If you own a car, then chances at you’ll need to replace your battery in the next few years. Most cars are sold with a second hand or short-life batteries that are unreliable and need replacing within a few years.
Here we take a look at the best auto battery on the market and list out our top ten picks, with a detailed look at the best three choices for your car.
What to Look For
When you’re considering a new auto battery for your car there are two key features you’ll want to put a lot of thought towards. If you get these two factors right for your situation, your battery will last a long time and live up to your expectations.
- Cold Cranking Hours. Are very important in cold areas; areas with lots of snow or blizzards need batteries with high cold cranking hours. Put simply a cold engine requires more energy (amps) to start and the colder the engine is the more amps it will need to start it.
- Reserve Capacity. Is the number of minutes a battery can discharge 25 amps before it drops below 10.5 volts. Put simply the higher the reserve capacity the better the batteries ability will be to power multiple lights, pumps, inverters, stereos and other electronics for long periods.
Top 10 Auto Batteries Chart
| Picture | Name | Features | Price | Rating (1-5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Optima Batteries 8004-003 34/78 RedTop Starting Battery | 800 cold cranking amps, 100 min reserve capacity | $$ | 4.7 |
| 2. Odyssey PC925 Automotive and LTV Battery | 330 cold cranking amps, 3-10 year life | $$ | 4.7 |
| 3. Odyssey PC680 Battery | 170 cold cranking amps, 2-6 year life | $ | 4.6 |
| 4. Optima Batteries 8171-767 (DS46B24R) YellowTop Prius | Offroad battery, maintenance-free, 100% spill proof | $$ | 4.6 |
| 5. ACDelco 65AGM Professional AGM Automotive BCI Group | 100% leak and spill proof, maintenance-free | $$$ | 4.5 |
| 6. Optima Batteries 8040-218 D35 YellowTop Dual Purpose | 650 cold cranking amps, 98 min reserve capacity | $$$ | 4.4 |
| 7. Exide Edge FP-AGML4/94R Flat Plate AGM Sealed | 800 cold cranking amps, 140 min reserve capacity | $$$$ | 4.4 |
| 8. ACDelco 94RAGM Professional AGM Automotive BCI Group | 100% leak and spill proof | $$$$ | 4.2 |
| 9. Battery Mart Mazda MIATA Battery | 320 cold cranking amps | $ | 4.2 |
| 10.ACDelco ATX20LBS Specialty AGM Powersports JIS 20L-BS | 100% leak and spill proof, acid shipped separately to ensure maximum freshness | $ | 4.1 |
Information to Help Choose
Buying an auto battery requires learning a few things about the different types of batteries there are in the marketplace. Here are a few features that you should be paying attention to when you’re selecting your next battery:
- Maintenance-Free. These batteries do not need periodic checking of acid or water levels and will never need to be refilled in their lifespan. Instead, they are completely sealed with the right level of liquids and have a mechanism to keep this in check.
- Spill Proof. Similar to maintenance-free batteries, spill proof refers to how the acid is stored in the battery. Spill proof batteries store the acid in unbreakable chambers that do not corrode.
- Number of Plates. A high number of plates inside the battery will make for a very heavy battery, but it will also mean your battery can hold more power for longer periods of time.
- Battery Life. New sealed lead batteries have almost twice the battery life of traditional batteries making them more environmentally friendly and economic.
Top 3 Best Auto Battery Reviews
1. Optima Batteries 8004-003 34/78 RedTop
Optima are the industry leaders in auto batteries and have been making the best auto battery for many years. Their batteries are all very high quality and long lasting with the highest cold cranking amps and reserve minutes in the industry.
The Optima battery was originally designed for rugged and abusive scenarios such as racing and off-road applications; however, it lends itself to everyday use just as well. To maximize the life of the battery try and always keep it charged above 12.5 volts to minimize any sulfation.
Red tops are not meant for deep cycling so they are best to keep fully charged through regular charging intervals. If you enjoy sitting with your radio on for hours on end without your engine running, this isn’t the battery for you.
As a guide, the reserve capacity minutes should be the maximum length of time you spend with electronics drawing down the battery without charging it.
2. Odyssey PC925 Automotive
With a cold cranking amp of 330, this battery is perfectly suited to cold starts and icy cold climates. It comes with one of the longest warranties in the industry of 4 years and has an expected service life of 10 years.
The nonspillable design and no-maintenance features ensure that you never have to worry about your battery. High shock absorption ensures that even under extreme conditions your battery will function as intended.
With a full recharge capable in just 4-6 hours, this battery has one of the highest efficiencies in the market.
3. Odyssey PC680 Battery
For vehicle owners who have a big drain on their batteries whilst they aren’t being charged – such as listening to radio in the carpark or charging your phone, a deep cycle battery like this one is perfect. Not only does this battery prefer to go through deep cycles, it maintains enough amps to start your vehicle even on low voltage.
The number of electronics drawing down on your vehicles battery today would have been unimaginable just a few years ago. Yet this battery does a great job of keeping all of your devices powered.
With a 70% longer cycle life than previous generation deep cycle batteries, this battery has up to 400 cycles per charge. Coupled with a faster recharge to 100% within just 4-6 hours this is the best battery for your vehicle if you use the onboard electronics a lot between drives.
With extreme shock resistance, this battery is the best auto battery designed for off-road uses and will provide you with the security you need to travel further than ever before.
