Published Sep 3, 2022 1: 00 PM
From the most affordable subcompact on the market to the most advanced electric vehicles, all cars have one thing in common: a 12-volt battery. That battery is so important that it can even keep a fully charged electric car from “starting,” not to mention the more common gas-powered cars across the country today. Though the most common time to start seriously researching, and shopping for a car battery is often the day it lets you down, you can take a proactive step today and learn a bit more about the best car batteries for your situation.
- Best overall: DieHard Platinum AGM
- Best green/most sustainable: Antigravity Lithium Batteries
- Best hot weather: Odyssey Extreme
- Best cold weather: Optima Red Top
- Best budget: EverStart
How we chose the best car batteries
When it comes to car batteries there have been improvements over the years but, overall, they’ve stayed relatively uniform in form and function. Not all are created equally, however, and the pricing reflects that. Or, if you’re like me, and you’ve had to break out the jumper cables again for the same project car, then the time to replace that car battery (and maybe fix some other problems) is now, which is why I assembled options to cover a wide range of use cases. While considering batteries I took into account customer reviews, brand reliability, warranty quality, and battery specifications. All of these factors played into why these five brands made the cut. You can sure get by with any old battery from the nearest auto parts store, but whatever they have on the shelf that fits may not be the best battery for your use.
To get as close to an apples-to-apples I worked off of the common 65 Group Size, which fits my 10-year-old Ford F-150. With most brands my truck required an AGM battery (more on that below), but you can often save some money if you’re shopping on the value end of things by getting a regular flooded-acid battery instead. Whichever way you go, the best car batteries will keep you from getting stranded at the worst possible time.
Things to consider before buying a car battery
There’s a reason behind the multiple tiers in the car battery world. If your car has auto start/stop, or you know you’ll do a lot of short trips, then a battery that’s designed to withstand this sort of use is essential. If you drive a compact economy car in mild weather, with a charging system that’s in tip-top shape, and you drive long enough to make sure the battery stays topped off, then something with less reserve and a lower cold-cranking amp rating is a safe bet.
Types of batteries
The vast majority of car batteries are some type of lead/acid battery. The most popular fall into two camps: traditional “flooded” lead-acid and absorbent glass mat (aka AGM). Then there are lithium-ion batteries, which are starting to make their way into the automotive world. The lithium-ion batteries are far and away the most expensive, but they’re also pretty darn cool. That being said, for most people, some type of lead-acid battery will offer the best combination of value and features.
The specifications that matter
If you live in a temperate climate that sees a handful of cool days but stays above freezing, and below 100 F, then you and your car battery are in for an easy life. However, if you live somewhere, especially somewhere that dips well below freezing, then the right car battery can be a vitally important part of your car. Batteries are often rated with two different cranking amp ratings: Cranking Amps (CA) at 32 F and Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) at 0 F. If you see the mid-20s most winters, you don’t need to shop with a heavy hand towards as many CCAs as you can afford. That being said, if you spend the whole month of January below 0 F most years—and I can personally vouch for how much fun that is—then CCAs are a number you should pay attention to.
The other important number is reserve capacity, which is the amount of time the battery can run the stereo and the headlights (aka, 25 amps) at 80 F before the battery drops down to 10.5 volts. If it dips too low, then your car doesn’t start again after that extended jam session to your favorite artist.
The best car batteries: Reviews & Recommendations
Best overall: DieHard Platinum AGM
Why it made the cut: The DieHard brand is one of the most recognized names in the industry, and their Platinum AGM is as environmentally friendly as lead-acid batteries come.
Specs
- Weight: 42.5 lbs
- Cold Cranking Amps: 750A
- Type: AGM
- Reserve: 120 min
- Warranty: 3 year
Pros
- Enough capacity to handle multiple accessories
- Two hours of reserve capacity
- Available in all common sizes
Cons
- Costly AGM design not necessary for all cars
- Warranty shorter than cheaper batteries
I knew I wanted to include a DieHard battery in this list and, while you would be well served by a Gold or Platinum, the Platinum AGM took the top spot for a few reasons. First, the cost was only about $30 between it and the Gold when comparing the F-150 battery size. Second, the AGM design means it’ll hold up even better to high electrical demands, and would handle a stop-start system easily. To top it off, DieHard (rightly) brags a bit that this and one other battery in their lineup are made from a minimum of 94% recycled materials. Lead and acid aren’t the friendliest materials in the world, so it’s nice to know this battery is recycled as much as possible.
The downsides include cost and warranty length. If cost is a major concern for you then you could save a few dollars by dropping down to a DieHard Silver, which dropped to under $200 in my application. Though, even that’s nowhere close to my value pick. Then, though 3 years for a free replacement is longer than some batteries, DieHard’s non-AGM Platinum is warrantied for four years and is less money.
Best green/most sustainable: Antigravity Lithium Batteries
Why it made the cut: Moving away from lead and acid can only be a good thing in the long run, and this battery’s feature set really puts it ahead of the competition.
Specs
- Weight: 11.7 lbs
- Cranking Amps: 1200A(did not list CCA)
- Type: Lithium-Ion
- Reserve: 30 amp Hours
- Warranty: 5 year
Pros
- Incredibly light
- Tons of cranking amps
- RE-START tech means no dead battery
Cons
- Expensive by any standard
- Limited to certain applications—for now
Antigravity Batteries markets several lines of lithium-ion batteries, from powersports to race-car applications. Lithium-Ion is one of the most popular battery types on the market today for everything from smartphones to jump starters, but it’s relatively new to car batteries. In comparison to the often 40-pound lead bricks that we’re used to, getting 1,200 cranking amps out of a sub-12-pound battery seems miraculous. Indeed, it would be for traditional tech, which this battery is not. The coolest feature in my opinion, and the one that piques my interest the most, is their “RE-START” feature, which the battery utilizes to send itself into hibernation so it always has enough energy to start the car. If this happens you can push a button on a key fob, or on the battery itself, and then start the car.
On the downside, these batteries are expensive. Really expensive. You could buy two of any of the other picks (or more) and you’d be getting close. Then, there’s the question of availability. For now, they have a robust selection of motorcycle and race-car-sized batteries. The one I linked out to would fit a Honda Civic, Mazda Miata, or a Nissan GT-R, but notably not an older Ford F-150. This does serve a decent bit of logic because motorcycle and race car drivers might stand to gain more by reducing weight than the drive of a 5,000-plus-pound pickup truck.
Best hot weather: Odyssey Extreme
Why it made the cut: When the weather pushes the mercury way up, then the Odyssey Extreme is ready to take the heat and keep on cranking.
Specs
- Weight: 54 lbs
- Cold Cranking Amps: 950A
- Type: AGM
- Reserve: 145 min
- Warranty: 4 year
Pros
- Huge operating temperature range
- Nearly three hours of reserve capacity
- Designed for frequent discharges
Cons
- Not small, not cheap
Odyssey’s Extreme line of batteries is designed to withstand not only extremely hot conditions but extreme cold as well. This battery also nearly cinched the best cold weather pick but got edged out on the bottom end by the Optima. The Odyssey, however, blows the Red Top out of the water for tolerance of hot temperatures: it’s rated from -40 F all the way up to a sweltering 176 F. That should be plenty of capacity even for hot days and hot engine bays. This battery is big, heavy, and puts out a ton of power too. The 950 CCA rating is impressive on its own, but the battery can also put out 1,750 amps for five seconds when hot. That, and its design, allows it to be deep cycled up to 400 times.
Though, all that capability does come at a price. The F-150-sized Odyssey Extreme rang in for nearly $400, putting it into uncomfortable territory if you’re used to spending around $100 on a battery from Walmart (like me). If your use case puts you in some of the most extreme hot temperatures around, then a battery rat