Best Portable Jump Starters: What to Buy for Holiday Travel and Winter

Start with your engine, not the number on the front of the box. The big amp figure is the least comparable spec on a jump starter, while engine size in liters is printed in your owner’s manual and is what five of these six makers rate their packs against. Match those two and most of the choice is made.

By that measure, the NOCO Boost Plus GB40 (gas engines up to 6.0 liters) and NOCO Boost X GBX45 (up to 6.5 liters) suit smaller gas engines in light, compact packs. The Fanttik T8 APEX, TOPDON JumpSurge 3000 and GOOLOO GP3000 carry maker ratings of 8.5 to 9 liters gas and 6 to 7 liters diesel, which gives a big pickup or a diesel more room. The Clore JNC660 is a different kind of tool, an 18 pound unit and the only one of the six with a printed cranking-amp rating.

We compared the makers’ own published specs, federal agency guidance and a few outside reviews. We did not test any of these products, and nothing here is a lab result. Before you use any pack, read its manual and your vehicle’s owner’s manual. Follow your local emergency officials, call 911 for a fire, and when in doubt, don’t.

What do the numbers on a jump starter mean?

A portable jump starter is a battery pack with clamps that can start a car with a dead battery without help from a second car. The box will be covered in numbers, and only some of them help you compare.

Peak amps is the big number on the front. MotorTrend reported that there is no universal method for measuring it and that companies often inflate it for marketing. When MotorTrend put jump starter and tire inflator combos on a load tester, a unit claimed at 1,700 peak amps read 463 amps and one claimed at 2,000 read 371. MotorTrend still judged the 371 amp unit more than enough to start a modern car, truck or SUV, so a low reading does not make a pack useless. It does make the box number a poor way to compare brands. Those were different products from the six below, and they are why we did not rank anything by peak amps.

Cranking amps is the figure MotorTrend suggests looking for instead, which it describes as the current a pack can deliver at 32 F for 30 seconds while holding 7.2 volts. Few makers print it. Of the six packs below, only Clore’s page lists one. TOPDON and GOOLOO describe their 3,000 amp figures as “peak cranking amps,” but neither page gives a temperature or time behind that number, so we treat it as a peak figure.

Engine size in liters is the like-for-like number. Five of the six makers print both a gas and a diesel rating, and your owner’s manual lists your engine’s size. On every pack here that prints both, the diesel rating is lower than the gas rating, so check the one that matches your vehicle. Both figures are the makers’ own claims.

Battery type, watt-hours and temperature range decide how a pack copes with living in a car. A pack may sit in a trunk from January to August, and watt-hours come up again if you fly. Some makers print a temperature range and some do not.

How do the six packs compare?

We picked these because they are widely sold and spread across engine ratings and battery types, not because they are the six best. Every value below is as printed on the maker’s own page when we read it in November 2026.

“Not listed” means the maker page we read did not print that figure. A few more notes on reading it. The Fanttik page lists three models in one comparison table. The T8 APEX’s 2,000 amps and engine ratings also appear in its own product copy, but the 74 Wh figure appears only in that table, where we matched it to the 2,000 amp column, so confirm it on the page. The GOOLOO temperature range and battery type come from GOOLOO’s FAQ, not its spec list. Maker pages change, so recheck before you buy.

Which jump starter fits your car?

Engine liters come first. After that, think about where the pack will ride and how cold your winters get.

NOCO Boost Plus GB40. NOCO’s page describes a lithium-ion pack for gas engines up to 6 liters and diesel up to 3 liters, with up to 20 jump starts, spark-proof and reverse-polarity protection, and an IP65 rating. At 2.45 pounds and under 8 inches long, it takes up little room. The drawbacks show on the page itself. Its 3.0 L diesel rating is the lowest of the five packs that print one, and NOCO says the pack allows “safe operation in any climate” without printing a temperature range. If you drive a larger truck or a diesel, look further down this list. The GB40 is also the jump starter listed on our binder resources page, which only makes sense for you if its rating covers your engine.

NOCO Boost X GBX45. This is the step up from the GB40, rated for 6.5 L gas and 4.0 L diesel, with a 31 Wh battery, USB-C and an IP65 rating with the ports closed. At 2.16 pounds it is the lightest of the three packs whose weight we found. Its specs page gives no temperature range either.

Clore JNC660. Clore prints 1,700 peak amps and 425 cranking amps, a built-in automatic charger, a voltmeter that shows the charge of the internal battery, and a 12 volt outlet, and the unit weighs 18 pounds. Clore’s page calls its battery the PROFORMER without naming the chemistry, while AutoGuide describes Clore’s Jump-N-Carry packs as lead-acid, which fits the weight. The page lists no engine liters or temperature range, so you would need the manual to check it against your engine. It suits a driver who wants a printed cranking figure and does not mind the heft.

Fanttik T8 APEX. Fanttik rates it for gas engines up to 8.5 liters and diesel up to 6.0 liters, with 20,000 mAh (74 Wh), a 400 lumen light and 65 watt USB-C. Its printed working temperature, 5 F to 113 F, is the narrowest of the three ranges we found. The top end sits 27 degrees below TOPDON’s and GOOLOO’s, and the bottom end sits 9 degrees above theirs. Hold the upper limit against a car parked in summer sun and the lower one against your coldest mornings. The page we read did not list a weight.

TOPDON JumpSurge 3000. TOPDON claims up to 9 liters gas and 7 liters diesel, up to 45 jump starts on a single charge, and a working range of -4 F to 140 F, from a 24,000 mAh battery. The page did not print watt-hours or name the battery type. Using the same 3.7 volt conversion Fanttik applies to its own 24,000 mAh model gives about 88.8 Wh, but that is our arithmetic, not a TOPDON figure. We did not find a weight on the page.

GOOLOO GP3000. GOOLOO’s product page claims 9.0 liters gas and 7.0 liters diesel. Its FAQ gives -4 F to 140 F for both operating and storage and describes the battery as lithium polymer. Capacity and weight were not on the page we read.

For a compact car or small SUV whose gas engine falls inside NOCO’s ratings, the two NOCO packs are the lighter choice. For a diesel pickup or a large gas engine, the three packs rated 8.5 to 9 liters give more margin on paper. For holiday travel, weight matters in a way the table hides. A pack of about 2 pounds is easy to carry into a hotel room or a relative’s house on a cold night, and an 18 pound box is not.

If you are putting together a whole winter trunk, our guide to what to pack in a car emergency kit for winter driving lists what else belongs next to it, and our roundup of the best car emergency kits covers ready-made options.

Is it safe to leave a jump starter in a cold or hot car?

Start with the maker’s printed temperature range, then compare it with the coldest night and the hottest parked car you expect. For lithium batteries, the U.S. Fire Administration gives general storage guidance:

“Lithium-ion batteries should be charged and stored in a cool, dry place, and not left charging for too long.”

“Minimize the exposure of lithium-ion batteries to extreme temperatures, especially when charging.”

Source: USFA, “Educating your community” (usfa.fema.gov), accessed November 2026.

A car parked in summer sun is not a cool place, and a trunk in a hard freeze is its own extreme. The USFA gives no numbers, so the only numbers we have are the makers’. GOOLOO’s FAQ says that above 60 C (140 F) the cells of its lithium polymer battery may be damaged, causing it to swell and become unsafe, and it says not to store the device in a vehicle parked in hot weather for long periods of time. That is GOOLOO’s statement about its own product. For your pack, the manual is the authority.

Cold is the other half. We could not find a federal source that puts a number on how much capacity a lithium pack or a car battery loses in the cold, so we are not going to give you a percentage. AutoGuide wrote that most lithium jump starters can only be used above about 15 F, but it gave no source, and the printed ranges here go lower, to -4 F for TOPDON and GOOLOO and 5 F for Fanttik. Go by the range printed for your exact pack. If your winters fall below it, or your pack’s page prints no range at all, as with both NOCOs and the Clore, check the manual or ask the maker, and consider bringing the pack inside between uses.

The same USFA page covers checking the battery and charging it:

“Routinely inspect lithium-ion batteries for cracking, bulging or leaking.”

“Use the charger that came with the device or use 1 from a reputable supplier.”

“Consider nationally recognized testing laboratory-certified (such as UL) electric devices from a reputable retailer.”

Source: USFA, “Educating your community” (usfa.fema.gov), accessed November 2026.

On fire, the USFA says:

“If a lithium-ion battery fire occurs, don’t try to put it out. Evacuate and call 911 immediately.”

Source: USFA, “Educating your community” (usfa.fema.gov), accessed November 2026.

If you are also deciding whether to carry an extinguisher, our piece on whether it is safe to keep a fire extinguisher in a car covers that choice. For a lithium battery fire, the USFA instruction above is the one to follow.

Has the CPSC warned about any jump starters?

Yes. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued warnings about at least two jump-start products, and neither is on our list. We did not find a CPSC warning for any of the six packs above in a web search, but a web search is not a database check, so do not take that as proof. Search the CPSC’s recalls and warnings at cpsc.gov for your exact model name before you buy, and again for any pack already in your trunk.

In September 2026 the agency warned about Hererod jump starters and power banks, models PW40 and EW40. The CPSC’s page lists about 12,500 units and says the manufacturer has been unresponsive to its requests for a recall. It reported:

“The internal lithium-ion batteries can explode and ignite, posing risks of serious injury and death due to fire.”

“CPSC is aware of 16 reports of fire, including seven reports of property damage.”

Source: CPSC, “CPSC Urges Consumers to Stop Using Hererod Jump Starters/Power Banks Immediately Due to Risk of Serious Injury and Death from Fire Hazard” (cpsc.gov), warning dated September 17, 2026, accessed November 2026.

The earlier warning, from November 2025, covers older HALO Bolt ACDC 58830 portable chargers, which the CPSC says can be used to jump start a vehicle:

“CPSC is warning consumers to immediately stop using the HALO Bolt ACDC 58830 portable chargers manufactured in or prior to December 2019 and dispose of them in accordance with state and local ordinances.”

Source: CPSC, “CPSC Warns Consumers to Stop Using HALO Bolt ACDC 58830 Portable Chargers Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Fire and Burns” (cpsc.gov), warning dated November 14, 2025, accessed November 2026.

On disposal, the Hererod warning says:

“Do not throw this lithium-ion battery or device in the trash, the general recycling stream (e.g., street-level or curbside recycling bins), or in used battery recycling boxes found at various retail and home improvement stores.”

Source: CPSC, “CPSC Urges Consumers to Stop Using Hererod Jump Starters/Power Banks Immediately Due to Risk of Serious Injury and Death from Fire Hazard” (cpsc.gov), warning dated September 17, 2026, accessed November 2026.

The same warning points to your municipal household hazardous waste collection center, so call that office and follow the CPSC page for how to get rid of a pack named in a warning.

Can you take a jump starter on a plane for holiday travel?

Rules for lithium batteries on planes come from the FAA and TSA, and neither page we read names jump starters. They do name power banks and spare lithium batteries. A lithium jump starter is a battery pack, so that wording is the closest guide we have, but ask your airline before you pack one. The FAA’s PackSafe page says:

“Lithium ion (rechargeable) batteries are limited to a rating of 100 watt hours (Wh) per battery.”

“Spare (uninstalled) lithium ion and lithium metal batteries, including power banks and cell phone battery charging cases, must be carried in carry-on baggage only.”

“Please check with your air carrier for its specific restrictions before traveling.”

“Newer lithium ion batteries have the Wh rating marked on them.”

Source: FAA, “Lithium Batteries” (faa.gov), accessed November 2026.

The TSA’s power bank page, last updated May 14, 2025, adds:

“Portable chargers or power banks containing a lithium ion battery must be packed in carry-on bags. Spare lithium batteries, which include both power banks and phone chargers, are prohibited in checked luggage.”

“The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.”

Source: TSA, “Power Banks” (tsa.gov), accessed November 2026.

Watt-hours are where the pack specs come in. By the makers’ own numbers, the NOCO GB40 (24 Wh), GBX45 (31 Wh) and Fanttik T8 APEX (74 Wh) all fall under the 100 Wh figure on the FAA page. TOPDON’s page did not print watt-hours, and the 88.8 Wh figure above is our own arithmetic, so read the marking on the pack itself. GOOLOO’s page says its pack meets civil aviation standards for carry-on, which is the maker’s claim and not an FAA finding.

The FAA page also covers damaged and recalled batteries:

“Damaged or recalled batteries and battery-powered devices, which are likely to create sparks or generate a dangerous evolution of heat must not be carried aboard an aircraft (e.g., carry-on or checked baggage) unless the damaged or recalled battery has been removed, or otherwise made safe.”

Source: FAA, “Lithium Batteries” (faa.gov), accessed November 2026.

A pack that is damaged or named in a CPSC warning does not belong in your bag, and the CPSC has said to stop using the two above. If you will not be driving your own car at the other end of the flight, leaving the pack at home avoids the question.

How do you use one, and how often should you charge it?

Read the manual that came with your pack, then your vehicle’s owner’s manual, before you need either. Clamp order and connection points differ by product and by car, and hybrids and electric vehicles may have their own instructions, so we are not giving steps that might contradict yours. We did not find a federal source for a general procedure, so the manuals are the rule.

One real difference from jumper cables is that a pack works alone. Cables need a second running car and a driver willing to pull alongside, and on an empty road in January that driver can be hard to find.

Charging is where packs get forgotten. GOOLOO’s FAQ recommends recharging its pack every 3 months, which is one maker’s schedule. Find the one for your pack in its manual and set a reminder on your phone. While it charges, one more USFA line applies, next to the earlier one about not leaving lithium batteries charging for too long:

“If a lithium-ion battery-powered device is noticeably hot while it’s charging, unplug it.”

Source: USFA, “Educating your community” (usfa.fema.gov), accessed November 2026.

A jump starter is also a different tool from a portable power station. A jump starter is built to deliver a short, heavy burst to start an engine, and its USB ports are a side feature. A power station is built to run household devices for much longer. If what you want is power when the grid goes down, our comparison of portable power stations for power outages covers that job.

Where does a jump starter fit in your winter plan?

A pack solves one problem, and winter roads bring others. Our guide to how to prepare for a winter storm puts the car in the context of the whole household. If you are buying for someone else, our emergency preparedness gifts page has more ideas for the season.

The jump starter takes care of a dead battery. For the phone numbers and plans your family would reach for on a bad winter day, we make the Family Emergency Binder. It keeps them on paper, along with a checklist for what rides in the car.