When you have ever had a dead battery or a low tire, rarely are you in a place where it is easy to get quick help. Even if you have jumper cables, you need another vehicle to jump start your car or you need an air compressor to pump up a tire. New technology allows small devices with enough power to jump start a vehicle as well as portable air pumps for filling a tire. Now LOKITHOR has not only combined a portable jump starter with an air pump, they have also added a power washer function with a water pump–all in the same device. Let’s take a look at their new AW401 and see if it can do three different tasks equally well.
What Is the LOKITHOR AW401?
The LOKITHOR AW401 comes with the following:
- 1 AW 401 jump starter/pump
- 1 set of jump starter cables
- 1 air hose
- 1 intake water hose
- 1 output water hose
- 1 water nozzle
- 3 water hose connectors with washers
- 1 water hose connector tool
- 4 air hose nozzle adapters
- 1 12V DC adapter
- 1 carrying bag
- 1 manual
The AW401 can be used to jump start a car with a low battery. Connect the cords with the jump starter clamps to the device and then connect the clamps to the battery. Press the power button on the device. The display will show the current voltage of the battery. It can charge up the battery in about 5 minutes. The AW401 provides 2500 Amps and can start all types of vehicles up to a 8.5L gas engine or 6.5L diesel engine.
When using the air pump feature, connect the included air hose to the outlet on the side of the device. Turn on the device and attach the hose to the valve stem of the tire. The display will show the current pressure of the tire. You can switch the pressure units between PSI and BAR. Use the buttons near the display to set the desired pressure and then press the pump button. The compressor will run and automatically shut off at the set pressure. The device can pump up to 150 psi. By using the nozzle adapters you can inflate other items in addition to tires.
The pressure washer feature can put out 2.4 gallons per minute at up to 200 psi. Connect the water hose connects to the intake and outputs on the device. They can be tightened with the included tool. Then connect the intake hose. It includes a filter screen on the end and can be placed in a bucket, pool, lake, or other water source. Connect the water hose to the output side along with the adjustable nozzle. Turn on the device and press the wash button to start the pump. As the water is flowing, you can close the nozzle to stop the flow and the pump will stop on its own to save power. Once you open the nozzle, the pump will begin again. You can use the pressure washer for washing vehicles, watering plants, outdoor showering, bathing pets, or even pumping water for a limited time.
The AW401 also has a 500 Lumen light on one side. Press the light button to turn it on. Press it again to cause it to flash and a third press flashes the light to signal SOS in Morse code.
LOKITHOR AW401 is available from the LOKITHOR website. The three-in-one device with all of the attachments sells for $299, though it is currently on sale for $203 through November 27th. It can also be purchased from the LOKITHOR store on Amazon. Amazon currently has a 10% discount plus an $80 coupon so the final price there is only $189!
Why You Should Get the LOKITHOR AW401
I have owned jump starters and portable air pumps. However, they were separate devices. When I heard about the LOKITHOR AW401, I was excited to try it out. Recently I found myself with a dead battery and someone with a portable jump starter helped me out. Plus with my family’s fleet of cars, we often need to pump up a tire. However, I was not sure about the power washer feature. Could one device do three different tasks well? Shortly after I received the AW401 and charged it, a neighbor had a flat tire and the spare was low on air. Here was an opportunity to test it out in a real-life situation. I set the pump to 60 psi as listed on the tire an in about a minute, the tire was at the desired psi and the pump turned off automatically.
I like the way the jump starter function works. It tells you as soon as you connect it to the battery the voltage of the battery and begins charging it. Depending on how dead the battery is, it may need to charge up to five minutes before the vehicle will be able to turn over.
While having a jump starter that can also pump up a tire makes for a great tool, (and LOKITHOR also offers models that do both of those) the AW401 also includes a water pump function as well. I will admit I was a bit skeptical on whether a battery-powered device that has two other functions could really pump water with such pressure. After trying it out, I was impressed. Since it does not require getting water from a hose with water pressure, but instead sucks it up on its own through its intake hose, complete with a filter around the end so large particles that could damage the pump can’t get through, you can pump from a variety of water sources. If you are washing a car, you can have a bucket of soapy water and pump from it to soap down the vehicle. Then pump from a bucket of clean water to rinse. We have a pond in our back yard which is fed by a natural spring. We use it to water our garden. After placing the intake hose into the pond and turning on the AW401, I was able to water my garden without any problems. I like how the pump shuts off automatically when you have the nozzle attached to the output hose closed. Then when you open it up to release water, the pump starts up again. This helps keep the pump motor from burning out.
LOKITHOR is a new brand to me which I have never used before. However, after testing out their AW401, I am very impressed. The battery packs enough power for several uses before you need to recharge it. Plus it can be charged from a 12V outlet in your vehicle. In my decades of driving, I have had the need for a jump starter or air pump on several occasions–either for myself to to help someone else. Having the LOKITHOR AW401 provides a lot of peace of mind and also makes washing a vehicle easier. I recommend the AW401 since it does all three of its designed functions quite well. LOKITHOR also sells models that are only jump starters (the J-series) or combine a jump starter with an air pump (the JA-series). It is a good idea to have one of their devices in each of your vehicles since you never know when you many need it. Plus with the holidays coming up, these make great gifts.
Here is a demonstration of the AW401 being used to wash a car.
Disclosure: GeekDad received a sample of this item for review purposes.
