The hallmark of any responsible owner is keeping tabs on anything in their possession. In turn, the reward is knowing that these possessions will last for years because of your proper care. The same ethic extends to almost every other device in your home. From
baby monitors to remote controls, the batteries that power these devices should be working at their optimum performance.
Batteries are an integral part of your devices, and they can seriously inconvenience you if they’ve all died. A quality and reliable battery tester equips you, the homeowner, with a portable, easy-to-use gadget that lets you proactively monitor the condition of your batteries. But that doesn’t quite sum it all up. Before you settle on the best battery tester unit to purchase, there are a couple of factors to consider beyond the tester’s color.
To begin with, you’ll find many out there on the market, but they’re categorized into two broad types: analog testers and digital ones. So which type should you choose? Although both will help you determine the amount of charge left in your batteries, they have some slight differences.
Analog testers use a needle dial to show the voltage readout. They also include a resistor for testing “batteries under load,” which means “testing the batteries as if they’re currently being used.”
Digital testers feature an LCD screen that displays digits or bars to indicate the amount of charge your battery has left. Unlike their analog counterparts, digitals ones require a battery to operate and lack a resistor.
Apart from type, it’s also important to pick a tester that can test all sorts of batteries, from your camera’s
AAA batteries to that
battery-powered fan in your bedroom, to help you keep all your gadgets in tip-top shape. This also eliminates the need to get a different tester for every different battery you have, which also makes a multi-tester more cost-effective.
If you’re curious about pricing and other features to look out for as you begin to shop around, we have you covered!
Price
Above all, you need to decide how much you want to spend on a battery tester. Typically, some of the best testers on the market will cost you anything between $5 and $50. The truth is, the more you spend on a battery tester, the more premium features you get to enjoy, but the price range is also dictated by the brand, model, display type, construction and functionality.
Battery testers are already affordable, so there’s no reason to try and drive the price any lower because you’ll end up sacrificing quality. Cheap battery testers—and by ‘cheap,’ we mean ‘low-quality’—were excluded from our list specifically for this reason. However, we did include testers with low price points to fit a range of budgets.
Features
Once you decide on the type of tester you’re looking to buy, you also need to make sure it has the right set of features. Some of the key things to look out for include:
- Batteries - Make sure the tester can test both standard and rechargeable batteries
- Type of Construction
- Size - Check the dimensions of the tester, especially if you’re traveling or will need batteries
- Display Type - This refers to the size and features of the display
- Power - Some testers have an internal battery while others can only operate when they’re actively testing a battery.
- Type of Slot - Can your batteries fit in the slots? Or is it a universal tester with leads?
With the above-listed features in mind, let’s now find out the impact they have on your battery tester’s performance.
Construction and Design
Battery testers on today’s market come in an array of shapes and sizes. As mentioned earlier, their suitability varies depending on your unique needs. Nonetheless, they all serve as convenient option for buyers looking to assess the state of their batteries to avoid trouble later.
You don’t want a gadget that’s going to fall to pieces once it’s dropped, or something that’ll malfunction after performing several tests. What you do want is something durable that can withstand heavy usage. For commercial purposes, choose a battery tester with a rugged metal construction. A gadget with a compact and lightweight design with a comfortable handle can also come in handy, as it will be easy right at your side.
A well-insulated handle using rubber or plastic material protects you from power surges and other potential dangers. For convenience, you want a tester with a clear and easy-to-read display. Some feature an LCD screen that displays the results in the form of numbers or bars, while most analog testers use a needle dial on a color-coded scale to indicate the battery’s remaining charge.
Battery testers have different types of slots, including adjustable arms, individual slots and sliding adjustment bars, for placing the battery when testing. With different battery shapes available, you should confirm that the tester slot can accommodate your most-used type of battery.
Performance and Ease of Use
Testers that are designed compactly and are lightweight are more portable and far easier to handle while performing tests. Battery-powered testers will give you greater portability and make it easier to test even batteries with a negligible amount of charge.
No matter how durable or expensive your battery tester is, if it doesn’t work with all your battery types, you won’t enjoy its benefits. Choose one that allows you to test a wide range of batteries in your home.
The best of these wise-to-have gadgets assess the overall condition of your battery; rate the load as per the time of use, pinpoint issues with the starter motor draw, and oversee charging completion. The gadget should be easy to handle, and its screen should be easy-to-read. The tester should also exhibit high levels of accuracy, and it should be durable and safe to use. Okay, ready to see the 5 best battery testers?
We hope that our guide has given you enough valuable information so you can better choose the most ideal and reliable battery tester. If you’re still undecided or haven’t found what you were looking for, check out other models that these reputable brands have to offer!
