Draper 66800
Max charging current 8A
Price £27.14
Tel 02380 266355
Web www.drapertools.com
Comments While this looks like a basic unit, there's plenty to it. The fairly hefty 8A charging current ensures speedy performance. It's also one of those clever chargers that switches to a conditioning mode when it detects the battery is almost full. When connected to the battery, it acts as a charge indicator/tester but during charging it very clearly shows charge status.
Verdict Good charge performance and plenty of features for the price
Rating * * * * *

Clarke CC80
Max charging current 6A
Price £22.27
Tel 01992 565300
Web www.clarkeinternational.com
Comments This unit has to be manually controlled: you have to physically switch it off when the battery's full. Fortunately, the clear meter gives you a good idea of how long the charge has left to go. This is one unit that's able to charge 6V and 12V batteries, so the owners of classic motorhomes should definitely consider it. Compatibility with conventional batteries only rules it out for use with calcium, silver and AGM (absorbed glass mat, or 'dry') units. However, there's no form of conditioner built in and despite the 6A max current, the unit charged slower than we expected – even with 'fast' mode selected.
Verdict 6V mode should appeal to anybody running a very old 'van.
Rating * * *

Sparkrite SBC114
Max charging current 36A
Price £39
Tel 01332 290833
Web www.carparts-direct.co.uk
Comments This charger is rather a brute compared to its cousin, the SBC6 (far right). If switched to 'fast mode' the unit pumps out an impressive 9A, and can even supply up to 36A for brief periods, to ease cranking if the battery is nowhere near full. On its own, 36A is not enough to crank any engine. However, if it's coupled with around ten minutes of 'fast' background charging, the unit might just get you up and running again. The biggest drawback of the this model is its fully manual operation – there's no form of conditioning cycle built into the unit. In fact, you have to physically switch the unit off once the battery has been fully charged.
Verdict Starter-charger function pushes this up the ratings.
Rating * * * *

CTEK 36
Max charging current 3.6A
Price £49.95
Tel 0870 204 8080
Web: www.hamiltonclassic.co.uk
Comments This highly popular unit seems ten years ahead of any of the other products tested. It uses advanced switch-mode electronics – as found in most PC power supplies and mobile phone chargers – instead of a conventional transformer, which keeps the size down and produces a super-smooth, very finely controlled, output. You can choose between standard, calcium and AGM battery charging cycles which ensures favourable charging times despite the low maximum current. And, when the battery is charged, the unit enters a sophisticated conditioning cycle, too.
Verdict A technical tour de force, which is usable with all forms of battery.
Rating * * * *

Draper 66806
Max charging current 6A
Price £34.19
Tel 02380 266355
Web Click4Website
Comments Although it cannot boast anything as fancy as switch-mode electronics, it's probably the next most advanced unit after CTEK's 36 (below, left). A finely regulated charge cycle takes into account ambient temperature to regulate that critical final stage of charging. Like Draper's 66800 (far left), this switches over to a trickle charging conditioning mode once the battery is practically full. But, despite being more costly than the 66800, the front panel is incredibly sparse, with little indication of how much longer the charge needs.
Verdict More sophisticated than the 66800, but not as solid an all-rounder.
Rating * * * *

Gunson Automatic
Max charging current 6A
Price £39.95
Tel 01926 815000
Web www.gunson.co.uk
Comments This unit pushes conventional charging technology to its limits, and allows use with all types of 12V car batteries. A very respectable 6A charge current reflects its impressive charge speed. The front panel boasts a couple of switches which allow you to use automatic or manual cycles and you get to choose what happens when the battery is nearly full. When in 'float' mode, the charger acts as a conditioner, or it can be set to switch itself off. It lost points here, though, for the too-short mains and battery leads – disappointing at this price level.
Verdict Versatile and fast, but let down by its short leads.
Rating * * *

Sparkrite SBC6
Max charging current 6A
Price £19.95
Tel 01332 290833
Web www.carparts-direct.co.uk
Comments The claimed 6A charging current is only slightly lower than our 'Best Buy' product, yet the difference in charging times was quite marked. In all other ways, though, it's hard to dislike this nifty little product. The mains and battery leads are generously long and the unit itself is extremely compact. The LED display has the same useful dual functions as the Draper 66800 (far left), indicating battery charge state or charging progress, and this is another charger that doubles up as a conditioner. In other words, when the battery's full it switches to a tiny trickle charge to keep it that way.
Verdict Slower than our 'Best Buy' unit, but does includes a conditioning cycle.
Rating * * *

Screwfix 22104
Max charging current 4A
Price £21.99
Tel 0500 414141
Web www.screwfix.com
Comments This unit may have Screwfix's in-house brand painted on it, but the box and instructions show its true Absaar parentage. If that doesn't mean much to you, Absaar was, for many years, the number one name in Europe for battery chargers, so quality should be assured, and this is rather obvious from the smart metal case and very well made clamps. The simple front panel consists of a meter, a fuse and a 6/12V switch. However, this is another of those basic chargers which has to be manually switched off when the battery's full. Charging performance is pretty slow and it's only suitable for conventional and sealed batteries.
Verdict Stunning build quality, but very basic performance.
Rating * *