A battery charger is a handy thing to have, just in case your car battery lets you down, but for most of us, that isn’t a common occurrence. The CTEK CS Free Charger has a couple of features that make it just a little more useful than your standard charger.
The most obvious use is, of course, to start your car should your battery fail. The CTEK CS Free Charger has an edge over other chargers there, too. If your car battery is completely flat, connect the battery pack using the crocodile clamps, and the pack will analyse the battery’s health and decide the most effective way to revive it. From a completely dead state, this could take up to 15 minutes as the pack uses Adaptive Boost to infuse the battery with enough charge to start the vehicle without causing damage to the battery or the electrics of the vehicle.
If you’re not in a hurry to get going, you can use the CTEK CS Free Charger to top up the battery and it will helpfully tell you how long it will take to reach full charge.
In addition to keeping your car battery in good order, it’s a handy piece of equipment to have if you’re heading off-grid with your camping equipment. Charge it fully before you head out, and you can keep your electronic gadgets topped up via the USB-C and USB-A ports.
What makes the CTEK CS Free appealing is its sheer simplicity. There are no complex modes to select to achieve the right result. For battery charging, simply attach the leads, and the unit will do the rest and let you know the timings. It’s so easy to use that the instruction manual is purely made up of fairly basic diagrams.
CTEK suggests that the charger’s battery life is pretty good, boasting that it will retain charge for at least 12 months while in storage. This gives users some peace of mind if it’s left languishing in the boot of the car between uses.
At 1.4 kg, it isn’t a lightweight piece of kit, but it’s probably not one you’ll lug around in your rucksack. If you are spending time off the grid and a plug socket isn’t on the agenda, the CS Free would be very handy. You can keep the unit itself charged up using solar panels, although, at £320, they aren’t a cheap option.
The Verdict
The CTEK CS Free certainly has its uses. As a jumpstart kit or battery charger, it seems like a slightly expensive option, as there are units available that are lighter and at a lower price point, particularly given the infrequency with which most people would need one.
If you look at the bigger picture, though, and you’re an avid camper who spends a good amount of time outdoors, the CS Free becomes more multifunctional and starts to make much more sense. It’s a good-quality product that is rugged enough to last and is backed with a two-year warranty, so if the price tag
doesn’t put you off, you’ll undoubtedly be happy with your purchase.
