Jump Leads

A set of jump leads will ensure you never get caught out by a flat battery. We see which have the right spark...

Auto Express Car Reviews

April 2005

Booster packs may be the latest affordable solution to your car's dead battery, but there is still a place for some humble jump leads in your boot.

And it is precisely because you can easily carry them with you that they are still must-have items. A booster is heavy and bulky, and is only any use if you keep its charge topped up religiously. Ignore this for a few weeks, and it won't have enough juice to start the engine.

So which leads deserve a place in your car's boot? We set eight best-sellers the job of starting a 'dead' motor to find out.

Verdict

It's top honours to Clarke. The maker's CJL35C gave a solid performance in our cranking test and combined with decent clamps, a good lead length plus a zipped carry case it took the win.

Second place also goes to Clarke. While the leads on the CJL25C are shorter than on its brother and won't handle as much power, they worked well despite costing less than £20.

Screwfix just snatches third from Airflow.