Best Portable Jump Starters (2026): Cheap Ones That Work
By @pickwiseThe best portable jump starters, picked from hands-on tests by Car and Driver, TechGearLab and Project Farm, which jumped dead batteries in V6s, trucks and beaters.
WOLFBOX MegaVolt24 (MV24) 4000A Jump Starter
Best overall. In TechGearLab's tests it started a V6 with a completely dead battery three times in a row and used only about 3% of its charge per start, the best result of any pack they tried. The 88.8 Wh battery covers gas engines up to 10 liters, and it doubles as a 65W USB-C power bank for a laptop or phone. Worth the extra money if you want one pack that never leaves you guessing.
- Peak amps
- 4,000 A
- Engines
- Gas and diesel up to 10 L
- Battery
- 88.8 Wh (24,000 mAh)
- Weight
- 3.38 lb
- USB-C out
- 65 W PD (in/out)
- Extras
- Display; 65 W wall charger included
GOOLOO GP2000 Jump Starter
Best value. TechGearLab named it the best bang for the buck after it delivered eight boosts in a row on a 2.5-liter engine before needing a recharge. It weighs about 1.2 pounds, holds its charge for up to two years in the glovebox, and handles gas engines up to 8 liters. The right pick for most sedans and small SUVs.
- Peak amps
- 2,000 A
- Engines
- Gas up to 8.0 L, diesel up to 6.0 L
- Battery
- 37 Wh
- Weight
- 1.2 lb
- Extras
- 400-lumen LED light
NOCO Boost Plus GB40
The most trusted compact pack, with more than 129,000 Amazon ratings. TechGearLab started a 4-liter V6 with a dead battery three times in a row with it at 33°F. The catch: it's rated for gas engines up to 6 liters, the cables are short, and Car and Driver saw one hard jump drain it from full to 25%. Best for small and midsize cars where you want the name brand.
- Peak amps
- 1,000 A
- Engines
- Gas up to 6.0 L, diesel up to 3.0 L
- Battery
- 24 Wh
- Weight
- 2.45 lb (1.11 kg)
- Extras
- 100-lumen LED light; IP65 rated
Strauto Emergency Jump Starter
Car and Driver's best budget pick. At under 1.5 pounds it's one of the lightest here, with long leads and a good storage bag. It's rated at 1,200 peak amps, so it's for 4-cylinder cars and small engines, not trucks. The clamps are small.
- Peak amps
- 1,200 A
- Extras
- Storage case; LED flashlight with SOS
AstroAI S8 Jump Starter (1,500A)
The glovebox pick under $50. TechGearLab's unit passed its three-starts-in-a-row test, and Popular Mechanics' tester used one about 20 times over a year, including on a 6.8-liter V10 motorhome, without it dropping below half charge. It's rated for gas engines up to 6 liters, so it's for cars and small SUVs, not trucks. The catch: the leads are only 12 inches long, there's a single slow USB-A port, and TechGearLab called the clamps mediocre.
- Peak amps
- 1,500 A
- Engines
- Gas up to 6.0 L, diesel up to 3.0 L
- Battery
- 29.6 Wh (8,000 mAh)
- Weight
- 0.95 lb
- USB-C out
- None (USB-C charges the pack; USB-A out 5V/2.1A)
- Extras
- Storage bag; LED flashlight with strobe and SOS
Clore Automotive Jump-N-Carry JNC325
Car and Driver's best overall, from the company that makes the jump packs tow trucks use. Its 24-inch cables are the longest of the compact packs, which matters when the battery sits deep in the engine bay, and it's simple to use: two buttons, power and override. It needed the override button to start their dead test car. Pricier than most.
- Peak amps
- 2,000 A
- Engines
- Gas up to 8 L, diesel up to 6 L
- Battery
- 74 Wh
- Extras
- 24-inch cables; 10A DC outlet
AstroAI S8 Ultra Jump Starter
A strong pack for its size and price. Car and Driver got their dead test car running with it once they switched on Boost mode. It comes with a storage bag, though the clamps felt less sturdy than the others. A reasonable middle option if the GOOLOO GP2000 is out of stock.
- Peak amps
- 4,000 A
- Engines
- All gas, diesel up to 12 L
- Battery
- 59.2 Wh
- Weight
- 1.79 lb
- USB-C out
- 5V/3A (in/out)
- Extras
- 300-lumen light; IP65 rated
GOOLOO GT6000 Jump Starter
For V8 trucks, big SUVs and diesels. Car and Driver picked it as the best for large engines: solid build, big clamps that are easy to use with gloves on, and it doubles as a power bank. The display can be hard to read in bright light.
- Peak amps
- 6,000 A
- Engines
- All gas, diesel up to 12.0 L
- Battery
- 99.9 Wh (27,000 mAh)
- Weight
- 4.44 lb
- USB-C out
- 100 W PD
- Extras
- 15V/10A DC port; 3.2-inch display
NOCO Boost HD GB70
The NOCO for V8 trucks and diesels up to 6 liters. In Project Farm's 2020 test it kept cranking for 13 seconds on the bench when the other packs shut off after 2 or 3, and it turned over a 4.2-liter diesel tractor on a drained battery. TechGearLab scored its starting power 8 out of 10 and its build 9. The catch: it's pricey for a 56 Wh battery, weighs over 4 pounds, and comes with a cloth bag and no wall charger.
- Peak amps
- 2,000 A
- Engines
- Gas up to 8.0 L, diesel up to 6.0 L
- Battery
- 56 Wh
- Weight
- 4.18 lb (1.9 kg)
- USB-C out
- None (USB-C charges the pack; USB out 5V/2.1A)
- Extras
- 400-lumen LED light; IP65 rated; 12V/15A port
Stanley J5C09D Power Station with Air Compressor
A jump starter and 120 PSI tire inflator in one, for keeping in the garage or the back of a truck. It started Car and Driver's dead test car without complaint, and the control panel and adjustable light are easy to use. It's a heavy lead-acid unit, not a pocket pack, and charging it needs a separate extension cord.
- Peak amps
- 1,200 A
- Engines
- Cars and trucks up to V8
- Battery
- Sealed lead-acid
- Extras
- 120 PSI air compressor with auto-stop
How to choose
A portable jump starter is a battery pack with clamps: it starts a dead car without jumper cables or a second car.
Quick picks: the WOLFBOX MegaVolt24 is the best overall, the GOOLOO GP2000 the best value, the Strauto is Car and Driver’s budget pick, and the $45 AstroAI S8 is the cheapest one that passed a real test.
How to choose: match the pack to your engine rather than the peak-amp number on the box, which isn't comparable between brands. The NOCO GB40 is rated for gas engines up to 6 liters, the GOOLOO GP2000 up to 8 and the WOLFBOX up to 10. For a V8 truck or a diesel, get the GOOLOO GT6000, or the NOCO GB70 if you want the name brand. The small lithium packs fit in a glovebox; the Stanley is a heavier lead-acid unit meant for the garage.
Keep it charged: a pack that's flat when you need it is no help. Top it up every few months. The GP2000 is rated to hold a charge for up to two years.
Ordered by how each pack did in those tests on an ordinary car, then the ones for big engines and the garage.
Prices checked October 4, 2026.
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