Stocking stuffer
OBD-II Adapters
OBDLink MX+
Covers the most EV battery apps on iPhone or Android. A Tesla needs an extra adapter cable.
Bluetooth Classic adapter (works with iPhone)
Gift guide · Christmas 2026
Best gifts for car guys
The car guy in your life already has a socket set. What he does not have is the gear for the electric one in the driveway: a battery-health reader, the right jump pack and a charger that travels.
- gift ideas
- 13
- stocking stuffers
- 6
- sponsored placements
- 0
For car guys
OBDLink MX+
OBDLink CX
Vgate iCar Pro Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE)
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This is the electric edition of the car-guy gift list. The instincts are the same (know what the car is doing, never get stranded, keep the battery healthy over winter) but the tools changed. An EV's battery state of health is read over the OBD-II port with a Bluetooth adapter and a model-specific app, and it is the single most important number on a used EV.
Every EV still has a 12 V battery, and when it goes flat the car will not wake up no matter how full the big pack is. A jump pack fixes that, and a maintainer prevents it on a car that sits. Chemistry matters here: some EVs use a lithium 12 V battery, and some jump packs are rated for lead-acid only. The notes on each pick say which is which.
For the garage itself, a portable Level 2 charger plugs into an existing 240 V outlet and goes along on road trips, and an adapter bridges the J1772 and Tesla connectors in either direction.
0113 gift ideas
The picks for car guys
In the order we would give them. Each card says why it suits this recipient and links to the full write-up with specs, pros and cons.
Showing 13 of 13 gift ideas
Stocking stuffer
OBD-II Adapters
OBDLink CX
A Bluetooth LE adapter for a Nissan Leaf or other CAN-bus EV.
Bluetooth LE adapter
Stocking stuffer
OBD-II Adapters
Vgate iCar Pro Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE)
The low-cost adapter for a one-time battery check before buying a used EV.
Dual-mode Bluetooth adapter
12 V Battery Tools
NOCO Boost Plus GB40
Wakes a car with a flat 12 V lead-acid or AGM battery without a second vehicle. Lead-acid 12 V only.
Jump pack: lead-acid 12 V only
12 V Battery Tools
Battery Tender Jump N Start 1500 Amp Lithium Jump Starter (030-2020-WH)
The jump pack whose maker lists lithium 12 V batteries as compatible.
Jump pack: lists lithium compatibility
12 V Battery Tools
NOCO GENIUS5
Keeps a car-sized 12 V battery charged through winter storage, whatever its chemistry.
Smart charger / maintainer
12 V Battery Tools
Battery Tender Junior Multi-Chemistry 12V (022-0199-DL-WH)
A maintainer for the small 12 V batteries that sit between uses.
Small-battery maintainer
EV Chargers
Grizzl-E Mini Connect 40A
A portable Level 2 charger for road trips and for anyone not ready to hardwire.
Portable charger
Reader favorite
EV Chargers
Lectron Portable Level 2 J1772 Charger (NEMA 14-50)
Portable Level 2 charging from an existing NEMA 14-50 outlet.
Portable charger
Stocking stuffer
EV Accessories
Lectron J1772 to Tesla (NACS) Adapter
Lets a Tesla use J1772 home and public chargers.
Charging adapter
Reader favoriteStocking stuffer
EV Accessories
Lectron Tesla (NACS) to J1772 Adapter
Lets a non-Tesla EV use Tesla wall and destination chargers.
Charging adapter
Stocking stuffer
EV Accessories
Lectron J1772 Nozzle Holster Dock
A wall dock that gets the charge cable off the garage floor.
Cable management
Reader favorite
EV Chargers
Tesla Universal Wall Connector
The garage upgrade: a hardwired charger for any EV, with either connector.
Hardwired smart charger
02Before you buy
Questions about gifts for car guys
Tools that match the new drivetrain. An OBD-II adapter with a model-specific app shows battery data the dashboard hides, a jump pack suited to the car's 12 V battery prevents the most common EV no-start, and a portable Level 2 charger makes any 240 V outlet a charging stop.
Compare before you choose
Each pick above comes from one of these buying guides, where it is compared side by side with the alternatives on manufacturer specs.