DeWalt 1600A Jump Starter Review: Tested Against DeWalt Chargers and the NOCO GB70

Introduction

Some purchases nag at you until you figure them out, and battery gear has a way of doing exactly that. A while back, a DeWalt 100A engine start battery charger handled a stubborn Jeep with a tired Optima battery without drama. Later, the larger DeWalt 200A version failed the exact same test on the exact same vehicle, which made no sense on paper. That odd result prompted a closer look at a third option: the compact DeWalt 1600A jump starter, tested head to head with the NOCO GB70, a pack that has already earned a permanent spot in more than one vehicle. Here is how the four stack up based on real starting attempts, not spec sheets.

DeWalt 100A Engine Start Battery Charger

This is the unit that started the whole comparison. Hooked up to the Jeep with its ailing Optima battery, the 100A engine start charger cranked the engine to life with no fuss. It is a straightforward piece of equipment: connect it, wait for the green confirmation, and start the car.

The main complaint has nothing to do with performance. The form factor simply does not sit securely anywhere in an engine compartment. During one session, a friend accidentally kicked the cord and the entire unit went flying, and it was pure luck that nothing was damaged. It never feels planted, which is why the search for something that could live safely on the floor continued.

DeWalt 200A Engine Start Battery Charger

On paper, this one should have been the easy winner. Twice the amps of the 100A unit, same brand, same job. It was connected to the same Jeep, the same battery, the same everything, and it simply would not start the vehicle.

That result is hard to reconcile with the rating, and it is the reason raw amp numbers should never be the only thing you shop by. Where this charger does make sense is as a floor-based battery charging and maintenance unit. It was not bought to start vehicles in the first place, and for that role it fills its spot well. The lingering doubt about the failed start, however, is fair.

NOCO GB70: The Reliable Go-To

The NOCO GB70 is the pack that gets reached for first. It is fairly expensive, and there are a couple of them in circulation, but both have started the Jeep without hesitation. When the 200A charger failed, the GB70 cranked the same engine no problem.

It is the bigger of the two jump starters in this comparison, roughly twice the size of the DeWalt 1600A, but the track record speaks for itself. For anyone who wants a proven lithium jump pack and does not mind paying a bit more for peace of mind, this remains a very safe choice.

DeWalt 1600A Jump Starter: Small but Surprising

This is the unit that closed the loop. The DeWalt 1600A is rated at 1,600 peak amps and is listed as capable of starting a V8, with testing noted on the box. The battery inside is an 11.1V, 3.35Ah cell, which is genuinely tiny, yet on the first proper attempt it started the stubborn Jeep at roughly the same cranking speed as the much larger GB70. Half the size, same result. That is the headline.

The build quality holds up well. The clamps are good, the wiring runs solidly to both jaws, and everything feels properly assembled. It is thin, easy to store, and slips into a camper, a side-by-side, a boat, or a glovebox without thought. There is a simple power button, a battery charge indicator, and an LED light array on one side. That light is actually one of the better LED work lights on any pack in this class, though it sits on the side opposite the clamps, which makes it awkward when you are trying to see connection points in the dark. A phone flashlight solves that easily enough.

Charging flexibility comes with one important caveat. The pack is designed to charge over USB-A and ships with a dual USB-A cable, and it will also charge over USB-C as long as the source delivers 2 amps or below. A high-output USB-C charger will not charge it. On the output side, the USB-C port delivers 3.1A and the USB-A port 2A, so it doubles as a phone or gadget top-up in an emergency.

Buying Advice: Which One Fits Your Situation

Brand trust matters here more than raw numbers. Plenty of unbranded jump packs work fine, and some cost less, but having a name like DeWalt or NOCO behind the product removes a lot of gamble from the purchase. The 1600A is not overly expensive and is small enough to carry everywhere, which makes it easy to justify one per vehicle.

For a dedicated floor-based charger, the 100A earned its keep by starting a weak-battery Jeep, while the 200A makes more sense as a charging station than an emergency starter given its failed attempt. For a lithium jump pack, the choice comes down to size and budget: the GB70 is the proven, pricier option, and the 1600A is the compact surprise that matched it in the one test that mattered.

Conclusion

Four products, one stubborn Jeep battery, and a clear takeaway: ratings on a box only tell part of the story. The 1600A jump starter proved that a tiny pack with a trusted badge can start a V8-class engine as quickly as a unit twice its size, the GB70 remains the dependable default, and the two chargers each have a role, provided you match them to the right job. If you want a small, name-brand backup for the car, camper, or boat, the DeWalt 1600A is an easy one to recommend.