The best power inverters for cars in the market

Read our reviews of the best DC to AC power inverters for cars to have the right one for your needs.

What are the best power inverters for cars? How to choose the best one? Before knowing the answers, it is important to know the difference between direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC).

In very basic terms, alternating current is what is obtained through the plugs of your house, and direct current is obtained from a battery.

Because car batteries provide a DC voltage of 12V, and most consumer electronics work in AC (110 V – 220V), you need a transformer from 12V to 110V, or what is the same as a power inverter if you want to use AC devices on the road.

With a good power inverter for your car, you can take almost any electronic device from your home or office, plug it into your car, and use it as always, except in some specific cases. Some of the most important restrictions to consider when using an inverter in the car include factors such as the battery capacity of the car, the nominal power of the engine, and the power output of the inverter.

Who may need a car power inverter?

Anyone who spends a lot of time in the car can benefit from a car power inverter. They are especially useful for long road trips, camping, business travelers, truck drivers, and other similar applications.

You can use electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets, cameras, and external batteries with 12V-24V chargers that connect directly to the cigarette lighter of the car.

However, any electronic device that requires AC input requires a 12V to 110V transformer.

Ideal for trips, camping, tents, boat trips… to work where there is no electricity. Simply connect the inverter to the car’s battery and then connect the electrical appliances. Some of the devices that can be used:

Appliances: vacuum cleaner, razor, fan…
Entertainment: television, DVD and Blu-Ray players, HI-FI systems
Game consoles: PS4, Xbox…
Heaters
Electronic equipment: computer, printer, fax, scanner…
Kitchen equipment: blender, toaster, coffee machine…
Power tools: air compressor, electric saw…

How does a current inverter from 12V to 110V work?

The inverters operate using a unidirectional DC power source to mimic an alternating current (AC) power source.

Electronic inverters are oscillators that quickly change the polarity of the DC power supply, which effectively creates a square wave.

Since most consumer electronic products require something closer to a true sine wave, most inverters include additional components that create a modified or pure sine wave.

How to choose the most suitable power inverters for cars?

There are plenty of models and brands of current inverters capable of supplying powers of tens to hundreds of watts and thousands of watts (kilowatts = kW).

So, how can we choose the best power inverter for our cars?

For a normal user, the purchase of a power inverter with a maximum power below 200W is completely sufficient.

Because the battery of the vast majority of cars has a nominal voltage of 12V and provides a maximum current of 20A, the maximum power supplied by the car’s battery would be 240W.

Currently, most car inverters connected to the cigarette lighter 12V are used for electrical appliances less than 150W.

In our daily lives, electronic devices such as mobiles, Xbox 360, cameras, laptops, desktops, razors, etc. The power consumed during use is very low, up to 150W, and even less.

But some other heating devices like hair dryers, heaters, electric hot water bottles, etc., will consume up to 1000W or more.

The need to use high-powered appliances requires using inverters directly connected to the car’s battery. Such current inverters can supply 500W or even more power and can drive some small motors and 1000W devices or higher power.

How to connect a power inverter in the car?

For an inverter to work, it has to be connected in some way to the car’s battery. Some of the most common configurations are:

Fuse box
Directly on the car battery
Cigarette lighter
Also 12V accessory plug

The simplest way to connect a power inverter is simply to plug it into the cigarette lighter or through a 12V connector for accessories, but there are some limitations to that type of configuration since it cannot be used to power higher-powered devices.

Since there may be other components connected to the cigarette lighter or a 12V connector, there is an inherent limitation in the type of devices that can be connected to the inverter. The inverters that are connected in this way are usually limited to consumption of 5A or 10A (amps).

In applications that require more power, the inverter must be connected to the fuse box or directly to the battery.

Some fuse boxes have empty slots in which an inverter can be connected, which will provide a circuit dedicated to the device. In other cases, the inverter can be connected directly to the battery with an in-line fuse.

In any case, it is vital to use some kind of fuse to avoid a potentially dangerous situation.

The best power inverters for cars from 12V to 110V -220V

After discussing the usefulness of this practical device and its operation, we have made a selection of the best transformers from 12V to 110V -220V AC to use in your car connected to the lighter or in the battery itself.

Within this selection, we include all types of power inverters for cars that cover a wide range of nominal powers of output according to the needs of the user:

EDECOA Power Inverter for cars

This is a 12V 3000W Modified Sine Wave Power Inverter designed to power 110V AC appliances, starting with the car’s 12V battery. It can be used as support during trips or in places with little access to the electrical network. It has a continuous power of 3000W and comes with a remote control for handling, plus a pair of cables for the battery. The device also has two power sockets to connect whatever you want without fear.

It is protected against overloads, overheating, and short circuits. To avoid the overheating of this beast, it has an aluminum frame and two fans that guarantee its operation in the most demanding conditions. It has protection and replacement fuses supplied in the pack to avoid running out.

Its solid and resistant design attests to what this device is capable of doing. In addition, its quality-price relation is very high.