Are Dakota Lithium Batteries Any Good? Here’s What Owners Say

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No matter what your mode of transportation is, you’ve likely spent some time worrying about the make and model of the battery powering it. While cars, trucks, and SUVs tend to be the primary focus in such conversations, power can be every bit as important for folks who spend their time trolling for fish, riding in golf carts, or getting their tires dirty in an off-road vehicle. 

Not all of the major car battery brands actually make batteries for each of those modes of transport, but one of the slightly lesser known names in the game does. That brand is Dakota Lithium, and if you’ve researched the brand even casually, you know it claims to provide some potentially game-changing upgrades over the competition in terms of design, longevity, and all-season performance. Some even boast special charging capabilities, and Dakota Lithium backs many models with a solid 11-year warranty. The power packs are, however, priced notably higher than those bearing the logo of other brands. That begs the inevitable question of whether or not Dakota Lithium batteries are worth the additional cost, and the answer is not quite as cut and dry as some might prefer.

Given the facts, you’d be correct in assuming that the buzz around Dakota Lithium batteries largely appears to be real, with many customers praising the batteries and the company for delivering on those promises. Unfortunately, not every customer has had that experience. Here’s what buyers have reporeted liking and disliking about Dakota Lithium batteries.

The perceived value for the money is one of the primary points of diversion for many folks in the Dakota Lithium debate. The batteries can, after all, cost north of $2,000 on the high end of the Dakota’s online marketplace, with even smaller 12V batteries priced at roughly $90 through the brand’s Amazon storefront. Given those price ranges, there are quite a few vocal Redditors who simply cannot fathom shelling out for a Dakota Lithium battery, with one even stating in no uncertain terms that they are, “not worth the cost.”

Others make similar claims and encourage the OP to check out cheaper brands, though one actually recommends spending even more money on an alternative. Despite that, several folks post testimonials about how well their Dakota Lithium battery has performed powering their boat motor or powering their RV and its accessories while camping. Meanwhile, a user in a different Reddit thread went so far as to refer to their two Dakota Lithium batteries as “expensive doorstops.” 

User reviews are equally scattered on Amazon. There several Dakota Lithium batteries are rated below 4.5 stars, including some between 3 and 4 stars. One Amazon customer actually called their 3.2-star-rated 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery a “$1,000 boat anchor.” By contrast, another called the exact same product, the “best battery ever made.” Even still, the 4- and 5-star reviews tend to outnumber the negative reviews on Amazon product pages, as well as those on Dakota Lithium’s web page. Overall, many Dakota Lithium users still seem to agree the batteries are an upgrade over traditional lead-acid models.