[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] After owning a previous model of the Stanley FatMax 1200 Amp Jumper/Compressor, and being pretty darn happy with it, I was excited to give the newer model a try. Honestly, it was worth every penny I spent on it the first time, but I was curious to see if they had addressed any of the “shortcomings” I noticed from the older version.
Here's the rundown from my experience with both the new and older models:
What I like (Pros):
- Battery Life is Solid: Both models hold a charge like nobody's business. I've left the original sitting in my trunk for months, and when I picked it up again, it was still showing a full charge! I haven't owned the new one long enough to determine if that's still the case, but I imagine it is.
- The Air Compressor is Actually Useful: I really like that you can set the exact PSI you need, and it just stops when it gets there. No more guessing! It's been great for topping off the tires on my vehicles and for my family's bike tires. Both models are a little loud when using the compressor, but they work superbly well.
- Plenty of Power: This thing has some serious juice. I've used my original to jump-start my brother's V8 truck, the wife's van, and my car. It hasn't let me down once. I've only used the new version one time for this purpose and it worked perfectly.
- USB Ports: One of my gripes with the first model was the fact that it had four USB-A ports. With the world moving to USB-C, I found myself wishing it included some of those as well. Alas, this new model swapped two of the ports for USB-C! This is super handy for charging phones and other gadgets when you're on the go. And I can confirm that the USB-C ports allowed for quick charging on my Google Pixel 8 Pro.
- Adjustable LED Light: if you've ever had to pop the hood of your vehicle in the dark, you know how difficult it can be to navigate that space when you don't have sufficient lighting. This jumper includes a built-in LED light that you can angle to meet your needs. It is extremely bright and gives you all the light you will need.
What could be better (Cons):
- Those Jumper Cables are Short: My biggest gripe on both units is definitely the length of the booster cables. They're only about two feet long, and sometimes it's a real pain trying to maneuver the unit to get a good connection on the battery. This is done to keep the unit compact, but I really wish they were a foot or two longer.
- The Air Hose Could Use Some Extra Length Too: Similar to the jumper cables, the air hose for the compressor feels a little short at times. While, this is not as cumbersome as working with the jumper cables, a bit more length would make things a lot easier.
- The Alternator Check is Finicky: I've tried using the alternator check a few times on the older model, and it seems pretty sensitive. You have to have a perfect connection, especially on the negative side, or it just won't work right. I have only tested the new model for this use case once and it seemed to work fine. I'll have to do some more testing to determine if this was addressed in the new model.
What I've Used It For:
- Jumping starting vehicles – it's a lifesaver!
- Adding air to tires – works like a dream.
- Trying to check my alternator (when I can get it to work!).
- Charging my phone and other USB devices.
- Extra lighting while working under the hood of my car or in my garage
Overall, I'm really impressed with this Stanley FatMax Jumper/compressor unit. The long battery life and the air compressor with the auto-stop feature are fantastic. The only real downsides for me are those short cables and the finicky alternator check. But honestly, for the power it packs and the convenience, portability, and peace of mind it offers, I'd definitely recommend it as a must-have in any vehicle. You never know when you might need it.