5 Best OBD2 Scanners in 2023 to Help You Diagnose Car Problems Better

If your car surprised you with a check-engine light before your much-planned trip, it can be downright disconcerting. Perhaps you’ve already checked under the hood, but noticed no problem. Still, the check-engine signal remains blaring leaving you confused and frustrated – you can’t afford another trip to the mechanic just to rule out problems. Situations like this makes an OBD2 scanner a much-needed car care essential.

Making sure that the car and the tires are in good condition isn’t the only thing you need to do before going on a trip. Ensuring that the codes are working well and the system is in good condition can greatly eliminate any driving hazards that could come along the way.

If you’re looking for the best OBD2 scanner to help you get through car concerns without spending a ton on visits to the mechanic, you’ve come to the right place. In this review, we’re featuring the top 3 OBD2 scanners to buy in 2022.

What to Look for in OBD2 Scanners – 4 Things to Consider

When it comes to car care, safety is on the line. One thing you have to thoroughly avoid is buying the first OBD2 scanner you see online. An undetected car code problem can lead to thousands of dollars of car care.

As car enthusiasts ourselves, we also wondered about the best OBD2 scanners to buy. To narrow down our choices, we asked car aficionados, mechanics, and tech geeks to help us determine the best OBD2 scanners to feature here. We included a quick list here to help you make a wise choice.

Ease of Use

Not all of us are cut to understand codes and the complicated system of cars. The OBD2 scanner of your choice should be simple, and should provide information that is easy to understand – especially if you’re a first time user of OBD2 scanners.

Precision

The data you receive must be precise and reliable. It should help you catch and repair errors so you can drive in your car without risking yourself to accidents caused by errors.

Data Provided

A great OBD2 scanner should present comprehensive, complete data so you can run scans without missing any crucial problem under the hood. Some of the basics include airflow rate, temperature, car tire health, speed, emission readiness, real time parameters.

Clear Display

Through clear LCD screens and bright displays, you can be assured you won’t miss any important detail.

Out of all the OBD2 scanners we checked, here are the top 3 products that stood out.

1. Best Overall: ArvoSkan Easy-To-Use Full Car OBD2 Scanner

ArvoSkan got our attention and eventually, a seal of approval with its impressive capacity to deliver comprehensive diagnostics for all sorts of cars! 

We love how such a portable, handy tool can help users tell up to 17 information about car health, battery status, and software condition. Apart from diagnostics, the device can also turn off malfunction indicator lights, search for DTC codes, and check IM readiness. 

One thing users will love about the ArvoSkan is it’s not all about its topnotch features – it’s also a great pick for user-friendliness. Most of us felt intimidated by this tool because it looks so complicated. After using it, we were proven wrong – even beginners will enjoy this helpful diagnostic tool. 

We also noticed that the ArvoSkan now comes with a redesigned, and recently improved readers and sensors to ensure you get the accuracy you need to hop on a safe, well-maintained ride. 

The ArvoSkan comes with 7 different language settings – applicable for all cars coming from different parts of the world.

Key Features

Editor's Pick

9.8

4.8/5

"Excellent"

2. Most Comprehensive: MechTouch

What if you get all the information you need for peace of mind in just one scan? How much difference would it make?

This thought is what we kept in mind while we were scanning for the best OBD2 scanners. This is why we were impressed with the MechTouch – it provides all the information you need to ensure your car is in pristine condition before you travel.

The MechTech OBD2 scanner can read trouble codes, check engine light(MIL), clear trouble codes, display current sensor data, calculate fuel oil consumption, and scan tire health.

The MechTech is easy to use. It comes with wire you can easily insert into your system which will automatically run the scans for you. With just one press of a button, you can see up to 12 data information you can use to assess your car.

The device comes with a DTC library to help you understand scanner jargons that might be hard to understand. The device also supports 13 languages so you won’t feel confused as to the information you are dealing with.

Key Features

9.6

4.6/5

"Very Good"

3. Most Ideal for All Types of Vehicles - Including Vintage Ones: WorvScan Multi-Function OBD2 Code Reader for Modern and Vintage Cars

Some scanners don’t do the job well when dealing with cars that are different than what they usually test. But not the WorvScan. We were so impressed with its ability to work just as great for all kinds of vehicles.

The WorvScan rules out any problem before you embark on a trip. This compact device delivers information including cause of the engine light, read code, erase code, view freeze frame, I/M ready, vehicle information, data flow, real-time curve, get vehicle speed information, calculate load value, engine coolant temperature, and information on engine speed.

Not familiar with car maintenance jargons? Not to worry. We love how the WorvScan includes a DTC library to help new users understand the terms and labels they are getting.

The WorvScan is also compatible with vintage car models and it also upports 9 protocols compatible with most 1996 US-Based, 2000 EU-Based and Asian cars, and newer OBD II & CAN domestic or import vehicles.

This reliable device includes 6 languages to help you navigate the device with ease.

Key Features

9.4
4.4/5

"Very Good"

4. Best for Checking Car Battery Health: SecuScan Car Battery Tester and Car OBDII 2-in-1 Diagnostic Tool

Is your car doing alright except for its batteries? Are you always caught off guard with your battery problems? When looking for the best OBD2 scanners, we prioritized finding battery health scanners to make sure battery problems will be out of the way.

We love SecuScan for battery health monitoring as it can work with different types of batteries including ordinary lead-acid battery, regularly flooded, AGM flat plate, AGM spiral and gel battery.

The SecuScan functions well even if it is not charged. Even if its battery is not enough, it can still efficiently detect bad battery, predict battery health, and send signals when battery is running out of power.

This device ensures your battery is working aptly using different battery health standards which include  CCA, BCI, CA, MCA, JIS, DIN, IEC, EN, SAE, GB.

With its easy-to-use interface, you can easily check information, stored data, and detect problems easily.

If you want to enjoy a problem-free trip, you definitely need to bring the SecuScan with you!

Key Features

9.3

4.3/5

"Very Good"

5. Best for Battery Maintenance: CurvTect 3 in 1 Battery Charger and Car Battery Tester

Do you want to ensure your battery lasts for a long time? Do you wish to detect any battery issues early on so you won’t get caught off guard? Our recommendation is the CurvTect.

CurvTect is a device dedicated to checking and ensuring that your batteries are in top notch condition.

The CurvTect ensures you won’t miss any information while you’re working with the scanner. The screen of the CurvTect comes with colored settings to help you see details clearly. CurvTect does not just detect Battery Health, but it can also conduct the Battery Cranking Test, Battery Charging Test.

This handy device can also allow you to identify your car’s battery health, battery aging, and battery errors. You get no more battery issues for your road trips.

The CurvTect is 100% easy to use – even beginners will love this device.

Key Features

9.2

4.2/5

"Great"

Conclusion

Getting car issues and problems out of the way is essential to making sure your trip is safe, smooth, and free from hazardous but avoidable accidents. If you are looking for additional ways to ensure that your car is working well, keeping an OBD2 scanner in your dashboard trunk is one of the wisest things you can do.

We made sure that each product here is personally tested, tried, and reviewed so you can be assured you’re only getting the best.

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