If you have any type of electrical device, then you know all too well the importance of having the best battery charger. Just not having a charged phone is enough to send many of us up a wall. So can you imagine not having a charged car battery? Being stuck on the road because your car battery died has got to be one of the worst feelings ever.
Back in the day, before everyone had cell phones, you would have to hope someone road by and then stopped and was kind enough to give you a jump. Nowadays, there are battery chargers that you can keep with you to help you out if that situation ever happened. While there are many different types of battery chargers to choose from, before you can just buy one, you must first know the type of battery you have. While most chargers are compatible with most car batteries, you should still be sure as some are not.
In order to help you in your narrowing down your list of battery chargers, we have put together a quick guide to help you determine what to look for when choosing. Of course, you may have other preferences such as whether you can charge your cell phone as well. However, here are a few things you may not think to look for:
Best Battery Charger – Comparison Table
| Image | Product | Features | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Optima Digital 1200 12V Performance Battery Charger and Maintainer | Works on multiple battery types Can better the batteries performance Able to maintain charges on batteries, not in use | 4.7 out of 5 |
 | 2. Schumacher DSR131 6V/12V 250A ProSeries Battery Charger and Engine Starter | Works on virtually all battery types Able to keep the battery charged at the optimal level | 4.3 out of 5 |
 | 3. Ampeak 2/10/25A Smart Battery Charger/Maintainer 12V Fully Automatic with Start Aid | Works on virtually any battery Removes the guesswork by automatically configuring amps needed | 4.4 out of 5 |
 | 4. NOCO Genius G3500 6V/12V 3.5 Amp Battery Charger and Maintainer | Charges quickly while preventing overcharging Repair mode for damaged batteries Protection from reverse polarity | 4.6 out of 5 |
 | 5. ProMariner ProSport 6 Gen 3 6 AMP 1 Bank HD Charger (33274) | System reporting eliminates troubleshooting Advanced technology of the ProSport 6 Lightweight and waterproof | 4.7 out of 5 |
 | 6. Battery Tender Plus 021-0128, 1.25 Amp Battery Charger | Comes with alligator clips and a long power cord. Has reverse polarity protection. Can charge many types of batteries | 4.7 out of 5 |
 | 7. DieHard 71219 6/12V Shelf Smart Battery Charger and 2A Maintainer | Built-in safety features and alerts Comes with quick-connect harness The very affordable price point | 4.5 out of 5 |
 | 9. SUAOKI Smart Battery Charger/Portable Battery Maintainer | Can charge virtually any battery Capable of diagnosing and repairing batteries | 4.4 out of 5 |
 | 10. 2/8/15A 12V Fully Automatic Smart Battery Charger/Maintainer with Cable Clamps by Towertop | Can charge many types of batteries Capable of configuring appropriate charge rate | 4.4 out of 5 |
Amp Hours
The number of amp hours for your battery and the charger will determine the amount of time it takes to recharge. If you want a battery charger for the purpose of jumping your battery, then you may want something that is on the quicker side.
Type of battery
Typically most chargers are suitable for many types of batteries such as VRLA, AGM, or wet cell. However, if your battery is a gel cell, then you should make sure the charger works for gel cell as well. Although many battery chargers are compatible with most batteries, it is still a good idea to double check.
Intended use
Whether you are wanting a battery charger for the purpose of maintaining the charge on a car battery or if you to quickly recharge a dead one. Your intended use shall also determine the type of charger you require as well as the number of amps the system has. This is especially true if you plan on having a battery charger for the purpose of emergencies. Not all battery chargers are capable of jumpstarting a dead battery so this is something you really need to check. Also, if you are wanting a battery charger for emergency situations, having one with USB ports will enable you to charge your cellphone as well.
To further help you in your search for the best battery charger for you, we have reviewed and compiled a list of battery chargers along with any features, positives, and negatives.
Best Battery Charger Reviews
1. Optima Digital 1200 12V Performance Battery Charger and Maintainer
This digital battery charging system by Optima is so technical yet so easy to use. This charger not only works for charging car batteries, but is also has a USB port that allows you to charge devices like cameras, phones, tablets, et cetera. The Optima battery charger can fully charge almost any battery without overcharging it and in a fast amount of time. It has a work light as well as grips on the charges to help with accuracy and is one of the easiest battery chargers to use.
Positives
- Works on multiple battery types
- Can better the batteries performance
- Able to maintain charges on batteries, not in use
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2. Schumacher DSR131 6V/12V 250A ProSeries Battery Charger and Engine Starter
The Schumacher DSR131 battery charger is one of my favorites because it not only charges regular batteries but also Gel batteries as well. It has a boost setting that allows it to charge extremely dead batteries fast. Whether you want to charge a battery or simply maintain a charge on one, the DSR131 battery charger allows you to adjust the rate of amperage according to your needs.
Pros
- Works on virtually all battery types
- Able to keep the battery charged at the optimal level
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3. Ampeak 2/10/25A Smart Battery Charger/Maintainer 12V Fully Automatic with Start Aid
The Smart Battery Charger By Ampeak can charge Gel, 12V, AGM and even cars, boats and toys. The system will automatically detect the capacity and voltage of a battery in order to administer the proper charge rate. The system can detect when the battery is completely charged and will then go into float mode. There is even a reconditioning option that helps your batteryy last even longer.
Positives
- Works on virtually any battery
- Removes the guesswork by automatically configuring amps needed
Negatives
- Is not able to charge a fully discharged battery
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4. NOCO Genius G3500 6V/12V 3.5 Amp Battery Charger and Maintainer
The Genius G3500 Charger By NOCO can charge numerous types of batteries with as much as 120 amp-hours. You can use this to charge your car battery or even your boat and it can keep your batteries charged whenever they are not in use. This battery charger is hassle-free as you can just set it up and let it do its thing. The system will monitor the battery for you. One of the things I love about the Genius G3500 is that it can also repair the damage that happens to batteries that have been discharged for a long time.
Positives
- Charges quickly while preventing overcharging
- Repair mode for damaged batteries
- Protection from reverse polarity
- Lightweight and portable
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5. ProMariner ProSport 6 Gen 3 6 AMP 1 Bank HD Charger (33274)
The ProSport6 Gen battery charger by ProMariner not only charges super fast but is lightweight and waterproof as well. Because of the advanced technology of the ProSport 6, you can save time and guesswork as the charger reports battery function and other information. And when using the ProSport 6 to maintain stored batteries, the charger will automatically recondition those batteries monthly. The ProSport 6 is not only capable of fully charging many types of batteries, it will also monitor and maintain them.
Positives
- System reporting eliminates troubleshooting
Negatives
- Will not charge drained batteries
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6. Battery Tender Plus 021-0128, 1.25 Amp Battery Charger
This smart charger by Battery Tender is capable of fully recharging as well as maintaining your battery. What I like about the Battery Tender charger is that it comes with a harness that helps you get to difficult areas and also has a long power cord which can come in handy. Once the battery has charged fully, the charger will switch from charging mode to floating automatically.
Positive
- Comes with alligator clips and a long power cord.
- Has reverse polarity protection.
- Can charge many types of batteries
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7. DieHard 71219 6/12V Shelf Smart Battery Charger and 2A Maintainer
The DieHard Battery Charger is completely automatic, easy to set up, has a simple charging process, is super affordable and I love it. Using this charger is so easy as the microprocessor lets you know whenever something is not connected properly or not working right. This DieHard charger is also able to prevent your battery from overcharging while helping to maintain it. Not only is this charger affordable, but it also comes with a quick-connect harness to help with installing batteries in tight spaces.
Positives
- Built-in safety features and alerts
- Comes with quick-connect harness
- The very affordable price point
Negative
- Cannot be used to jumpstart a dead car battery
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8. GOOLOO 800A Peak 18000mAh Battery Charger
The GOOLOO battery charger is almost like having four or more chargers in one. Not only is this charger powerful enough to jumpstart a car, boat, ATV, and more, it can also charge devices via the USB ports as well. The jumper clamp on this charger has intelligent technology that helps prevent the batter from over-charging, over-loading or over-heating. And if your battery dies on the side of the road, you have a LED screen with SOS light, Flashlight, and Strobe light options.
Positive
- Can jump start a vehicle
- Multi-functional
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9. SUAOKI Smart Battery Charger/Portable Battery Maintainer
One of my favorite features of the SUAOKI charger is that it can diagnose and repair issues with the battery that you may not even be aware of. Having this extra set of eyes, so to speak, is very helpful especially to someone who isn’t a professional. This charger is spark-proof, water-proof, and is able to charge cars, boats and more. Compatible with virtually all battery types, the SUAOKI battery charger is very simple to use and displays battery information right on its LCD screen.
Positives
- Can charge virtually any battery
- Capable of diagnosing and repairing batteries
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10. 2/8/15A 12V Fully Automatic Smart Battery Charger/Maintainer with Cable Clamps by Towertop
The Towertop battery charger is compatible with most types of batteries and doesn’t require any manual operation. This Smart Charger can automatically choose the appropriate rate for maintaining or charging your battery. It has a floating option so that when your battery has reached a full charge, the system will switch over on its own. You can see what the charge status of your battery is simply by viewing the LCD screen. And if you want to store a battery over the winter months, the Towertop is capable of maintaining and even charging your battery during colder weather.
Positives
- Can charge many types of batteries
- Capable of configuring appropriate charge rate
Negatives
- Not recommended for charging a dead or frozen battery
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Tips For Buying The Best Battery Charger For You
When deciding on the best battery charger for you, remember to keep in mind all of your intended uses for your battery charger. This is the best way to start your search as it will determine what features you need or don’t need for that matter. For instance, if you are wanting something that will prevent your battery on your boat from going dead, then your goal is to preserve or maintain a charge. In this case, speed charging isn’t something that you really need and so you may not need a charger with very high amp hours.
On the other hand, if you want something that you can keep in your trunk as a backup in case of a dead battery, then you want something that will do the job quickly. At the same time, because of the intended use in this situation, it would be smart to also have a battery charger that is capable of charging phones and even has SOS and flashlight or strobe light capabilities. These features come in handy in case your vehicle breakdown is not because of a dead battery and you need to call for assistance.
Hopefully, this review helped answer some questions you may have when it comes to the best battery charger. While there are many to choose from, the best one is the one that suits your needs and uses. Once you determine those two things, narrowing down your search becomes rather easy.
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