Best Smart Car Battery Slow Chargers – Geek Review

While a portable jump starter is worth buying, you also want to get a portable car battery charger. A jump starter provides instantaneous power (CCA) to start a motor. Once the car starts running, its alternator starts charging the battery. A car battery charger or plug-in unit, on the other hand, charges car batteries using AC from a wall outlet.

What to look for in a car battery charger

Car battery chargers do much more than just charge car batteries. They can also function as battery maintainers (slow chargers), float chargers, and battery desulfators, among others. We have compiled the best slow chargers for smart car batteries. Here’s what we saw (and you should too):

• Battery Type: Popular types of automotive batteries include lithium, AGM, GEL, flooded or wet batteries, maintenance free calcium batteries, EFB (Enhanced Flooded Battery), and automotive AGM. Make sure your preferred car battery charger is compatible with your car’s battery type.
• Case of use: Automotive battery chargers can be used to charge (from discharge to full charge) or maintain (recharge/trickle charge) automotive batteries. Some car battery chargers are better for charging, others for maintenance, and some can charge and maintain your car batteries.
• Ampere Hour Rating (Ah): The Ah rating shows how many amps of current your battery delivers per hour or how many amps of current your charger delivers per hour. This information can be found on your car battery and car battery charger. Make sure the charger has at least 10 percent of your car battery’s stated Ah rating, for example, five amps for a 50 Ah car battery.
• withstand voltage: Automotive batteries are typically between 6 and 24 volts, with 12 volts being the industry standard. While some chargers are single voltage chargers, multi-voltage chargers often support more than one output voltage. Similarly, some chargers support 110 to 240 VAC input.

Let us now know the best car battery chargers to buy right now.

Best Overall: NOCO Genius1 Smart Car Battery Charger

The NOCO Genius1 Smart Car Battery Charger is our top pick for the best overall car battery charger. This one amp multi-voltage smart car battery charger is ideal for 6-volt and 12-volt automotive, marine, RV, powersports, and deep-cycle sealed lead-acid batteries, including flooded, gel, AGM, SLA, VRLA, and lithium ion (LiFePO4) batteries up to 38 Ah. Works for Lawn Mowers, Motorcycles, Cars, Tractors, Trucks, RVs, Boats, Jet Skis, Jet Skis, etc.

The NOCO Genius1 is also a battery maintainer, trickle charger, float charger, and battery desulfator, making it an all-in-one car battery charging solution. Whether your battery is one volt or zero, you can count on the NOCO 1’s force mode to save the day. It also protects your battery from overcharging, undercharging, and overheating. Weighing just 12.23 ounces and measuring just 4.02 x 3.43 x 6.73 inches, it’s lightweight, compact, portable, and can easily fit in the trunk of your car.

Best Budget: BUDDYGO 12V 5A Car Battery Charger

While the powerful and popular NOCO Genius1 Smart Car Battery Charger is already well priced and affordable, the BUDDYGO 12V 5A Car Battery Charger takes it even further for less than $20. This 5 amp smart car charger can charge, maintain (trickle charge), and repair batteries from 4Ah to 100Ah Calcium, AGM, Gel, Wet, VRLA and other lead-acid batteries. However, it only supports non-lithium 12 volt batteries.

On the plus side, it comes with advanced built-in safety features such as over-voltage protection, reverse polarity protection, short-circuit protection, over-current, over-temperature, and low-voltage protection. It also features a backlit LCD screen for nighttime use and a powerful cooling fan. It measures 8.7 x 4.53 x 2.64 inches and weighs 14.1 ounces, but it works with motorcycles, cars, small trucks, SUVs, ATVs, yachts, and more.

Best Premium: NOCO GeniusPRO 50 Smart Car Battery Charger

While the BUDDYGO 12V 5A Smart Car Battery Charger is inexpensive, the NOCO GeniusPRO 50 Smart Car Battery Charger is not. This premium 50 amp multi-voltage charger (6 volt, 12 volt, and 24 volt) will set you back several hundred dollars, but it’s worth every penny. Supports automotive, marine, RV, powersports, and deep-cycle lead-acid batteries, including flooded, gel, AGM, SLA, VRLA, maintenance-free, and lithium-ion (LiFePO4) batteries.

It accepts a universal 100 to 240 VAC input at 50 to 60 Hertz for 1000 to 2000 Ah batteries and can be stepped down to 10 amps. It also offers accurate charging between -4 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit during hot and cold weather with undercharge and overcharge protection respectively. The NOCO GeniusPRO 50 can easily charge, repair and desulfate your flat or discharged car battery. It measures 11.4 x 18.2 x 9.8 inches and weighs 12.1 pounds.

Best Multipurpose: Schumacher SC1308 Battery Charger with Advanced Diagnostics

We’ve already established that smart car battery chargers do much more than just charge batteries; they can also maintain, repair and desulphate them, among others. If you want even more from your car battery charger, get the Schumacher SC1308 Battery Charger with Advanced Diagnostics. This 30-amp multi-voltage (6-volt, 12-volt) charger also doubles as a powerful 100-amp jump starter for SUVs, trucks, and large batteries. See our tips for starting an EV.

Measuring 7.1 x 10.4 x 10.9 inches and weighing 12.63 pounds, it comes with a carrying handle. This versatile, fully automatic device is compatible with standard, AGM, gel, and deep-cycle batteries and comes with advanced safety features. Like the best OBD2 car scanners, it also features advanced diagnostics and a large LCD screen for monitoring performance. Not to be outdone, this Schumacher battery charger doubles as a battery and alternator tester.

Best Multi Bank: Clore Automotive PL4050 Pro Logix Car Battery Charger

While the Schumacher SC1281 is a versatile multi-purpose, multi-voltage battery charger, it can only charge one battery at a time. The Clore Automotive PL4050 Pro Logix Car Battery Charger, on the other hand, can charge up to four different car batteries at once. This multi-voltage (6 volt, 12 volt) 20 amp multi bank (4 channel) charger also functions as a battery maintainer (trickle charger) and desulfator.

Compatible with most battery types, including AGM, flooded, marine, deep-cycle, and more, the Clore Automotive PL4050 features advanced soft-start, battery repair, and boost-charge modes. Each channel also comes with its own LCD diagnostic display, as well as advanced security features. Measuring 15.3 x 4 x 11.3 inches and weighing 8.97 pounds, it’s ideal for auto repair shops, collision repair facilities, fleet operations, marinas, and more.