Last Updated on September 28, 2022 by
Not everyone carries around a breakdown kit in the back of their car, most of the time the reason being, well, you don’t expect to break down or have an accident. This shouldn’t be an excuse though as if you breakdown on an awkward road or even abroad, you want to have the tools to get the vehicle off the road pronto, or at the very least, have the equipment to make you and your motor visible to other motorists driving by.
A good breakdown kit should have a variety of important tools for getting you off the road immediately such as a tow rope, tyre inflator, jump leads etc. As mentioned above, there should also be other items that might not help you get off the road, but are essential in the case of an emergency such as a first aid kit, hi-vis and a hazard warning triangle. Whether you have breakdown cover or not, have a reliable kit ready such as one of our top breakdown kits for cars picked below.
Best Car Breakdown and Emergency Kits in the UK Reviews
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Image |
Kit |
Weight |
Price |
|---|---|---|---|
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1. AA Breakdown & Safety Kit Plus Top Pick |
3.14 kg |
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 |
1.88 kg |
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 |
1.7 kg |
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 |
9.07g |
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 |
1.66 kg |
This emergency kit is specifically made for car breakdowns and includes the tools you will need to get your car back on the road safely. It does not come with tools for any other kind of situation, it is not a universal emergency kit.
It comes with a few pieces of safety equipment like a reflective jacket and a warning cone to ensure that you are visible and safe while working to solve the problem with your car. It also comes with several tools including an emergency hammer to break windows that is also a seat belt cutter in case you need to quickly remove your seat belt. It also comes with a flashlight in case you are stuck trying to solve a problem at night.
There is a tyre inflator, booster cables, and tow rope in case your vehicle is currently inoperable for some reason. You can pump air into your tyres, jump-start your battery, or simply hook your car up to a friend or family member’s vehicle to get it back home or to a garage for repairs.
Pros
- Comprehensive with many tools to deal with any situation involving car problems
- Includes safety equipment, not just car repair tools
- Comes with Velcro on the bag to keep it secure inside your vehicle
Cons
- Somewhat expensive and sometimes comes with missing items
This kit is designed for travelling during the winter season in Europe. It comes with several useful tools all contained in a compact and highly portable bag. There are safety tools like gloves and reflective vests to keep you safe while travelling.
There are tools inside for emergency situations like dealing with inclement weather during a breakdown. It includes a raincoat and foil blanket to deal with rain or snow if you are stranded.
There is also a safety hammer with a cutter attached if you need to escape from your vehicle quickly. A flashlight is included as well as a tyre pressure gauge and jumper cables to help you diagnose and solve vehicle-related issues in an emergency.
On top of all of that, there is also a large first-aid kit included that comes with a large variety of tools and materials to help in the event of an injury.
Pros
- Comes with safety equipment
- Includes a lot of first-aid equipment
- Nice and compact for easy portability
Cons
- Doesn’t include much in the way of car repair tools
This is a more dedicated car emergency kit for dealing with all manner of possible problems you might encounter while travelling. It also meets the legal standards for motoring essentials in most European countries.
Inside you will find plenty of standard safety equipment like gloves, a warning cone, and a reflective vest for ensuring you are safe while dealing with a vehicle complication at night. You may be wondering where the flashlight is, which is essential for working on things at night, but don’t worry, that is included as well.
The hammer that comes as part of the kit also includes several other tools attached to it, one of which is the aforementioned flashlight.
Pros
- Extremely versatile hammer which includes several necessary tools all in one compact form
- Includes insulation tape which is very underrated as a repair solution
- Includes a range of personal safety equipment for working at night and during the day
Cons
- Does not include any first-aid supplies
This is another dedicated car emergency kit that includes several very valuable tools for dealing with a car breakdown and should serve well in that regard. One of the most important things that the creator took into consideration when putting together this kit is that none of the equipment requires batteries or electricity except for the jumper cables which can have power supplied by the car itself.
All of the usual tools and materials can be found within this kit, but things that would usually require batteries to power are instead used manually. The flashlight is charged using a rotating lever on the side, they include a foot pump for putting air in your tyres instead of a battery-powered one. This is especially important because people don’t regularly carry batteries around with them everywhere which means a lot of emergency equipment will be useless.
Pros
- No battery-powered equipment included
- Includes many of the most commonly needed tools for car repair
- Includes some basic safety equipment
Cons
- Only includes basic safety equipment and no first-aid supplies
This kit was designed specifically with travelling in Europe in mind. It covers the basic necessities needed to avoid fines and legal troubles while travelling in any of the countries of Europe. It is all contained within a compact case with Velcro to keep it secure in your vehicle. There is plenty of safety equipment inside and it does include a first-aid kit.
Pros
- Should be sufficient for avoiding fines while traveling
- Includes the safety gear you need to protect yourself in an emergency
- Has basic first-aid supplies included
Cons
- Does not include car repair equipment
Emergency Breakdown Kits for Cars Buying Considerations
Tools and Accessories
Before you purchase a safety kit you should think about what it is you are going to need. Are you purchasing it for a specific traveling event or is it meant to stay in your car at all times until you need it? Don’t buy a kit that doesn’t include car repair tools if you are trying to prepare for a breakdown, and you don’t need a kit with car repair tools if you are just trying to meet the regulations of a new location.
How To Use the Stuff Provided
Once you have a kit you should take the time to make sure you are familiar with all of the tools inside and how to use them. You don’t want to have to figure all of that out later in a tense situation.
The Final Word
Whether driving on the UK roads or somewhere around Europe, an emergency breakdown kit is useful for those moments of panic. If you don’t have the money to spend on a full kit, you could buy some of the pieces of equipment that you want individually, though kits are very cost-effective in general. Our clear best car breakdown kit overall is the AA Breakdown & Safety Kit Plus, which has everything in it you’ll need and is made by one of the most trusted breakdown companies in the UK.
