The perfect power bank that you can keep in your car for emergencies

Key Takeaways for ZDNET

• The AstroAI 2000A 12V Jump Starter is Available from Amazon for $49.
• The screen is easy to use, bright and clear, and powerful enough for more than a dozen starting points.
• There is no USB-C output port.

Right now, it’s summer, and car batteries are at their best. The weather is warm, there is no ice, frost or snow. But give it a few months, and then you’ll find out if your car battery is ready for another winter.

If you’re lucky, your car might get stuck in the morning when you’re home or somewhere you can get emergency roadside assistance. However, if you’re not lucky – and it’s always worth planning when luck isn’t on our side – your car will decide to die at night when it’s cold and wet.

also: The best power banks you can buy: Tested by experts

This concern is why it’s always a good idea to be prepared to help yourself (or others, since most of the time I need a jump starter, it’s for someone else’s broken down vehicle). In short, I think so AstroAI 2000A 12V Jump Starter It belongs in the glove box or trunk.

View on Amazon

Technical specifications of AstroAI 2000A 12V

• capacity: 48.84 watts
• Peak output current: 2000 amps
• Product dimensions: 3.8 x 6.7 x 1.6 inches
• Output ports
  USB A 3.0: 5V⎓3A or 9V⎓2A
  USB A 2.0: 5V⎓2.4A
  Capital: 15V⎓10A
• entrance
  USB-C port: 5V⎓2A or 9V⎓2A
• Time to recharge the balance: 3.5 hours at 9V⎓2A
• Weight: 2 lbs
• CompatibilityEngines: 7.0L Gas / 3.0L Diesel 12V

I’m old enough to remember when car starters were bulky, heavy devices that housed lead acid batteries. In fact, I can remember when we started cars using jumper cables. Things have evolved and now you can get a replacement device for your car battery that is not much bigger than a power bank.

Since most people don’t need to run cars all the time, this device is primarily a great power bank. It features two USB-A ports for charging devices and a DC outlet where you can connect your 12V car socket to power devices, such as car vacuums, refrigerators, and tire compressors.

There’s a USB-C port built into the playback device, though it’s only used to charge the device. This approach is a bit unfortunate because USB-C is now pretty much the ubiquitous standard, and charging modern devices using USB-A is slow. However, having USB-C to charge the playback device is a huge advantage over devices that still use micro USB.

also: This powerful power bank is perfect if you charge a lot of devices

At the end of the jump, there is a compass. Although I’m not sure what I’d use it for, the compass kind of points north, which is a nice change from some other compasses I’ve seen built into things like power banks.

No jump starter would be complete without an LED flashlight, and this flashlight offers four modes: flashlight, strobe, SOS, and flashing red warning lights. It’s a great feature, especially when trying to start your car at night in the rain.

The large, clear LCD display is easy to read at night and in bright sunlight, allowing you to quickly see what the starter is doing.

Around the screen are three touch buttons that operate the jump, turn on the flashlight, and turn on boost mode. There is also a light that shows when the starter is charging.

But the main purpose of a jump starter is, as the name suggests, to start vehicles with a flat battery. Can he do this? You bet on it. I tested the device several times and found that each operation consumed about 5% of the battery life. If you switch to boost mode, which is necessary if the car’s battery is severely drained, each start takes about twice that rate.

also: Will charging a car destroy your iPhone?

Everything about the starter is nice, easy and straightforward. This is exactly what you need because, as I mentioned earlier, you probably won’t be using your trampoline on a bright sunny day. It’s likely to be dark, cold and damp, so the more visible the device is, the better.

The process is simple. Connect the jump leads to the starter, connect the alligator clips to the appropriate terminals on your vehicle’s battery, turn on the jump starter, and start your car as you normally would. When you’re done, you can put everything in a handy little bag, ready for use the next time you need the device.

ZDNET Buying Advice

the AstroAI 2000A 12V Jump Starter It is an elegant, easy-to-use yet powerful toolkit. And for $49, it’s hard to go wrong. Whether you want to charge your phone or start your car, this jump starter is up to the task. All you have to do is open the hood of your car, find your car battery, and the jump starter will guide you through the rest.

This device embodies what an emergency tool should be. A Jump Starter is something you can use every day to charge your smartphone or tablet, rather than something you put in the trunk and forget about until your car breaks down.