Bought an Ancel BA101 a couple of months back..... haven't used it enough to add much to the composite Reviews on Amazon. Gave me a sanity check on one vehicle's battery, that I hadn't got near a pro tester before now. Gives me some visibility (uncalibrated, admittedly, but that's just my inner geek talking....) into parameters I couldn't see before.
Auto parts stores that do parking lot testing with pro kit should be able to evaluate starter and alternator performance too, and some units give you a final printout. Nice, esp. for free.
A carbon-pile tester is usually only slightly less reliable than an anvil, and if I could have caught one on-sale last Winter at Canada's version of HFreight, I probably would have bought that as well or instead of for now.....
An ex-stock-car racer neighbour used to buy vehicles new, then @ 5 years, would yank the battery regardless and replace. Said he found alternators lasted longer this way too...... I don't think of myself as having the money he does, but I do see the wisdom of what he was doing....... Amortizing a battery over 5 years, against the value of a modern vehicle..... not a bad play, esp. with what a better-half drives.....
Not trying to drift..... but stay away from Interstate replacement batteries :2cents:
Rgds, D.