The Best Battery Chargers

Battery chargers and maintainers are designed to keep your battery fully charged and ready for use. They use sensors to detect when your battery requires additional voltage. If you keep a vehicle for occasional use at your summer home, or have a classic car you like to drive when the weather is fine, a battery charger can help make sure these will always start, first time!

We reviewed dozens of battery chargers and battery maintainers to identify the best of the best. We considered features such as portability, average charge time, and the type of battery the charger was intended for.

Top Pick
BATTERY TENDER® 6V Junior Automatic Battery Charger
This best selling battery charger uses a 4-step charging process to charge and maintain your battery without overcharging.

As our Top Pick, we selected the BATTERY TENDER® 6V Junior Automatic Battery Charger. This battery charger includes a range of great features, including a 4-step charging program. It also comes with 5-year warranty, giving you the peace of mind this product will last the test of time.

The 5 Top-Rated Battery Chargers

Editor's PicksBrandRating
Best OverallBATTERY TENDER® 6V Junior Automatic Battery Charger4.7
Runner UpNOCO Genius G1100 Battery Maintainer4.2
Best Budget BuyOrion Motor Tech Battery Maintainer4.0
Best Solar Battery Charger PickBATTERY TENDER® Solar Charger and Maintainer4.3
Best 12 Volt Battery Charger PickBATTERY TENDER® Plus 12 Volt Smart Charger4.7

*Ratings are from Amazon at time of publication and can change

Our Top Pick: BATTERY TENDER® 6V Junior Automatic Battery Charger

Our top pick from all the battery charger we reviewed is the BATTERY TENDER® 6V Junior Automatic Battery Charger. This battery is 6 volts and 1.25 amps. It is designed for spark-proof connection of leads to your battery, and includes a reverse polarity protection in case of incorrect lead connection.

The intelligent, 4-step charging program includes initialization, bulk charge, and float mode settings, to ensure your battery is not overcharged. With over 2,000 reviews on Amazon, and an average rating of 4.7 stars, you can be sure that this #1 best-selling battery charger is going to meet, or exceed, your expectations.

BATTERY TENDER® 6V Junior Automatic Battery Charger Key Features:

  • 5-year warranty
  • 4-step charging program
  • Fully automatic and easy to use

Our Runner Up Pick: NOCO Genius G1100 Battery Maintainer

Runner Up
NOCO Genius G1100 Battery Maintainer
This battery maintainer by NOCO is suitable for a range of 6V and 12V batteries, using an optimized charge mode for safe charging.

As our runner up pick, we selected the NOCO Genius G1100 Battery Maintainer. This offers a wide range of flexible features, including the fact that it works on all types of 6 volt, and 12 volt lead-acid batteries. The optimized charge mode is designed to safely charge your battery, using advanced charging technology to monitor and maintain your battery.

It’s safe to leave this plugged in and maintaining your battery all year round, as the onboard microcomputer will minimize energy consumption. The rubberized base is designed to both avoid slipping, and protect any surface the battery maintainer is sitting on from being scratched.

NOCO Genius G1100 Battery Maintainer Key Features:

  • 5 year guarantee
  • Available in 7 different Amp models
  • 10 foot extension lead

Best Budget Pick: Orion Motor Tech Battery Maintainer

Best for Budget
Orion Motor Tech Battery Maintainer
This budget battery maintainer can charge and monitor all types of 12 volt battery.

The Orion Motor Tech Battery Maintainer is a good choice for those on a budget. While offering great value at less than $10, this battery maintainer still provides a good range of features. These include a fully automatic program controlled by a micro-processor. This means you can plug this battery maintainer in and walk away, knowing that it will monitor your battery’s charge, and stop charging when the battery is full.

This battery maintainer is suitable for all types of 12 volt battery, including flooded, sealed, AGM, and gel cell. Reviewers on Amazon commented on what great value this battery maintainer is. Orion Motor Tech also offer a full money back guarantee which gives great peace of mind.

Orion Motor Tech Battery Maintainer Key Features:

  • 5 year warranty
  • Easy operation
  • Fully automatic

Best Solar Battery Charger: BATTERY TENDER® Solar Charger and Maintainer

Best Solar Battery Charger
BATTERY TENDER® Solar Charger and Maintainer
This solar powered battery charger is perfect for keeping batteries charged at remote locations.

If you’re looking for a solar-powered battery charger, check out the BATTERY TENDER® Solar Charger and Maintainer. Sometimes you need to charge your battery, but don’t have an electrical power outlet nearby, when camping or RVing, for example. In those types of situations, a solar battery charger is the perfect solution.

This battery charger includes a built-in solar panel, and uses a 3-step micro-controller to make sure your battery is not overcharged. It also offers reverse polarity protection, and comes with full instructions as to the best position and angle for the solar panel, to maximize power output. It’s both spark proof and weatherproof, making it an incredibly durable purchase.

BATTERY TENDER® Solar Charger and Maintainer Key Features:

  • 100% portable
  • Weatherproof
  • CE-approved

Best 12 Volt Battery Charger: BATTERY TENDER® Plus 12 Volt Smart Charger

Best 12 Volt Battery Charger
BATTERY TENDER® Plus 12 Volt Smart Charger
This fully automatic, 12 Volt battery charger is a fast and efficient choice.

The BATTERY TENDER® Plus 12 Volt Smart Charger is a 1.25 Amp battery charger that’s fully automatic, and includes a convenient quick connect harness for hard to reach batteries. This ‘Plus’ model provides 50% more power than the BATTERY TENDER® Junior model, making it suitable for larger vehicles with a heaver voltage draw.

The 4-step charging program used by BATTERY TENDER® is designed to completely charge your battery, before switching to float mode in order to prevent damage from overcharging.

BATTERY TENDER® Plus 12 Volt Smart Charger Key Features:

  • Rugged design
  • Reverse polarity protection
  • 6 foot power cord

Who Should Buy a Battery Charger

If you own any battery powered vehicles, then a battery charger is an excellent addition to your garage! You may have a classic car that you only use when the weather is fine, and worry about the battery draining flat during periods of bad weather. Perhaps you own a snowmobile which you only use for a few weeks a year, and keep in storage. For both these examples, and many more, a battery charger or battery maintainer is the perfect way to make sure your vehicle is always ready to use, with a fully charged battery.

The best car batteries are not cheap, and you may not want to use a trickle charger on them, for fear of the battery being damaged by overcharging. With a battery maintainer, there’s no need to worry about that. Battery maintainers use an on-board computer to monitor the battery charge level, and they won’t add charge to a full battery.

Top Pick
BATTERY TENDER® 12V Junior Automatic Battery Charger
This best selling battery charger uses a 4-step charging process to charge and maintain your battery without overcharging.

Important Features to Consider

A battery charger should have a few important features. Here’s what to consider when selecting the best battery charger for your needs:

  • Type of battery. Before selecting a battery charger, make sure it’s suitable for the size and type of battery you have. A battery charger with a lower voltage, such as 6 volts, won’t be able to charge a large, 12-volt battery. Check the compatibility for the type of battery you have as well, be it lead-acid, flooded, or a gel cell battery.
  • Reverse polarity warning. If you’re worried about which lead of the battery charger to attach to which battery terminal, select a battery charger with a reverse polarity warning. This will alert you if the leads are attached incorrectly.
  • Power source. Most battery chargers are plugged into a power outlet, but if you want to charge your battery in a remote location, this is no use. Some battery chargers use solar panels to provide power, which is useful if you are off-grid.
  • Cable length. Be sure to choose a battery charger with a long enough cable, so that it can reach the location of your battery when the charger is plugged in.

 Frequently Asked Questions

What is a battery maintainer and how does it work?

A battery maintainer is designed to keep your battery fully charged. To do this, they use either mains electricity, or solar power. Battery maintainers monitor the charge of your battery, and will prevent overcharging.

How long does it take to charge a car battery with a 12 volt charger?

Charging time can vary greatly depending on the charger and batter and it could take up to 24 hours to get the battery to charge fully.

The length it takes to charge a car battery with a 12 volt charger depends on the capacity of the battery as well as the charger’s features, such as if it’s micro-processor controlled and designed to enhance AGM charging characteristics. The charger setting could also influence how long it takes to charge the battery.

Will a battery maintainer charge a dead battery?

Battery maintainers do need a small amount of voltage from the battery in order to function correctly. If your 12-volt battery is totally dead, then a battery maintainer may not be able to start charging it. On the other hand, if there is a small amount of voltage still present in the battery, they can begin charging.

Some battery maintainers can completely recharge smaller capacity batteries such as those used for motorcycles, snowmobiles, and ATV’s, but we recommend you check the product listing as this isn’t always the case.

Do battery maintainers ruin batteries?

They shouldn’t! Unlike trickle chargers, which constantly provide your battery with a charge, a battery maintainer uses more sophisticated technology in order to determine the current charge of the battery.

Even when you leave the battery maintainer connected and plugged in for long periods of time, it will only apply a charge to the battery when it senses the voltage has dropped below a certain level. This removes the risk of overcharging, and damage to your battery as a result of this.

Other Battery Chargers and Maintainers We Reviewed

Top Pick
BATTERY TENDER® 12V Junior Automatic Battery Charger
This best selling battery charger uses a 4-step charging process to charge and maintain your battery without overcharging.

We looked at 20 other battery chargers and battery maintainers. Even though they didn’t make our 5 best battery chargers and maintainers, they’re the best of the rest and each is still a great option for your vehicle. The information you’ll need to compare each one is included with the listing.

Solar Battery Maintainers

ALLPOWERS Solar Battery Maintainer

ALLPOWERS Solar Battery Maintainer

This solar powered battery maintainer is perfect for remote locations.

Key Features:

  • Reverse polarity protection
  • 12 Volts
  • 18 month warranty

Cost: $46

MoPower2U Solar Battery Maintainer

MoPower Solar Battery Maintainer

This solar battery maintainer uses heavy gauge, weather proof wiring.

Key Features:

  • 12 Volts
  • Weatherproof outer case
  • 1 year warranty

Cost: $36

Schumacher SP-200 Solar Battery Maintainer

Schumacher SP-200 Solar Battery Maintainer

This solar battery maintainer offers great value for money, and is suitable for 12 Volt lead-acid batteries.

Key Features:

  • Available in 5 Wattage models
  • Water resistant
  • Helps to extend battery life

Cost: $20

SUNER POWER Solar Battery Maintainer

SUNER POWER Solar Battery Maintainer

Reverse polarity protection means there’s no danger of damaging your battery when using this battery maintainer.

Key Features:

  • Suitable for a wide range of batteries
  • 12 Volts
  • Rugged ABS frame

Cost: $66

Sunway Solar Battery Maintainer

Sunway Solar Battery Maintainer

This solar battery maintainer is perfect for remote trips when you want to keep your battery charged.

Key Features:

  • Available in 3 Watt, and 1.5 Watt models
  • Suitable for 12 Volt batteries
  • 1 year warranty

Cost: $35

12 Volt Battery Maintainers

Black+Decker BM3B 12 Volt Battery Maintainer

Black+Decker BM3B 12 Volt Battery Maintainer

This battery maintainer switches automatically to flat mode when your battery is fully charged.

Key Features:

  • Integrated mounting bracket
  • Circuit protection guards
  • Easy connection

Cost: $18

KeyLine Chargers Automatic Battery Maintainer

KeyLine Chargers Automatic Battery Maintainer

This 12 Volt battery maintainer features a desulfation program, which can prolong your battery life by up to 4 times.

Key Features:

  • Overcharge protection
  • Compact design
  • 5 year warranty

Cost: $35

LST Automatic Battery Maintainer

LST Automatic Battery Maintainer

The automatic trickle charge of this battery maintainer switches to float mode once your battery is fully charged.

Key Features:

  • Lifetime quality assurance
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Water resistant

Cost: $22

Optima Digital Performance Battery Maintainer

Optima Digital Performance Battery Maintainer

This battery maintainer can charge batteries with very low power, that other maintainers cannot.

Key Features:

  • Fast charge
  • USB charging port
  • Suitable for 12 Volt AGM and flooded batteries

Cost: $200

Schumacher Fully Automatic Battery Maintainer

Schumacher Fully Automatic Battery Maintainer

The auto voltage detection feature of this battery maintainer automatically detects which power of battery it’s connected to.

Key Features:

  • Reverse polarity protection
  • Microprocessor controlled
  • Quick connect harness

Cost: $26

6 Volt Battery Maintainers

AstroAI 6 Volt Battery Maintainer

AstroAI 6 Volt Battery Maintainer

This battery maintainer also allows for the option to charge 12 Volt batteries.

Key Features:

  • Fast charging
  • 4-stage charging process
  • 5 year warranty

Cost: $30

BATTERY TENDER® 6 Volt

Battery Tender 6 Volt

This 6 Volt BATTERY TENDER® includes a 12 foot output cord, for easy connection.

Key Features:

  • 5 year warranty
  • 3-step charging program
  • Suitable for all 6 Volt batteries

Cost: $32

Mroinge 6 Volt Battery Maintainer

Mroinge 6 Volt Battery Maintainer

The 4-step charging program of this battery maintainer prevents overcharging.

Key Features:

  • Suitable for 6 Volt lead-acid, sealed, flooded, AGM, and gel cell batteries
  • Reverse polarity protection
  • 12 foot power cord

Cost: $17

Schumacher Fully Automatic Battery Charger

Schumacher Fully Automatic Battery Charger

This battery maintainer has the capability to automatically detect if it’s connected to a 6, or 12 Volt battery.

Key Features:

  • Microprocessor controlled
  • Reverse polarity protection
  • Multi-stage charging

Cost: $41

Suuwer Junior Battery Maintainer

Suuwer Junior Battery Maintainer

This battery maintainer is suitable for lead-acid batteries.

Key Features:

  • Available in 3 models
  • 4-step smart conditioning program
  • 12 foot power cord

Cost: $19

Battery Charger Banks

BATTERY TENDER® 2 Bank Battery Charger

Battery Tender 2 Bank Battery Charger

The 2 independent charging stations of this battery maintainer mean it’s perfect if you have multiple batteries to keep charged.

Key Features:

  • 2 year warranty
  • 3-step charging program
  • Suitable for AGM, sealed, and flooded batteries

Cost: $90

BATTERY TENDER® Plus 5 Bank Shop Charger

Battery Tender Plus 5 Bank Shop Charger

This large, 5 bank battery maintainer is perfect for the semi-professional car enthusiast.

Key Features:

  • Individual LED battery status indicators
  • 4-step charging program
  • Safety timer

Cost: $500

Clore Automotive 4 Bank Battery Maintenance Station

Clore Automotive 4 Bank Battery Maintenance Station

The fully automatic system of this battery maintainer means you can plug it in, and leave it without worry.

Key Features:

  • Multi-phase charging process
  • Suitable for 2 Volt batteries
  • 4 independent outlets

Cost: $112

NOCO Genius G4 Advanced 4 Bank Battery Maintainer

NOCO Genius G4 Advanced 4 Bank Battery Maintainer

As well as topping up 12 Volt batteries, this can completely recharge smaller, 6 Volt batteries.

Key Features:

  • 5 year warranty
  • Suitable for all 6, and 12 Volt batteries
  • 4 charging stations

Cost: $169

Yuasa Dual-Bank Automatic Battery Maintainer

Yuasa Dual-Bank Automatic Battery Maintainer

This battery maintainer features 2 independent charging stations.

Key Features:

  • Suitable for 6, and 12 Volt batteries
  • 5-stage charging program
  • Active desulfation to recover sulfated batteries

Cost: $80