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The best jump starters of 2026 according to the tests

This ranking brings together independent tests of portable jump starters (starter batteries or ‘power banks’ with clamps) carried out by motoring magazines with their own measurements and trials on cars: AUTO BILD, AUTO ZEITUNG and auto motor und sport in Germany, and Auto Express and CAR in the United Kingdom. Each test uses different devices, test batteries and criteria, so the ranking does not mix their scores: it uses each product's position within each test and only includes those that appear in at least two. Only the Dino Kraftpaket, the Noco GB40 and the Osram BATTERYstart 400 appear in more than one test.

According to 5 tests independent tests from AUTO BILD, AUTO ZEITUNG, auto motor und sport, Auto Express and CAR, the best jump starters are the Dino KRAFTPAKET 12V-600A (10.0/10), the NOCO Boost Plus GB40 (9.0/10) and the OSRAM BATTERYstart 400 (8.4/10). The score summarises the position each one achieved in those tests; it is not our own test.

How we work

Ranking of jump starters

Based on the tests published since 2025. 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

    Dino KRAFTPAKET 12V-600A

    • AUTO BILD · 2026: #1 of 6 · «1,4 (sehr gut)»Best performance in the laboratory, very good finish and the largest range of accessories; its manual mode only holds voltage at the clamps for about 30 seconds.
    • auto motor und sport · 2025: #1 of 9 · «sehr empfehlenswert (Testsieger)»Passed the test starts, comes with a great many accessories and a ‘Boost’ function for a very flat battery; the magazine describes it as a very complete device.
    10.0/10

    according to its position in the tests

  2. No. 2 · 2 tests

    NOCO Boost Plus GB40

    • CAR · 2026: #1 of 7 · «5/5 (best for build quality)»Effortless start and good finish, but it covers petrol engines up to 4.0 litres and diesel up to 3.0 litres, so it is not suitable for very large engines.
    • AUTO BILD · 2026: #2 of 6 · «1,7 (gut)»At 20 °C it sustains 300 A for more than 10 seconds and is easy to use, although the clamps only work comfortably with large, strong hands; in the cold (-12 °C) only the Dino and the Osram performed well.
    9.0/10

    according to its position in the tests

  3. No. 3 · 2 tests

    OSRAM BATTERYstart 400

    • AUTO BILD · 2026: #2 of 6 · «1,7 (gut)»Very good finish and plenty of accessories; at 20 °C the 300 A starting current was cut off after 3.5 seconds, but at -12 °C it was one of the two that performed well.
    • auto motor und sport · 2025: #2 of 9 · «empfehlenswert»Passed the starts; according to the magazine it is only slightly better than its smaller sibling and costs more than €70 extra, and has no function for very flat batteries.
    8.4/10

    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.

  • Draper Lithium Jump Starter and Tyre Inflator · Auto Express · 2026: #1 of 7 («5 stars»)
  • Featoo Starthilfe-Powerbank para turismos con compresor 150 PSI · AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #1 of 6 («87/100 puntos (Gut, Testsieger)»)
  • NOCO Boost X GBX45 · CAR · 2026: #1 of 7 («5/5 (best jump starter)»)
  • Einhell CE-JS 18/1 · auto motor und sport · 2025: #2 of 9 («empfehlenswert»)
  • NOCO GB50 Boost XL · auto motor und sport · 2025: #2 of 9 («empfehlenswert»)
  • Norauto Start Plus 2 · auto motor und sport · 2025: #2 of 9 («empfehlenswert»)
  • OSRAM BATTERYstart 300 · auto motor und sport · 2025: #2 of 9 («empfehlenswert»)
  • Profi Power JSF 4000 · auto motor und sport · 2025: #2 of 9 («empfehlenswert»)
  • Voltcraft Schnellstartsystem 1000A · auto motor und sport · 2025: #2 of 9 («empfehlenswert»)
  • AstroAI MF16 6000A · Auto Express · 2026: #2 of 7 («4.5 stars»)
  • SUCFOCUS Starthilfe-Powerbank 4000A · AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #2 of 6 («76/100 puntos (Gut, Preis-Leistungs-Sieger)»)
  • CTEK CS FREE · CAR · 2026: #3 of 7 («4.5/5 (best charger)»)
  • Draper 12V 1200A Lithium Jump Starter · CAR · 2026: #3 of 7 («4.5/5 (best for durability)»)
  • Halfords Advanced 5-in-1 Power Bank · Auto Express · 2026: #3 of 7 («4.5 stars»)
  • Ring Ultraboost 500A · CAR · 2026: #3 of 7 («4.5/5 (best for smaller engines)»)
  • Povasee 4000A UltraSafe · AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #3 of 6 («74/100 puntos (Befriedigend, «Sehr empfehlenswert»)»)
  • ATEK Jump starter con inflador (8.000 mAh) · Auto Express · 2026: #4 of 7 («3.5 stars»)
  • NightSearcher VoltMax · Auto Express · 2026: #4 of 7 («3.5 stars»)
  • GOOLOO Auto-Starthilfe-Powerbank 3000A · AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #4 of 6 («72/100 puntos (Befriedigend)»)
  • ASPERX Starthilfe-Powerbank 4000A · AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #5 of 6 («70/100 puntos (Befriedigend)»)
  • GOOLOO GE1200 · CAR · 2026: #6 of 7 («4/5 (best for additional features)»)
  • Ring Ultrastart-Air · Auto Express · 2026: #6 of 7 («3 stars»)
  • AstroAI B8 Starthilfe-Powerbank · AUTO ZEITUNG · 2025: #6 of 6 («67/100 puntos (Befriedigend)»)
  • Draper 70553 12V Power Pack · CAR · 2026: #7 of 7 («3/5 (best heavy duty jump starter)»)
  • Nexpow Starthilfe-Powerbank · AUTO BILD · 2026: #6 of 6 («2,5 (befriedigend)»)
  • Sealey RoadStart 12V Jump Starter & Tyre Inflator · Auto Express · 2026: #7 of 7 («2.5 stars»)
  • Ultimate Speed UMAP 12000 A2 · auto motor und sport · 2025: #9 of 9 («bedingt empfehlenswert»)

What to look for when buying

  • Check how it performs in the cold, not just the power the manufacturer advertises: AUTO ZEITUNG kept each device at -12 °C for 48 hours and half of them stopped being able to start a car, and in AUTO BILD's -12 °C measurement only the Dino and the Osram gave good results.
  • Check that it will handle your engine: manufacturers set different engine-size limits for petrol and diesel (for example, CAR states that the Noco GB40 covers petrol engines up to 4.0 litres and diesel up to 3.0 litres) and the models tested only supply 12 V systems.
  • If the battery may be very flat, look for a device with a manual or boost mode: AUTO BILD warns that models with a microprocessor may fail to recognise a very flat or damaged battery, and auto motor und sport notes which models lack that function (among them the Osram BATTERYstart 300 and 400 and the Norauto Start Plus 2).
  • Read the manual before use: auto motor und sport insists on following the connection order, the maximum duration of each attempt and the cooling breaks, because some functions (‘Boost’ and similar) disable protections, including reverse polarity protection.
  • Look at the clamps, cables and accessories: Auto Express points out short cables on several models (17 cm on the Draper), auto motor und sport notes somewhat bulky clamps and which devices do not include a mains charger, and AUTO BILD assessed whether they come with a carry bag.
  • If your car has stop-start, CAR recommends checking before buying that the starter is compatible, because some do not work well with that system.

The tests we use

Frequently asked questions

Is a portable jump starter suitable for any car?

Not always. Each model states the maximum engine size it can start, with different limits for petrol and diesel: auto motor und sport lists, for example, 4.5 litres of petrol and 7 litres of diesel for the Noco GB50 Boost XL, and 3 litres and 2 litres for the Ultimate Speed UMAP 12000 A2. AUTO BILD adds that the devices tested only work with 12 V systems, not 24 V lorries or 6 V classics.

Can I leave the jump starter in the car all year round?

AUTO ZEITUNG advises always carrying it with you, including in winter, provided it can cope with low temperatures. In its test, half the devices stopped working after 48 hours at -12 °C, so it is worth checking how the specific model performed in the cold.

What is the manual or ‘Boost’ mode on a jump starter?

It is a function for starting when the device does not recognise the battery, for example if it is very flat. AUTO BILD notes that on the Dino the manual mode only holds voltage at the clamps for about 30 seconds, and auto motor und sport warns that these functions bypass protections such as reverse polarity, so the manual must be followed to the letter.

Do the huge amp figures manufacturers advertise mean anything?

AUTO BILD is sceptical of those figures and measures how long each device can sustain a 300 A starting current. At 20 °C the Noco kept it up for more than 10 seconds, the Dino 5, the Osram 3.5 and the Nexpow 2.5, so the figure on the box says little about real-world performance.

Is a jump starter the same as a battery charger?

No. A mains charger restores charge over hours; a jump starter delivers a burst of current to turn the engine over. CAR tested a hybrid device, the CTEK CS FREE, which works as both a charger and a jump starter but requires waiting about 10–15 minutes connected before starting.

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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