Jump Starters
The best jump starters for a Ford F-150
One truck, five very different engines. The pack that suits a 2.7-liter EcoBoost is not the pack that suits a Power Stroke on a cold morning.
Disclosure: we earn a commission if you buy through the Amazon links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Commission never decides a verdict or a ranking position — read our editorial policy and affiliate disclosure.
How we assessed these: picks are selected from manufacturer specifications, current retailer listings and published owner feedback — not from hands-on testing of every unit. Where a manufacturer does not publish a figure, it is left out rather than estimated.
Short answer
For a Ford F-150, buy the NOCO Boost HD GB70. Its 2,000 peak amps and published 8.0-liter gas and 6.0-liter diesel ratings cover every engine the F-150 has been sold with, including the Power Stroke diesel, with margin left for a cold morning. Gas-only trucks can drop to the GB50 and save weight.
Quick picks
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up. Scoring criteria are published in full on our methodology page.
| # | Product | Best for | Our read | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NOCO Boost HD GB70 Best overall for an F-150 | Diesel pickups and big V8s | 2,000 A and a 6.0 L diesel rating — margin on every F-150 engine | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one |
| 2 |  NOCO Boost Plus GB50 Best for a gas-only truck | V6 and small V8 gas engines | 1,500 A, 7.0 L gas rating, 2.71 lb | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one |
| 3 |  NOCO Boost X GBX155 Most reserve that still flies | Doubling as a serious power bank | 99 Wh, 4,250 A, USB-C Power Delivery both ways | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one |
| 4 |  DEWALT DXAEJ14 Power Station Best one-box jump and inflate | One box that jumps and inflates | 1,600 A plus a 120 PSI compressor in the same case | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one |
The F-150 is one badge over a wide spread of engines. Recent trucks run a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 and a 3.5-liter PowerBoost hybrid; the 2018-2021 model years also offered a 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel. That spread matters because jump starters are rated in engine liters, not in badges, so the honest way to pick one is to look up your own engine and read the rating against it.
Match the pack to the engine, not to the truck
| Pack | Peak amps | Gas rating | Diesel rating | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOCO GB40 | 1,000 A | Up to 6.0 L | Up to 3.0 L | The EcoBoost V6s and the 5.0 L V8, with little margin |
| NOCO GB50 | 1,500 A | Up to 7.0 L | Up to 4.5 L | Every F-150 gas engine, with margin |
| NOCO GB70 | 2,000 A | Up to 8.0 L | Up to 6.0 L | Every F-150 engine including the 3.0 L Power Stroke |
| NOCO GBX155 | 4,250 A | Up to 10 L | Up to 8.0 L | Everything, and it charges a laptop |
Ratings are NOCO's own published figures for each model — see the GB40, GB50, GB70 and GBX155 specification pages in the sources below. The "covers" column is our reading of those ratings against the F-150's engine sizes, not a Ford figure.
Read the table the way a buyer should: the GB40 technically clears a 5.0-liter V8 on paper, and we still would not buy it for a full-size truck. A rating is a ceiling measured under favorable conditions, and the morning you need the pack will not be a favorable condition. What size jump starter do I need sets out the sizing rule we use: buy one rung above the engine you actually own.
Why the GB70 is the default answer here
The GB70 is the smallest pack in NOCO's line with a 6.0-liter diesel rating, and that single figure is what makes it the F-150 pick. If you own the gas truck, you are buying headroom; if you own, inherit or later buy the Power Stroke, you are not buying a second pack. It carries 56 watt-hours, recharges at 12 V / 3 A in about three hours, and runs a 400-lumen light that is genuinely usable when you are crouched at a front bumper in the dark.
Two secondary features earn their keep on a truck specifically. The 12 V 15 A accessory output will run a socket-powered inflator directly from the pack, which matters because a truck with a flat battery often also has a soft tire. And at 56 Wh it is still well under the 100 watt-hour airline threshold, so it travels — see flying with a jump starter for the thresholds that actually apply.
When the GB50 is the smarter buy
If your F-150 is gas and always will be, the GB50's 7.0-liter gas rating already clears the 5.0-liter Coyote with room, at 2.71 lb against the GB70's 4.18 lb. That weight difference is not vanity — it decides whether the pack lives in the truck or in the garage, and a pack in the garage has never started anything. NOCO GB40 vs GB70 walks the same trade-off one rung lower.
The hybrid and the diesel are the two special cases
- PowerBoost hybrid. The hybrid system has its own high-voltage pack, but the 12-volt battery is still what wakes the truck up, and that is the battery a jump pack connects to. Never clamp onto anything other than the 12 V battery or the manufacturer's designated jump points. Jump starters for hybrid cars covers the general case.
- 3.0 L Power Stroke. Diesels draw their peak current for longer, because compression ignition asks more of the starter. NOCO's diesel ratings are deliberately lower than its gas ratings for the same pack, which is why the GB70 is a 6.0 L diesel pack and an 8.0 L gas pack. Jump starters for diesel trucks is the full version of that argument.
- Cold. Lithium packs lose usable output in the cold at the same time the engine needs more of it. If your truck lives outside in a northern winter, that is the strongest argument in this article for buying up rather than down — jump starters for cold weather has the detail.
- More than one battery. Some F-150 configurations carry a second battery. A jump pack still only ever connects to one of them, but a two-battery truck is a strong hint that you want a charger as well — see battery chargers for diesel trucks.
The combo box, honestly
The DEWALT DXAEJ14 puts 1,600 peak amps, a 120 PSI digital compressor with auto-stop and USB-A/USB-C power in one case. For a truck owner that is a genuinely attractive package, because the two roadside problems a pickup actually has are a flat battery and a soft tire. It is also lead-acid, which means it is heavier, it self-discharges, and it needs topping up on a schedule or it is flat the day you reach for it. Its licensee publishes no weight, cable gauge or compressor duty cycle, which is worth knowing before you buy it as your only plan.
If what you want is air and amps without the lead-acid compromise, the other route is a lithium pack plus a dedicated inflator — jump starters with an air compressor compares both approaches, and tire inflators for trucks and SUVs covers the inflator half.
What to do before you need it
Three things that decide whether the pack works
Charge it on a calendar, not on a feeling
Lithium packs self-discharge slowly and heat accelerates it. Top it up every three months and after every use. How to charge a jump starter covers the detail.
Find your battery and your jump points once, in daylight
Doing it the first time at night in the rain is how clamps end up on the wrong post. Reverse-polarity protection stops the spark; it does not stop the wasted twenty minutes.
Decide where it lives and leave it there
A hot cab shortens lithium life — jump starter storage and heat is specific about how much. Under a rear seat beats on the dash.
The picks in full
1. Best overall for an F-150
NOCO Boost HD GB70
NOCO · Best for diesel pickups and big v8s
The one to buy if you drive a diesel: 2,000 peak amps, a 6.0-liter diesel rating and 56 watt-hours, which is the smallest pack with real margin on a cold diesel.
Published specifications
What works
- The 6.0 L diesel rating covers the common 3.0 L and 6.7 L light-truck diesels with margin
- 56 Wh is still comfortably under the 100 Wh carry-on threshold, so it flies as hand luggage
- 12 V 15 A accessory output, and a 400-lumen light that is genuinely usable roadside
- 12 V / 3 A fast charge brings it back in about three hours
What does not
- 4.18 lb — noticeably heavier than the compact packs, and it wants a dedicated spot
- Overkill for a commuter four-cylinder; you are paying for headroom you will not use
Skip it if
Not the one to buy if you only ever start a four-cylinder commuter. Buy diesel headroom when you have a diesel.
#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost HD GB70.
2. Best for a gas-only truck
NOCO Boost Plus GB50
NOCO · Best for v6 and small v8 gas engines
The middle rung: 1,500 peak amps and 35 watt-hours for a quarter-pound more than the GB40, which is the cheapest headroom in the range.
Published specifications
What works
- A full liter more gas headroom than the GB40 for 0.26 lb more weight
- 35 Wh still clears the 100 Wh carry-on limit with room to spare
- Doubles the flashlight output over the GB40 at 200 lumens
What does not
- Overlaps awkwardly with the GBX45, which is lighter and charges over USB-C
- Still short of the 6.0 L diesel rating a modern diesel pickup wants
Skip it if
Skip it if convenience matters more than amps — the GBX45 is lighter and takes USB-C Power Delivery, and the GB50's edge is raw current.
#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost Plus GB50.
3. Most reserve that still flies
NOCO Boost X GBX155
NOCO · Best for doubling as a serious power bank
99 watt-hours with USB-C Power Delivery in and out — the largest pack in the range that still clears the 100 Wh carry-on limit, and the one that genuinely works as a power bank.
Published specifications
What works
- 99 Wh is deliberately just under the 100 Wh airline threshold — the most capacity you can carry on without asking anyone
- USB-C Power Delivery at up to 20 V / 3 A charges laptops, not just phones
- 4,250 peak amps with an 8.0 L diesel rating covers almost any light vehicle
- 500-lumen light, which is a genuinely usable work light
What does not
- 5.82 lb — heavier than most people expect from something sold partly as a power bank
- Priced as a premium jump starter, so it is an expensive way to buy 99 Wh of USB power alone
- A dedicated power bank of the same capacity is smaller, lighter and cheaper
Skip it if
Skip it if you mainly want to charge devices. A purpose-built power bank does that better for less, and this pack's premium is in the cranking hardware you would not be using.
#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost X GBX155.
4. Best one-box jump and inflate
DEWALT DXAEJ14 Power Station
DEWALT · Best for one box that jumps and inflates
A lead-acid jump station with a built-in 120 PSI digital compressor and USB-A plus USB-C power — the combo box for people who would rather carry one heavy thing than two light ones.
Published specifications
- Jump starting
- 1,600 peak amps, rated to start most 4-, 6- and 8-cylinder engines source
- Air compressor
- 120 PSI digital, with AUTOSTOP source
- USB output
- USB-A 15 W and USB-C 25 W source
- Battery types
- 12 V lead-acid: wet, gel and AGM source
- Diagnostics
- Alternator Check, plus reverse-polarity protection source
- In the box
- Clamps and cables, sports needle adapter source
What works
- Jump starter, 120 PSI compressor and USB-A/USB-C power in a single case
- 1,600 peak amps is rated for 4-, 6- and 8-cylinder engines
- Lead-acid chemistry is untroubled by living in a hot trunk
- Alternator Check tells you whether the jump was the problem or the symptom
What does not
- Heavy and bulky next to any lithium pack — the usual reason combo boxes end up in the garage
- Lead-acid self-discharges, so it needs topping up on a schedule or it is flat when you need it
- The built-in compressor is a convenience feature, not a match for a dedicated inflator's duty cycle
- DEWALT's licensee publishes no weight, cable gauge, battery capacity or compressor duty cycle for this unit
Skip it if
Not for anyone whose priority is packed size or carry-on travel. If the tool has to fit a door pocket or a suitcase, buy a lithium pack and a separate inflator.
#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
Key takeaways
- NOCO GB70 is the F-150 answer: 2,000 A, 8.0 L gas and 6.0 L diesel ratings, 56 Wh.
- Gas-only trucks can drop to the GB50 and save nearly 1.5 lb.
- The GB40's 3.0 L diesel ceiling rules it out for a Power Stroke even though its gas rating clears the V8.
- The GBX155 is the most reserve you can carry on a plane at 99 Wh.
- A combo box solves the flat tire too, at the cost of weight and a battery that self-discharges.
- Buy one rung above your engine, because the morning you need it will be cold.
How we sourced this
Every figure on this page came from one of the following. Where a manufacturer or regulator does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate it.
Common questions
- What size jump starter do I need for an F-150?
- Enough peak amps and enough engine-liter rating to cover your specific engine with margin. The NOCO GB70's published 8.0-liter gas and 6.0-liter diesel ratings cover every F-150 engine, including the 3.0-liter Power Stroke. A gas-only truck is comfortably covered by the GB50's 7.0-liter gas rating.
- Will a NOCO GB40 start an F-150?
- On paper yes for the gas engines — NOCO rates the GB40 to 6.0 liters of gas, which covers the 5.0-liter V8. We would still buy a rung higher for a full-size truck, because a rating is a ceiling and a cold morning eats margin. The GB40's 3.0-liter diesel ceiling makes it a poor fit for a Power Stroke.
- Can you jump start an F-150 PowerBoost hybrid with a portable pack?
- The pack connects to the 12-volt battery or the designated jump points, never to the high-voltage system. The 12-volt side is what wakes the truck up, so a conventional lithium pack is the right tool. Check your owner's manual for the jump points on your build before you clamp anything.
- Do I need a jump starter with an air compressor for a truck?
- It is a reasonable buy if you would rather carry one thing than two, and a pickup genuinely has both problems. The trade-off is weight and lead-acid chemistry that self-discharges. A lithium pack plus a separate 12 V inflator is lighter overall and better at each job.
More in Jump Starters
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Read next
Best for Diesel Trucks
For Diesel Trucks
Packs with a published diesel rating that actually covers a 3.0 L to 6.7 L light-truck engine, with margin for a cold morning.
Best for SUVs & Trucks
For SUVs & Trucks
For gas V6 and V8 SUVs and pickups: the packs that clear a 5.3 L or 6.2 L engine with margin, without buying diesel-grade weight.
Guide
What Size Do I Need?
The sizing table by engine displacement and fuel type, using ratings manufacturers publish and warrant rather than peak-amp marketing.
Review
NOCO GB70 Review
2,000 peak amps, 56 Wh, 4.18 lb, rated to 6.0 L diesel. The right pack for a diesel pickup or a big V8.
Best for diesel trucks
Best for Diesel Trucks
Sizing a charger to a parallel pair, why 5 amps is not enough here, and the shop-style option for a battery that will not take a charge.
Found something out of date, or a figure you can source better than we did? Tell us — corrections get read first. Our methodology explains how picks are made, and contact is one click away.