*Edit again, about a year after initial purchase* This thing has still been a great investment. Used it a total of 5 or 6 times, and each time it has worked. Once it was on a battery that was dead enough that when I tried the DB, it couldn't quite crank, but then I removed the clamps, re-applied them, and it started right up on the second try. Basically, and so far, the thing just works.* *Edit. Just used it again about two months after the initial review. Started it right up again, and that was on a little less than a full charge, maybe like 80%.* **Original Review** 1st, this will be in reference to a 5-cylinder Chevy Colorado, 850 CCA battery (I think). So, not the biggest, but also not a small battery by any means, in reference to the average consumer vehicle. OK, so I have previously only had the chance to use this as a portable charger. It's great for that. But that is the easy part. But...... A couple of days ago I got to put it into action. My battery was totally *dead*, no lights at all, etc... It's a newer battery, so I was suspect that maybe I had an unfortunate electrical issue. So, before trying to jump it, I put a voltmeter on it. It read right around 4 point something volts. Even if you don't know anything about changing systems, that pretty much means that it's totally and completely useless as a battery at that point. Well, I hooked this little doodad up, heard a click, and put my meter back on it. It immediately read over 14v. I was actually wondering if I had read it right in the first place, maybe I didn't have a solid connection, etc... But, I looked inside and suddenly had faint lights and such. But, then they went back off. I went back out and tested again, and I was back down in the 4 something range. Now, I had read the instructions when I first got it, but didn't realize how easy this thing really was. Apparently it cuts off after a few seconds, but I unplugged the jumper cable part, plugged it back in, hooked it back up, and I was back up to over 14v. (I don't know if that was necessary, but I did that as a sort of 'reset'.) Immediately went back in the truck, turned the key, and it cranked right up! No hesitation. So, it looks like this thing is in large part fully automatic. I didn't even have to 'turn it on.' My only other experience was with using a friend's (another prominent brand that you can find on here.) And while hers' was also pretty easy to operate, there was an additional step or two, to the best of my memory. So from my experience, especially if you want this to be a gift for someone who isn't the most tech or automotive-savvy, this is the way to go. Hooking it up and turning the key was literally all it took. The only cons might be that the regular functions aren't too clear, like getting the light on and off. There's no clear 'off' switch, as far as I could tell. And, I could potentially see someone accidentally leaving it left turned on and draining it down, unknowingly. It had an auto-off feature, but not sure if that applies to the light also, and I'm probably not going to leave it to drain just to test that out. But overall, I don't think that I could be much more impressed with this little thing! Read more
This is my third order. I am amazed how often I have used this quick charge. Not the cheapest, but the most reliable and is easy to use. Mine stayed charged for over a year, but suggest checking every 6 months. 😊 Great use for a woman traveling alone. Have used it on a 2004 Honda CRV & newer cars with larger engines. Supposidly it is powerful enough for large diesel trucks as well, but have not tried it on them. It is easy to hook up (won't function if hook up incorrectly) and jumpstarts the battery in 20 seconds. Safer as the hood is open for a very short time. You won't be sitting on the side of the road at the mercy of strangers who may be safety risks. Unlike others, this starter comes in a great well organized compact travel case. I love the small size with even a netted pocket to hold the USB cable (you'll need to provide the charge plug), instructions, & charge cables that hook to the battery. On the other side, separated with a cushioned insert, is a well padded compartment holding the charger itself. 👍 I don't leave this in my car in the summers, but by the front door in a reminder bag, as the humid hot heat in the south may damage it. So far only forgot it once when needed. 😊 This has been such a life saver, purchased for my 2 daughters so they can feel safer and more in control. CAN'T RECOMMEND ENOUGH! GREAT PRODUCT & RECEIVED QUICKLY. 😊👍♥ Read more
This is a really nice kit. I usually don't think much about the packaging that things come in, but I really liked the case. It is compact, not the usual wasted space and it does exactly what you want, keeps everything together, protected from damage, and easy to store. It has a nice high quality look and feel. The battery itself is surprisingly heavy, I have another DB Power jump kit (about a year old, used it several times and have been super happy with it btw) for my son's car that is half the power but not even a quarter the weight and size. It's not ridiculous, but there's some heft to it I wasn't expecting. The good news there is it feels very durable. I was a little nervous about dropping the smaller kit. This feels like it could take a pretty serious beating and still be fine. The alligator clips are really nice. You have to be oblivious to cross wires these days, but the clips have some intelligence built in that is extra protection. Very good build quality, I was impressed. About the only thing I was a little disappointed in was the lack of a wall charger in the kit. It comes with a short USB C to USB A standard charging cable, but nothing to plug it into. I have plenty of wall warts floating around so it wasn't a huge deal, but it does feel like something that would be an easy addition that would make the kit more complete. Overall in very happy with this purchase, the power output is excellent. I jumped my motorcycle battery with it and it fired right up. I used the usb charging for my phone and it quick charged as expected. It's a good addition to my emergency kit and gets a thumbs up five star review from me. Read more
UPDATE: Apparently the new one does not have the built in volt meter. I bought this in Feb 2020. It still works but the case started to pop apart. I took the case apart and the battery pack has started to swell. It always worked great and sometimes outperformed my NOCO jump starter even though it is much cheaper than the NOCO. I was a little annoyed at first for having to plug in the cables, but the built in volt meter made up for it. It's nice being able to see the battery voltage before you plug in the jumper. I did not use the light much, but did use it as a regular battery pack for charging my phone or scanner and it worked great for that too. I will probably be ordering another one even though I still have my NOCO as well. I am not sure the new ones have the volt meter, as it does not show it in the pictures, but the one I received in 2020 had it. Read more
