Updated at: 14-06-2022 - By: Lucas

The battery is an important part of a car that is necessary for it to work well. The car battery is an electrical storage unit that is used to start the engine, control electrical features, and take the load when the car is not moving.

Modern cars with more advanced technology need more electrical power to run other parts and accessories.

It can be hard to tell how long a battery will last, but most car owners don’t buy a new one until the engine starts acting up. It’s always a safe bet to buy the battery ahead of time.

Best Car Batteries for the Money

Updated on February 23, 2022, at 9:02 a.m.; contains affiliate links; images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Types of Batteries

There are usually two kinds of batteries that can be bought:

Flooded lead-acid batteries: These batteries have 35% sulfuric acid and 65% electrolyte water solution. The sulfuric acid and electrolyte water solution cause chemical reactions that create electrons. Since this battery’s electrolyte flows freely, it would need to be refilled with water often.

Absorbed Glass Mat Batteries: These are also lead-acid batteries, but the battery acid is soaked into a mat of thin glass fibres. In this battery, the electrolytes do not flow freely like they do in a flooded lead-acid battery.

What to Look for While Buying a Car Battery?

When buying a battery, a car owner needs to think about a number of things. Here is a list of these:

How fresh the battery is: Some batteries that a person chooses to buy may have been in stock for a long time. There’s a chance that these batteries won’t last long. Checking the battery’s date of manufacture is always a good idea. If the battery is less than six months old, it is new and can be used.

Size: Not all batteries for cars are the same size. They come in groups of different sizes. Most of the time, the size of the car battery is written on the battery that the car is running on or in the car’s user manual.

Installation: It can be hard to put batteries in. Manuals or videos of how to do something might not be enough in some situations. If the person who owns the car doesn’t know how to put in a battery, it would be good to find battery companies that will help with the installation.

Climate: When buying a battery, you should also think about the weather in the area. Most hot weather batteries are labelled “S,” which stands for South. Cold weather batteries have cold cranking amps (CCA) and are labelled “N,” which stands for North.

High-Performance Batteries: Most cars use lead-acid batteries, but newer cars with more advanced electronics would be better off with absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries. AGM batteries can handle a lot of power and work with electronics that use a lot of power, like charging ports for mobile devices and fuel-saving features.

Off-road driving: Not all batteries are made to be used on all kinds of terrain. Some batteries have plates that are easily broken. If the car is driven on rough roads, the plates could become weak and break. When you buy a battery for driving off-road, make sure to ask for one that is made for that purpose.

Features of a Good Car Battery

Warranty

If you drive your car often, most batteries only last for a couple of years. When you buy a battery, you must get one with a good warranty.

There are some brands whose batteries come with a three-year warranty. In some cases, the batteries may die before the warranty period is over. If the battery dies before the replacement warranty ends, some brands will give you a prorated fund.

Long Life

Most companies give you a three-year warranty. But it’s hard to know how long a battery will last because different people use their cars in different ways.

Some car owners have used the same battery for more than five years, while others have had to replace it after it didn’t even last a year.

If batteries could last longer, it would cost less to replace them often.

Reserve Capacity

Based on how much power the car takes from the battery, the reserve capacity is the amount of time the battery is expected to last. Usually, this is measured in amps per hour.

Batteries with good reserve capacities would make sure that the car’s electric features, like the headlights, can still work even when the car is turned off.

Maintenance Free

As we’ve already talked about, some batteries are made so that distilled water needs to be added regularly to make sure they work well. Lead-acid batteries often do this.

When you do this often, it can be very frustrating. On the other hand, the AGM batteries don’t need any maintenance at all.

Carrying Handle

Batteries for cars tend to be very heavy. They can be hard to move around.

Batteries with handles are easy to take with you and move around. This can be very helpful if the owner needs to take the battery to a workshop to be fixed or to a garage to be fixed.

Cranking Amps

This is how much power the battery has to start the car. This needs to meet the needs of the car.

This could be different depending on the weather in the area. For cars to start even in the coldest weather, they need something called “cold cranking amps.”

Best Car Batteries Reviewed

Odyssey PC680 Battery

Odyssey PC680 Battery-2

The Odyssey PC680 is a strong battery that can handle land, snow, or water.

The battery protects the car from shocks and vibrations because it is built to last. It has pure lead plates and an AGM design that doesn’t leak.

Because the plates are made of pure lead, they last three times as long as other batteries on the market. The battery is 7.9 inches by 7.8 inches by 3.8 inches and weighs 15 pounds.

Pros

The battery has a full replacement warranty for two years and can work for 3–10 years. This saves people money and time.

The battery is one of the best ones on the market for how well it recharges. It can be charged all the way up to 100% in 4–6 hours.

One of the best things about the battery is that it can handle vibrations. It keeps the car from shaking or moving around.

Compared to other batteries on the market, it lasts a long time.

Compared to other designs, this one is smaller and fits into most cars with ease.

Cons

Help may be needed for installation. You might need help from a professional.

Problems with cranking amps don’t happen very often.

Where to Buy?

This item can be bought on Amazon.

Verdict

It does what it says it will do. People have said great things about the battery, and a lot of customers have liked it.

Most people who have bought this product have been very happy with it. Some customers have also said that the battery has worked well for them for more than five years.

Mighty Max ML35-12 SLA Battery

Mighty Max ML35-12 SLA Battery

One of the best solar batteries on the market right now is the Mighty Max ML35-12. Its state-of-the-art AGM design was made to handle heavy use and keep things from spilling.

The grid of calcium-alloy in this product makes the battery last longer and work better. The battery is 7.68″ long, 5.16″ wide, and 7.13″ high. It weighs 24 lbs (shipping weight).

The battery can be used to power not only cars, but also consumer devices, emergency devices, and devices for camping and other outdoor activities.

Pros

It is easy to move around. It’s easy to carry because it’s small and doesn’t weigh much.

Its unique AGM design makes it a sealed lead-acid rechargeable battery that doesn’t need to be taken care of.

It lasts a very long time compared to other batteries on the market.

It can work in a wide range of temperatures, so its owner can use it in places with moderately hot or cold weather.

It can handle vibrations and shocks.

Cons

Even though it can be used in a wide range of temperatures, it can’t be used in very hot or very cold places.

This battery is very strong. It might not be good for cars with electrical parts that need a lot of power to work.

In rough weather, its lead plates are likely to break. This is the only time that something might spill.

Where to Buy?

This item can be bought on Amazon.

Verdict

This battery doesn’t work with all cars. The battery is only good for cars that don’t need a very strong one.

It works well with most electric cars and RVs. Since it’s a solar battery, it can’t be used in a wide range of vehicles, but it’s better for leisure activities.

Kinetik HC600 Blu Series Battery

Kinetik HC600 Blu Series Battery

The Kinetik HC600 Blu is an AGM battery that is usually used to power sound systems. The battery, on the other hand, can be used instead of a car’s regular battery.

The battery has good starting amps and can handle high temperatures. The company Kinetik added more plates to this battery to make it hold more energy.

It is 7.13″ long, 3.01″ wide, and 6.57″ tall, and it weighs 11.9 lbs.

Pros

The AGM battery is made so that it can handle strong vibrations, needs less maintenance, and lasts longer.

It is the best battery for audio systems because it has 600 Watts of power.

The battery is made so that it doesn’t leak or spill.

Ultra-low ESR makes sure that the energy density is high, and the close packing of the cells makes it possible to get a higher voltage when the load is low.

Cons

To keep the battery charged, you need an AGM battery charger. This could hurt how well it works.

Because the battery is mostly made for audio systems, it can affect other electronic parts like the lights and horn.

Where to Buy?

This item can be bought on Amazon.

Verdict

Even though it is a strong battery, this car battery is best used as a backup. Its purpose is to power the stereos.

But this could be a good choice for people who need a better-than-average battery for their car.

Optima 8040-218 D35 Yellowtop Dual Purpose Battery

Optima 8040-218 D35 Yellowtop Dual Purpose Battery

The Optima 8040-218 D35 is a battery that is made to hold a lot of weight. Optima batteries use 99.99 percent pure lead, which is different from other batteries that use flat sheets of lead.

The spiral-cell technology of the battery makes it resistant to vibrations, gives it a strong output, and makes it last longer.

The battery is 6.75 inches by 9.38 inches by 7.69 inches and weighs 39.7 pounds (shipping weight).

Pros

It works for twice as long as regular batteries.

It doesn’t need any care at all.

The battery is made so that it will not leak or spill.

It can handle different temperatures and won’t turn.

It can be used for more than one thing.

Cons

Compared to other batteries on the market, the size of this one is very small. This could make it hard to get into some cars.

It doesn’t work with all cars.

Where to Buy?

This item can be bought on Amazon.

Verdict

The Optima D35 is one of the best car batteries on the market because it can be used for two different things. It works very well to power cars’ stereo systems and other electrical parts.

Final Thoughts

It’s always a good idea to buy a new car battery ahead of time, especially if the old one is giving the engine trouble.

Having your local garage or mechanic keep an eye on the battery would help you figure out how long it will last. The above brands of batteries are the best ones on the market right now.

Choose wisely based on how you plan to use them to make sure they last longer. If you take care of the batteries, they can last for many years.