Updated at: 28-05-2022 - By: Lucas

You want your car to start right away every morning, no matter how cold it is. What you drive doesn’t matter. If you don’t have the best brand of car battery, it won’t start.

A mechanic says that these are the best brands. They will not only get your car or truck going in the middle of winter, but they will also keep it running year after year.

1. Editor’s Choice: Optima

Editor’s Choice Optima

I’ve changed hundreds of car batteries, and Optimas are the ones you want if you want your car to keep starting year after year. They aren’t cheap, but their dependability, performance, and durability more than make up for it.

They have a few different options. The Optima Redtop or Yellowtop will be used in most regular automotive applications. The Optima Redtop battery was made for cars, while the Optima Yellowtop battery is best for bigger trucks. There is even a choice for marine batteries from Optima.

The great thing about Optima batteries is that you can’t go wrong with any of them. Optima’s batteries are all high performers, unlike batteries from other brands that only work well if you buy their most expensive ones. This is why Optima backs all of their batteries for 36 months.

Pros

Long-lasting AGM option

All models have high amps when the engine is cold.

Both cars and trucks have a lot of great options.

Warranty for 36 months

Cons

Expensive

2. Best Lead Acid Battery Brand: DieHard

Best Lead Acid Battery Brand DieHard

Even though AGM batteries are very popular, they are also very expensive. Die Hard makes high-quality AGM batteries, but it’s their lead-acid batteries that make them stand out.

They last a long time and come with a warranty that lasts for 36 months. Their best lead-acid batteries are the DieHard Group 65, which have an impressive 880 cold-cranking amps. With that many amps, you don’t have to worry about starting your car even on the coldest days.

Even though DieHard batteries cost more than other lead-acid batteries, they are still less expensive than most AGM batteries. DieHard batteries are made in Wisconsin, and you can only get them from a few dealers.

You can find DieHard batteries at Advanced Auto Parts, CarQuest, Kmart, or Sears. Find a DieHard battery dealer here if you want to find one near you.

Pros

Warranty for 36 months

Group 65 batteries can start from cold with up to 880 amps.

Made in America

Cons

Only sold by a few stores.

Lead-acid batteries cost a lot.

3. Budget Pick – Lead Acid Battery Brand: AC Delco

Budget Pick – Lead Acid Battery Brand AC Delco

Even if you’re not spending a lot of money, that doesn’t mean you have to buy the worst car battery you can find. AC Delco has a lot of different kinds of batteries, and even their best ones are very cheap.

The best part is that their high-end batteries come with a 42-month warranty, while their lower-end batteries only come with an 18-month warranty.

Since they have so many choices, you can find exactly what you want without spending money on things you don’t need. Maybe you live in the South and don’t need a lot of cold cranking amps from your battery.

AC Delco batteries are made all over the world, but you can stick with a trusted brand that makes a wide range of auto parts. Even though this may not seem like a big deal, products made in places like Saudi Arabia have a history of breaking down faster than those made in the United States.

Pros

There’s a lot to choose from

Batteries at the top of the line come with a 42-month warranty.

Filler caps should be both maintenance-free and flooded.

Very affordable

Cons

The warranty on low-quality batteries is only 18 months.

There are many places that make batteries, so you never know what you’ll get.

4. Best AGM Battery Brand: Odyssey

Best AGM Battery Brand Odyssey

Our Editor’s Choice is the Optima brand, but the Odyssey brand is also a great choice. Depending on the battery you choose, it will come with either a 36-month or 48-month warranty, giving you peace of mind for years to come.

Even better, their AGM batteries can last up to 10 years, so you won’t have to buy another battery for the next 10 years. And their best AGM batteries have up to 950 cold-cranking amps, so you can start your car in the morning even if you live in a remote part of Alaska.

The price is the only thing that really holds an Odyssey battery back. They are expensive because they are high-quality batteries. If you don’t need that many cold-cranking amps, you might be better off finding a cheaper option.

Pros

a warranty of up to 48 months

950 amps at cold start

Can last up to 10 years

Cons

Price tag is high

5. Budget Pick – AGM Battery Brand: MaxStart

Budget Pick – AGM Battery Brand MaxStart

AGM batteries are better than lead-acid batteries in many ways. But the price is often the most important drawback. Even though MaxStart batteries don’t get rid of that problem, they do make it less of a problem.

MaxStart batteries aren’t too expensive, especially for an AGM battery. They come with a warranty for 36 months, but it’s likely that your battery will last at least five years and might even last ten.

When choosing a MaxStart battery, you’ll have to be careful because they come in a wide range of sizes to fit different cars. This can be helpful, but it can be a pain to figure out what size battery fits in your car.

The cold cranking amps are the worst thing about the least expensive MaxStart battery. This battery isn’t the strongest because it only has 680 amps. It is, however, strong enough for most uses in the continental United States.

Pros

Warranty for 36 months

AGM batteries are inexpensive.

Size options for each vehicle

Cons

Even less than 680

Buyer’s Guide

If you don’t know much about cars, it can be more than a little hard to choose the right battery. But if you read this guide, you’ll know how to find the right car battery. So, you can be sure that every time you get in your car, it will start.

Lead Acid vs. AGM

These are the two most important types of batteries. What’s the difference, though? Most lead-acid batteries sit in a pool of battery acid. In the past, they needed to be maintained every few months, but newer batteries don’t need to be. AGM batteries, on the other hand, are always sealed, and they have a few benefits.

But you need what kind of battery? Read more about each choice and make your own choice!

Lead Acid Batteries

It’s a regular car battery, and cars have been using them for a long time. Some of them have caps that you can take off, so you can give them service every few months to keep them running longer. But most new batteries don’t need to be taken care of, even if they aren’t AGM.

Normal lead-acid batteries don’t last as long and can’t be used in off-road vehicles, which are two of their biggest problems. Lead-acid batteries must always be upright or they will leak, and if they shake too much, they wear out quickly.

What’s the good thing about a lead-acid battery? They are much cheaper than the alternative, which is AGM.

Pros

Less money

Cons

Not as long-lasting

aren’t always easy to take care of.

Always have to stay upright

AGM Batteries

Simply put, an AGM battery is a battery that has been improved. They have a lot of benefits, and the only real downside is the price you have to pay up front. Normal lead-acid batteries only last about five years, but an AGM battery can last up to ten, and most of the time, it doesn’t cost twice as much as a lead-acid battery.

Even better, AGM batteries keep their charge longer when they are stored, can handle a lot more vibration, and never need to be maintained. They are perfect for off-road vehicles, which don’t have to stay upright all the time. Because AGM batteries are completely sealed, nothing will ever leak out.

Remember that AGM batteries don’t make it easier to start your car when it’s cold; it’s the cold-cranking amps that do that. Even if an AGM battery has more cold-cranking amps, a lead-acid battery with more cold-cranking amps will still start a car better than an AGM battery with less cold-cranking amps.

Pros

Last longer

Never needs maintenance

Doesn’t have to stand on its own

Holds charges longer in storage

Can take more shaking

Cons

More expensive

The Final Verdict

When it’s time to replace your battery, you don’t want to put it off. Trying to get somewhere in a car that won’t start is the worst thing that can happen. And you want to be sure that when you turn off your car, you won’t have any trouble getting it going again.

Do your research and get a battery that will do the job. If you’re not sure what you need, play it safe and get a long-lasting AGM battery, and always get a few more cold-cranking amps than you think you’ll need. Even though they might cost more at first, they will save you money in the long run.