LIANXIN roadside kit review

What the LIANXIN kit is

LIANXIN sells a family of roadside kits with a headline piece count of 142. The kit we list also carries a folding snow shovel, flashing lights and a safety hammer, and is sold on Amazon by a third-party seller, HAIPHAIK-USA. There is no clear maker site for the brand, so contents here come from two independent reviews and Ready.gov, and the exact version you receive may differ from either.

What independent reviewers found

Gear Patrol describes the 142-piece LIANXIN kit as a compact, portable set with an extensive tool set in its own case, emergency window-breaking tools, and UL-certified jumper cables, and says you will need to add a first aid kit and a shovel. Tom's Guide, reviewing the same brand's kit, counted 22 major items despite the 142 claim, found 8-foot jumper cables whose clips are not marked for polarity, and noted a hand-crank flashlight, fold-open reflective triangles, a poncho and an ice scraper. It also noted the bag has no spare room for your own gear, and smelled of mothballs for a few days.

The versions differ: the reviewed kits had no shovel, while our listing includes one. Read the contents list on the listing you order from.

What it leaves out, per Ready.gov

Ready.gov's car kit list is short: jumper cables, flares or a reflective triangle, an ice scraper, a car cell phone charger, a blanket, a map, and cat litter or sand for tire traction. A roadside kit like this covers the first two and often more tools. The blanket, charger, traction material and a charged phone are yours to add, along with water, snacks, medicines and warm clothes.

CDC adds that you should always carry extra warm clothing and blankets and not rely on the car for heat, and that staying in your car is often the safest choice if you are stranded in poor visibility or on ice-covered roads. Our winter car kit guide goes through what to add.

Strengths and limits

Strengths: lots of useful small parts, a tool set, warning triangles and a tow strap in one bag, so you are not hunting for a wrench when a car will not start. Short cables are the main limit: the 8-foot cables the reviewers measured mean the other car must park very close. Neither independent review found a first aid kit, so add one; see our first aid kit page. If you drive a lot in cold weather, a portable jump starter avoids needing a second car at all.

How it compares, and the verdict

On our car emergency kit comparison, the Everlit kit with a tire inflator and jumper cables adds an air pump to the cables, while Vetoos, PACETAP and Beloskida offer similar bags. Compare prices on the day and compare contents line by line.

Verdict: a decent starter bag if you want cables, triangles, tools and a shovel together, once you add Ready.gov's blanket, charger and traction items plus a first aid kit. Skip it if you want a complete winter kit in one bag, need long cables, or would rather carry a jump starter.

Does the LIANXIN roadside kit include a first aid kit?

Neither Gear Patrol nor Tom's Guide found one in the LIANXIN kits they reviewed, so add your own. The Red Cross recommends keeping a first aid kit in your home and in your car.

Are the LIANXIN jumper cables long enough?

Tom's Guide measured them at 8 feet and noted the clips are not marked positive and negative, though they are colored red and black. That means parking the cars close together.

What does Ready.gov say belongs in a car kit?

Ready.gov lists jumper cables, flares or a reflective triangle, an ice scraper, a car cell phone charger, a blanket, a map, and cat litter or sand for better tire traction.

Does every LIANXIN kit include a snow shovel?

No. Gear Patrol and Tom's Guide both reviewed 142-piece LIANXIN kits without one, while some current listings include a folding shovel. Check the contents of the exact listing you order.