Lokithor JA3000 jump starter and tire inflater review – insurance against dead batteries and flat tires

REVIEW – There are historically four main calls for roadside service; flat tires, dead batteries, keys locked in the car, and out of gas.  With modern cars, it’s now next to impossible to lock the keys inside. And running out of gas is usually driver error.  But wouldn’t it be nice to have a small device that could just live in your car that could help with flats and batteries?  The Lokithor JA3000 is just that.  And, it will charge your phone and light up the night while at it!

What is it?

The Lokithor JA3000 is a portable jump starter and tire inflator that’s light, compact, and easy to use. 

What’s in the box?

• Lokithor JA300
• Battery cables
• Air hose
• USB-A to USB-C cable
• USB-C to USB-C cable
• Adapters for inflating balls, tubes, etc.
• Storage bag for accessories
• Manual

Hardware specs

• Battery Type: ‎Lithium-Phosphate
• Voltage: 12 Volts
• Item Weight: ‎1750 Grams
• Amperage: ‎3000 Amps
• Peak Output Current: ‎3000 Amps
• Product Dimensions: ‎5.52″D x 3.75″W x 9.75″H
• Engine capabilities: 9L gas, 7L diesel
• Inflator max PSI: 150 PSI

Design and features

When I first opened the Lokithor JA3000 packaging, I thought they sent me the wrong model.  I was surprised by how light and compact it was given that it contains a pretty big battery and an air compressor. But it was the right one.  This small little box with a comfortable handle has a lot of things you might need on the road or in an emergency.

The jump start feature allows you to start a car with a dead battery, and if the battery is really dead (down to 1 V), you can still start it, but the unit will disable a few of the safety features (called a “forced start.”)  It will pump up your tires, up to 150 PSI, which should be plenty given that most cars and light trucks have recommended pressures less than 50 PSI. It has a really bright LED light with three modes – continuous, strobe, and SOS. And finally, it has USB ports that can charge your phone (18W max) or power your laptop (60W max). 

You charge it up using any standard USB charger.  Apparently, you can start a car with as little as 5 minutes of charging, and a full charge takes about an hour when using the 60W PD input. 

Performance

I wanted to test the real world application of the Lokithor JA3000 so this morning, I turned the headlights on in my 2000 Jeep Wrangler and left them on all day.  Then this afternoon, I took the fully charged Lokithor out and hooked it up.  Before I did, I double checked that the battery was dead by trying to start the Jeep (nothing – just a click) and by testing the voltage on the battery (11.9 V – definitely dead since car batteries are normally around 14.4V).  I hooked the Lokithor up and let it sit for about 30 seconds.  The green light started to flash, and the unit clicked every 10 seconds or so (not sure what that was).  I tried to start the Jeep and it fired right up.  So, success on the jump starting!  My only issue was that the cables are a little short – only about a foot long. It worked, but I had to be careful in my cable routing. 

The next test was the tire inflator. For this test, it turned out that I didn’t even have to simulate anything.  While letting air out of one of the tires on the Jeep, I noticed a nail in the tire (now I know why I had a slow leak for the last few months!).  

I pulled the nail out, the tire went flat, and I plugged the hole.  So now I had a completely flat fairly large tire (31×10.5R15).  I set the Lokithor to 33 PSI and turned it on. 

 It took 10 minutes and 35 seconds to pump the tire from nothing to 33 PSI, and still had 2/4 bars on the battery (that was after jump starting, too). One thing I learned is that it will shut off automatically, but not when it hits the desired pressure.  It will shut off when it hits the next level up.  So I entered 33 PSI, and it shut off when it hit 34 PSI. 

I measured the tire pressure with two different gauges after, and they both read 34.5 PSI, so if you want an exact reading, enter your PSI – 1.  

One nice thing about this compressor is that it did not dance all over the place like many others.  It stayed right where I started it, thanks to a nice vibration absorption system and rubber feet. And it didn’t get too hot, either.  Some get VERY hot.  The hose was quite warm to the touch, but the actual unit remained pretty cool, even on a 90 degree day. 

What I like

• Compact and light – easy to keep in the car
• Easy to use, and works well
• Pretty quick tire inflation

What I’d change

• Make the battery cables 6-8 inches longer
• Make the tire inflator shut off at the dialed pressure and not 1 PSI higher. 

Final thoughts

If you’ve ever been stranded by a flat tire or a dead battery, it can be scary.  Having the Lokithor JA3000 with you could prevent a scary stranding and get you back on the road quickly. Think of it as an insurance policy against two of the most common roadside issues!

Price: $139.95
Where to buy: Lokithor or Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Lokithor.