Best Car Battery Charger UK 2024

Welcome to the most up-to-date, independent and genuinely expert review of the Best Car Battery Charger UK in 2024.

It seems crazy but car batteries are still not really equipped to go any decent length of time without charging.

In 2020, the RAC and AA both reported significant increases in breakdowns, many of them due to car battery failure. The spikes occurred after lockdowns; clearly many people had not used their cars for weeks and their battery had completely drained. The RAC confirmed record home callouts for flat batteries during this period. 

FYI, if you want to save yourself if you break down, you need a Jump Starter not a charger. 

Even apart from that, electronics are being jammed into vehicles at an ever increasing rate. These all guzzle your battery’s power, even when you’re not using your car.

Best get a battery charger then, eh?

best car battery charger UK

Introducing Best Car Battery Charger UK

So here’s what we based our reviews on, and how we subsequently selected the best chargers.

  • Build quality
  • Manufacturer reputation
  • Charging performance
  • Ability to handle extreme conditions
  • Ability to charge various battery types (eg. AGM, Calcium, Lithium)
  • Ease of use
  • Range of battery sizes it can charge

All the car battery chargers on this list performed well in the vast majority of these categories.

Here’s a table with the basic specifications of the top battery chargers available in the UK. After that, read on for reviews and more info on each model.

RankingCharger ModelMax. Charging AmpsTypes of Batteries Charged
CTEK MXS5.05A12V Lead-acid batteries (all kinds)Check Price on Amazon
NOCO GENIUS5UK5A6V/12V Lead-acid (all kinds) & Lithium batteriesCheck Price on Amazon
BUDDYGO FBC120508A12/24V Lead-acid batteries (all kinds)Check Price on Amazon
NOCO GENIUS10UK10A6/12V Lead-acid (all kinds) & Lithium batteriesCheck Price on Amazon

Car Battery Charger Reviews UK

Let’s check out the top battery chargers in the UK, we’ve reviewed each one in-depth.

Here’s what we found.

CTEK MXS5.0

5 Amps  |  12V Lead-acid batteries (all kinds)

Here are our likes and dislikes in our testing.

What We Liked
  • CTEK chargers are known for being extremely tough, reliable & hard-wearing. 
  • Very simple to use. Hook it up and off it goes by itself – the clever 8-step charging programme is perfectly designed to maximise battery life (saving you money on battery costs)
  • Several buyers have reported an exceptional ability to bring batteries back from the dead
  • 5 year warranty
  • Can charge even small batteries, as small as 1.2Ah.
What We Didn’t Like
  • Some buyers had a problem with the mode button sticking. However, this does seem rare (and this has an exceptional number of 5 star reviews on Amazon, indicating excellent quality.)
  • One of the most expensive on the market
  • Not suitable for lithium batteries

In a sentence…

The CTEK MXS5.0 is definitely the Big Daddy of the car battery charger world, by far the most popular in the UK.

It’s for you if:

You just want the easiest to use, most reliable, best technology car battery charger. And don’t mind paying a little more for it.

Who am I buying from?

CTEK is a Swedish company with a 30-year history, creating the first ever smart battery charger in the world. They have excellent reputation for their products’ quality and reliability.

Why is it the most popular?

Well, it’s the safest choice. There are literally thousands of 5 star reviews in the UK alone, showing that it simply works very well, is safe, reliable and does the job it’s supposed to do.

It’s also the best conditioner charger for small to medium-sized cars.

All in all, it’s the best car battery charger UK.

Anything else I need to know?

More than just a device that pumps additional charge into your battery, the MXS5.0 checks the current health of the battery and decides on the optimal route to recharge, maintain and protect the battery over time. This can recondition deeply discharged batteries.

A precisely measured voltage ensure there won’t be a surge of current that could damage your car’s electronics.

CTEK say the careful maintenance of your battery provided by the MXS5.0 can extend your battery life by 2 or 3 times.

Unlike the NOCO Genius5UK, this has a selectable low-current mode of 0.8A, in addition the normal 5A. Therefore, you can use it to charge smaller batteries as well.

It’s also suitable for Silver Calcium (Calcium-Calcium) battery charging; as well as one of the few chargers genuinely made with specific AGM Mode.

Other features of note?

Comes with ring-terminals as well as clamps – you can use this charger as a battery maintainer/trickle charger also.

Inbuilt temperature sensor, adjusts the charge to hot or cold conditions to make sure your battery charges correctly doesn’t overheat.

Feel like checking it out? See it on Amazon here.

Specs:

  • Battery Types: All types of 12V lead-acid batteries (AGM, Gel, Wet, Flooded, Maintenance-free, Ca/Ca)
  • Battery Capacity: 1.2-110Ah (up to 160Ah for maintenance)
  • Rating: IP65 (splash-resistant & dust-proof)
  • Weight: 200g
  • Dimensions: 27.2×14.4×5.4 cm (LxWxH)
  • Input: 220-240VAC, 50-60Hz, 0.6A max
  • Output: 14.4V/14.7V/15.8V, 5.0A max

NOCO GENIUS5UK

5 Amps  |  6V/12V Lead-acid (all kinds) & Lithium batteries

Here are our likes and dislikes in our testing.

What We Liked
  • Extremely well-built, and with sturdy clamps.
  • Fully automatic and simple to use. Connect the clamps, choose the mode and then off it goes.
  • Excellent ability to repair sulfated batteries and being them back to life
  • Comes with a mounting bracket, to store for ease of use on your garage wall (MXS5.0 does not have this)
What We Didn’t Like
  • No low current charging mode, for charging small batteries (you’d need to buy an alternative model, such as GENIUS1UK and a GENIUS2UK for smaller batteries eg. 10Ah)
  • Some buyers were disappointed it doesn’t come with a bag to keep the whole kit together
  • Cannot charge 6V AGM (but 12V AGM is okay)
  • 3 year warranty (compared to MXS5.0’s 5 years)

In a sentence…

The only real pretender to CTEK MXS5.0’s throne (we also made a full review of the GENIUS5UK (UK version) specifically)

It’s for you if:

You’ve weighed it up against the CTEK MXS5.0 and you prefer it (NOCO has similarly excellent reputation for reliability, toughness and technology). Price is almost the same. Maybe it’s because you also want the option to charge 6V batteries, or lithium batteries (if you want a lithium-specific charger, we’ve reviewed the CTEK Lithium XS charger).

We’ve compared a comparison of the MXS5.0 and the Genius 5, just for you.

Who am I buying from?

NOCO are a 107-year old company from Ohio, USA. They make battery chargers, jump starters, solar panels and portable power devices. The NOCO Boost is one of the world’s best known jump starters.

Why is it the UK’s second most popular battery charger?

As mentioned above, NOCO is a trusted brand worldwide, held in high esteem for quality. The Genius5 is the biggest seller in the USA market, and the Genius5UK is the second biggest seller in the UK.

This model also has many hundreds of 5 star reviews in the UK, with several thousand more across the pond. 

Anything else I need to know?

Well, it’s good for not only automotive, but also marine and deep cycle batteries.

A few years ago, even the best battery chargers were flummoxed by very low voltages and simply wouldn’t start charging at all. But should your voltage ever drop low, the GENIUS5UK’s Force Mode can charge batteries from 0 volts. 

12V Repair mode also has the ability to bring dead batteries back to life (of course not all dead batteries can be revived). It acts as a desulfator – it detects sulfation/acid stratification in your battery and repairs it, resulting in better battery performance and stronger starts.

Like the CTEK, it’s suitable for charging both Calcium and AGM batteries.

By the way, we didn’t include the CTEK MXS 7.0 or the CTEK MXS 10 on this list as they’re so similar to the MXS5.0 (except with more power), but we’ve done a full MXS10 review.

Other features?

The Genius5UK can also be connected using integrated connectors (eyelets) and used as a trickle charger/maintainer.

Has an “integrated thermal sensor” that detects the ambient temperature and adjusts the charge for safety and to charge optimally.

Your access to check it out on Amazon is here.

Specs:

  • Battery Types: All types of 6/12V lead-acid batteries (AGM, Gel, EFB, Wet, Flooded, Maintenance-free, Ca/Ca) {except 6V AGM}
  • Weight  0.78 kg
  • Dimensions:  7.37×4.83×11.68 cm (LxWxH)
  • Charging Voltages  6 & 12V
  • Charging Rate  5 Amps
  • Output Power  75W
  • Battery Capacity  Up to 120Ah
  • Input: 120-240VAC, 50-60Hz
  • Cable length (from mains connector to clamp): 197.4cm (77.7in)
  • Rated:IP65 (Splash-proof, dust resistant)
  • Working temperature: -20°C to 40°C
  • Warranty  3 Years

BUDDYGO FBC12050

8 Amps  |  12/24V Lead-acid batteries (all kinds)

Here are our likes and dislikes in our testing.

What We Liked
  • It charges quickly – peak Amps is 8A
  • Fully automatic (but make sure to choose the correct mode out of 6 first)
  • Some buyers have used the pulse repair function and said it works very well
  • Well-made considering the price and with all the safety features you need.
What We Didn’t Like
  • 3-stage charging is less sophisticated than the CTEK and NOCO models – therefore the battery’s health and lifespan (what is car battery lifespan in the UK) will not be increased so effectively.
  • To trickle charge/maintain a big battery, the manufacturers suggest charging using Motorcycle function – it should be fine but this is a bit of a rough and ready/ad hoc solution 
  • No warranty 
  • No IP65. So make sure not to get it wet or allow it to be around too much dust

In a sentence…

The cheaper option; but still with good quality.

It’s for you if:

You’ve got a certain price limit in mind, and don’t want to pay the premium for the reputation and quality of CTEK and NOCO. You may also need to charge a 24V vehicle.

Who am I buying from?

Sentuosi, they’re based in Shenzhen, China. But don’t worry about long delivery times, their stock is kept in the UK!

Why is it the UK’s third most popular battery charger?

It does the job of charging well enough, and at a low price.

Anything else I need to know?

Online reviews are positive and there’s plenty of 5-star reviews. It’s low priced but the majority of people are happy with the quality.

3-stage charging. Fast start, then top-off then trickle. It’s less sophisticated than CTEK and NOCO, as you would expect.

24V batteries are charged at 4 Amps, instead of 8 Amps.

Has all the safety features you’d expect in a modern charger. Protection against overcurrent, overvoltage, overheating, low voltage, overcharging, reverse polarity, sparks, short-circuit.  

Other features?

6 charging modes; Car/truck mode, Motorcycle mode, AGM mode, Repair mode, Summer mode, Winter mode

Pulse repair function isn’t as sophisticated as CTEK or NOCO but I’ve heard users can get surprisingly good results with it. And the reviews online back this up too.

Interested? See it on Amazon here.

Specs:

  • Battery Types: All types of 12/24V lead-acid batteries (AGM, Gel, EFB, Wet, Flooded, Maintenance-free, Ca/Ca) 
  • Weight  0.72 kg
  • Dimensions (packaging):  23.62×12.95×11.68 cm (LxWxH)
  • Charging Voltages  12V & 24V
  • Charging Rate  8 Amps for 12V / 4 Amps for 24V
  • Output Power  140W
  • Battery Capacity  6-150Ah
  • Input: 110-265VAC, 50-60Hz
  • Cable length (from mains connector to clamp): Unknown
  • Rated: Unknown (likely no IP65 rating)
  • Working temperature: Unknown
  • No warranty

NOCO GENIUS10UK

10 Amps  |  6/12V Lead-acid (all kinds) & Lithium batteries

Here are our likes and dislikes in our testing.

What We Liked
  • The fastest charge on the market
  • Amazing results for reviving very old, unused batteries are reported again and again (but remember, if the battery has damage to plates or significant structural damage – it’s not a miracle worker!)
  • As you’d expect from NOCO and it being their most expensive model, buyers are very impressed with the build quality
  • As easy to use as other NOCO models. For example, if you connect a 12V AGM battery, it will auto-select 12V AGM mode and away it goes.
  • Nice mounting bracket, for storage (unlike the CTEK MXS10.0)
  • Can charge 6V AGM (unlike the GENIUS5UK)
  • 12V Supply mode is very helpful for protecting your car’s electronics if you ever need to remove your battery
What We Didn’t Like
  • You can’t charge small batteries eg.10Ah, as there’s no low current charging option, unlike the CTEK MXS10.0)
  • 3 year warranty (compared to MXS10.0’s 5 years)

In a sentence…

All the advanced tech of the GENIUS5UK but with 10 Amps (faster charging), and a fantastically effective 12V Repair mode for reviving apparently dead batteries.

FYI, the Car Battery Geek team has done a full review of the Genius 10 UK.

It’s for you if:

You want the top of the range battery charger, the best technology on the market and will pay for it. Maybe it’s important for you that your batteries charge faster, and maybe you have some vehicle batteries in storage that you want to recondition.

Who am I buying from?

NOCO are a 107-year old company from Ohio, USA. They make battery chargers, jump starters, solar panels and portable power devices. The NOCO Boost is one of the world’s best known jump starters.

Why is it the UK’s fourth most popular battery charger?

As mentioned above, NOCO is a trusted brand worldwide, held in high esteem for quality and reliability of their products.

The GENIUS10UK is their most powerful model, delivering 10 Amps. So it’ll charge your car faster than anything else on the market. 

This model has several hundred reviews, with a very high average rating.

Anything else I need to know?

Well, it’s good for not only automotive, but also marine and deep cycle batteries.

As per the GENIUS5UK, the Force Mode can charge batteries from 0 volts.

I’ve heard this model’s 12V Repair Mode (for reconditioning old/sulfated batteries) is the king for rescuing even very old batteries, that have lain in someone’s garage for years unused. That’s pretty special. 

Charging also removes sulfation from the battery plates, improving the battery health and starting power.

Other features?

12V Supply mode can be used to power 12V DC devices like a tyre inflator or oil changer. And if you ever need to change your battery you can connect this to ensure you retain your cars electronics memory settings – very handy.

Can be used with ring-connectors (eyelets). So you can keep it connected more permanently as a trickle charger/maintainer.

“Integrated thermal sensor” adjusts the charge according to the surrounding temperature, for safety and most effective charging amperage. 

Buy it on Amazon here.

Specs:

  • Battery Types: All types of 6V and 12V lead-acid batteries (AGM, Gel, EFB, Wet, Flooded, Maintenance-free, Ca/Ca)
  • Weight  1.76 kg
  • Dimensions:  9.14×5.84×18.03 cm (LxWxH)
  • Charging Voltages  6 & 12V
  • Charging Rate  10 Amps (for both 6V and 12V)
  • Output Power  150W
  • Battery Capacity  Up to 230Ah
  • Input: 120-240VAC, 50-60Hz
  • Cable length (from mains connector to clamp): 197.4cm (77.7in)
  • Rated:IP65 (Splash-proof, dust resistant)
  • Working temperature: -20°C to 40°C
  • Warranty  3 Years

That’s it for our list and our reviews of the best car battery chargers in the UK.

Now we’ll give you some tips on battery charging, as well as how to make your buying decision.

Car Battery Charger Buying Guide

Here are the questions to consider to make your decision about the best charger for you.

What type of car battery charger do I need?

There’s a whole host of options out there. Your choice depends on what kind of battery your vehicle has, the size of the charge the battery needs (measured in Amps), and the type of charging it needs (for example, bulk and floating charge).

To help you decide which charger you need, these are the questions you need to ask yourself:

1) What kind of battery do I have?

Maybe you already know, but if not pop your bonnet up and take a look. The vast majority of cars and vans have 12V Lead-acid batteries.

If you have a Calcium battery (also known as Silver-Calcium or Ca-Ca) then you’ll want to get a charger that you know is suitable for this type of battery.

Equally, AGM batteries must be charged at specific voltages, and can be damaged if a ‘normal’ charging voltage is used to charge it. Therefore, your charger should either have an AGM mode (like the CTEK MXS5 AGM Mode), or be sophisticated enough to automatically identify an AGM battery when it’s connected to the battery.

Make sure the charger you get works with the battery in your car.

To help you with that, check out the battery types that each charger is suitable for at the top of each individual charger review, as well as in the specifications table.

The CTEK and NOCO chargers are able to charge with all kinds of lead-acid batteries (that includes Calcium and AGM batteries).

2) What charging Amperage do I need?

A 5A charge is enough to fully charge a medium-sized vehicle.

The CTEK MXS5.0 and NOCO Genius 5UK provide a 5A charge. This is a decent size of charge and provides a bulk charge (filling the battery up quickly with high amperage) and then both these chargers will provide a float charge to maintain it.

Those 2 chargers will also recondition your battery, removing sulfation. This can significantly extend the lifespan of the battery, lasting twice as long, and potentially more.

A 10A charge is powerful. You can charge vehicles of any size, even large cars and vans.

If you have a large car, too small a current can mean that the battery never receives a full charge, and therefore its lifespan will be reduced. A 10 Amp charge makes sure it is charged to the brim, and it’ll last longer.

The NOCO Genius 10 and the CTEK MXS 10 (not in our list for the reasons mentioned earlier, but an excellent charger nevertheless) both have 10A charge. We’ve also found that these two chargers provide the best results for reconditioning and restoring batteries. Even batteries in a very poor state have been revived by the desulfating process of thse chargers, combined with the higher Amperage.

How to charge a battery?

  • Firstly, there’s no need to disconnect or remove the battery from the vehicle. Leave it in the engine.
  • In fact, in some newer cars, disconnecting the 12V vehicle battery can mean that you lose the memory of your car’s electronic gizmos. This may just be radio stations but some cars have essential info stored in the memory, and you’ll need to be towed to the dealership for them to be reset!
  • Make sure the vehicle is off ie. the engine is not turned on and the electronics are not turned on.
  • Check the battery charger’s instructions manual; typically, make sure the charger is off. Then, connect the positive clamp of the charger (normally red) to the positive battery terminal. And the negative charger clamp (normally black) to the negative battery terminal.
  • According to your charger’s instructions, then you can start the charging process. This will typically be as simple as selecting the basic charging mode and pressing Start. The NOCO and CTEK chargers on our list of top battery chargers in the UK (the ones on this page) will automatically charge at exactly the right amperages and voltages that are suited to your battery, varying accordingly at each stage. They are set and forget.

How often do I need to charge my vehicle battery?

If you’re regularly driving long distances, then it’s likely you won’t need to regularly charge your battery. Just keep an eye on it and give it a top up charge if you ever go without using it for a week or so.

If you just occasionally use the car or your driving journeys are mostly short, then it’s a good idea to charge it once a month, at least. With the NOCO and CTEK chargers, you can leave them attached, and they’ll keep the charge topped up at exactly the right level.

Summary of the Best Car Battery Charger UK

There you go, then. Hopefully, you now have a better idea of the best car battery charger UK, and you know which one is best for you.

These chargers all have repair functions, though if you’re looking to make your vehicle batteries last longer, you’ll need the technology of a CTEK or NOCO charger.

By the way, if you’ve got a big Lithium battery or 24V battery, you mat consider this monster NOCO 50 Amp professional charger.

If you’re looking to really maximise your battery life and recondition your battery, you can also consider a desulfator. See the best one on the market in our F16 Pulse King Review.

Make your choice and good luck!