Anker Compact Car Jump Starter 400A (A1501)
A handy small car jump starter and power bank, limited by engine size and its discontinued status.
The short version
- Drivers of compact and midsize gas cars who want a backup to jumper cables
- People who want one gadget for jump starts and phone charging on road trips
- Your truck or SUV has a gas engine over 3.0L or a diesel over 2.5L
- You want a new unit with a fresh battery and active warranty
What owners like
- Small enough to live in a glovebox
- Starts small cars, SUVs and ATVs quickly in reviewer and forum tests
- Holds enough charge for several jumps in a row
- Safety circuits stop sparks when clamps touch by mistake
- Handy flashlight for working under the hood
Common complaints
- Too weak for larger engines
- The 2.1A USB port delivered only about 1A in one test
- Charge indicator does not light while charging
- Battery swelling reported after about two years in one long term update
- The case is too bulky for many gloveboxes
- Discontinued, so new stock is gone
Based on Two hands on reviews (CarPartCoupons, Technically Well), a GadgetViper review, an AnandTech forum thread with an owner report, and the eBay catalog listing for model A1501..
Research scores
Scored from the maker's specs and what owners report. Drew's own notes and photos will refine these.
Ownership
Drew's hands-on notes for this product are on the way. Long-term updates will be added to this timeline.
What it does
A glovebox sized lithium jump starter and USB power bank from Anker, now discontinued and mostly found secondhand.
- Built in jump starter with clip on jumper cables
- Two USB ports to charge phones and tablets
- LED flashlight with normal, SOS and strobe modes
- Protection against reverse polarity, short circuits and surges
- Came with wall and car chargers, a micro USB cable and a zip case
A good fit for drivers of small and midsize cars who want a pocketable way to jump a dead battery and charge a phone. The trade-offs are a low ceiling of 3.0L gas and 2.5L diesel engines, a weaker USB output than advertised in one test, and the fact that it is out of production, so any unit found now has an aging battery.
How it compares
Specs
- Model
- A1501
- Battery
- 10,000mAh (37Wh)
- Peak current
- 400A
- Engine limit
- Gas up to 3.0L, diesel up to 2.5L, 12V systems
- Jumps per charge
- About 10 to 15, per Anker's listing
- USB outputs
- 2 ports, rated 5V/1A and 5V/2.1A
- Recharge time
- About 3 hours
- Size
- About 7 x 3.25 x 1 inches
- Warranty
- 18 months when sold new
Worth knowing
- Anker rates the unit only for 12V gas engines up to 3.0L and diesel engines up to 2.5L.
- Reviewers report the unit needs at least 25% charge to jump a vehicle.
- The listed operating range is -4°F to 140°F, so extreme car temperatures can be an issue.
- Maker advice cited in reviews is to recharge the unit about every 3 months in storage.
Questions
What size engine can the Anker 400A jump starter start?
Anker rated it for 12V gas engines up to 3.0L and diesel engines up to 2.5L.
How many times can it jump a car on one charge?
Anker listed about 10 to 15 jumps per full charge. One forum owner reported 6 jumps with more than half the charge left.
Why won't my Anker jump starter work?
One review notes the unit needs at least 25% charge to jump a car, so recharge it first.
Is the Anker A1501 still sold?
No. It is discontinued and listed as sold out on eBay's catalog page, so only used or old stock turns up.
Sources
- CarPartCoupons: Anker Compact Portable Car Jump Starter review
- Technically Well: Anker Compact Car Jump Starter review
- GadgetViper: Anker Battery Jump Starter and Power Bank review
- AnandTech Forums: Anker Car Jump Starter 400A thread
- eBay catalog: Anker Portable Car Jump Starter 400A A1501
Researched 2026-10-02. We bought this product; our page is built from the maker's details and what owners report across reviews and forums. We never copy Amazon customer reviews.