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Both standard USB and USB-C ports
Lightweight
Fast charging
Only two ports
The Aukey PA-B3 wall charger is our top pick for a few different reasons: it’s fast, compact, and has two different kinds of ports for maximum versatility. This charger delivers up to 65W from the USB-C port, making it a great option for laptops or for quickly charging your phone. If you plug in two devices at once, then the output drops down to 45W from each port (which is still much faster than most standard chargers). The standard USB port is also a welcome addition since most people don’t have USB-C cords for all of their devices yet.
We also love this charger because it’s smaller and lighter than many of the others on this list. If you really only have a few different devices you regularly need to charge, then the USB-C and standard USB port should do the trick while cutting down on the amount of weight you have to carry around. We all know how heavy some laptop chargers can be, and the Aukey PA-B3 is compact and light enough to make a difference if it’s in your work or school bag every day.
Courtesy of Amazon.com
Futureproofed for years to come, the Aukey USB-C charger delivers 46-watts of power output via USB-C 3.0 to charge and recharge all your important devices. On top of its 46W of charging power, the Aukey also includes a 10.5W USB port that powers any 5V USB electronic with an output up to 2.1A for a grand total of 56.5 total watts of charging power. Fortunately, your electronics are protected from all that juice via built-in safeguards that help prevent them from overheating or overcharging and causing lasting damage.
Ultimately, the Aukey and its dynamically adapting power output can provide enough charge to fill up an empty iPhone 8 battery to 50 percent in under 30 minutes while charging a USB-C compatible MacBook or MacBook Pro at full speed. Compact in size, the Aukey adds a foldable plug, which provides extra portability for easily sticking in a day bag or even in a pocket.
The iClever USB Type-C 30W wall charger/adapter is an excellent choice that won’t break the bank. Ready to provide safe charging across a number of voltages, the iClever easily tackles 5V, 9V, 12V, 15V, and 20V-enabled electronics for safe and reliable charging. Built-in heat-resistant safeguards work to ensure that you cannot overheat or overcharge your device and cause damage. The foldable design allows the charging prongs to be tucked away when not in use for easy storage. Additionally, iClever has built-in short-circuit and over-voltage protection to provide even more peace of mind for owners. With just a single USB-C port available, charging one device at a time isn’t always ideal, but, for the price, it’s hard to beat the quality and reliability of iClever’s 30W charger.
This five-port wall charger from RAVPower might be a little overkill for the basic smartphone’s needs. But if you’re looking for a one-stop shop for all of your smartphone charging — something you can plug into your wall and then plug in whatever mobile device you need — this has you covered.
First, there’s a USB type-C input that will put out up to 45W, which is perfect not only for something as big as a MacBook but also for more modern smartphones like the Google Pixel 3. There are also four iSmart USB 2.0 ports that will read whatever you’ve plugged in and put out an optimized amount of current, which will cover the rest of your smartphones. It also offers some great additional features like protection from overcharging, short-circuiting, overvoltage and even overheating, which is important in a device you’re trusting to charge your smartphones.
Courtesy of Amazon
When it comes to laptop charging, you’re going to want power and that’s exactly what the Anker Premium 5-Port USB Type-C charger brings to the table. With a single USB-C port for powering devices up to 30W each time, there are an additional four PowerIQ ports that can intelligently charge your devices up to 2.4A per port. All of these ports combine for simultaneous charging of up to five devices at a time from a single wall outlet. Anker’s smart charging via USB has shown that it can take a 2016 and later MacBook and deliver a charge from 1 to 100 percent in under two hours. Included safety features help detect and deliver surge protection and temperature control. It measures 3.3 x 2.6 x 1.1 inches.
Reliability The newer USB-C standard can deliver a more significant amount of electricity than its past counterparts. As a result, it's extremely important to purchase your chargers from a reliable and well-known manufacturer. Inexpensive USB-C chargers can quite literally destroy expensive electronics.
Wattage Find out the wattage needed for the device you own before purchasing a charger. While most USB-C chargers will be able to accommodate smartphones and tablets, those looking to charge compatible USB-C laptops will need to ensure that their charger has enough juice for the job.
Ports Are you merely charging a single device or do you want to charge multiple USB-C devices at one time? Some chargers offer the ability to charge more than one device at a time, which can be an excellent feature if you don’t want to be bogged down by a travel bag full of chargers.
As one of the first laptop manufacturers to broadly adopt the USB-C charging method, it’s no surprise that Apple’s 61W power adapter is a best-in-class choice. Delivering more than 61W of power output, this USB-C charger handles 13 and 15-inch 2016 and later MacBook and MacBook Pro units with aplomb. For Apple owners who own the separately purchased USB-C to lightning cable, the 61W adapter will power up iPads (including the 10.5 and 12.9-inch iPad models) and iPhones faster than the standard or wireless charging methods that are most common. Apple’s typical product quality stands out: The 61W adapter feels durable and capable even though it weighs just eight ounces. Measuring 4.1 x 4.2 x 2.4 inches, Apple’s 61W remains a mid-sized option in the category and is easily stored in a backpack or carry-on bag for easy transporting.
USB-C connectors are becoming increasingly common, and while it may be frustrating at first to switch away from the standard USB ports we’re used to (also known as USB-A and B), there are actually a lot of advantages to this new kind of connection. USB-C cords are capable of transferring both power and data faster than their older counterparts; if you’ve recently upgraded to a phone with a USB-C connection, you may have noticed that it charges faster (or charges a longer-lasting battery in the same amount of time). As this speedier cable becomes more popular, you may run into issues where you have a USB-C cord and a USB-A port without any way to connect them. When that happens, a USB-C adapter can help bridge the gap.
With a whopping 72W of power available, the Cable Matters 4-port USB-C charger is an excellent choice for sticking into a wall outlet and powering four devices simultaneously. Besides the USB-C input that delivers 60W of total power, the three additional USB inputs can deliver up to 3A of power for 5V to 20V devices through the 12W USB-A charging ports. Devices including the iPhone X, iPhone 8, Samsung Galaxy S8 and Nintendo Switch can be charged side-by-side with a laptop, including Apple, Lenovo and other USB-C friendly manufacturers. Beyond power, Cable Matters added overcurrent, overvoltage and short-circuit protection to prevent all of your devices from overcharging. Measuring 6.6 x 4.3 x 1.5 inches and weighing 13.3 ounces, the Cable Matters USB-C model is beefy compared to the similarly priced competition, but given its price-to-performance ratio, it’s hard to overlook.
While some USB-C chargers plug directly into a wall, others bring the wall to you as is the case with Anker’s PowerCore+ 26800 30W Power Delivery charger. With more than 26,800mAhs of power onboard, the Anker can deliver seven full charge cycles to most smartphones and at least two full charges for iPad and comparably sized Android tablets.
Travel-friendly, the PowerCore+ measures a backpack-friendly 6.5 x 3.1 x 0.9 inches in size weights 1.3-pounds. Fortunately, the PowerCore+ doesn't take too long to recharge on its own courtesy of the 30W USB-C wall charger that can refill the entire battery in just over four hours.
Delivers up to 65W of power
Only USB-C ports
Aukey is a well-known brand in the electronic accessories space and their chargers have a great reputation. The PA-B4 wall charger has two USB-C ports for dual charging — the top port, which is marked with an icon of a computer, can deliver up to 65W of power when used on its own. This makes it a great option for larger devices like laptops and tablets that can otherwise be slow to charge. If you need to power up two devices at once, then it can deliver 45W simultaneously from both ports.
Like other Aukey chargers, the PA-B4 can automatically detect and adjust to the optimal power output for whatever device you plug in, and it has built-in safeguards to prevent overheating and overcharging. It’s also designed to be smaller and lighter than the last generation of chargers, which can make a big difference if you’re carrying it to class or to work every day.
Emmeline has spent years in the ecommerce space, researching the best new products out there with a specialty in consumer tech. Before writing for Lifewire, she worked as an editor on their tech product round-ups.