Clarke CJL16C
Comments Cheap and cheerful, if you don’t need a mega boost of current. Clarke reckons these will take up to 220 Amps, which should be enough for a 2.5-litre petrol engine. The 16mm2 copper conductors also allow 12V and 24V usage. The clamps are pretty much identical to those on other Clarke leads but lead length drops to 3m. As with all Clarke leads, these come with a neat, zipped, carrier.
Price £9.39
Tel 01992 565300
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BEST BUDGET BUY

Screwfix 17027
Comments Just like our ‘Best Budget Buy’ Clarke CJ16C (above) the copper conductors in these are 16mm2 but the company claims 600 Amps maximum current – nearly three times that of the Clarke product. This is a really nice set of jump leads. The clamps are fully insulated with rubber, the jaws have enough sharp bits to grip battery posts, and the lead length is 3.6m.
Price £21.99
Tel 0500 414141
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Kennedy KEN-502-5280K
Comments These really are incredible value leads. The 35mm2 squared area of copper lets a massive 480A through, and allows use with 12V and 24V systems. Although thick, the leads remain flexible along their 4.5m length. Other things we like are the fully insulated clamps. The jaws have plenty of sharp bits and are shaped for battery posts. The handles are well shaped, too, to allow plenty of leverage.
Price £16.18
Tel 01162 888000
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EDITOR'S CHOICE

Clarke CJL25C
Comments In their own right, these are high performing leads for the money. Each one has a 25mm2 area of copper, allowing 12V and 24V usage and a respectable 350A current. Clarke reckons that they are usable on petrol engines up to 5.5-litres, and on diesel engines as large as 3.0-litres. and the clamps are a similar size and quality to the Kennedy (above) - the only niggle is that these are pricier and a metre shorter.
Price £19.92
Tel 01992 565300
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Halfords Heavy Duty Booster Cables
Comments Halfords are rather cagey about the exact performance output of this product, but they reckon it’s good for 5.0-litre petrol, and 3.5-litre diesel engines. Compared to the Clarke (above), the jaws aren’t as well shaped, but they have plenty of sharp bits for making a good electrical contact. The length remains the same, at 3.5m, but these are cheaper and come with a hard plastic carrying case.
Price £15.99
Tel 08457 626625
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