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I wouldn't consider myself a car girl, but I have a few things in my car trunk you'll never catch me without. And one of the most essential ones is a car jump starter that is just $60 on Amazon -- discounted by 40% ahead of Amazon's October Prime Day event this week.
My grandfather was a mechanic, so I learned a lot about cars, but I've never had to deal with car issues on my own -- until I did, when I had to jump-start my car battery solo. My beloved 2011 Toyota wouldn't start and was making a weird sound when I turned my key. Like any responsible young adult, I immediately FaceTimed my dad and played the sound for him. He determined in less than a minute that I'd need to jump-start my car to get it running. (Spoiler: He was right.)
Luckily for me, I have the Powrun P-One 2,000-amp car jump starter battery pack, a gift from my apparently psychic parent. Currently, you can get it for 40% off its $100 list price -- or $60. So if you're in the market, now's the time. If you want an even greater peace of mind, there's also a bundle that contains the Powrun P-One 2,000-amp and the P-One Pro 2,500-amp Jump Box for $120 -- also a 40% discount.
This 12-volt portable jump starter is a complete kit to get your car battery running again without another car or anyone's help. Complete with mini jumper cables and instructions, it's practically idiot-proof. (I say this proudly as a car idiot who's used this pack several times to jump-start my car.)
It's easy to use. You prepare your car like you would if you were jumping it from another car -- pop the hood, locate the battery and attach the jumper cables. Then, using the black connector attached to the jumper cables, you plug the jumper cables into the battery pack, matching up the blue plug to the corresponding port on the battery pack. Then, you flip the switch to turn the battery pack on, and a green light on the jumper cable connector will signal that you have a good connection. Then, all you have to do is retry starting your car, and that extra charge bank should give you the juice you need to get it running.
While my specific model is no longer available, this model from the same manufacturer is very similar and on sale now for Prime Day. This battery has enough juice to jump-start your car up to 25 times from a single charge, and is compatible with 12-volt gasoline and diesel engines.
Here's everything that comes with the battery jump starter.
AmazonIn addition to helping you get moving, this battery also comes with a flashlight, compass and ports that you can use to charge your phone or other devices. It also has a display screen that shows your usage and remaining battery power. It's lightweight, compact and easy to store in your glove box or trunk.
I don't like to tout any product as life-saving, but this one really could be. Luckily for me, my car battery died during daylight hours in a relatively safe place, but the situation could've easily been much worse. Aside from the convenience of not needing another car to get a jump start, this portable car battery is as much a safety tool as it is a car one. And I feel much better driving around knowing I have it in my trunk, ready to go if needed.
For more, check out the Govee Floor Lamp that CNET's James Bricknell swears by and the top Amazon Prime perks to use.