Best Optima Batteries – The 10 Best On The Market With Buying Guide

Having the best Optima Batteries means you never have to worry about power issues anymore. There certainly is some exaggeration in that statement, but no one can argue that it does not hold some truth.

Across its 50 years of history, Optima as a brand has made its name known as the ambassador of technological engineering and innovation. All products they have launched provide users worldwide with unstoppable power and long reserve capacity.

From the days that Optima introduced the first-ever maintenance-free lead-acid battery to the world, they consistently release high-quality products after product. These days, there are more than 100 million spiral cells on the market coming from the Optima brand alone.

Obviously, with so many products being available on the market, someone who is not familiar with the brand may have a hard time. That is the reason we prepare this article on the 10 best Optima batteries on the market.

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What You Should Know About Optima Batteries

Before you can dive into our recommendations, we believe you should first understand why choosing Optima batteries is a good decision. Thus, here is a short introduction to Optima batteries.

The Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) Tech

One of the first technological innovations that Optima introduced to the world, the AGM battery tech remains in use these days. The prime cause of its longevity is that there has not been a new alternative capable of offering as many benefits as it can.

For instance, the Absorbed Glass Mat makes it so that the battery will have a much lower internal resistance. This characteristic, coupled with a wider plate area, means nothing is limiting the power transfer process. So, Optima AGM batteries have a much better starting power and higher discharge voltage for each round.

The glass mat can also hold all electrolytes properly in suspension and keep them in constant contact with the plates’ active lead material. Therefore, you will get a much higher efficiency for both the recharge and discharge processes.

To add to these benefits is the Absorbent Glass Mat’s great ability to efficiently absorb liquid. As you can guess, this means there is close to no chance of the acid within the battery oozing out. Believe us; there is nothing more dangerous than cleaning a mess of spilled acids.

Despite being a glass mat, the AGM battery layer is much stronger against shock and vibration than the traditional plastic layer. You can rest assured that waves and tremors will not damage Optima AGM batteries as easily as they do other kinds of batteries.

Lastly, these batteries have the advantage of long service life. Thanks to the glass mat holding the electrolytes in suspension, they cannot damage the components. For this reason, Optima professional AGM batteries typically can last 3x longer than their competitors.

The PureFlow Technology

Optima has a grand ambition: combining its iconic starting power with a deep cycle of nature.

After spending quite a bit of time on research, they were finally able to discover the PureFlow tech. This tech is the backbone of their newest battery line: the Optima YellowTop, which has fulfilled their goal.

The first characteristic of any battery incorporating the PureFlow tech is that they are made of 99.99% pure lead. Using lead as pure as possible provides the battery with a fast recharge speed since there is no obstacle.

Next, they all have highly condensed radial grids, connected by a cast-on strap with only one direct path. Thanks to this design, the Optima YellowTop batteries all have an unsurpassable performance.

The exclusive cast-on strap will also exclusively establish direct connections between all the power cells. Then, the battery will have an internal resistance as low as possible, increasing the energy flow.

Cranking power relies on how well the energy flows, consequently, increases it as well.

Optima batteries incorporating the PureFlow tech have the added benefit of high resistance against corrosion and vibration. This advantage is due to the durable nature of the lead and the way the radial grids were constructed.

The grids being woven into each other increases the structural durability to an amazing level.

The SpiralCell Technology

There are a lot of innovations being made within Optima ever since its conception 50 years ago. Out of those, the one catapulting this brand to stardom is none other than SpiralCell Tech.

There is a series of spirally wounded cells at the center of each Optima battery. Each of these cells consists of 2 99.99% pure lead plates composed individually; one is positive and the other negative. The lead plates are also coated with a lead oxide cover.

As you can guess, these spirally wounded continuous lead plates require a unique manufacturing process. Aside from being unique, this process is also incredibly expensive and requiring precision controls.

So, why would Optima use these plates instead of the much easier to make flat plates found in a traditional AGM battery?

The answer is that these wounded plates can offer a multitude of advantages over the regular flat plates.

First of all, thanks to their wounded design, these plates are much better at resisting the potential damage from vibrations. If a small tremor can break a regular battery, you will need a tremor at least 15x stronger to damage an Optima battery.

Next, any couple of the lead plates has a proprietary separator, performing 2 vital functions. One of those functions is keeping the plates from touching, and by extension, holding all the electrolytes from escaping uniform suspension.

All completed Optima spiral cells will look a little bit like precisely-wounded jelly rolls. Hence, nothing is limiting the maintenance and monitoring processes.

You will easily know how the humidity, temperatures, and critical tolerances change within an Optima battery.

The 10 Best Optima Batteries On The Market

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Best RedTop Optima Batteries

1. Optima AGM Batteries 8020-164 35 RedTop Starting Battery – Best Starting Burst

There is certainly no doubt that Optima RedTop batteries are usually the best at delivering a powerful burst out of the gate. However, that does not mean all of the RedTop batteries are equal in this aspect.

The one indisputable king of starting burst is undoubtedly the Optima 8020-164 35 RedTop Starting Battery.

Just like what we mentioned above, the Optima RedTop batteries are usually the best at powerful bursts. Naturally, this often means that they are not that good when it comes to constant performance.

In this case, the Optima 8020-164 only has a reserve capacity of fewer than 90 minutes, the lowest of all RedTop batteries on this list.

2. Optima AGM Batteries 8004-003 RedTop Battery – Best Cold-Cranking Amp

Despite having a lower cranking amp than that of the Optima 8020-164 RedTop Battery, the Optima 8004-003 34/78 RedTop is much better in harsh weather.

After all, it has a cold-cranking amps (CCA) of 800, unarguably the highest of all the batteries on today’s list. With this kind of CCA, not even the coldest regions can stop it from starting.

Now, there is no need for you to wreck your brain for a solution.

We must warn you, though, that this car battery does not have wide geographical applicability.

To be more specific, the Optima 8004-003 car battery is built specifically for extremely cold locations like Alaska or parts of Canada. For this reason, it may not perform as well in warmer regions, such as Texas, California, or even Florida.

3. Optima AGM Batteries 8022-091 75/25 RedTop Starting Battery – Best Durability

Having a cold-cranking amp of only 720, the Optima Batteries 8022-091 RedTop Starting Battery is good in harsh weather.

Nonetheless, that is just an added feature, not the selling point of this battery – its durability. It is not an overestimation when we say that this car battery is the most durable among the 10 options due to its durable casing.

The reason for such unbelievable durability is the Optima 8022-091 battery’s incredible 15x higher than average resistance to vibration.

For instance, the 8022-091 battery has a much shorter lifespan than most automotive batteries.

Having the spill-proof cap eliminates the chances of acid leakage, but it also limits the acid’s efficiency. Therefore, this RedTop battery cannot serve as long as others.

4. Optima Batteries OPT8010-044 6V– Best For Safety

The first unique point about the Optima Batteries OPT8010-044 6V RedTop Starting Battery is its 6V power output.

While this is certainly much lower than what the previous 3 options can offer, it is much safer to use. As such, you can rest assured that there will be no danger of the battery catching fire.

Having a lower power output, the ignition burst this battery can provide is still among the highest.

As you can guess, this odd shape might lead to a challenging installation process. For this reason, this battery is only suitable for specific vehicles.

Best YellowTop Optima Batteries

5. Optima Batteries 8014-045 D34/78 YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery – Best Value

Just like what we have said above, Optima divided its catalog into 3 main lines: RedTop, YellowTop, and BlueTop. We have gone through the RedTop options, all of which are great at ignition burst.

The biggest complaint that we have about this battery is that it is not that long-lasting. From our research, we could confirm that there is a high chance of the battery giving out after two years.

It also seems like the warranty for this battery is not that impressive unless you bought the battery directly from Optima.

6. Optima Batteries 8040-218 D35 YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery – Best Rechargeability

With a solid cranking amp of 770, you can be sure that the Optima 8040-218 D35 YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery is more than capable of starting a regular mid-size boat or automobile.

With this amount, you can freely use the battery as much as you want, as long as you have a good battery charger ready by your side.

On the other hand, we are not that impressed with how limited its charging option is. If you want to charge the 8040-218 YellowTop battery, first you must have an AGM-friendly charger on your hand.

Next, you must charge it carefully. There is also the low cold-cranking amp issue, making it almost obsolete in freezing weather.

7. Optima Batteries 8037-127 D27F YellowTop Deep Cycle Battery – Best Premium

If money is not an issue, we don’t believe that there can be a more fitting option than the Optima 8037-127 D27F YellowTop Deep Cycle Battery.

This battery is the end-goal of Optima’s ambition in developing the YellowTop line of batteries. In other words, it has perfectly incorporated RedTop’s high starting power and BlueTop’s deep-cycle nature.

As we have said above, this AGM deep cycle battery is most suitable for people without a budget limit.

After all, the most glaring weakness of this battery is its hefty price tag.

The manufacturing cost of each unit is too high for incorporating too many high-end techs, increasing the price further.

Best BlueTop Optima Batteries

8. Optima OPT8016-103 D34M BlueTop Battery – Best Water Resistance

The Optima OPT8016-103 Batteries D34M BlueTop Marine Battery’s selling point is that it has incredible water resistant capability.

However, you will not have this issue using the OPT8016-103 marine battery, as it is exactly the size of a group 34 battery.

After some digging, we concluded that the biggest drawback in using this boat battery is that they are not long-lasting. The consensus is that some of the batteries in this line only last for 2 years at maximum.

9. Optima 8006-006 34M BlueTop Battery – Best Vibration Resistance

As for weaknesses, the most glaring one that we could determine is that it does require specific types of chargers. So, unless you have one of those AGM-safe chargers, it’s not a good option.

10. Optima 8052-161 D31M BlueTop Battery – Best Reserve Capacity

How To Pick The Best Optima Batteries

After looking at the 10 best Optima Batteries, you must now be curious about the requirements. Thus, we want to introduce you to some aspects to consider before picking an Optima battery.

RedTop Vs. BlueTop Vs. YellowTop

There are a lot of Optima AGM batteries available on the market. Nevertheless, all of them can be divided into 3 main categories: RedTop, YellowTop, and BlueTop. This categorization is a smart move on Optima’s part, as each of these has its particular pros, cons, and uses.

Optima RedTop Batteries

The main use of the RedTop line of batteries is for regular engine starting. By regular, we mean that there is an alternator monitoring the charging state immediately. If the engine has this alternator, there will always be energy being provided back to the battery when necessary.

You must have thought of stock vehicles like RVs and regular automotive while reading this. After all, these are the intended recipients of RedTop batteries. You can also use a RedTop for diesel vehicles that do not have aftermarket electronics or heavy equipment that needs starting.

Optima YellowTop Batteries

The best situation for a YellowTop battery should be one where electrical loads tend to be higher than average. You can also use it if the typical engine starting power is less than the discharge cycle, meaning vehicles that have multiple electronic systems added on or ones without alternators.

Despite the general impression, things like DVD players or power-sliding doors do consume lots of power. If you happen to have them equipped on your vehicle, a YellowTop is unarguably the best choice.

Things like racing vehicles with no charging system, diesel-powered automobiles having aftermarket electronics, or dedicated drag racers can all benefit from a YellowTop battery.

Optima BlueTop Batteries

There are 2 types of BlueTop batteries, one with a dark gray case and one with a light gray case. Both of these have good water and vibration resistance, very suitable for marine uses.

You should only use the battery with a dark gray case (BlueTop starting battery) when there is a need for a dedicated starting battery. Remember, though, this type of battery is not built for deep-cycling, so you should never use it for that purpose.

The ones with a light gray case are BlueTop dual-purpose batteries since they can serve both as a starting and a deep cycle battery.

Staying true to their dual nature, these batteries have both high cranking power and high reserve capacity. Thus, you can use them for trolling motors, RVs, and marine applications with heavy electrical add-ons.

SLI Vs. Deep Cycle

We have mentioned above about starting power and deep cycle nature, so what exactly do these mean? They represent the 2 main uses of batteries in general. From these 2 main uses, you can divide all batteries into 2 main subcategories.

Starting Lighting Ignition, or SLI, batteries are the best for high-start outputs, making use of light surface cycling only. This type of battery will provide short power bursts like running light loads of electricity or starting the engine.

Furthermore, they help supply extra power for the vehicle when its electrical load is higher than the alternator’s stock. These batteries can also serve as a voltage stabilizer for some electrical systems. Whenever there is a voltage spike, the SLI batteries can even it out, preventing damage.

The deep-cycle batteries are suitable for situations in need of deep and repetitive amperage drain. Some examples include trolling motors, RV house power, electric wheelchairs, etc.

In general, any in-start application where alternator output is less than the system load in short time spans needs these batteries. When there is a drop in the alternator’s output, mainly due to engine idling, deep-cycle batteries can continue supporting the load.

Afterward, this type of battery can recharge at an incredible speed when there is an increase in alternator output again. We call this phenomenon a cycle, which can happen at any time.

The Importance Of Durability

Batteries consist of many components balancing on a delicate scale. There will always be acid among those components as it is necessary for the battery to work. Naturally, a delicate balance coupled with acid means there will be a huge mess whenever any battery is damaged.

The first sign of a battery’s durability is always the casing, as it is the first wall protecting the components from the outside world. Many regular batteries only use hard plastic as casing, a clear step down from polypropylene usage in Optima batteries.

Aside from the casing’s durability, how resistant it is against vibration is also a vital point. If a small tremor easily disrupts the delicate balance within the battery, there is a high chance of the battery catching fire.

FAQs:

What Is The Advantage Of The SpiralCell Tech?

There are many advantages in using the SpiralCell tech, but the main one is that there is more plate surface. This quality, coupled with a closed space between each surface, results in low internal resistance. In turn, this resistance provides more power without the need to increase the box size.

Another important benefit of this tech is that it will lock all the plates in place thanks to the compression. The result is an improved vibration resistance in addition to no active paste material shedding.

After a while, you will see that Optima batteries last much longer than other competitors.

Why Do Optima Batteries Have Low Self-Discharge?

The main reason for such a phenomenon is the lead purity of the plates within all Optima batteries. Other batteries do not use pure lead, enabling those alloys to transfer lots of electrons. Thus, there will be a higher rate of self-discharge.

How Do I Choose The Right Optima Battery Size?

First of all, you must check your vehicle’s available size, which can be found easily. You can also see which group size is your old battery.

Afterward, you should find which Optima battery is of the right group size. All you have to do is look at their name; if there is a 34 standing alone, that means it is a group 34.

Conclusion

After reading through this article, we hope that you are now confident enough to pick out the best Optima Batteries for your situation. We highly recommend the Optima 8014-045 D34/78 YellowTop Battery if you are still unsure.

At the end of the day, it can do the work of both the BlueTop and RedTop batteries. It is also cheaper than other YellowTop batteries on the list.