Best Car Battery Chargers: Keep Your Car Battery Lasting Longer
Get long-lasting, reliable starting power with these high-quality car battery chargers.
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Why does it always seem like your car battery chooses the day you’re running late to get to work in the cold, dark, snow, or rain to give up the ghost and stop working? You jump in the car, turn the ignition, and…nothing. Whether it’s because your car battery is past its prime, has been sitting unused for too long, or you’ve accidentally left an overhead light on all night, having a dead car battery is never a happy surprise.
All these headaches and irritation can be easily avoided by using a low-cost, efficient car battery charger, also known as a trickle charger. While these compact and affordable devices don’t mean you’ll never have to replace your car battery again, they can help extend the life of your car battery or even help bring it back from the dead, thus saving you valuable time and money. To help you figure out which of the plentiful choices on the market is worth your investment, I’ve come up with a list of my top favorites, along with what to look for to ensure you’re getting a durable and dependable choice that will keep your car ready to roll for years to come.
NOCO Genius5 Fully-Automatic Smart Charger
- Backed by a three-year warranty
- Versatile, multifunctional use
- Can recharge dead batteries as low as zero volts
- Instruction manual is somewhat vague
- May automatically fall out of Force Mode when unattended
Battery Tender Junior 12V Charger and Maintainer
- Affordable
- Easy to use
- Backed by a five-year warranty
- Not as versatile as other options
- Can only maintain the charge on a car battery, not charge it from dead
Ampeak 2/10/25A Smart Battery Charger/Maintainer
- Plenty of built-in protective features
- Easy-to-read LCD display
- Includes reconditioning mode
- Alligator clamps could be more heavy-duty
- Won’t work with lithium-ion or 6-volt batteries
Summary List
Our Methodology
When it comes to choosing the best car battery chargers, I wanted to provide you with a well-rounded list that features a good variety of reputable manufacturers with solid track records of providing high-quality, reliable products. I included a wide range of price points to suit any budget. I focused on battery chargers that use the latest technology and that feature innovative, high-tech designs suitable for a wide variety of vehicles. I also narrowed the list by leaving off anything that’s more suited for professional commercial use. This list focuses more on everyday personal-use chargers that are great for keeping in your home garage. For more information on the selection criteria, click this link to The Drive’s Gear About page, which explains our methodology further.
Best Car Battery Chargers Reviews & Recommendations
Pros
Backed by a three-year warranty
Versatile, multifunctional use
Can recharge dead batteries as low as zero volts
Cons
Instruction manual is somewhat vague
May automatically fall out of Force Mode when unattended
Pros
Affordable
Easy to use
Backed by a five-year warranty
Cons
Not as versatile as other options
Can only maintain the charge on a car battery, not charge it from dead
Pros
Plenty of built-in protective features
Easy-to-read LCD display
Includes reconditioning mode
Cons
Alligator clamps could be more heavy-duty
Won’t work with lithium-ion or 6-volt batteries
Pros
Heavy-duty clamps and cables
Can also act as a jump starter and desulfator
Helps diagnose battery issues
Cons
Heavier and bulkier than some others
Frequent quality control concerns
Pros
Complete kit ideal for most garages
Backed by a five-year warranty
Some of the most advanced technology on the market
Cons
Expensive
Not suitable for lithium-ion or 6-volt applications
Our Verdict on Car Battery Chargers
If you want the best overall car battery charger in terms of power, dependability, ease of use, versatility, and price point, my top pick is the NOCO Genius5 Fully-Automatic Smart Charger. This model is designed for use with 6- or 12-volt batteries and can be safely used on marine, powersport, RV, and deep-cycle batteries, making it a versatile choice. For a high-quality, budget-conscious choice, consider the Battery Tender Junior 12V Charger and Maintainer. It’s an excellent choice if you want a super budget-friendly and reliable charger for your favorite toys.
What to Consider When Buying a Car Battery Charger
While there are many similarities between most of the best car battery chargers on the market, it’s not a one-size-fits-all consideration. There are several important key factors to familiarize yourself with to ensure you’re getting the best choice to suit your needs and that will hold up to the serious wear and tear over time and continue to deliver reliable power when you need it most.
Car Battery Charger Key Features
Voltage
A battery charger’s rated voltage is the measure of its strength, essentially. The voltage determines if a particular charger is strong enough to fully recharge your particular vehicle’s battery. Since most cars run on a 12-volt system, this is pretty straightforward. However, if you’re looking for a charger that will do double-duty and charge your powersports, golf carts, etc., consider getting a charger that offers 6- or 24-volt options as well.
Amperage
Amperage is the measure of current the charger will put through it while it’s working. Generally, a higher amperage equals faster charging times. Most car battery chargers fall in the range of 5-8 amps. If you want super fast charging times, consider going for 10-30 amps. If you’re looking to leave something plugged in all winter or during an off-season, lower amperage is likely fine.
Automatic Function
In today’s busy and fast-paced society, you probably don’t have a ton of extra time to sit around checking and rechecking your battery charger. Look for a charger that offers automatic sensors and functionality that will monitor all stages of charging and switch into float mode once your battery is sufficiently charged to prevent overcharging and damage to your battery.
Safety Features
A high-quality car battery charger will have a bunch of extra safety features built-in to prevent accidental damage to the battery or fire. Functions that prevent overcharging, short-circuiting, reversed polarity, over-temperature, and over-voltage are very important when it comes to safe use and user-friendliness.
Car Battery Charger Pricing
You can find a basic, straightforward car battery charger that is reliable and will deliver dependable results for quite some time for between $35 and $65. $75 and up will get you a heavy-duty, higher amperage, more technologically advanced car battery charger that can also act as a maintainer or desulfator, and in many cases, even a jump starter. These will also be backed by longer warranties and may come with accessory options, such as extension cables and wall mounts.
FAQs
You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.
Q: How long should you leave a battery charger in a car?
A: While newer, more technologically advanced car battery chargers offer plenty of built-in safety features designed to prevent overcharging, it’s not a good idea to leave the charger on your car all the time. Most batteries will be able to achieve a full recharge in under 24 hours, so you should ideally disconnect from the charger as soon as this happens. Even with built-in precautions, leaving a charger unchecked for extended periods could result in an accidental fire.
Q: What is the difference between a jump starter and a battery charger?
A: Jump starters are made to deliver a large burst of power all at once to cause the battery to be powerful enough to turn the car’s engine over. A battery charger requires far less power and is meant to deliver a continuous amount of power over time to more slowly charge a battery to full power so that it can start your car without the aid of a jump starter.
Q: Which terminal do I connect each battery charger clamp to?
A: Hooking up your battery charger to your car battery is pretty straightforward. Each charger has a positive and a negative clamp. On most chargers, the positive is red and the negative is black, but always be sure to double-check before attaching. Hook the positive clamp to the positive terminal on your battery first. Next, affix the negative clamp to the negative terminal. Set the charger to the lowest charging rate and turn on the charger. Make sure all connections are secure and monitor the charger to make sure it’s working properly before leaving it unattended.
Q: Doesn't the battery charge during a jump start?
A: The car’s battery will charge a little during a jump start. To charge the battery fully, you’ll need to leave your car running for an extended time. A battery charger will help remove the need for a jump starter and ensure your car is fully charged and ready to go whenever you are.
Why Trust Us
Our reviews are driven by a combination of hands-on testing, expert input, “wisdom of the crowd” assessments from actual buyers, and our own expertise. We always aim to offer genuine, accurate guides to help you find the best picks.
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