Who Makes Harbor Freight's Jump Starters & How Much Do They Cost?

Just as with a spare tire, you should always keep a jump starter handy in case of an emergency. Rather than needing a second car and attaching jumper cables, a jump starter contains its own charge, giving your car battery a temporary electric boost that will help revive the engine and get you moving. There's no shortage of companies that produce jump starters and jump starter kits, such as Ryobi and Craftsman, but for those seeking a varied yet economical selection, then you're likely to find what you need at your local Harbor Freight. 

The retailer contains a solid selection of jump starters of varying sizes and peak amps. Before getting one for yourself, however, you may be wondering where Harbor Freight's jumpers come from. Currently, Viking and Cen-Tech are the only brands under Harbor Freight that sell jump starters. As with most other Harbor Freight products, details on where these items are actually manufactured are sparse. Harbor Freight's products typically come directly from the manufacturer, with many of them being from the same factories that provide products for their competition. 

At most, some people claiming to be past Harbor Freight employees have commented on online forums that the retailer commonly gets its items from China, including those from Cen-Tech. With no official information from Harbor Freight on either brand, it's hard to tell how reliable this information is or if it has changed over time.

The manufacturing origins of Harbor Freight's jump starters may not be entirely clear, but knowing how much they cost is far less of a mystery. Harbor Freight is well-known by professionals and novices alike for their affordable selection of products that, while not always made equal, are largely of good quality. That same reputation can be applied to their jump starters, which fit a wide range of budget levels and sport mostly positive reviews to boot. 

Of the two brands, Cen-Tech's cost the least. It carries four products in this category with a 12V Analog Charger that goes for $54.99, a 630 Peak Amp Portable Car Battery Jump Starter and Power Pack with Air Compression for $59.97, a 750 Amp Car Battery Jump Starter and Power Pack for $59.99, and a 630 Peak Amp Portable Car Battery Jump Starter and Power Pack for $69.99. While none of them quite match the ratings of Viking's selection, they still sport largely good reviews, with the highest-rated of its selection having a 4.2 out of 5-star average. 

Viking carries a slightly wider selection of jump starters with overall higher ratings. The downside is that they do cost more, with the lowest option being the $89.99 1000 Peak Amp Lithium-Ion Jump Starter and Power Bank. From there, you can choose from five other jump starters that go for between $99.99 and $339.99, ranging from 1000 to 3400 Peak Amp respectively. Every one of these is rated 4.5 stars or higher.