When looking for a battery there are a lot of different types from AGM to flooded to gel. Well, this article isn’t going to get into the differences of those. If you want to know the differences, then we have some articles you can read.
Instead this article is going to look at the best AGM battery and help you figure out which one is right for you. After reading this article you will have a good idea of a few of the different AGM batteries on the market and know what to look for when choosing one.
These AGM batteries are all great options and are good starting points for you to figure out what you are looking for:
The first battery we will look at is the Mighty Max ML35-12. It is a 12 volt, 35 Amp Hour, U1, deep cycle battery. The size of this battery is 7.68 inches x 5.16 inches x 7.13 inches.
This makes it pretty standard size and means that it will fit into most things. It weights 23.15 pounds and it has the positive terminal on the left side.
This battery is great because it can be mounted in any position, has a high discharge rate, and deep discharge recovery meaning that it will last for a long time. It can be recharged over and over and has a long service life.
On top of this it can be used in a wide range of temperature conditions, so no matter if it is hot or cold, it will operate and provide charge properly. The case is made to resist shocks and vibrations, so you don’t have to worry about it cracking or getting damaged either.
The only issues people have had with this battery is some people have gotten bad ones that didn’t last very long. This was an issue with manufacturing and wasn’t many users.
The good thing though is that this battery has a one year warranty, so if you end up getting a bad one, they will replace it for you. This isn’t likely though, as most of the issues have been resolved, but it is still nice that it has a one year warranty.
Mighty Max SLA batteries are utilized in a wide variety of applications including: Consumer Electronics, Electric Vehicles, Engine Starters, Golf Carts, Hunting, Lawn and Garden battery, Medical Mobility, Motorcycles, Power sports, Portable Tools, Solar, Toys and Hobby, Access Control Devices, Emergency Lighting, Security and more.
The next battery we will look at is the Odyssey PC680 Battery. It weights 13.4 pounds and measures 7.7 inches x 7.7 inches x 3.9 inches. This makes it a standard size battery. The positive terminal on this battery is on the right side.
This battery is another deep cycle battery and has a long service life. It last 70 percent longer than most other deep cycle batteries and can last up to 400 cycles discharging up to 80 percent. This means that you will be able to use this battery for a long time after getting it.
It comes with a full 2 year warranty and Odyssey will replace it for you if you have gotten damaged one, but you have to go thru their customer service and not the customer service of where you bought the battery from. Outside of this though the service life on this battery is 3-10 years.
The battery has 170 cold cranking amps, which means that it is powerful enough to start most smaller things, but this might not be enough to start bigger things. Before getting this battery be sure to check the CCA of the old battery to make sure that this one will be able to provide enough power.
This battery also recharges fast. Deepening on how low it is it can recharge in four to six hours, which is faster than most batteries on the market. These positive things make the Odyssey PC680 a good AGM battery to consider.
The ODYSSEY battery is the ideal choice for a complete range of powersports applications: motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft, snowmobiles, ultralight aircraft and Gyrocopter aircraft.
Another top AGM battery you can consider is the HC600 from Kinetik. This battery is standard size and measures 7 inches x 3 inches x 6.5 inches and weighs 11.8 pounds. This means it will fit into most things and can be used in anything that it will fit.
The positive terminal is on the right side, but since it is an AGM battery, it can be installed in any position you need too. The case on this battery is durable and made from ABS plastic. This means it can resist extreme heat conditions and vibrations. It is also spill-proof and sealed tight no matter what bumps you might hit.
The Kinetik HC600 is a standard 12-volt battery, but it provides a high current. This means you can use it to run a vehicle or something else such as a sound system.
The battery offers ultra-low ESR and has more plates to provide stronger energy density. This gives a robust 600 cranking amps and also an 18 amp hour rating. That means this battery can go for a while and can power anything up to 600 watts without issue.
Users really love this battery and how well it holds a charge. It stores energy to a high level, so you don’t need a capacitor if you are using it as a second battery.
Most users have used these to power their sound system and have pushed things even higher than the rating with the Kinetik HC600, but it can be used as an excellent car battery as well.
It also has a one year warranty to give to peace of mind. Some people have even used this battery as a mower battery and didn’t even need a jump after winter without charging it. If you are looking for a top AGM battery, then you should defiantly consider the HC600 from Kinetik.
Another top battery is the Universal UB121000-45978. This battery is big size and weights 60 pounds making it a large battery. The weight is due to the top build construction. The case on this battery is very durable and hard to damage. The battery is also shock and vibration resistant.
The UB121000-45978 is an SLA/AGM battery which means that it is spill proof as well as maintenance free. Since the liquid is held in the glass matts, it will not come out and doesn’t need to be refilled.
Users though of this battery have found that it holds a charge well and can be recharged faster than other similar batteries to get good results. It has a standing self-discharge of less than three percent per month, making it a very efficient store of energy that doesn’t require frequent charging.
This model has a 100AH rating guaranteeing an excellent storage capacity and functional lifespan for use with trolling motors and any other equipment that requires consistent energy at a low cranking current.
The battery is 12-volt which makes it great for any car or another piece of equipment that takes that voltage. This battery has left side positive when holding the battery towards you.
Another benefit to this battery is that it can be mounted in any direction since it is spill proof, so if you are having a hard time reaching a cable to it, you can install it is a different way to get more reach.
Outside of the extended durability of this battery users also like that the Universal UB121000-45978 comes with a one year warranty. This is nice because some users have had it short-out a little into having it and they were able to get a new one.
This battery is an excellent 12-volt battery that holds a charge well. It also has solid durability, and the customer service and warranty is a bonus. You should defiantly consider the Universal UB121000-45978 if you are looking for a new battery for a car or other equipment.
Next we get to the first Optima battery and it is the 8025-160 Red Top. This battery measures 9.3 inches x 6.8 inches x 7.6 inches making it standard and it weights 39.5 pounds making it a bit on the heavy side.
This battery is 44 amp hour and offers 720 cold cranking amps (CCA) meaning that it can start anything with no problem. It has a reserve capacity of 90 minutes and the positive terminal is on the left side.
This AGM battery is designed to start things in any weather conditions, and can be mounted in any position needed. It is 15 times more resistant to vibration compare to other batteries on the market meaning that the case will not get damaged and cracked. It means that this AGM battery can be used on race cars that run at high speeds.
The red top is designed for things with alternators that instantly start giving power to the battery once started. Since the Optima Red Top gives so much power at the start, it needs to start receiving a charge quickly to operate properly.
The 8025-160 Red Top is ideal for trucks, SUVs, hot rods, street cars and other applications that require a spillproof starting battery. It can be started in very low temperatures during winter. The Red Top is also designed to be low maintenance so that you’ll have less to worry about.
Next in the Optima family is the 8016-103 Blue Top. This one measures 10 inches x 6.9 inches x 7.8 inches and weights 43.5 pounds making it a heavy battery. It offers 55 amp hours of power and has a cold cranking amp of 750 meaning that it can start anything and can keep it running for awhile.
The blue top has all the same qualities as the red top when it comes to shock resistance and being able to start things in any weather condition. The reserve capacity is 120 minutes meaning that it can keep running for awhile.
The blue top however is design for a few different things. The blue top with dark gray case is designed to be a starting battery only and never for a cycling battery. It should be used for marine applications and RVs only when starting is required.
They have a blue top with light gray case though that is designed to both start and deep cycle. The light gray blue top can be used for marine item and RVs in any situation. Just make sure you get the right one for your situation and be aware of these differences.
This battery is ideal for those who need a sure-starting, strong-cranking, maintenance-free power source.
The last Optima battery we will look at is the 8040-218 Yellow Top. It measures 9.4 inches x 6.8 inches x 7.7 inches and weights 36.4 pounds putting it on the smaller side for an optima battery.
It has a reserve capacity of 98 minutes meaning that you can get a lot of top performance out of it. The positive terminal is on the right and it has 620 cold cranking amps meaning that it is more than strong enough to start things in pretty much any situation.
The Yellow Top is designed in the same way as the other two to be able to start things in any weather condition and to resist vibrations and mounted in any way. The thing that sets the yellow top apart is that it is designed to provide the extra performance and deep-cycling capability, it's used in instance where you have a lot of accessories.
If you have power sliding doors or dvd players and things that draw a lot of power while running, then this is the option for you. It is capable of starting the vehicle, but then better at discharging so it keeps the vehicle running while powering all the other items.
It can be used on any type of vehicle from your standard car to racing vehicles or vehicles with a lot of aftermarket electronics.
So what sets the three Optima batteries apart from other AGM batteries? Well, that has to do with the design. It doesn’t matter what color top Optima battery you have they are all made the same way. Inside the Optima batteries the plates are wrapped in coils.
These coils give more surface area and allow them to discharge better as well as recharge better. This advanced design is what gives them superior performance compared to other AGM batteries and why users love them.
If you won't have a better understanding of AGM battery, we will briefly cover what an AGM battery is. AGM stands for Absorb Glass Matt and means that the liquid that holds the charge in the battery is held in a glass matt.
These matts are between the plates in the battery and suspense the liquid between the plates. This has a lot of benefits, but is too much to go into detail here in this article. Knowing the basics thought of an AGM battery is important to help you find the best AGM Battery.
So, which one of these AGM batteries is the best? Well, the answer is one of the Optima ones depending on your need. If you just need a good starter battery for your car, then the red top will do the job great.
If you have a lot of after market things on your car, then you would want the yellow top. If you are looking for a battery for an RV or something else, then the blue top Optima should serve your needs.
One of the Optimas is the best though because they are powerful AGM batteries and will last for a long time. But they are more expensive than others.
None of the options on this list are bad though, Mighty Max Battery ML35-12, Kinetik HC600, Odyssey PC680 and Universal Ub121000-45978 are good depending on what you need, so if you think one of them would work better for you, then it is safe to go with one of the others.
So now you know seven of the best AGM batteries on the market. The thing to remember when buying a battery is the side the positive terminal is on that you need and also the cold cranking amps and amp hours.
These should be equal to or greater than the battery you are replacing to make sure that it has enough juice to do what you need it to do. All these AGM batteries are good and one of them should get the job done for you.
