Starter	500	No	Yes	1 pound
	STANLEY J5C09 Jump Starter	1000	No	Yes	18 pounds
	DBPOWER Portable Car Jump Starter	600	No	Yes	1 pound
	POTEK Car Jump Starter	1000	Yes	Yes	14 pounds
	NOCO Genius Boost Plus GB40 Lithium Jump Starter	1000	No	Yes	2 pounds
	Rugged Geek RG1000 Safety Plus	1000	Yes	Yes	1 pound
	Clore JNC770B Jump-N-Carry Jump Starter	1700	Yes	Yes	23 pounds
	Schumacher DSR114 DSR ProSeries Jump Starter	2200	No	Yes	25 pounds
	Clore Jump-N-Carry JNCAIR Jump Starter with Air Compressor	1700	Yes	No	25 pounds

Closer Look: Our Top 5 Best Car Jump Starters Picks

Here are the all-around best jump starters to solve those little mishaps and get you back on the road quickly.

1. Clore JNC770B Jump-N-Carry Jump Starter

JNC770B Jump-N-Carry jump starter is one of Clore Automotive’s top products. It is a bestseller in the portable jump starter category. At 23 pounds, it is convenient to transport this jump starter with you and/or transfer between vehicles. Ideal for both professional and personal use, it offers 1,700 peak amperes, 425 cranking amperes, and an easy to read digital display.

The clamps used are professional grade and may charge the vehicle’s batteries even when there is some corrosion on the top. Between the AWG Welding Cable Leas and heavy-duty Clore PowerJaw Clamps, you’ve ensured an excellent connection to your battery. The cables themselves are 68″ in length, that’s plenty of reach for almost any application. 

The Clore PROFORMER battery is well-designed tech from Clore. It is engineered to give optimal cranking power, duration, and numerous jumps per charge. It will revive the weariest of batteries. Extra features include dual USB outputs, a digital voltmeter, protective cover, rubber boot base, and bright LED light.

2. NOCO Genius Boost Plus GB40 Lithium Jump Starter

Instead of using a lead-acid battery, the NOCO Genius Boost incorporates a lithium battery. The NOCO is one of the best lithium-ion jump starters available. It is rated at 1,000 amps (about 7,000 joules). This allows you to get up to 20 jumps on a single charge. The compact design and powerful 100-lumen dual LED lights make this ideal for placing it in a stable part of the inside of a vehicle’s hood, staying out of the way while you get the job done. The USB port makes it easy to get your device charged up efficiently and this unit has enough juice for about 4 full smartphone charges.

Out of our best jump starters list, this is the safest unit. NOCO put extra thought into safety when designing this unit. A mistake safe, easy to use, spark-proof, and reverse polarity protection means the user will be able to safely connect this to any battery. The NOCO Genius Boost Plus is made for gasoline-powered cars with engines up to 6 liters and diesel engines up to 3 liters in size (works on lawnmowers, motorcycles, boats, too).

3. Schumacher PSJ-2212 DSR ProSeries 2200 Jump Starter

PSJ-2212 DSR is a portable power unit product from Schumacher. It comes packed with 2000 peak amperes, 330 cranking amperes and 275 cold cranking amperes making it one of the best jump boxes in terms of power for dollar. Plug it into a 12 Volt DC power outlet and once fully charged, it’ll be good for numerous jumps. This unit is robust, with its heavy-duty rubber base and 4 gauge 50-inch cables with big clamps that feature replaceable copper jaws. The durability factor is one of the big reasons this made our list of best car jump starters.

The 22 Ah professional grade high output AGM brand battery is excellent for tailgating, camping, power outages, and of course jumping those in need. More than just getting a portable jump starter, you’re getting a quality lead-acid battery for a fair price.

4. Clore Jump-N-Carry JNCAIR Jump Starter with Air Compressor

This Clore Jump-N-Carry is very similar to the JNC770B starter in our best car starter list, but it comes with an integrated air compressor module. Backed with the same robust PROFORMER battery from Clore, it delivers exceptional cranking power. If your battery is 6 feet under, have no fear, the PROFORMER battery will bop it back into shape. This is powerful enough to jump start all passenger vehicles as well as light commercial vehicles.

The air compressor is a 12-inch coiled air hose with a screw-on chuck and can be used to pump up your vehicle’s tires or even bike tires. This industrial grade AIr Delivery System has the ability to fill 15-inch car tires from flat to full in under 7 minutes. The ability to jump-start and fill up tires brings auto shop capability to on-the-go convenience so you’re prepared for anything. We think it’s safe to say this is in the running for the title of the best jump starter with air compressors.

5. DBPOWER Portable Car Jump Starter

Last but not least in our list of best portable jump starters is this unit from DBPOWER. This 18,000mAh portable jump starter is a best seller in the jump starter category and for good reason. This unit has a great combination of features making it one of the best car jump starters out there. If you’re looking to use a jump starter as a dual purpose battery pack this ones for you. The 18,000mAh capacity is good for 30 jump-starts and about 10 full smartphone charges. It has two charging ports for devices and the unit even comes with 8 in 1 laptop adapters.

This unit has a little bit of everything. Intelligent protection clamps, compact portable size, multi-functional flashlight, dual charging ports, and even a compass. It works on gas-powered passenger vehicles with engines up to 6.5L and diesel engines up to 5.2L.

Car Jump Starter Guide Part I: General Thoughts on Portable Jump Starters

What can go wrong, will go wrong. Words of wisdom from ages ago. The fact of the matter is even the best of us leave the lights on from time-to-time. Not all vehicles have lights that automatically shut off. Hence, the need to be prepared and purchase a jump starter or at least jumper cables. A portable jump starter is a desirable alternative to being stranded, making a phone call of shame, or wandering a parking lot asking for a jump.

A portable jump starter can be defined as a reserve or extra power unit that can energize a car’s electrically driven starter unit if it is unable to generate electricity to fire up a car’s motor. It is a backup battery that gets your car’s engine moving again and, in turn, the alternator running to recharge the car battery. All you have to do is match the alligator clamp colors to the colors of the battery terminals (red for positive and black for negative). Turn the power button on the jump starter if it comes equipped with one. Some models put out peak amps without an on/off button. Now the jump starter is ready to transfer its peak amperage to the battery and boost the cranking amps of the battery. You’re ready to start the vehicle and hope for the best.

The best car battery jump starters have a slew of bonus features. Some of these new products are pretty darn handy, you can use the battery to charge devices such as your smartphone or laptop, and some of them come stocked with an integrated air compressor to fill up your tires. As long as your vigilant about keeping in charge and keeping it with you, you’ll always have a backup jump or ability to charge your phone in the case of an emergency.

Car Jump Starter Guide Part II: How to Use a Portable Jump Starter or ‘Jump Pack’

Here’s a short 90-second video that walks you through using one of the new portable jump starters.

Car Jump Starter Guide Part III: 3 Most Important Benefits of Jump Starters

Here are the top benefits you receive by purchasing one of the best portable jump starters.

• DIY. Once you own a jump starter, you no longer need to ask for help and waste someone else’s time. The big and obvious benefit here is that you no longer need to conduct a full search of the parking lot in an attempt to find a host vehicle when using booster cables. Sometimes, you’re in a more remote location or say it is late at night. In that case, you’d have to make a phone call and bother someone with the chore of rescuing you from your silly mistake. Nobody likes that.
• Safety & Risk Factors. With jumper cables, you have to connect your car’s battery to another. That’s not only more dangerous to the operators attempting to jump the dead battery, but there’s also risk in damaging the expensive electronic components on one or both of the vehicles. This is particularly true with newer vehicles, as they continue to get more sophisticated, the inherent risk goes up. Voltage spikes or other anomalies during the jumping process can damage sensitive electrical and electronic components. A portable jump starter, on the other hand, isn’t typically powerful enough to cause damage to the vehicle that’s being jumped. You’ve only got one set of battery terminals to deal with, it is easy to hook up, and not nearly as dangerous.
• Positioning. How the to disable vehicle is parked is no longer a concern. With booster cables, you either need really long ones or find a way to get the other vehicle facing the front hood of the disabled vehicle. If you can do neither things, you’d be out of luck. A portable jump starter allows you to jump your car in the most remote locations (we’re looking at you Jeep owners).