Batteries tend to lose their charge with time, irrespective of usage. This process speeds up considerably during winter months, when the temperatures dip really low. For vehicle owners, this can be a really annoying problem when you return from a long break.
What is a Battery Tender?
A battery tender, as the name suggests, “tends to” – or takes care of – your batteries when they’re not in use. It is an intelligent piece of circuitry that plugs into a standard AC outlet and charges your battery. What makes it intelligent is the ability to adapt its charging process according to your battery’s requirement.
Researching about battery tenders can be confusing for those who aren’t familiar with them, particularly for those with little to no electronic background (doesn’t that sound like most of us?).
To ease the process, we have tried out numerous battery tenders and compiled the relevant ones in this guide so that you can buy the best battery tender suited to your requirement without having to go over tons of technical literature.
Top 6 Battery Tenders Table
| Picture | Name | Rating (A) | Price | Rating (1-5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Deltran Battery Tender (021-0128) 1.25 Amp Battery Charger | 1.25 | $$$ | 4.8 |
 | 2. Battery Tender (022-0186G-DL-WH) 12V 5 Amp Battery Charger | 5 | $$$$ | 4.7 |
 | 3. Black & Decker BC2WBD 2 Amp Waterproof Charger | 2 | $$ | 4.5 |
 | 4. NOCO Genius G3500 6V/12V 3.5A UltraSafe Smart Battery Charger | 3.5 | $$$ | 4.4 |
 | 5. Morange MBC010 12V/1000mA Smart Battery Charger | 1 | $ | 4.3 |
 | 6. Schumacher SP-200 2.4W Solar Battery Maintainer | 0.2 | $$ | 3.7 |
Buying Information
Battery tenders come with a variety of ratings, tailored for different purposes. An assessment of your exact requirement goes a long way in choosing the right battery tender. A battery tender’s primary purpose is to keep your vehicle batteries charged during off season. A low rating (under 2 amps) charger will take care of this just fine.
However, if you are looking at an all-purpose battery tender – one that will keep your batteries from discharging as well as charge them up within hours if and when they get discharged or both at the same time – for different batteries, you need a micro controller based smart charger with multiple terminals.
The table above covers the different types of devices to cover separate needs.
Top 3 Best Battery Tender Reviews
1. Deltran Battery Tender (021-0128) Charger
When you are looking out for the best battery tender out there, you consider performance, safety and longevity. This tender from Deltran has aced all these and much more, driving it to the top of our list. It packs in a lot of useful features and indicators without being flashy – some of which will be highlighted in the next section.
If you are looking at an all-purpose charger designed to fully charge a dead battery and maintain it at that level over a period of time and is smart enough to automatically change from charging to floating mode. The temperature sensor does a great job of maintaining optimum charging voltage. The box contains thoughtfully designed harness to reach difficult areas easily. There’s another useful reverse polarity protection feature, making it a good choice even if you haven’t had much experience with battery tenders in the past.
Overall, it is a safe, multipurpose charger that will work well for beginners as well as experienced users.
2. Battery Tender (022-0186G-DL-WH) Charger
If you are looking for a reliable charger that will get your dead batteries up and running quickly, this one with 5-Amp rating is what you are looking for. Specifically designed for AGM batteries, this works well with all lead based batteries – right from the small Powersports ones to those used in marine engineering and construction devices!
Its 4-stage charging mode is what makes it a versatile performer. Just for safety reasons, we recommend not leaving it on a load less than 2.5 A while charging, as it can become unpleasantly warm. Its smart charger and automatic power on/off features make it ideal if you don’t want to babysit your charger all the time. Factory installed gasket makes it water resistant – another nice to have feature.
This is a great charger that will take care of your everyday (fast) charging needs as well as long-term battery maintenance.
3. Black & Decker BC2WBD Charger
You won’t find lots of products from Black & Decker in any segment but when they produce one, it invites attention. The have a history of manufacturing high quality products and the BC2WBD charger from their stable is no different.
It is an affordable, waterproof unit with dust and moisture isolation that make for longevity with minimal maintenance. It scores high on the utility front as well, giving you three options to connect your battery – clamps, rings and 12V dc plug. There’s magnet on the side that is a great resource when you want to mount it on the side of your vehicle. It turns itself off once the battery reaches full charge.
It is an affordable, portable unit that lasts, offering plenty of protective circuitry to prevent over charging, reverse polarity and short circuits.
Armed with this information, we are sure you’ll get the best battery tender tailored for your requirements.
