Black & Decker VEC026BD Electromate 400 Jump Starter Review
Retail Price: $119.99
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One of the worst things that can happen is being completely stranded in an unfamiliar area because your car battery failed to start. Does this sound familiar? If this has ever happened to you then most likely you have either called a towing service to help you or used jumper cables. But even if you attempt to jump start your car you are still at the mercy of finding someone who will actually help you.
It is certainly not a fun scenario to deal with so what then is the next solution? In addition to ensuring that your car battery is regularly maintained, the best solution is to buy a Black and Decker Electromate 400 as it will help to get you out of these tricky situations when they occur. But that is not all that it does as you are about to see.
The Black and Decker Electromate 400 even acts as a power station and a compressor.
Helpful for roadside emergencies
A telltale sign that your battery needs to be recharged is if you hear a clicking noise as you turn the engine. What the Black & Decker BEC026BD Electromate 400 does is that it has 450 instant amps that will bring your car back to life. This alternative sure beats having to use jumper cables as you never have to rely on another person but this jump starter.
The only thing you will need to do is ensure that it is fully charged when you easily do so with any household AC outlet. After the car is jump started and running, it is strongly suggested that you keep the engine on for at least thirty minutes so that the battery can start to recharge itself.
Power portable appliances
Another awesome feature about the Black and Decker Electromate 400 is that it can even be used to power portable devices like flashlights, radios, cell phones and other small tools. You may not need this extra feature but you can never be too prepared. Besides, this portable power station is perfect for when you go camping where there is likely not going to be a wall outlet available for you to use.
Just so you know, it comes with a 120V AC power outlet and a 12V DC outlet which means that you can simultaneously change and actually operate more than one appliance at a time. It even has a built in air compressor that lets you pump up bicycle tires as well as your vehicle tires should they start to go flat.
Other cool features
The Electromate 400 comes with an LED battery status indicator to let you know when it needs to be recharged again. It even has a warning system should you accidentally attach the jump start cables to the wrong terminals of your car battery. One thing to note is that this device can be charged from your household or by using your DC cigarette lighter although this option may take a little longer.
Any downsides to the Electromate 400?
You should be aware that this portable power station is not designed to power appliances like coffee makers or a microwave as it simply does not have that kind of output. For this, I would recommend purchasing a car power inverter. While reading customer reviews, one user had said that it often struggles to start up his 8 cylinder engine.
Another user said that the air compressor takes between twenty to thirty minutes to fully inflate a full sized tire but doing so has the unintended effect of completely killing the unit. Something that is absolutely important is that you will need to keep the unit charged or it could cause permanent damage to itself. Recharge about once a month to prevent this from happening.
Another customer said that the Electromate 400 needs to be recharged after it is used as it did not work for them the second time around. This will of course depend on the overall condition of your car battery but it is still important to keep in mind.
Real customer reviews of the Black & Decker portable power station
Despite some of these disadvantages, there are still plenty of users who have benefited from using this jump starter. Here are just some of the comments that have been made about it:
This is only a small fraction of positive reviews of this product and as you can tell it is mostly positive from those who have actually used it.
The good bits
- Very well built with a strong plastic enclosure
- DC and AC outlets provide excellent portable power
- Built in power level meter
- Usable air compressor with a pressure gauge
- Enough power to jump start your car
- Battery clamps are detachable
- Includes an alternator check for your battery
- LED work light
- DC cord included to charge in your car
The not-so-good bits
- May not be powerful enough for larger sized vehicles
- Battery clamps have a short cord
- DC power sockets have limited amounts of power
- Using the air compressor drains the battery
- Requires an overnight charge
Black and Decker Electromate 400 product features
- 450 amps to instantly jump start your car
- Air compressor for use with vehicles tires
- LED work light for emergency roadside assistance
- Warning system to alert incorrect connections
- LED status indicator
- One 120V AC power outlet
- One 12V DC power outlet
- Item weight: 25 pounds
- Specifications: 12 inches high by 18 inches long by 8 inches wide
- Two year warranty
Important safety tips when using a jump starter
This portable power station will really prove to be beneficial but you should absolutely read through the instruction manual before you get started with it. The last thing you would want is to cause injury to yourself or to the battery because of negligence. When connecting the terminals with each other, always make sure that everything is connected correctly.
This device is perfect for powering small types of appliances but if you want to power something large then you will need to buy a car power inverter. In fact, having both a power inverter and a jump starter can really come in handy especially for long trips.
Where to buy Black and Decker Electromate 400 jump starter
If you are thinking about buying the Electromate 400 portable power station then you can do so by getting it online. I have found that Amazon generally has the best price for just about anything and that also goes for automotive accessories as well. Simply click the link below and you will be taken to a page with much more information about this car jump starter including additional customer reviews.

