Life

These USB Car Chargers Are The Key To Staying Powered Up On The Go

by Tiana Crump

When you're on the road, keeping all your devices powered up is easy with the best USB car chargers. There are tons of options out there, so if you're looking for a quality pick, there are a couple specs you'll want to pay particular attention to: the amp output and whether or not it has multiple ports and cables.

A high-quality USB car charger, which plugs into the cigarette lighter, should have 2.1 amps or more for each USB port. Keep in mind that anything lower than that will likely have a slower charging speed. For reference, the best ones have dual USB ports, offering 2.4 amps per port for a total of 4.8 amps of charging power. This type will enable you to charge multiple devices quickly and simultaneously, which is great for when you have passengers. One quick note: Some car chargers come with permanent cables. These aren't as ideal, because you'll have to buy a new one if those cables ever fail.

With these details in mind, read on to shop the best USB car chargers on Amazon. They each have at least two ports, plenty of amps, and varying price points. So, your choice is really just a matter of personal preference and how many devices you plan to charge.

1

Best USB Car Charger, All Things Considered

With two USB ports, this 2.3-inch aluminum alloy car charger from RAVPower is capable of delivering maximum power (2.4 amps per port) to any device. Seriously, its iSmart technology actually detects the device type to charge it in an optimal time. Each port features a glowing LED light so you can quickly locate it the in the dark, and the scratch-proof design comes in a few different colors beyond the pictured black including gold, red, and silver.

What fans say: "I have seen smaller car chargers but they aren't made as well or are impossible to remove. It fits snugly into the charging port without feeling like it will fall out or you won't be able to remove it. I was able to charge my iPad 3 and iPhone 6 with the charger."

2

A Charger With A Type-C Port That'll Power Your MacBook

This USB-IF-certified Nekteck charger is super versatile and comes with a removable cable. Like the option above, it has two ports, but here's what sets it apart: One of them is a 45-watt Type-C port capable of charging MacBooks (!) and the Nintendo Switch. The other is a standard USB-A-port that'll charge devices like phones, cameras, and tablets. Plus, to prevent overheating, this charger automatically turns off once plugged-in devices are fully charged. Sadly, it's only available in black.

What fans say: "This works great [with] a Macbook Pro. I leave it charging in my truck and it charges relatively fast ... [approximately half the speed] of the wall charger that came [with] my Macbook."

3

A 4-Port Car Charger For The Most Devices

If you need quadruple the plugs, Crave CarHub's charger is perfect, as it features four total USB ports — including a quick-charging one with 3 amps (the other three have 2.4 amps). Like others on this list, it auto-detects the type of device plugged in to provide the optimal charging speed and prevent overheating or short-circuiting. And despite its many ports, this charger is still relatively small, lightweight, and easy to store when it's not in use. Get it in black (pictured) or white.

What fans say: "Perfect for charging my phone, my external battery pack, and my passenger's electronics. Neither of us notice any decrease in charging speeds when having multiple items connected."

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