Best Trickle Chargers: Keep Your Batteries Always Ready

When it comes to choosing a reliable and high-quality trickle charger, the options are vast and varied. In order to narrow the playing field, I look at name brands that most people are already familiar with. These companies have a solid track record of providing reliable, comfortable, and high-quality products. I wanted to provide a variety of prices so that there would be a good option to suit any budget. I also tried to include only those options that are super straightforward and easy to use, thus minimizing your chance for error and damage to your battery or yourself. For more about our selection criteria and methodology, check out The Drive’s Gear About page.

If you’re looking for the ideal combination between reliability, durability, and price, consider the Battery Tender 12-Volt Junior Automatic Battery Charger. For a great budget-friendly pick, check out the Beikalone 12V Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) Battery Charger.

Not all trickle chargers are created equally as they come in a wide variety of sizes, capacities, and price points. The best one for you will have several key features that ensure proper function, reliability, and limited safety issues. The following buying guide will have you making your choice with confidence.

Dumb chargers are traditional chargers that come with more cables that are plugged into a wall socket. They are powerful, cheap, and can charge any battery size. Dumb refers to the fact that these chargers can’t monitor the charging status and often lead to overcharging of the battery if left unsupervised.

Smart battery chargers sport a modern design and can track the progress of the charging system to prevent overcharging. They are priced high due to their advanced safety features that prevent any battery damage. The chargers can be left unsupervised and can automatically adjust the settings to suit the charging needs of the battery. However, they can’t charge all battery sizes like a traditional charger.

The capacity of the battery and chargers is marked in amp-hours. You need to ensure that your trickle charger has a higher amp-hour value than your vehicle’s battery. Most chargers have adjustable ampere rates, but ideally, a maintenance charger needs to be under 5 amps while a fast charger should be at least 10.

If you are going to maintain your battery throughout the winter season, go for a charger with an automatic battery-charge monitoring feature. This will ensure that your battery isn’t overcharged and that it’s topped off every time the battery level goes down. It will buy you time by keeping your battery in good condition before you get to use your car.

The trickle charger needs to have some safety features that prevent damage to the battery. That might include reverse polarity connection safety, which ensures that you don’t damage your car’s electrical system in case you connect the charger to the wrong terminals. Other safety features include spark-proof technology, short-circuit protection, overload, and overheating protection.

Many good-quality trickle chargers will be offered for sale at or less than $50. At this price point, you should be able to find reliable options that feature smart auto charging technology that can safely charge your battery for prolonged periods with minimal supervision. Once you get above $50, that’s where warranties and safety ratings are more common. You’ll also find chargers suitable for charging larger batteries in this price range as well. 

You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.