Best Car Emergency Kits, Tested

Emergencies are hard to predict, but it’s easy to prepare for these unexpected scenarios with a comprehensive car emergency kit. In this guide, we’ll recommend six of the best car emergency kits.

A car emergency kit can come in handy in the event of a mechanical breakdown, inclement weather, a collision, or a flat tire. While it’s impossible to know when any of these unfortunate events may occur, it’s smart to be prepared. The best car emergency kits give you peace of mind and ensure you’re ready regardless of the situation.

When shopping for the best car emergency kits, consider the area you live in and the car troubles you frequently face. Drivers living in colder regions may want to find an emergency kit with warm gloves, a space blanket, and a car battery charger. If you frequently get flat tires, look for a kit with a tire sealant and an air compressor pump. It’s likely no one kit will have every item you need, but you can find the best roadside emergency kit for your situation. 

Below, we’ve listed key items to look for in a car emergency kit:

First Aid Kit

If someone is injured during an automotive emergency, having a comprehensive first-aid kit can be incredibly valuable. Items like bandages, painkillers, gauze, and disinfectants are handy for treating minor maladies. 

Jumper Cables

Jumper cables are something every motorist should know how to use. They’re great to have on hand in the event of a dead battery since it allows you to hook up to another car for a jump, and you won’t be stuck waiting for roadside assistance. Heavy-duty jumper cables should be durable and fit most battery terminals. 

Seatbelt Cutter

In the event of being pinned in a car wreck, a seatbelt cutter could help you escape. These are simple tools, usually just a device with a small blade to sever the seatbelt. You’ll likely use them not often, but you’ll be grateful to have them. 

Windshield Breaker 

Similar to the seatbelt cutter above, a windshield breaker could be a lifesaver if passenger doors are pinned shut or there is no other exit.

Other Emergency Supplies

• Tire air compressor with pressure gauge
• Tool kit
• Work gloves
• Flashlight, preferably hand-operated so you don’t need extra batteries
• Towing strap
• Cat litter
• Pen and paper
• Spare wiper blades
• Tire chains
• Small tarp
• Non-perishable food like granola bars
• Fire extinguisher
• Duct tape
• Compass
• Maps
• Blanket
• Extra clothing

1. Best Overall: First Secure Car Emergency Kit
2. Most Organized: Lifeline AAA Excursion Road Kit
3. Best Tool Quality: Thrive Roadside Emergency Car Kit
4. Best Value: Lianxin Roadside Assistance Emergency Kit
5. Best First-Aid Kit: First Aid Only All-Purpose First-Aid Kit
6. Also Consider: Roadside Rescue Emergency Assistance Kit

Check Price

The First Secure Car Emergency Kit includes key tools such as 10.0-foot, 8-gauge jumper cables; nylon tow straps; a 250.0 psi air pump; a 7-piece tire repair kit; and a 48-piece medical supply kit. Unlike many other kits, the tools included are high-quality and durable, which is why we chose it as the overall best car emergency kit.

This kit doesn’t include a space blanket or cold weather gear, so it may not be the best car emergency kit for drivers who regularly drive in cold conditions. This product also includes a seven-piece tire repair kit.

Cost: Around $90

What’s In The Kit?

• 10.0-foot, 8-gauge jumper cables
• Portable air compressor (12.0-volt, 250.0 psi)
• Tow rope (11.8 feet, 10,000.0-pound capacity)
• Tire repair kit
• Window breaker
• Tire pressure gauge
• Multi-tool
• Reflective warning triangle
• LED headlamp flashlight
• Electrical tape
• Bungee cords
• Cable ties
• Work gloves
• First-aid kit
• Storage bag

Our Experience

This emergency kit contains a wide range of items for just about any situation. It even includes a portable air compressor and tire repair kit to help should a flat occur and you don’t have a spare – though such kits are only good for minor punctures and as a temporary fix to get you to the next exit or service station.

The included items are of reasonable quality. These aren’t the cheapest materials, but they aren’t the best either. Still, they should get the job done in an emergency.

This kit is extremely compact and can easily fit into cars of any size. Because the carrying case is fabric, it’s not difficult to stuff and close the bag with all the contents inside. However, there are only two internal mesh pockets, so organizing the items internally is difficult along with repacking this kit neatly.

What Customers Are Saying

Amazon Review Score: 4.7 out of 5 based on more than 3,300 reviews

The portable tire inflator is a popular inclusion, with many citing it as the reason they purchased this particular brand. Most seem to agree that item quality is impressive, considering the overall cost of the kit.

Some feel the headlamp and the first aid kit are lacking. In a few reports, the headlamp either didn’t work well or arrived broken. In some cases, the tire inflator failed to work properly.

Check Price

The second product on our list of best car emergency kits, the Lifeline AAA Excursion Road Kit, is a comprehensive product backed by AAA. The road kit includes 76 auto safety and first aid components, including 10.0-foot, 8-gauge jumper cables; a tire air compressor; an LED aluminum flashlight; and a 45-piece first aid kit. AAA also offers a Winter Safety Kit that includes cold-weather essentials such as fleece gloves and a folding shovel.

This kit is pricier than other products on this list and doesn’t include any tire repair tools other than the air compressor. It also doesn’t include a space blanket.

Cost: Around $90

What’s In The Kit?

• Double-sided carry case
• Air compressor with pressure gauge
• 10.0-foot, 8-gauge set of jumper cables with vinyl-coated clamps
• Emergency reflective triangle
• LED aluminum flashlight with batteries
• Flathead and Phillips-head screwdriver
• Pliers
• Gloves
• Duct tape
• Poncho
• Utility knife
• Bungee cord
• Whistle
• Two shop cloths
• 10 cable ties
• Assorted first-aid kit with 25 bandages
• Storage bag

Our Experience

The AAA kit features a number of useful items of decent quality in a pinch. The first aid kit leaves something to be desired, only including a few basic items and bandages with no medicine or salves.

The best aspect of the AAA kit is the internal storage. It has several pockets and pouches so you can quickly find a particular item. This also makes repacking the kit easier. If you’re in a true emergency and must quickly locate a particular item, you’ll be glad to have a kit like this.

What Customers Are Saying

Amazon Review Score: 4.8 out of 5 based on more than 600 reviews

Most are satisfied with the included tools, and several say the air compressor has come in handy many times. While the AAA kit doesn’t include a tire patching kit, the compressor can help you limp your way to a gas station. Overall, this kit includes the most important items to make people feel secure on the road.

Some complain that the compressor pumps too slowly and that the first aid kit should include more items.

Our Experience

What impressed us most about the Thrive kit was the quality of the included tools. The screwdriver and socket wrench include a number of attachments, and the jumper cables are robust. The exception is the ice scraper, which felt flimsy.

The first aid kit is small and includes gauze, antiseptic pads, scissors, tweezers, and some bandages. It would be useful for minor cuts and scrapes but isn’t as comprehensive as other emergency kits.

The storage case is excellent. It has a rigid design that stands on its own, making it easy to pack. It is big enough to fit all of the included items, though there is no internal storage.

What Customers Are Saying

Amazon Review Score: 4.7 out of 5 based on more than 3,300 reviews

Reviewers like this kit because of the high quality of the tools and carrying case. A lot of people find this compact kit useful and convenient. Some complain that their kits arrived with pieces missing, so be sure to check your kit upon delivery.

Our Experience

The Lianxin roadside kit features high-quality items. It has the most robust jumper cables of any emergency bag and includes a hardshell tool kit – something absent from most other car emergency kits, though nonetheless useful.

However, the Lianxin kit is missing first aid items, which are essential to any roadside emergency kit. That said, even emergency kits that do have first aid items typically don’t include everything you’d want in an emergency. It’s generally a good idea to purchase a separate first aid kit to store with your emergency roadside kit.

While some of the tools come in a hard plastic box, there is no storage system for the rest of the items, and you must pack everything together. The bag is small and it’s difficult to close without carefully arranging the contents. While compact, this makes it difficult to repack the kit. To use anything, you’ll likely need to unpack the entire kit.

What Customers Are Saying

Amazon Review Score: 4.7 out of 5 based on more than 3,600 reviews

Reviewers note that the kit is very compact. People with small cars appreciate that it can easily fit in their trunk without taking up much space. Most feel the kit includes everything that they need for most roadside emergencies.

A few commented on the low quality of the knife, which is encased in flimsy plastic and can get stuck in the open position. However, relative to the low cost of this kit, overall item quality is quite high. We felt that some of the items were a marked improvement over more expensive kits.

Check Price

If you’re looking for a high-quality first aid kit or want to augment your car emergency kit, we recommend the First Aid Only All-Purpose First Aid Kit. The kit comes with 299 pieces of first-aid equipment, including multiple types of adhesive bandages, burn ointments, antibiotic ointments, and several pain relievers. The kit also includes helpful tools such as scissors, gauze, and a first-aid guide to use when cleaning or dressing a wound.

Cost: Around $20

What’s In The Kit?

• Multiple types of adhesive bandages
• Alcohol wipes
• Rescue blanket
• Antibiotic ointment packets
• Aspirin tablets
• Burn gel packet
• Butterfly wound closures
• Gauze pads
• Cotton swabs
• Finger splint
• First aid tape
• Tweezers
• Rubber gloves
• Moleskin
• Storage bag

Our Experience

This is a first-aid-only kit, so should not be the sole emergency kit you keep in your car. As a first aid kit, this product excels. It contains items such as finger splints and medicine that are often absent from other roadside emergency kits.

We like the internal organization, which features a number of pockets and sleeves so that you don’t need to empty the entire contents of the bag to find a particular item. This can be especially important during a medical emergency.

What Customers Are Saying

Amazon Review Score: 4.8 out of 5 based on more than 69,000 reviews

For under $20, many reviewers think this first aid kit is a great deal. It is more robust than the typical first aid kit included with a roadside emergency kit, especially because it contains medicine in addition to gauze and bandages.

Complaints come from those who feel the kit should include more items. A large number of the “299 pieces” are bandaids. A few people noted that their kit was missing some items. One person complained about the internal organization.

It’s true that the kit is delivered with items haphazardly stuffed into the pouch, so it’s a good idea to organize it yourself after receiving this kit. There are enough storage pockets to do so effectively.

Check Price

The Roadside Rescue Emergency Assistance Kit comes with 110 pieces, including jumper cables, a tow strap, an emergency blanket, and a magnesium fire starter. The kit is also compact and could easily fit inside your vehicle’s trunk or under a seat. If you’re not comfortable using a kit without guidance, this product comes with a driving safety sheet with 10 essential tips in the event of an emergency. However, this emergency kit doesn’t include any tire repair tools.

Cost: Around $50

What’s In The Kit?

• 8.0-foot, 8-gauge jumper cables
• 12.0-foot tow strap
• Two bungee cords
• 20 zip ties
• Electrical tape
• Emergency blanket
• Flashlight
• Magnesium fire starter 
• Mechanic gloves
• 11-in-1 multi-tool
• Tire pressure gauge
• Rain poncho
• Windshield breaker
• Seat belt cutter
• Whistle
• Warning triangle
• 64-piece first aid kit
• Storage bag

Our Experience

The Roadside Rescue emergency kit includes a number of useful emergency items, though of middling quality. The reflector is flimsy and seems like it would not last long on a windy road. However, most of the items are good enough in a pinch and should get the job done. The first aid items include salves and antiseptic wipes as well as bandages.

There is no internal organization with this kit, simply a pouch. The shape of the pouch (wide base) means you can easily pack it because it stands on its own, allowing you to drop in the items. While you may need to dump out the entire kit to find a specific item, repacking the kit doesn’t present much of an issue.

What Customers Are Saying

Amazon Review Score: 4.7 out of 5 based on more than 900 reviews

This kit is comprehensive and many purchase it as a low-cost kit that nonetheless includes needed items like a first aid kit and jumper cables. The multitool is cited as a particularly useful inclusion. The included case is large enough to fit additional items that aren’t already included.

Complaints refer to the low quality of the items inside. We noticed that item quality was lower than other kits, though not poor enough to be useless. Some items, like the multitool, are of decent quality, but the jumper cables aren’t as well-made as those included with other kits.

The best auto emergency kit should have the essentials necessary for a mechanical breakdown, poor weather conditions, a flat tire, or even a collision. Car emergency kits can give you peace of mind while on a road trip with family, knowing you have what you need in the event of an emergency. It is unknown when a vehicle emergency will occur, whether it be a flat tire or a dead car battery. Being prepared and ready for an emergency to strike by having one of the best car emergency kits will make life easier for you and your passengers.

*Data accurate at time of publication.