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Author: Norah Tarichia / Last updated on September 2, 2021
You may have noticed that the USB port of your vehicle is only suitable for charging your mobile phone. If you use your car for camping, it may be useless for larger accessories such as laptops, cameras, or coffee machines. Well, the power inverter allows you to power larger accessories. It usually converts electrical energy from direct current to alternating current; most appliances require modification or pure sine wave AC power to work. Here are some suggestions for some top power inverters that you can use in your car.
Our reviews are driven by hands-on testing by actual buyers, expert opinions, "popular wisdom" evaluations, and our own expertise. We always strive to provide true and accurate guides to help you find the best choice.
Single-socket inverters are simple in design and usually provide 150 to 300 watts of current. They are small, portable and lightweight, so you can only charge one device at a time. Most of these inverters are cheap and have simple functions.
As the name suggests, these inverters have multiple sockets and you can charge multiple gadgets at the same time. The main concern is usually equipment overload or overheating. Compared to single-socket inverters, most of these devices are more expensive, larger, and have higher current capacity.
The USB socket supports USB compatible devices, namely smartphones, tablets, MP3 players and other gadgets. USB ports provide enough power for these devices, but they cannot power most household or energy-intensive devices.
Bestek is a multinational company specializing in auto parts, household appliances and various electronic appliances. The company was established in 2007 and has branches in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Bestek 300W Power Inverter DC is one of its best-selling cigarette lighter power inverters.
Foval focuses on producing high-quality auto parts and mobile phones at low prices. This is an online company whose mission is to provide unique power tools at low prices. Foval's best portable power inverter is Foval 150W car power inverter.
Krieger is a well-known leader in the solar power industry, and the same innovative energy has also been transferred to its power inverter. The company operates in the United States, France, Australia, Asia, South Africa, Portugal, the United Kingdom and many other countries. Some of its innovation packages are Krieger 1100 watt power inverter and Krieger 4000 watt power inverter.
Ampeak has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive industry. It produces sophisticated auto parts, and all of its products have passed ETL certification. Ampeak 2000W power inverter is one of its best 12V power inverters.
Use a suitable power inverter to power multiple devices in the car.
The wattage will determine the type of device you can charge. If you only need to charge a few small electronic devices, a 150 to 300 watt inverter is sufficient. However, if you spend most of your time in the car or camping, you need an inverter of 1,000 watts or more to power your large appliances.
View the number of devices that can be connected to a single inverter. Most power inverters have a USB port and an AC power outlet; you can charge your phone and laptop at the same time. The number of ports required depends on the number of devices you have. More ports translate into more expensive inverters with higher AC wattage.
Most inverters have a sine wave with a modified or pure sine wave. Most electronic devices are often damaged by irregular waveforms, such as sawtooth square waves. On the other hand, the corrected sine wave puts less pressure on the charging equipment, while the pure sine wave is more efficient.
Bestek 300W is our best product, mainly due to its ultra-compact design and user-friendly features. It has a permanent inverter plug that can be easily connected to the cigarette lighter. The design includes two USB ports and two AC power outlets. In addition, it has a rated power of 300 watts and a peak value of 700 watts.
The power inverter has a durable metal casing and a temperature-controlled cooling fan that prevents overheating. The fan is powered by the engine of your vehicle. It also has a safe charging function to prevent overcharging, overloading, overvoltage charging, undervoltage charging and short circuit. The product enjoys an 18-month warranty to prevent manufacturer defects and workmanship.
One disadvantage of this product is that the voltage it generates is lower than the voltage declared by the manufacturer. The packaging says that it can convert 12 volts DC to 110 volts AC, but the final AC voltage may be lower. In addition, fuses are not easy to replace, and they are not powerful enough for heavy equipment such as microwave ovens. In addition, Bestek's customer service is poor.
Our best choice is the top power inverter weighing only 8 ounces. It is made of hard aluminum shell, with advanced drop or collision protection function, and is equipped with a silent fan for cooling, which can prevent shortages caused by overheating. The machine can provide 150 watts of power to any device plugged into it, and is equipped with a perfectly calibrated fuse to protect your device from overcharging, overloading, short circuit and overheating.
The device provides the versatility of dual USB ports and an AC power outlet with multiple protection protocols. The maximum output of the USB port is 3.1 amps, which is suitable for charging laptops and tablets. AC outlets are more suitable for charging iPads, game consoles and many other electronic devices. Foval provides an 18-month warranty for the product.
The main disadvantage of this product is that despite the fan, the device still gets hot. In addition, the paint on the case is easily scratched. It may drain your vehicle’s battery because the system, not to mention the cooling fan, draws energy from your vehicle. In addition, it has an automatic shutdown function, which may shut down the machine accidentally.
We included Krieger on our list because it is designed to handle small appliances and high-sensitivity tools. It provides 1,100 watts of continuous power capacity with a peak of 2,200 watts. The product has an LCD display that can display battery power, output power and input voltage. It is also equipped with dual USB 2.1 amp ports, two AC power outlets, and the device is remotely controlled for user convenience.
The product uses an ergonomic aluminum shell, which is durable. Krieger products are tested and approved by METLAB, so you can rest assured that it has passed all performance and safety standards. The product provides short-circuit, overheating and overload protection. Krieger provides a three-year warranty for product parts and labor.
One thing you may not like about this product is that it may start to burn after a few months of use; it may be because all its heavy functions draw a lot of power from the device. It is also expensive, and since the inverter is directly connected to the car’s battery, it can run out of power quickly.
Answer: The installation technique depends on the size of the inverter. Low-power inverters are usually connected to your cigarette lighter, but they will not draw more than 200 watts of power from the lighter socket. Medium to large inverters come with additional connecting cables, which can be directly clamped to the battery of the car, or hardwired directly into the battery.
Answer: The peak output means the wattage that the inverter can provide in a specified time. On the other hand, continuous output refers to the average wattage that the inverter will provide under normal operation.
We choose Bestek 300W DC power inverter as our best overall choice because it is a convenient cigarette lighter inverter with a durable structure that can charge various electronic products.
The Foval 150W car power inverter is suitable for anyone who has a tight budget but still needs to charge several devices at the same time.
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