The Best Car Battery Tester (1 Good Winner, Several Reasons)

It turns out, this isn’t rocket science. The best car battery tester is the Ancel BA101.

The above is simple, short, and straight to the point; it’s also the concise, uncomplicated answer. However, the details are much more than just declaring that the Ancel BA101 is the BEST automotive battery tester there is in the market today.

Naturally, questions like: how did this conclusion come about? What questions were asked (and answered)? What special qualities does the BA101 possess? What are the advantages of using the named battery tester, etc., have validly, no doubt, started forming in your mind.

The questions are legion, too. However, like the lone, singular answer, their answers are also simple and concise.

First things first, however: why do you need an automotive battery tester and why does it matter that you get the best car battery tester available for the bucks today?

Why Do You Need a 12-Volt Automotive Battery Tester?

I have a plethora of OBD II scanners and code readers that have come to my home garage in the course of my time as a DIY mechanic.

However, of these scanners and code readers, the TopDon TopScan has remained my go-to code reader when I need to review the condition of a (new to me) used vehicle with the intent of figuring out what its owner may be hiding (or trying to hide).

This is usually the case with used car inspections before buying.

Now, the choice of the TopScan, (in the sea of other code readers and scanners), is deliberate: the unit is small, portable, and powerful enough to tell me all that I need to know (in a simple, no-nonsense and precise fashion).

Powered with bi-directional abilities and the power to scan up to ten (10) different modules, such as the ABS, transmission, airbags, and the Theft Deterrent System, there is nothing that a potential seller hides that the unit doesn’t bring to the fore.

Unfortunately, for many years, there wasn’t anything similar, specifically made for the starter batteries (plus other units in the system – the alternator and starter itself), and OBD II code readers/scanners, generally, did not (and still do not) ‘read’ starter batteries, starters, and alternators.

What this meant was simple: you could inspect a used car successfully and give it a ‘pass mark’ as a mechanic.

That used vehicle you had given a pass mark only a moment back wouldn’t (in turn) reach its destination because of a faulty alternator, a bad starter battery, or a starter that won’t simply turn over the engine.

Such a failure won’t only undermine the pre-purchase work done (and class same as ‘non-professional’), it will also likely strain relationships between the new owner and the shop/mechanic.

Secondly, before the advent of automotive battery testers and their wide adoption, it was common to drive and park a vehicle overnight, and the next day, have the battery refuse to start the vehicle.

This was very common in the winter and easily brought all manner of frustration.

Batteries at the end of their service life still managed the warm summers, but when the harsh winter cold came on, they packed up like some used tent.

With a good battery tester, it’s easy to hook the unit to your starter battery and get the health of your starter battery displayed on a screen.

Knowing the State of Health (SoH) of your starter batteries makes it easy to know when they’ll likely pack up and prepare for their replacement before that time, avoiding the embarrassment that comes with a bad starter battery (or any of the components in the vehicle’s starting system).

Third, buying starter batteries themselves, like used cars, is tricky business. Brand new starter batteries, sitting on the shelves, need to be periodically charged – or they begin to degrade badly.

The challenge was (and remains that), a badly degraded starter battery could (and still can) start your vehicle without any noticeable challenges.

However, over the months, that starter battery will pack up, forcing you to buy another sooner, rather than later. At that point, the battery will likely be out of warranty, meaning that you’ll be doing so out of pocket.

For starter batteries, the fresher they are, the better. Or, at least, they should be charged, periodically – an impossible fact, given the volume most retailers deal with and the fact that some brands completely seal their products to protect product integrity.

Why risk it?

Finally, a car battery tester doesn’t only test the starter battery: the starter itself (responsible for turning over the engine) and the alternator (responsible for charging the battery and powering the electronics in the vehicle when in use – with the engine running) are also subjected to tests by an automotive battery tester.

These three (3) components: battery, starter, and alternator, are all instrumental to the starting and proper operation of a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine.

If any should fail, the entire system collapses like a pack of weak cards.

With the best car battery tester you can find for the bucks, such a situation can be smartly averted and a smooth motoring experience had.

That treated, why insist on not just any battery tester but the very best?

Why You Should Get the Best Car Battery Tester Available

Like a portable jumper or an OBD II code reader, a good battery tester could easily save you a ton of stress and, in some instances, may even be the difference between life and death.

If you need to get away quickly – and your vehicle fails (or your battery packs up in freezing conditions), you may not make it out of that scenario without some ‘scratches’; if you’re unlucky, the story is likely to turn south.

Given the centrality of the issue and the accuracy the tests you conduct need to be, this isn’t something you joke with and expect to get any form of reasonable results.

The consequences of getting things wrong remain best imagined and what no one should attempt risking.

How I Selected the Ancel BA101

Before I decided on the Ancel BA101 as the best car battery tester amongst many other automotive battery testers, I used a number of metrics and factored in many things.

Below, I share why the Ancel BA101 beats other car battery testers to take its rightful place as the automotive battery tester of choice here on ThrottleHolic.

Why the Ancel BA101 Beats Other Car Battery Testers

Anyone can claim that a tool they use (or have heard of) is the best among other options. The difference between such a wild claim and a valid one remains the ability to substantiate, objectively.

So, here’s me saying you shouldn’t pay (too much) attention to my words alone, but instead, look at the proof I’m offering.

This will help you come to an independent conclusion, yourself:

1. Accuracy

Accuracy is the currency with which an automotive battery tester is measured. When the interest is the best car battery tester money can buy, the bar is raised even higher, as getting readings right remains of the essence.

The Ancel BA101 is rated, officially, to be more than 99% accurate. However, during my tests, use, and comparison, I consistently found it to be 100% accurate. The few times I didn’t get a straight 100%, I got 99.99% – which I find supremely impressive.

My methodology was simple – as is everything else I do. I compared the values the BA101 gave with what my multimeter offered.

I was stunned at the level of accuracy the little battery tester turned out.

2. Price

The second metric I used and the basis for selecting the BA101 as the automotive battery tester of choice here at ThrottleHolic is its retail price.

Generally, other battery testers are at par with the offer the BA101 provides, and for some, they even offer some functions/features the BA101 doesn’t have.

However, the difference is that these options do not retail anywhere near the entry-level, affordable price that the BA101 does; they are usually professional-use, super expensive models that cost an arm, a leg, and sometimes, even a kidney!

The BA101 was chosen because it gives a no-nonsense professional reading on a budget, entry-level price.

It’s essentially picking the output of the professional code readers without the annoying price tags.

3. Ease of Use/Storage

I’m a DIY mechanic and self-styled petrolhead. I’m also an automotive freelance writer. With these advantages, I’m generally more familiar with cars than the average vehicle owner.

However, that said, I understand the pain and frustration of getting a tool that is unnecessarily complex; one that needs special training to use or enjoy.

As one who hates complex vehicles and engines, I also hate, with passion, tools that aren’t made in a simple and straightforward manner.

The Ancel BA101 battery tester ticks this box, with ease. The unit is intuitive and practically guides the user on the next steps to take with its easy-to-use layout and display.

With this reality, a professional mechanic, a DIY petrolhead, and a regular vehicle owner (who also doubles as a non-car person) can all easily use the battery tester without any special recourse to even the included manual and get valid results, across.

For instance, the ‘Quick Test’ option uses only the Ampere-hour (Ah) rating, clearly written on the body of the battery, and returns results in mere seconds.

After tests, the small, portable size aids in storing it either in the glove box or any of the tight places available in the vehicle, garage, or home.

4. Testing Variety

Finally, the last metric that crowned the BA101 as the best car battery tester money can buy at the moment is the variety of testing standards available.

From the EN, to SAE, CCA, to Ah, and everything else in between, there’s an option (rating) for every battery irrespective of where such a battery is manufactured, used, or the standard deployed to rate it.

In my BT705 review, for instance, I made clear mention that the unit is great. However, the absence of the Ampere-hour (Ah) testing standard reduces its overall appeal, especially for users in regions where the metric is the most commonly used to rate starter batteries.

With the best car battery tester, the Ancel BA101, you get ALL the possible rating standards – irrespective of your region, helping you read and understand your starter battery’s health without any need for annoying, complex conversions.

It’s a bet you can’t lose.

Honorable Mentions

Having clearly established that the Ancel BA101 is the best battery tester available in the market today, are there options that are good, honorable mentions?

Yes – the Foxwell BT705, for one.

Though lacking in some of the features that have made the BA101 my automotive battery tester of choice, it’s nonetheless solidly built, also very accurate, and importantly, comes with its own case, negating the need for a third-party case to store it.

If you’re looking for something else besides the expressly recommended, you should take a look at it.

Furthermore, there are times when what you’re looking for is a simple battery tester to help with your (very light) starter battery needs. These needs, at best, are basic: battery voltage and general health of the starting system.

If this is you, consider the Ancel AD410 Pro.

The Ancel AD410 Pro is both an OBD II code reader as well as a battery tester. Essentially, thus, you get two things: an OBD II code reader and a battery tester with one purchase, which makes a ton of sense, in my world (and should ideally also make sense for you, too).

Remember, too, that the Ancel AD410 Pro is based on the legendary Ancel AD410, my go-anywhere glovebox code reader of choice for more than six years running now. You can’t go wrong with it.

A Video Is Worth a Million Words

FAQs

Though every pain has been taken to meticulously craft this article and ensure that the crowned best car battery tester is indeed worthy of the crown I’ve given it, I realize that some points may be omitted in the body of the article or missed.

For some of these points, the FAQs below are intended to fill in and make everything as smooth-revving, and comprehensive as an auto article/recommendation ought to be.

Here:

1. How Do I Choose a Battery Tester?

Choosing a battery tester is easy: simply go with the Ancel BA101, and 99% of the time, you’d be covered. For the times when you’re not, the honorable mentions do a great job at filling in.

2. How Do You Check to See If a Starter Battery Is Still Good?

The easiest way to check if a starter battery is still good is by using a multimeter and noting the resistance values of the battery. However, if you want things the easy way, go with a dedicated battery tester like the Ancel BA101, where you’d also be able to figure out the battery’s state of health and, importantly, be able to test the starter and alternator too.

3. Is It Worth Buying a Battery Tester?

Yes, a battery tester is absolutely worth it if you’re a car owner. If you manage a fleet, it’s non-negotiable, just like an OBD II scanner. It will pay for itself on the first few uses (like mine did).

4. Do Battery Testers Put a Load on the Battery?

Yes. A smart, portable battery tester like the Ancel BA101 will put several loads on the battery, including powering the blower and turning on the headlights. This, however, only works when the starter battery is in the vehicle (and you actively cooperate).

5. How Long Should a Car Battery Last?

Anywhere from 3-5 years is considered average. However, if you buy a premium starter battery and use it in the best manner possible, 10 years is within the realm of possibility.

Final Words

Like an OBD II code reader, a battery tester is non-negotiable if you own or drive a vehicle today.

However, the market is saturated with options that have features you won’t find necessary or units that won’t serve you (or your interests) in the long term.

This is where the Ancel BA101 comes in and shines through.

It’s:

• Dead accurate.
• Retailed at a reasonable price point.
• Easy to use and store and importantly,
• Compatible with a variety of rating standards.

Looked at carefully, it’s no surprise that the Ancel BA101 is the best car battery tester you can buy for your vehicle’s starter battery at the moment.

Click here to check out the Ancel BA101 on Amazon yourself.

Fun Fact: How to Get the Ancel BA101 Battery Tester Back in the Box After Use

When I got the Ancel BA101 battery tester, I had no idea I’d be facing the unexpected challenge of needing to figure out how to get the tool back in the box after use. However, many months later, I asked my wife to help return the tester to its box after a series of tests, and that was where the real challenge began.

Somehow, I also forgot how. Minor as this may sound, it took several minutes before I was able to remember how to ‘do it right’ again.

Now, to be clear, you don’t need to return the battery tester to its box if you’re going to be using it all the time or have no express storage value for the box. However, if you’ll be using the unit only occasionally, it makes sense that it should be stored in a clean and protected environment…and what beats this than the original shipping box?

So, here’s how I did it:

• First, I put the battery tester back in the box, bottom first, and ensured it rested securely on one side, on its face (this is VERY important).
• Carefully, I inserted the clamps in, one at a time. The clamps should rest on the rear of the unit. If you’re bothered about scratching it, use the provided manual as padding.
• Carefully, I pushed in the cord till the entire length disappeared into the box.
• This layout and positioning enabled me to close the box without any further ado and store the battery tester for onward use.

Truth be told: The above procedure isn’t a walk in the park. I sweated and tried several times before getting it right. At some point, I almost tore the box out of frustration, but since I didn’t want the unit bare and exposed to dust, I held my peace. It’s now a pretty exercise whenever I need to do it again.

If, however, for any reason you don’t want to go through this ‘torture’, don’t like the bio-degradable bag, or simply want something (more) durable that will also make your life easier (taking the unit out and putting it back), consider getting the Ancel official hard case. Originally made for the Ancel AD410, it also fits the BA101 perfectly.

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