The Best Portable Jump Starters: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)

RBE top pick

NOCO Boost Plus GB40

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The GB40 is the pack to buy for almost everyone: enough power for the typical car, a strong safety reputation, and a sensible price. Step up to the GBX55 only if you drive something big, live somewhere cold, or want fast USB-C recharging.

A lithium jump pack lives in your glovebox and, on the worst morning of your year, starts your car without a second vehicle or a stranger's cables. The category is crowded and the peak-amp numbers on the box are wildly inflated, so we leaned on maker specifications and years of owner reports to sort real cranking muscle from marketing. Two of these earn an easy recommendation, one is a smart buy only for the right person, and one is well-made but hard to justify at its price.

RBE top pick

NOCO

NOCO Boost Plus GB40

Buy it

The default recommendation: enough cranking power for most cars, strong safety features, and a fair price.

Best for: The vast majority of car and small-SUV owners who want one dependable pack and no fuss.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• 1000A rating is aimed at most 4- and 6-cylinder gas engines and small diesels
• Spark-proof design with true reverse-polarity protection helps protect you and the car
• Doubles as a USB power bank and a genuinely bright LED flashlight with SOS mode
• Compact, rugged, and well regarded in owner reports over many years

Know before buying

• Recharges slowly over a 5V 2.1A USB-C input rather than fast USB-C Power Delivery
• Can struggle with large V8 or diesel engines in deep cold

Check price on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

NOCO

NOCO Boost X GBX55

Buy it

The step-up pick for bigger engines, cold climates, and anyone who wants fast USB-C recharging.

Best for: Owners of trucks, V8s, diesels, or anyone in a cold climate who also wants a fast-charging power bank.

$$$ · premium

Why we like it

• 1750A rating handles larger gas engines and diesels the GB40 can strain against
• USB-C Power Delivery in and out means faster recharging and fast-charging phones and laptops
• Manual override mode can force a jump on a deeply discharged battery when smart detection won't engage
• Same well-earned NOCO safety reputation: reverse-polarity protection and spark-proof clamps

Know before buying

• Noticeably more expensive than the GB40 for power most small cars never need
• Larger and heavier than the entry unit

Check price on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

Antigravity Batteries

Antigravity XP-10-G2 Micro-Start

It depends

A capable jump starter wrapped inside a full portable power supply, complete with laptop and device outputs.

Best for: Overlanders, van-lifers, and gadget-heavy travelers who want one device to jump the car and run their electronics.

$$$ · premium

Why we like it

• Multi-voltage outputs charge laptops, phones, and 12V gear in addition to jump-starting
• Rated for gas engines up to 10L and diesels up to 7.3L, with a built-in flashlight
• USB-C PD 30W input and output on this second-generation model and a 16,000 mAh battery for repeated device top-ups
• Ships as a kit with clamps, a USB cable, a wall charger and a carry case

Know before buying

• You pay for power-bank features that a driver who only wants to start a car will never use
• Bulkier than a dedicated pack

Find it on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

We'd skip it

Weego

Weego 44s

Skip it

Well built and out-rates the GB40 on paper, but at the same mid-range money it drops the flashlight and its 440 cranking amps are modest for big engines in the cold.

Best for: Owners of anything from motorcycles to most trucks and SUVs who specifically want the most compact pack and are willing to pay for it.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Weego emphasises cranking amps rather than peak numbers
• Water-resistant housing and smart clamps with reverse-polarity and short-circuit protection
• Genuinely pocketable and pleasant to handle

Know before buying

• 440 cranking amps is modest output for big engines on cold starts, even with a 7L gas rating
• Priced in the same mid-range tier as a GB40, which adds a flashlight the 44s lacks

See our pick instead See it at Amazon anyway Read our detailed assessment ↓

How we judged the field

We don’t run our own garage lab. Instead, we work from maker specifications and the long tail of owner reports that accumulate over years of real winters and dead batteries. That is more useful than a single test, because a jump pack’s job is to work on the one cold morning you need it, sometimes years after you bought it.

Four things mattered most. First, real cranking power rather than the inflated peak-amp figure on the box. Second, safety engineering: spark-proof connections and reverse-polarity protection that stop a stressed, distracted person from damaging the car or themselves. Third, recharge speed and how the pack holds a charge in storage. And fourth, honest value, meaning the cranking muscle you actually get for the money, not the feature list.

The GB40 has been the category’s safe answer for years, and nothing here dislodges it. Its 1000A rating is aimed at most four- and six-cylinder gas engines and small diesels, which covers most cars on the road. Owners praise how forgiving it is: the spark-proof clamps and reverse-polarity protection are meant to protect a first-timer working in the dark from an expensive mistake. It also earns its keep between emergencies as a USB power bank and a legitimately useful flashlight. The only real knocks are the slow 2.1A USB-C charging input, which lacks Power Delivery, and predictable strain against a big V8 or diesel in deep cold. For most people, it is the right purchase and the end of the search.

The GBX55 is what you buy when the GB40 isn’t quite enough. Its 1750A rating gives you headroom for larger gas engines and diesels, and the move to USB-C Power Delivery is a bigger deal than it sounds: the pack recharges faster and can fast-charge a laptop or phone in a pinch. A manual override mode lets it force a jump on a deeply discharged battery that smart-detection systems would otherwise refuse. It carries the same spark-proof and reverse-polarity features as the GB40. The trade-offs are simply price and bulk, so it is overkill for a commuter hatchback but ideal for trucks, cold climates, and anyone who wants the power bank to keep up with modern devices.

The XP-10-G2 is really a portable power supply that happens to jump-start a car, and whether that’s smart depends entirely on you. If you want one device that can start a large engine, then run a laptop, top up phones, and power 12V gear on a long trip, it is a genuinely versatile companion and ships as a complete kit. But if all you need is to start a car, you’re paying a premium for outputs and capacity you’ll never touch, in a bulkier body. It’s a great buy for overlanders and gadget-heavy travelers, and the wrong buy for a glovebox-only backup.

This is the hardest verdict, because the Weego 44s is a lovely little product. It is well built and upfront about its specs. The problem is value. On paper it out-rates the NOCO GB40: Weego quotes 2,100 peak amps and up to 7L gas and 3.5L diesel engines, against NOCO’s 1,000 peak amps and 6L gas for the GB40. Weego also publishes a 440 cranking-amp figure, which NOCO does not, so the two cannot be compared on sustained current. It sits in the same mid-range tier as the GB40 but has no flashlight, and 440 cranking amps is modest for a big engine on a cold start. Weego does offer larger packs (the Weego 70 and Weego 120) if you need more. Unless you specifically want the most pocketable pack and will pay for that compactness, the GB40 is the better all-round buy at this price.

NOCO Boost Plus GB40 vs NOCO Boost X GBX55: which should you buy?

This is the real decision for most shoppers, and it comes down to your engine and your climate. The GB40 is the value champion: buy it if you drive a typical car or small SUV, park somewhere with mild winters, and don’t mind slow 2.1A USB-C recharging. It will start your car and cost you less.

Step up to the GBX55 if any of three things is true: you have a large gas engine or a diesel, you face genuinely cold winters where batteries and jump packs both lose punch, or you want USB-C Power Delivery so the pack recharges fast and doubles as a serious device charger. You are paying more for power and speed, so only pay it if you’ll use them. If you’re genuinely unsure, the GB40 is the safer default, and it’s the pack we’d hand to a friend without a second thought.

What to look for

• Cranking amps, not peak amps. Match the maker’s stated engine-size support to your car; ignore the giant burst number on the box.
• Reverse-polarity and spark-proof protection. These are the features that keep a stressed, distracted user safe. Treat them as mandatory.
• Recharge input and charge retention. USB-C Power Delivery recharges far faster than micro-USB, and any pack must hold its charge in storage to be useful.
• Real portability. It only helps if it actually lives in your car, so weight and size matter.
• Honest brand track record. Favor units with years of consistent owner reports over newcomers with only big spec sheets.

Our final take

Most drivers should stop at the NOCO Boost Plus GB40: it has the power a typical car needs, a strong safety reputation, and a fair price. Upgrade to the NOCO Boost X GBX55 if you drive something big, live somewhere cold, or want fast USB-C charging. Consider the Antigravity XP-10-G2 only if you truly want a portable power supply that also jumps a car. And skip the Weego 44s: it’s well made and rated for more on paper, but the GB40 gives you a flashlight and a longer owner track record for the same money. Whatever you choose, keep it charged, store it out of extreme heat, and never clamp it to a frozen or damaged battery.

Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: NOCO Boost Plus GB40 vs NOCO Boost X GBX55.

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