An upcoming commute or important meeting can quickly be ruined if your car decides to stop starting. A flat tire, a dead battery, a dark night, and no help nearby. And a pair of crocodiles scurrying around in the trunk won't be of much use if there's no second car nearby.

In such situations, it's not promises that really save, but the tools at hand - and this is where Popdeer car jump starters come to the rescue. Small, palm-sized devices can start a car with a weak battery, inflate a tire or ball, illuminate in the dark, and even charge a phone.

But can such a small device have so many functions that really help? Maybe it's just eye candy and advertising gimmicks. Therefore, in this review, we will test two Popdeer car jump starters PD-JA3 and PD-JA5. What are the differences between them, which one is more practical, and is it worth having one in the trunk at all?

Unboxing

Let's start with the unpacking. Both Popdeer car jump starters arrived in very similar configurations. Each model is packed in a sturdy, zippered case, which neatly stores the devices themselves and all the accessories needed for use.

The PD-JA3 comes with a user manual, jump leads, a compressor hose with four additional nozzles, and a USB-C charging cable. The PD-JA5 is almost identical, but its compressor hose is slightly shorter and it only has three nozzles for blowing.

PD-JA3 first impressions

When thinking about whether to purchase such a thing, the first question that arises is whether it will be convenient to use. The Popdeer PD-JA3 car jump starter is very compact in size (fits in the hand) and its weight is not very large. The body of this device, control buttons and almost all other design details are made of plastic. It feels quite solidly assembled in the hand - nothing creaks or creaks. However, the material of the body raises questions and seems to be of poor quality.   

The front of the PD-JA3 has an LCD screen that shows the charge level and indicates the pressure units and the selected blowing program. Below it are the control buttons: ON/OFF, Mode (for selecting the blowing program), + and - buttons (for increasing and decreasing pressure), and a button to turn on the LED lighting. You might wish these buttons had a rubber or rougher surface for convenience, since they don't, the device looks cheap. 

On one side of this device there is a quick connection for the terminals that are designed for starting a car. The terminals are convenient to use and of high quality. On the other side there is a connector for screwing in the air compressor hose. The compressor hose included in the package looks sturdy and is long enough. On the upper part of the housing there is an LED light, a USB-C input charging connector and a USB out output so that you can charge your phone or any other device. On the back you will find detailed information about the device itself.

PD-JA5 first impressions

This model looks just as well-built, but it has some differences, and perhaps advantages. Its weight and size are slightly smaller, as well as the product design and some body parts are made of different materials. The entire body is also made of plastic, but here the control buttons are covered with rubber.

The screen size is similar to the PD-JA3 model, but the numbers displayed are a little larger. In addition, in this model, all the connections for it are placed in the upper part of the housing. Here we have a connection for the compressor hose. It is just as strong as the previous model, but a little shorter.

Next to it is a USB-C port for charging the device or using it as an external battery. We also see a much larger LED spotlight than the PD-JA3 and there is a place for the terminals for starting the car next to it. Well, on the back this model has an information sticker with warning instructions on how to use it safely.

Starting cars

Both Popdeer models work equally simply: you need to connect the terminals to the starter, then to the battery – red to +, black to –. If the poles are connected incorrectly, the fuses should protect against short circuits. The LED lights show when to try to start. When the green light comes on, you can try to start the car within 30 seconds, and if you are unsuccessful, disconnect it, wait about a minute and try again.

The manufacturer promises that the devices will start even a completely discharged battery (up to ~9V) and are suitable for both large diesels and V8 monsters - the instantaneous current reaches up to 5000A. I checked this in practice - during testing I tried to start two completely dead cars: a 2.4 l diesel Volvo and a 4.3 l V8 Mercedes-Benz SUV.

Volvo
The PD-JA5 took three tries – not because of a lack of power, but because of dirty battery contacts. After cleaning the terminals, the Volvo started immediately, but the JA5 battery dropped by two notches. The PD-JA3 started the car a second time with the same clean contacts and the battery charge of this model did not change.

Mercedes-Benz:
Here the story is a little shorter, because both models had no problems and started this powerful gasoline engine from the first try. It so happened that the „Popdeer“ PD-JA5 model received more charge and its battery discharged more than the PD-JA3. However, it is difficult to judge which model can start the car more times, but one thing is clear - they can definitely save it. Subzero temperatures, of course, would complicate the situation - the diesel would have to be cranked longer, so the starters would consume more energy. However, both models are really capable of getting out of trouble.

Sub-zero weather would, of course, make the situation worse – the diesel would have to run longer, so the starters would consume more energy. However, both models are certainly capable of getting you out of trouble.

Compressors

The MODE button selects one of four programs: car, motorcycle, bicycle or ball. By holding down MODE for a longer time, you can change the pressure units – PSI, BAR or KPA. The pressure is conveniently adjusted using the + / – buttons. After selecting the mode and the desired pressure, you just need to screw on the hose, attach the appropriate nozzle and start blowing.

Although the main function of these Popdeer devices is to start cars, their integrated compressors work surprisingly well. They inflate a ball or a bicycle tire in an instant, and a car wheel - also without any effort. Even after inflating a tire from 0 to 2.1 bar, the battery of both models dropped by only one level. However, the smaller PD-JA5 is surprising: despite the smaller capacity and body, its results are practically the same, and in some cases even surpass the larger model.

Batteries

The PD-JA3 has a 59.2 Wh battery, while the smaller PD-JA5 has a 37 Wh battery. In theory, the JA3 should last longer, but in reality, both have more than enough power for everyday use - usually only one or two starts will be needed.

I left both models in the trunk for over a week (~-2 °C). The charge level did not change, so they are not afraid of short-term storage. However, for longer storage, it is worth charging them prophylactically every few weeks.

Spotlights

What did we like?

I was also surprised by the additional features, which at first glance may seem like eye candy and a promotional gimmick. However, the compressors inside can inflate a completely flat car tire. The external battery function allows you to charge your phone several times, and the built-in LED lighting is really nice.

What we didn't like?

Verdict

At first, I was skeptical about such devices, but Popdeer surprised me - both models successfully started the car, inflated the tires, charged the phone, and helped as headlights.

The PD-JA3 model has a larger battery and is a bit more massive, but its body is of much lower quality, the buttons are cheaper, the compressor is weaker, and the LED light is, roughly speaking, for the sake of appearance. The PD-JA5 left a more solid impression: it is more robust, has a more attractive design, inflates tires better, and has an incomparably brighter LED spotlight, but with a weaker battery.

Both models work great, but if I had to choose, my attention goes to the Popdeer PD-JA5. However, the final decision is determined by budget - the PD-JA3 is cheaper but works great, the PD-JA5 is more expensive and more complete.