NOCO Genius 10 review: The smart charger that could save you hundreds
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Powerful, versatile and simple to use, the NOCO Genius 10 could pay for itself by reviving neglected batteries and keeping stored vehicles ready to go.
Battery chargers are not glamorous things. Most spend their lives tangled in a garage cupboard, only emerging when a car refuses to start on the coldest morning of the year.
But then there are devices like the NOCO Genius 10. As the name suggests, this is a smart charger, which means it can charge, maintain and attempt to recover 6V and 12V batteries, and that means it's a tool that could save you a fortune in battery replacements.
As car chargers go, the Genius 10 might not be the cheapest option at around £130, but it does make a lot of sense for anyone with several vehicles, an expensive battery, or something that spends months sitting idle.
It's also handy for motorhomes, caravans, boats, or even bikes. If something's stored for the winter, it's easy to forget to look after the batteries. And that's why smart chargers that maintain cells are proving popular.
What I liked about the NOCO Genius 10
The biggest strength is its versatility. The Genius 10 supports conventional flooded, gel, AGM, enhanced flooded, and maintenance-free lead-acid batteries, along with compatible 12V lithium batteries fitted with a battery management system. So all the bases are covered.
It can handle batteries rated up to 230Ah and maintain batteries of any capacity. This makes it one of the most versatile chargers on the market.
If you're not keen on spending £130 on a charger, there are smaller versions to go for, too. So if you know you're never going to need a 10A charger, you could go all the way down to a Genius 1, which is significantly cheaper, and still good for maintaining and reconditioning batteries.
All the chargers in the Genius range, particularly the Genius 10 I've been testing, are easy to use. Connect the clamps, plug it into the mains and select the correct charging mode. Clear LEDs show the chosen setting, charging progress and common faults such as reversed connections or a battery that will not hold charge.
It also feels reassuringly robust and you can ignore the advanced modes if you don't need them.
The benefit of going for such a powerful charger with 10A output is speed. According to NOCO, a 40Ah battery at 50% discharge could take around three hours, while an 80Ah battery could take approximately six hours. That's much quicker than a small one or five-amp maintainer.
The Genius 10 also has an integrated temperature sensor, which adjusts charging according to the surrounding conditions. This is a really clever addition because it helps avoid overcharging in warm weather and undercharging when the ambient temperature is freezing. You basically don't have to lift a finger, you just let the charger do its job. I love that.
The recovery tools work well, too. I've used quite a few of them over the years, and they all do a good job. The Genius 10 can normally detect batteries down to one volt, but a force mode can kick in if it's lower, and then a repair mode takes over that uses a specialist cycle intended for old, idle, stratified or sulphated lead-acid batteries.
This is where the true value of a smart charger can really shine. While it can't perform miracles on a battery with damaged cells, you can successfully recover and repair deeply discharged batteries. And given batteries can now cost several hundreds of pounds, you can see why a decent smart charger can pay for itself.
The best price we can find right now is at Amazon, which currently has it listed for £126.17
That’s a lot cheaper than the other key stockist of NOCO products, Halfords, which has it on at £139.99
Click here to see the full range of Genius chargers, on the NOCO website.
What I didn't like about the NOCO Genius10
I guess the main drawback is that it may simply be more charger than many people need. If that's the case, look further down the range, they may suit you better.
I could also nit-pick about the fact you're reliant on little LEDs for a lot of information. A display would be better, because that could let you know about precise voltage, live charging current or a detailed diagnosis. That would, of course, add to the cost of the device, but it would be a nice option to consider.
The charger can also become warm while working hard. There's nothing wrong with that, but you'll want to ensure you've got a stable, ventilated surface rather than burying it under tools and rags.
Overall verdict
The NOCO Genius10 is not something every driver needs, but it is the sort of garage tool that becomes increasingly useful as the number of vehicles and batteries grows.
It's powerful enough to recharge normal car batteries at a sensible speed, intelligent enough to maintain seasonal vehicles for months, and versatile enough to handle AGM, traditional lead-acid and even certain types of lithium batteries.
Force Mode, Repair Mode, and the 12V power-supply function give it abilities that cheaper chargers often lack, and I love the simplicity of the controls.
Sure, a cheap maintainer will be sufficient for someone who only wants to preserve one healthy battery over winter. But for owners of motorhomes, classics, motorcycles, boats, or several vehicles, the Genius10 offers a compelling combination of speed and flexibility.