When your car runs out of battery, it is definitely not a fun occurrence nor is it usually good timing. However, being prepared for the unknown is essential – especially when traveling on the road or using your car often. Keeping a set of jumper cables in the car at all times is a great way to be prepared for any situation where a battery fails.
COMPARISON CHART
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
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1. Energizer Jumper Cables for Car Battery
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2. Cartman Booster Cable
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3. Heavy Duty Booster Jumper Cable
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4. TOPDC Jumper Cables
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1. Energizer Jumper Cables for Car Battery
Specification
| Item Weight | 4.44 pounds |
| Package Dimensions | 12.24 x 12.01 x 2.76 inches |
Features
- Tangle free
- Flexible
- Heavy duty
- All-weather use
These jumper cables come in two sizes 12-feet/10-gauge or 16-feet/6-gauge. They are ideal for jump-starting cars from small and compact to midsize sedans to full-size vehicles.
WHAT WE LIKE
These cables are wrapped in a thick vinyl coating which protects the cable from rust and erosion. There is a carrying case included so you can further protect the cables from damage and keep them together tucked away in the car. The bag says “Energizer” on it. Since the company is a well-known battery brand, the company has a two-year warranty guaranteed on the products. The cables are also tangle-free, long in length, and made from copper aluminum to work even at -40ºC/F.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
The product does not always arrive on the doorstep looking like how it was pictured in the advertisement. The teeth on the cable clamps also are sometimes deficient and do not transfer power. Instead, they end up damaging the battery. Though, that is in rare cases.
PROS
- Tangle free
- Long in length
- Energizer brand
- 2-year warranty
- Protected from rust and damage
CONS
- The correct product does not always arrive in the mail
- The clamp teeth can damage the battery
2. Cartman Booster Cable
Specification
| Item Weight | 5.08 pounds |
| Package Dimensions | 10.91 x 10.79 x 3.66 inches |
Features
- The cables are compatible with top-post and side-terminal 12/24-volt batteries
- Heavy-duty and tangle-free design
- Ergonomically designed with shielded surfaces for safety
- UL listed; RoHS compliant
These Cartman Booster Cable battery jumper cables come in a variety of sizes and are heavy-duty to be able to withstand most weather elements and vehicle damage. For example, motor oil and chemicals. They are the strongest consumer-grade on the market and are able to reach any battery regardless of the angle.
WHAT WE LIKE
These cables come in a range of sizes from 16-feet to 25-feet and a variety of gauges from one to six in size. Like the Energizer cables, these cables come in a Cartman bag for easy storage and protection.
They fit most top-side and side post batteries and are made from copper-coated aluminum. The company guarantees a five-year warranty on the product, too, which is more than most of the competitors.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
The cables’ copper wiring in a few cases were either shorted together with the black wires, welded/melted together after connecting to a battery or arrived in the packaging exposed which is beyond hazardous.
Even in the cases when the cables arrived this way, the five-year warranty wouldn’t cover a new set of cables as it does not apply to “torn up cables or short-circuited batteries”. On a separate note, it can only reach temperatures of -25ºC/-13ºF which is great, but not the lowest on the market.
PROS
- Range of length and gauge combination options
- Comes with a carry bag
- 5-year warranty
- Made from copper-coated aluminum
CONS
- Exposed wiring/shorting cables together
- Not covered under warranty
- Can only reach down to temperatures of -25ºC/-13ºF
3. Heavy Duty Booster Jumper Cable
Specification
| Item Weight | 8.82 pounds |
| Package Dimensions | 13.82 x 13.7 x 2.72 inches |
Features
- Material: Temperature Resistant Shielding and copper-coated aluminum
- Safe in extreme heat and cold down to -40ºC/-40ºF
- Extra tough PVC material
- 25-feet long
These jumper cables are 1-gauge and can jump a 12 or 24-volt battery easily. They are made from heavy-duty material and can easily be stored in a zippered storage bag that comes with the product. It is top of the market for its kind coming in at 25-feet long.
WHAT WE LIKE
These cables have a lifetime warranty guarantee which means if you are not satisfied or they stop working, you can get your money back or get a replacement. The copper-coated aluminum means that the cables are drop resistant and highly conducive. The clamps are PVC coated in red and black for easy identification, too.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
Where the cable is glued together, you aren’t able to pull the two wires apart unless you want to leave large openings in the sealing which expose the raw wire. Which, if in use and you touch it, can electrocute you or kill you leaving that to be a huge safety hazard. However, if you leave the wires attached, nothing will happen.
PROS
- Lifetime warranty guarantee
- Long and 1-gauge
- Heavy duty
CONS
- Cannot pull attached wires apart
4. TOPDC Jumper Cables
Specification
| Item Weight | 4.2 ounces |
| Package Dimensions | 12.24 x 12.09 x 3.43 inches |
Features
- Made from copper-coated aluminum
- 200 Amp jumper cables.
- Functional in -40℉/-40℃ to 167℉/75℃
- Easy to connect with step guide label
These TOPDC cables are well-constructed with high-quality raw material and heavy-duty clamps which make it great to ensure a variety of situations – including extreme weather.
WHAT WE LIKE
In case jumping cars isn’t your strong suit, these cables have a step-by-step guide labeled on them to ensure every user is using them correctly.
These are also 4-gauge cables which is the recommended gauge according to most mechanics for most cars. These cables are also the cables that have the largest range of temperatures under which they can function: -40℉/40ºC to 167℉/70ºC.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
The carrying case that is advertised with the product to keep it protected and tucked away safely in the car does not come with many of the products purchased. That is to say, the cables arrive without a carrying case.
Another negative aspect is that the cables break easily or do not work on the first try (which is often past the warranty date so no money can be refunded).
PROS
- Can work in -40℉/40ºC to 167℉/70ºC.
- Step-by-step instruction guide
- 4-gauge
CONS
- Break easily or do not work on the first try
- Carrying case is often left out of the packaging
What to Keep in Mind When Buying Jumper Cables
When buying jumper cables, there are four things to keep in mind:
- The type of insulation
- The length of the cables
- The material of the clip/clamp
- The gauge of the cables
The gauge of a cable refers to how thick the wire is. The thicker the wire is, the lower the gauge number is. That is to say, one is thicker than four. The thicker the wire is, the more electricity that will pass through, and the sooner the car battery will be revived.
Most jumper cables are two, four, or six-gauge. Most mechanics recommend four-gauge jumper cables for most common cars. However, a large pickup could also use a one-gauge or two-gauge cable while a small car could use a four-gauge or a six-gauge easily. Household wiring in the walls is 12 or 14-gauge. Lamps cords and appliance wiring is 16-18-gauge.
Final Verdict
The best jumper cable gauge is the Heavy Duty Booster Jumper Cable because of its warranty guarantee, the material the cables are made out of, the temperature resistance, and last but not least, its gauge rating.
Every purchase made for the Heavy Duty Booster Jumper Cable is backed by a lifetime satisfaction guarantee or your money back so you can buy the product feeling secure about your purchase.
The cables are made from copper-coated aluminum which means they are not only incredibly conducive but also allows 500 amps of power transfer which makes them great cables for 12-volt and 24-volt batteries. They have PVC-coated clamps and are drop resistant, too.
They’re made to be safe in extreme heat and cold down to -40ºC/-40ºF.
Having a lower gauge rating means that the power transfers through the cables faster and more efficiently. These cables are compatible with a 1-gauge rating to fit any small and compact cars, vans, mid-size cars, large SUVs, and full-size cars.
Conclusion
While selecting the best jumper cable for your purpose is not the hardest task in the world, it is incredibly important to do it correctly. Knowing the right gauge for the job is critical to ensure that the battery does not get damaged in the process of jumping it. It is always better to be too prepared than not prepared at all.
Having the best jumper cables can help you be prepared for any battery situation. While going longer in length and bigger in gauge (so, lower numbers such as one and two) will cost more, it won’t cost you peace of mind when you truly need them.
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