Favorite (non-bike specific) battery charger

[erkishhorde]

I remember all the posts about the Optimate charger being great. I currently have a Battery Tender Jr, and would love to replace it with an Optimate but can't really justify the cost since I've got a charger that works and I'm going back to school.

BUT

My dad's old charger that he used periodically on the cars for the last 30 years is showing it's age. What's your favorite charger that he can use on his cars? He doesn't have a bike but I might use it for the bike once in a while when I come home. One of the nice things about his old charger is that it's got an amp meter (I think that's what it is) so he can see if it's charging properly as soon as he hooks it up. It's proven pretty useful and it's most recent good use was finding a bad battery in the civic after only 2 years so we got another under warranty. Small note, he's color blind so can't conveniently use things like the Battery Tender Jr I have which only has 1 light which changes from red to green.

Suggestions? If you do end up suggesting the Optimate still, is it worth the extra coin to go 4 instead of 3?

edit: Hmmmm... After reading some stuff, this is what I'm contemplating. The reasoning against the Optimate in the comments section of webbikeworld does make sense.
http://store.schumachermart.com/5216a-pe.html

[ducpainter]

I have a really old Schumacher 6/12 volt that I really like mainly because it's lasted.

[Mr Earl]

I have a really old Schumacher 6/12 volt that I really like mainly because it's lasted.

+1, my Schumacher 6/12 is old-ish, has the meter, and variable output.  In a pinch the 2-amp output would charge the Monster battery.  But the Monster gets the Schumacher Battery Companion:

http://store.schumachermart.com/sem-1562a.html

Still running the original battery in my 2003 M800 using this tender whenever the bike is parked for more than a day or two.