I wouldn't consider myself a car girl, but I have a few things in my car trunk you'll never find me without. One of the most essential items is a car jump starter that's still just $60 on Amazon after Cyber Monday -- discounted by $40 right now. That's an even bigger discount than you could find during October's Amazon Prime Day.
My grandfather was an auto 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 by myself. 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.
For more, be sure to check out the best Amazon deals you can still snag after Cyber Monday.
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.
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.
In 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. I feel much better driving around knowing I have it in my trunk, ready to go if needed.
If you use the Powrun P-One only once, it'll probably provide a relief that will have justified it's purchase. Giving this jump starter as a gift may not be a the "coolest" of gifts, but it is a thoughtful one. Plus, if the person you gift it to ever needs it, you can most definitely expect a thank you call or text afterwards.
For more, check out the best deals you can still get after Cyber Monday.