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The best battery chargers of 2026 according to the tests

This ranking brings together six independent tests of mains battery chargers for 12 V car batteries, all from motoring magazines with their own measurements: AUTO BILD (17 chargers, a 2024 test updated in 2026), AUTO ZEITUNG (8, December 2025), Auto Express (6 in November 2025 and 8 in January 2022, the latter carried out at CTEK's R&D centre), What Car? (10 chargers, published in 2023 and updated in November 2025) and Hagerty UK (only 2, in 2020). Each uses different models, test batteries and scoring systems, so their ratings cannot be averaged. The “ADAC” charger that appears is, according to AUTO ZEITUNG, a product of Gebrüder Mannesmann sold under the club's brand.

According to 6 tests independent tests from AUTO BILD, AUTO ZEITUNG, Auto Express, What Car? and Hagerty UK, the best battery chargers are the NOCO GENIUS10 (8.3/10), the Draper 6/12V Smart Charger and Battery Maintainer 10A (53491) (8.0/10) and the CTEK MXS 5.0 (7.9/10). The score summarises the position each one achieved in those tests; it is not our own test.

How we work

Ranking of battery chargers

Based on the tests published since 2020. Each product shows its position and the rating from each test, with a link to the original publication. To enter the ranking, a product must appear in at least 2 tests. How it is calculated

  1. No. 1 · 2 tests

    NOCO GENIUS10

    • AUTO BILD · 2026: #1 of 17 · «1,8 (gut)»Test winner: delivers the advertised 10 A, has a repair mode and charges from 1.3 V; takes an average time to complete the charge.
    • What Car? · 2023: #4 of 10 · «Four stars out of five»Accepts 6 V and 12 V batteries of any type, including lithium; at 10 A it is unbeatable in charging speed, charges batteries from 1 V and has manual desulphation.
    8.3/10

    according to its position in the tests

  2. Draper 6/12V Smart Charger and Battery Maintainer 10A (53491)
    Photo: Draper

    No. 2 · 3 tests

    Draper 6/12V Smart Charger and Battery Maintainer 10A (53491)

    • Auto Express · 2025: #1 of 6 · «5 stars»The best in the test: simple, with 10 A, IP65 protection, 3 m of cable in total and a low price; only the Ring beat it in reaching 80% charge. Auto Express calls it the “12V Intelligent Charger”.
    • What Car? · 2023: #5 of 10 · «Four stars out of five»10 A, winter cycles, AGM, gel and lithium and a 6 V mode, at a price below that of CTEK and NOCO; the only points lost are for its rather short cables and the lack of a selectable reconditioning mode.
    • Auto Express · 2022: #2 of 8 · «4.5 stars»Simple, with a clear display and intuitive controls; it reached 80% in under 9 hours, although it produced a spark in the misuse tests.
    8.0/10

    according to its position in the tests

  3. CTEK MXS 5.0
    Photo: CTEK

    No. 3 · 2 tests

    CTEK MXS 5.0

    • AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #4 of 8 · «71/100 puntos (Befriedigend, «Sehr empfehlenswert»)»Eight charging phases that are easy to follow and operation down to −20 °C, but it is the slowest to charge the 95 Ah battery in the test.
    • Hagerty UK · 2020: #1 of 2 · «9/10»Compact, with status lights and three programmes (small battery, car and winter); it revived an almost dead battery that the Ring did not even detect, although it needed a whole night to exceed 12 V.
    7.9/10

    according to its position in the tests

  4. No. 4 · 3 tests

    NOCO GENIUS5

    • AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #3 of 8 · «73/100 puntos (Befriedigend, «Sehr empfehlenswert»)»Very fast (55 min), small and with a holder included, but it is hard to follow the charging process and gives little explanation.
    • Auto Express · 2025: #3 of 6 · «4 stars»Simple design, wall bracket, 4 m cable, large clamps and a Force mode for very flat batteries; its maximum 5 A makes it slower than others.
    • What Car? · 2023: #1 of 10 · «Five stars out of five»Best buy: offers what almost any user needs (batteries up to 120 Ah, modes for lead, AGM and lithium), detects batteries with as little as 1 V and allows the current to be forced in the worst cases; it costs almost £10 less than the CTEK CT5.
    7.7/10

    according to its position in the tests

  5. CTEK CS ONE 40-330
    Photo: CTEK

    No. 5 · 2 tests

    CTEK CS ONE 40-330

    • AUTO BILD · 2026: #11 of 17 · «2,9 (befriedigend)»Simple and controlled by an app, but does not reach the advertised charging power; AUTO BILD deducted points because it could not be paired with a second phone.
    • Auto Express · 2022: #1 of 8 · «5 stars»Adapts to the state, size and type of the battery and works however it is connected; it reached 80% in a little under 10 hours, but it is the most expensive (£219).
    6.9/10

    according to its position in the tests

  6. CTEK CT5 TIME TO GO
    Photo: CTEK

    No. 6 · 2 tests

    CTEK CT5 TIME TO GO

    • AUTO BILD · 2026: #5 of 17 · «2,3 (gut)»Simple and reliable, designed to keep the battery topped up in winter; not suitable for charging a battery quickly.
    • What Car? · 2023: #6 of 10 · «Four stars out of five»Well built, fast charging and very easy to use (it shows the remaining time and a “Try” indicator that warns when there is enough power to start), with AGM and reconditioning modes.
    6.0/10

    according to its position in the tests

  7. Ring RSC612
    Photo: Ring

    No. 7 · 2 tests

    Ring RSC612

    • What Car? · 2023: #3 of 10 · «Four stars out of five»Up to 12 A, winter and AGM cycles and diagnostic functions for the starter and alternator; does not accept lithium and has no IP65 protection, so it is only suitable for indoor use.
    • Hagerty UK · 2020: #2 of 2 · «7/10»More robust and faster than the CTEK, with an LCD display and a starter and alternator tester, but at times it gave inconsistent readings, did not detect a very flat battery and costs twice as much.
    3.9/10

    according to its position in the tests

  8. No. 8 · 2 tests

    Brüder Mannesmann ADAC Batterie-Ladegerät 6/12V (M12716)

    • AUTO BILD · 2026: #13 of 17 · «3,1 (befriedigend)»Good charging speed, but it produced sparks when connected and, according to AUTO BILD, was rendered useless after the reverse polarity test despite advertising that protection.
    • AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #6 of 8 · «69/100 puntos (Befriedigend)»Good across the board: charges at 12 V with 4 A in 2 h 20 min and revives the flat battery, although the finish is simple and it heats up quite a lot; it is sold under the ADAC brand.
    2.7/10

    according to its position in the tests

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Tested in only one test

They do not enter the ranking until they appear in more tests: a single result is not enough to compare them.

  • AEG Automotive Mikroprozessor-Ladegerät LT 10 (97024) · AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #1 of 8 («82/100 puntos (Gut, Testsieger)»)
  • AEG CW10 11278 · AUTO BILD · 2026: #1 of 17 («1,8 (gut)»)
  • Sealey Schumacher SCI90S · What Car? · 2023: #2 of 10 («Four stars out of five»)
  • Bosch C70 · AUTO BILD · 2026: #3 of 17 («1,9 (gut)»)
  • Dino KRAFTPAKET 136321 · AUTO BILD · 2026: #3 of 17 («1,9 (gut)»)
  • Bosch C40-Li · AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #2 of 8 («79/100 puntos (Gut, «Sehr empfehlenswert»)»)
  • Ring Ultra Charge 10 · Auto Express · 2025: #2 of 6 («4.5 stars»)
  • Ring 8A Smart Battery Charger & Maintainer · Auto Express · 2022: #3 of 8 («4.5 stars»)
  • Bosch C30 · AUTO BILD · 2026: #6 of 17 («2,4 (gut)»)
  • Cartrend DP 6.0 · AUTO BILD · 2026: #7 of 17 («2,6 (befriedigend)»)
  • OSRAM BATTERYcharge 904 · AUTO BILD · 2026: #7 of 17 («2,6 (befriedigend)»)
  • Clarke IBC7 Intelligent 7A Battery Charger · Auto Express · 2022: #4 of 8 («4 stars»)
  • Dino KRAFTPAKET 13611 · AUTO BILD · 2026: #9 of 17 («2,7 (befriedigend)»)
  • Nexpeak NC201 · AUTO BILD · 2026: #10 of 17 («2,8 (befriedigend)»)
  • Einhell CE-BC 10 M · AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #5 of 8 («70/100 puntos (Befriedigend, Preis-Leistungs-Sieger)»)
  • Halfords Advanced Smart Battery Charger Plus · Auto Express · 2022: #5 of 8 («3.5 stars»)
  • OptiMate 5 Select · Auto Express · 2025: #4 of 6 («3.5 stars»)
  • Güde GAB 12V/6V-4A (85145) · AUTO BILD · 2026: #11 of 17 («2,9 (befriedigend)»)
  • Wolf WBC180 · What Car? · 2023: #7 of 10 («Three stars out of five»)
  • RAC HP026 12A Battery Charger · Auto Express · 2022: #6 of 8 («3 stars»)
  • Sealey SPBC12 12A Fully Automatic Battery Charger · Auto Express · 2022: #6 of 8 («3 stars»)
  • Eufab 16647 · AUTO BILD · 2026: #13 of 17 («3,1 (befriedigend)»)
  • Laser 7652 · What Car? · 2023: #8 of 10 («Three stars out of five»)
  • CTEK NXT 5 · Auto Express · 2025: #5 of 6 («3 stars»)
  • Nexpeak 1-20A · AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #7 of 8 («64/100 puntos (Befriedigend)»)
  • Dunlop Battery Charger Trainer 1A · AUTO BILD · 2026: #15 of 17 («3,3 (befriedigend)»)
  • Halfords Advanced Smart Battery Charger · What Car? · 2023: #9 of 10 («Three stars out of five»)
  • Einhell CE-BC 1 M · AUTO BILD · 2026: #16 of 17 («3,4 (befriedigend)»)
  • Clarke CB09-12 · What Car? · 2023: #10 of 10 («2/5»)
  • Hausprofi Kfz-Batterieladegerät 12V 6A · AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #8 of 8 («56/100 puntos (Ausreichend)»)
  • Topdon Tornado4000 · Auto Express · 2022: #8 of 8 («2 stars»)
  • Victron Energy Blue Smart IP22 · AUTO BILD · 2026: #17 of 17 («4,0 (ausreichend)»)

What to look for when buying

  • Choose the amperage according to use: AUTO BILD recommends 10 A units, like its winner the AEG, for fast charging, and low-current models such as the CTEK CT5 or the Bosch C30 for keeping the battery topped up in winter or in cars that are driven little.
  • Check which battery types it accepts: AUTO BILD explains that AGM batteries need a higher charging voltage (up to 14.7 V) to charge fully, and among those tested there are models that accept lead, AGM, EFB, gel and lithium (AEG CW10, Noco Genius10) and others only 12 V batteries (the Dino 136321).
  • Look at safety, not only charging: AUTO BILD tested protection against reverse polarity, short circuit and sparks on connection; four chargers produced sparks, and two (the Eufab and the Mannesmann “ADAC”) stopped charging after the reverse polarity test.
  • Do not trust the current printed on the box: AUTO BILD measured what each unit actually charged, and several fell short (the Dino 13611 gave 1.9 Ah instead of 4 Ah, and the Victron 16.2 Ah instead of 30 Ah), while the Nexpeak NC201 exceeded its claims.
  • If the battery is very flat, check the minimum voltage at which the charger starts working: in AUTO BILD the Noco Genius10 charges from 1.3 V and the Bosch C30 needs 3.8 V; in AUTO ZEITUNG the Bosch C40-Li, the CTEK MXS 5.0 and the “ADAC” managed to revive a very flat battery.
  • Pay attention to cable length: AUTO ZEITUNG measured 185 cm on the AEG LT 10 (the best result) against about 60 cm on the Hausprofi, which it considered too short to connect properly to a battery fitted in the car.
  • Charging times vary enormously from model to model: Auto Express measured the time to 80% with 80 Ah batteries, ranging from under 9 hours (Draper, Sealey) to 34 hours (Topdon Tornado4000). In addition, the RAC HP026 delivered about 4 A instead of the 12 A advertised.
  • Be wary of unbranded chargers at very low prices: the one from Temu (about £16) charged reasonably quickly, but it failed the spark tests, had an almost unreadable display and very short cables.
  • If the battery is almost dead, check that the charger detects it: Auto Express tested with a 5 Ah battery reading 2 V; the NOCO Genius5 has a Force mode, and the OptiMate 5 Select reaches batteries at 0.5 V; Hagerty found that the CTEK MXS 5.0 revived an almost dead battery that the Ring RSC612 did not even recognise.
  • Consider who ran each test when comparing ratings: Auto Express ran the 2022 test at CTEK's R&D centre, where its CS One won, while AUTO BILD placed that same CTEK CS ONE 40-330 11th out of 17 (score 2.9).
  • If you are going to charge with the car outside and the battery fitted, look for a charger with IP65 protection: according to What Car?, the Ring RSC612, the Sealey SCI90S, the Wolf WBC180 and the Clarke CB09-12 are not designed for outdoor use and must be used under cover, while the Halfords Advanced Smart and the Laser 7652 are.

The tests we use

Frequently asked questions

How long does a charger take to recharge a car battery?

It depends on the unit and the battery. In AUTO ZEITUNG, with a half-discharged 95 Ah battery, the AEG LT 10 (10 A) took 55 minutes, the Bosch C40-Li (5 A) about 1 h 45 min, the Einhell CE-BC 10 M a little under two hours and the “ADAC” model of 4 A about 2 h 20 min; the CTEK MXS 5.0 was the slowest. These are times from that test, not a general rule.

Can I charge an AGM or lithium battery with any charger?

No. According to AUTO BILD, an AGM battery needs a higher charging voltage (up to 14.7 V) to fill fully, and not all chargers provide it; among those tested, there are also models that only accept 12 V batteries (the Dino 136321) and others that also accept 6 V, gel or lithium. Always check the specifications for which battery types are supported.

How do I connect a battery charger?

The steps AUTO BILD follows are: check that the battery's ventilation holes are clear (or remove the battery if necessary), connect the red clamp to the positive terminal and the black one to the negative with the charger still unplugged, and only then plug it in and switch it on. Always follow your model's manual.

Was the “ADAC” charger tested by the ADAC?

The results on this page come from AUTO BILD and AUTO ZEITUNG, not from the club. AUTO ZEITUNG describes the M12716 as a charger from Gebrüder Mannesmann sold under the ADAC brand, and AUTO BILD cites it as “ADAC/Brüder Mannesmann”.

Which is the best battery charger according to the tests?

There is no single winner, because each test used different models: the AEG CW10 and the NOCO Genius10 (AUTO BILD), the AEG LT 10 (AUTO ZEITUNG), the Draper 53491 (Auto Express 2025), the CTEK CS One (Auto Express 2022), the NOCO Genius5 (What Car?) and the CTEK MXS 5.0 (Hagerty). The NOCO Genius5 was third in both AUTO ZEITUNG and Auto Express 2025, and first in What Car?; the Draper 53491 was first in Auto Express 2025, second in 2022 and fifth in What Car?; and the CTEK MXS 5.0 was fourth in AUTO ZEITUNG and won the Hagerty comparison, which only pitted two units against each other.

Why does the CTEK CS ONE come out so differently in each test?

AUTO BILD placed it 11th out of 17 with a 2.9: it did not reach the advertised charging power, and it lost points because it could not be paired with a second phone. Auto Express gave it 5 stars and first place out of 8 in 2022 for its adaptation to the battery and ease of connection; that test was run at CTEK's R&D centre. The scoring systems differ, so it is worth reading both before deciding.

How it is calculated

We do not test products or give our own scores: we collect the results published by independent tests (motoring clubs, consumer associations and magazines with their own measurements). In each test, the first product scores 10 and the last scores 0, in proportion to its position; a product’s score is the average of its tests from the last 6 years. A test repeated by several organisations counts only once. No brand pays to appear, and shop commissions do not change the order. Full methodology

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