Best Power Inverters for Cars

• Cost: $30
• Amazon review score: 4.5 out of 5.0 (approx. 30,600 reviews)
• Power source: DC
• Wattage: 300.0 watts

Our review team’s top pick for the best power inverter for cars is the Bestek 300W Car Power Inverter. This unit comes out of the box ready to use with a 12.0-volt adapter wired into the inverter’s metal housing. At 300.0 watts, this is more of a charger than a heavy-duty generator, but it can support everything from a few smartphones to a laptop.

You can see how the Bestek 300W performed in each of our testing categories below:

The Bestek is a great product if you want a simple, no-frills inverter that can charge more than a few phones at once. It’s a terrific option if you often work from the car or need items such as camera batteries at a moment’s notice.

Below are the pros and cons of the Bestek 300W:

Overall, we found the installation to be incredibly simple thanks to the plug-and-play design. At a lower cost, this inverter was a good value overall aside from some minor letdowns regarding design and securing the product to our vehicle.

Design: One feature we didn’t like, which our team discovered with multiple types of power inverters, is that installing several cables on the outlet cluster makes things relatively tight. This didn’t impact performance, but it just means you have limited real estate depending on the design.

The other issue is the absence of any rubber feet or other ways to secure the Bestek to the vehicle. So make sure you have a space set aside where the inverter can’t freely roll about the car. Otherwise, the Bestek gets high marks for its compact design and power specifications.

Installation: The Bestek 300W Car Inverter is a simple, plug-and-play product. After connecting it to the cigarette lighter, the adapter cable has plenty of length. By the way, we found the inverter could handle multiple devices easily.

Value: At under $50, we found this inverter to be a pretty good value. With multiple charging locations combined with a fairly compact design, this power inverter felt worth our purchase.

Customers enjoy the amount of power the Bestek puts out. It is durable, reliable, and also very quiet. One customer even reported reliable use for 10 years. On the negative end, several consumers report longevity issues and spotty customer service.

• Cost: $75
• Amazon review score: 4.3 out of 5.0 (approx. 3,100 reviews)
• Power source: DC
• Wattage: 1,000.0 W

If you have a need for more power, the Maxpart 1000W Power Inverter is worth considering. The manufacturer gives users the option of powering the inverter through the cigarette lighter or connecting directly to the vehicle’s battery via alligator clips.

You can see how the Maxpart performed in each of our testing categories below:

The Maxpart is a solid choice if you want to do more than charge a cell phone or laptop. It has enough juice to run a gaming console and a small TV. Plus, being able to connect directly to the vehicle’s battery means you’re not tethered to the car’s interior.

Below are the pros and cons of the Maxpart:

Overall, we enjoyed testing the Maxpart power inverter. While bulkier in size compared to other power inverters in this review, the high wattage and color-coded ports made this power inverter feel more reliable and durable.

Design: Connecting the battery cables to the inverter unit was incredibly easy thanks to the color-coded ports on the back of the device. Our team liked the inclusion of two additional cigarette lighters and the added flexibility of being able to connect directly to the car battery.

Installation: The only thing we docked the Maxpart for is the assembly required out of the box. Conversely, several other brands are ready to go as soon as you open the package.

Value: Even though the Maxpart was the largest inverter we tested, we found it mostly quiet, and it had plenty of room for our devices to plug into making it worth the higher price point.

Customers liked the Maxpart for charging simple devices. It works as stated and 83 percent of reviewers rate it 4.0 or more stars. This power inverter gets high marks for value and ease of use.

Some users mention issues with the battery cables being of poor quality. They are a little short and can stop charging when jostled. A few complain that this inverter isn’t as reliable for powering larger devices such as laptop computers.

• Cost: $30
• Amazon review score: N/A
• Power source: DC
• Wattage: 200.0 W

If you need to charge multiple portable electronics, the ShockFlo 200W Power Inverter is a good option because it has four USB ports in addition to two 120.0-V outlets. This power inverter even has a USB-C outlet, which none of the other recommendations on this list offer.

You can see how the ShockFlo performed in each of our testing categories below:

The other unique feature of this power inverter is that it displays the current power draw. This is useful for a device that allows for so many connections as it can help prevent overloading the inverter. However, if you do overload this inverter, the ShockFlo comes with two replacement fuses.

Below are the pros and cons of the ShockFlo:

The ShockFlo power inverter was easy for us to test and the spacing of the power outputs gave this inverter extra points when considering the overall design. However, the lower build-quality and wattage affected the overall value of the ShockFlo.

Design: The ShockFlo works as advertised. Power outputs are spaced apart and oriented so that one extra-long plug won’t cover the other output which we enjoyed because it allowed us to plug in multiple devices without tangling the power cords.

Installation: There is no assembly required, though you may want to swap out fuses (the ShockFlo comes with 12.0-amp, 15.0-amp, and 20.0-amp fuses) depending on your car’s cigarette lighter amperage.

Value: We had no issues using the ShockFlo, though the plastic housing and button feel flimsier and less durable than other, higher-priced power inverters. If you’re prone to dropping your electronics, you might choose something more robust.

Google reviewers generally feel that the ShockFlo is a good purchase for the price. Some have noted that it is not especially powerful or robust but is nonetheless reliable. Those who need to power multiple devices at once appreciate the many outputs as well as the USB-C output.

Some have issues using the ShockFlo because you must turn on the AC outlets by holding down the power button for several seconds. This is not very well explained in the user manual, leading some to think the device is broken.

• Cost: $60
• Amazon review score: 4.4 out of 5.0 based on over 2,200 reviews
• Power source: DC
• Wattage: 750.0 W

The Potek 750W Power Inverter is a good power inverter option for drivers who want an above-average amount of power. Like our runner-up pick, the Potek comes with the option of connecting directly to the car battery or going through the cigarette lighter. It also has a litany of safety features to prevent overheating and short circuits.

You can see how the Potek performed in each of our testing categories below:

Potek goes the extra mile by providing you with two extra sets of fuses in the event of over-voltage. Need to power a drill or vacuum off your car battery? The Potek 750W car inverter will give you that option. If you’re looking to charge a tablet or something else, you should consider a more basic device.

Below are the pros and cons of the Potek:

The Potek had its ups and downs during our testing process. The high wattage scored it extra points but there were some letdowns when it came to the overall design and bulkiness of the power inverter.

Design: The Potek can power most devices with a strong output. One issue is the limited real estate up front because it has only one USB-C port and the AC outlets are right next to each other. We encountered the same problem we did with the Bestek in terms of limited space, as one battery charger took up the whole area.

Installation: This inverter had the same assembly issues as the Maxpart, meaning it had to be assembled and was much less of a typical plug-and-play inverter that makes installation easy. While not impossible, it was time-consuming and required us to follow multiple steps to ensure a correct assembly and installation.

Value: The bulky design and lack of USB-C power outputs made it difficult for us to give this inverter 5.0 stars for value. However, the high wattage and connection compatibility to vehicles helped make this power inverter more worth the investment.

Fans of the Potek power inverter say it has tremendous power output. It runs quietly as well. However, critics claim that Potek’s quality control is lacking, with some receiving defective units. The finish also quickly fades in sunlight, according to one user.

• Cost: $40
• Amazon review score: 4.5 out of 5.0 (approx. 3,100 reviews)
• Power source: DC
• Wattage: 200.0 W

If your vehicle has cup holders, you have a spot for the Bestek 200W Car Power Inverter. This version has a design similar to our top pick in terms of outlets with the added bonus of a 12.0-V socket, albeit at a lower wattage. As our most compact option, the Bestek is terrific if you’re OK with giving up a cupholder and you like having your power station close by at all times.

You can see how the Bestek performed in each of our testing categories below:

This product is probably better at charging multiple low-voltage devices like smartphones than bigger items requiring AC outlets. But if you don’t mind a squished version of our best pick, it’s hard to argue with the form factor.

Below are the pros and cons of the Bestek 200W:

Overall, the Bestek was a lower price but it also lacked in power output and overall value. The cheaper design made us question how reliable this power inverter would be in the long run.

Design: Bestek’s 200.0-W offering was the most compact and form-fitting portable power inverter we profiled. Besides running into a similar outlet real estate issue, the plastic design has a cheaper feel than Bestek’s 300.0-W counterpart.

Installation: While customers don’t necessarily have to place the device in a cup holder, the cylindrical design makes the Bestek prone to rolling about the car cabin if you choose any other installation point.

Value: From a value standpoint, this product is difficult to recommend because, for a few pennies more, you can get a more powerful inverter from the same manufacturer. It also happened to be the loudest power inverter we tested.

Customers seem to really like the straightforward design and portability of the product. Several report multiple years of reliable use of this power inverter. However, not all Bestek 200W power inverters seem to last that long, some report device failure after a year. It also does not completely fill most cupholders and so can rattle.

• Cost: $25
• Amazon review score: 4.5 out of 5.0 (approx. 17,100 reviews)
• Power source: DC
• Wattage: 200.0 W

The Foval 200W Car Power Inverter places function over design. Whereas the other brand brands we featured use a hotrod red, Foval went with a simple gray for its 200.0-W model. Color choices aside, we chose this product simply for its portability and smart design.

You can see how the Foval performed in each of our testing categories below:

This product is ideal if you covet a small format at under 300.0 W of power. If charging more than two smartphones at once is also a priority, we’d recommend the Foval on design alone.

Below are the pros and cons of the Foval:

While the installation was simple for us, there was a concern about the value and design quality. The design is visually appealing and convenient but felt cheaper and lower quality when we compared this inverter to others in our review.

Design: We love the design of placing the USB ports on the side since some of the other contenders felt crowded when using both a USP power and AC power outlet.

Installation: Like the rest of the power inverters, the installation was incredibly simple with a quick connection to the cigarette lighter.

Value: What we don’t love about the Foval is the cheap construction. The plastic housing feels lower quality compared to the other devices we profiled.

Customers love the small format and multiple USB ports. There are numerous customer reports of this device lasting several years. It is not only reliable and durable but charges quickly as well.

There are a few complaints about the device overheating and blowing fuses. The Foval may not be as robust as other power inverters.