Product Test: Compact Jump Starters

Compact booster packs are a must-have for any Land Rover owner: we test the best in small, powerful units

Before lithium battery technology found its way into jump starter packs such as these, booster packs were typically bulky, heavy and best suited to keeping at home in case of emergencies on a cold morning or after extended periods of a vehicle laying dormant resulted in a flat battery...

But all that has changed. Compact booster packs can be kept in a glovebox or under a seat.

They hold their optimum charge for months on end, providing an almost store-and-forget solution to drained batteries and those times when helping out a fellow motorist becomes an act of friendship that is always appreciated.

But that’s not all. Our modern lives and the gadgets we fill them with rely on almost daily charging of mobile phones, tablets, sat-navs, dash cams and so on. These compact boosters can do that too, allowing you to take off for the weekend into the wilds knowing you have a portable source for recharging without the need for being connected to your vehicle’s auxiliary sockets at inconvenient times.

Some even have torches, meaning that’s another item you don’t have to carry.

All the units tested will get you out of a spot of bother for sure, it’s how they do it that matters. A device you don’t want to use too often for a flat battery should be easy, intuitive and safe to use as large amp outputs are on offer.

If you want portable power for phones and other devices then a kit with a selection of leads and adaptors is ideal, meaning you can leave all your home leads at home, rather than faff about taking them with you. Lithium battery types differ with lithium iron regarded as the most thermally stable and capable of the most charge cycles, It also makes them heavy. Lithium polymer is lighter but still offers excellent recharging abilities while lithium cobalt is typically found in many mobile phones.