Until the release of the iPhone 12 series, Apple always used to put a USB cable, power adapter and a pair of wired EarPod headphones in new iPhone boxes. But that all changed with the iPhone 12, which doesn’t include headphones or a power adapter in the box. All that’s included is a USB-C-to-Lighting cable, which offers the fastest charging speeds if you pair it with the right Apple iPhone charger.
Apple’s new 20-watt USB-C power adapter sells for $19, which is $10 less than its overpriced and discontinued 18-watt USB-C power adapter. But several attractive alternatives can be considered among the best iPhone chargers. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite Apple device chargers to give a boost to your battery life. Many of them are available for less than $20 and some are even less than $10. A few quick ground rules before we start:
- You’ll need a charger with a USB-C port, or you’ll need to get a USB-A-to-USB-C adapter. At the prices below, you might as well just get a new charger.
- Chargers with USB-C or PD (power delivery) support can generally charge devices faster than chargers with USB-A ports.
- Two ports are always better than one, allowing you to charge two phones at once, or a phone and an accessory like wireless headphones.
- Higher wattage is better up to a point. But getting 18 watts or better will allow you to charge tablets and even a Nintendo Switch. Get 65 watts or more and you can charge most newer laptops, too.
- Many of these new chargers use a new, fast semiconductor material called gallium nitride (or GaN) that is replacing the old, slow, silicon chip. Chargers with “GaNFast” have a charging speed up to three times faster than traditional chargers — and they’re half the size and weight. They’re compatible with everything in today’s Apple range from AirPods and the iPhone 12 all the way to the big 16-inch MacBook Pro. They might not be optimal for an older iPhone model, however.
- Every charger here can also juice up an Android phone (so long as you supply a compatible charging cord or USB cable) and the Nintendo Switch.
While there are a plethora of charging brands available, we can broadly recommend three phone-charger brands: Anker, Aukey and RAVPower. All three have similar offerings at similar wattage, and prices fluctuate almost daily. Our latest iPhone favorites are below, including some power bank (battery), wireless, charging stand and car options. We’ve used all of these over the past few months (or their direct predecessors).
None of these incorporate Apple’s new MagSafe charging standard — an upgrade from the Lightning connector. That’s brand new and will have a price premium for the foreseeable future — don’t expect to pay less than $39.
While we haven’t yet tested these iPhone charger models with the iPhone 12, they should all work based on our experience with previous iPhone models. We’ll update this periodically in our quest for the absolute best iPhone charger.
Read more: Best headphones for iPhone 12
David Carnoy/CNET
Anker’s Nano is literally the size of old Apple’s 5-watt USB charger that used to ship with iPhones but offers 20-watt charging. Featuring Anker’s PowerIQ 3.0 technology, it charges more than 2.5x faster than that 5-watt charger (with a USB-C-to-Lightning cable). It was recently upgraded from 18 to 20 watts. It’s less than $14 with an instant 20% off coupon on Amazon.
Amazon
A GaNFast charger that uses gallium nitride (or GaN) technology, Spigen’s 20-watt ArcStation Pro is one of the smallest fast USB-C chargers you’ll find. While the Anker Nano is a bit smaller, it doesn’t have a foldable plug like this model. Using a USB-C-to-Lightning cable, it charges close to three times faster than Apple’s standard 5-watt USB charger.
Amazon
You could argue which is the better deal, this 30-watt dual-port charger or the Aukey wall charger below. The Aukey has a slightly more appealing design, but they are very similar otherwise, with the USB-C port delivering the full 30 watts of juice if used alone and 18 watts if used while charging a second device via the USB-A port, which delivers 12 watts of charging. It’s currently selling for $19 (be sure to “clip” the coupon), and has dipped as low as $10. It, too, is a GaNFast charger.
David Carnoy/CNET
Nimble is all about making its products from recycled plastics, and not having any plastic in its packaging. Its Wally Mini is a dual-port 20-watt PD charger with fast-charging capabilities. You can charge two devices at once, but to get to top charging speed for your iPhone you’ll need to connect it using a USB-C-to-Lightning cable (to the USB-C port) without having any other devices connected to the USB-A port.
It has retractable prongs, is quite compact and also feels pretty light. If you didn’t know it was made out of recycled plastic, you might not guess that it was. But since I did know, I did think, “Yes, this feels like recycled plastic.” Not that it feels bad, but it does look and feel a little different.
Nimble also includes a bag in the box for your e-waste items. If your old electronics product is on Nimble’s list of approved electronics for recycling, you can print out a free shipping label to send in your gear for recycling.
Amazon
No, this isn’t a fancy new MagSafe charger — but it doesn’t cost $60, either. I like this RAVPower charging pad because it’s relatively inexpensive and comes with a power adapter that allows you to get the faster 10-watt wireless charging speeds (some top out at 7.5 watts, and a lot of cheap wireless charging pads don’t include a power adapter). It lists for $23, but there’s currently a $6 instant coupon that brings the price down to $17.
Amazon
Another good choice in the best all-around wall charger category is RAVPower’s 65-watt dual-port charger. It’s very similar to the Aukey and often costs within a few bucks of the same price. (Wait for frequent sales, when it dips under $30.) This is also a GaNFast charger.
Amazon
This svelte Anker 30-watt charger with foldable plugs is pocket friendly and can charge your iPhone impressively fast with a USB-C-to-Lighting cable. Like many other compact chargers, this uses gallium nitride (or GaN) technology.
Amazon
Why carry around both a power adapter and a portable battery when you can have both in one device? We loved the earlier version of this model, and now it’s back with both USB-A and USB-C ports, with power up to 18 watts. Yes, it’s bigger and heavier than most of the power adapters on this list, because it does have that integrated battery.
Aukey products
In early May 2021, most Aukey and Mpow products disappeared from Amazon amid reports that the retailer was cracking down on fake reviews. While these products are still available from aukey.com, we’ll be seeking alternatives if they don’t again become available on Amazon in the near future.
Amazon
Just looking for a compact single-port fast-charger? The Aukey 18-watt Minima PD charger is available for as low as $7 (the black version, if you have Amazon Prime, after an on-screen coupon is clipped) and has foldable plugs. The newer 20-watt Omnia model will run you $13, if you’re looking for a bit more juice.
Aukey has upgraded the Minima (this model) to a 20-watt version but it seems to have gone out of stock at Amazon as a standalone product. It is available as part of a bundle with Aukey’s MagSafe wireless charger, which looks similar to Apple’s, for $30. That’s a good deal if you’re looking for a MagSafe wireless charger that includes a power adapter (see below).
Amazon
As noted above, Aukey has upgraded the Minima charger to a 20-watt version, but it’s currently as part of a bundle with Aukey’s MagSafe wireless charger (it looks similar to Apple’s) for $30. Apple’s own magnetic MagSafe charger costs $34 on Amazon and it doesn’t include a power adapter.
This charging combo will allow you to get up to 10-watt charging speeds (wirelessly). You can use the Minima charger with a USB-C-to-Lightning cable to get much faster charging.
Amazon
With this 30-watt Aukey charger, you can charge both an iPhone and iPad at the same time. If you’re only using the USB-C port to charge, it delivers the full 30 watts and can charge a smaller MacBook. Use both ports and the output drops to 18 watts for USB-C and 12 watts for USB-A charging port.
It’s usually about $20, but was selling for as low as $13 during Prime Day sales.
Amazon
I bought this portable charger and like it a lot. Not only is it capable of fast charging but it’s got a low profile so it sits flush with your 12-volt port. It has both USB-C and USB-A ports for charging.
It lists for about $15 but frequently goes on sale. I picked it up for $9, but it’s currently selling for a little less than $13.
Amazon
Another GaNFast charge, this compact 65-watt USB-C charger will not only charge your iPhone at maximum speed (if you spring for a USB-C-to-Lightning cable), it also charges most USB-C charging laptops. Additionally, you can charge a second device via the USB-A port. It currently costs a little over $30, but we’ve seen it for as low as $25.
David Carnoy/CNET
While the Omnia 100-watt USB-C PD Charger is designed to be able to charge larger laptops like the MacBook Pro 16-inch, it will charge any laptop that charges via USB-C, as well as smartphones and tablets at their maximum charging rate (it automatically adjusts its charging output for the device). It should be able to charge most laptops in two hours or less (yes, this is a GaNFast charger).
Apple’s 96-watt USB-C charger costs $79, so this Aukey is about half its price and also significantly smaller. It’s currently $40 but we’ve seen it as low as $30 on Amazon with a $10-off instant coupon.
Amazon
This Power Bank from Aukey has both wired and wireless charging options. If you use the USB-C port, you can get 18 watts of charging. Go wireless and lay your phone on the charging dock battery and it will wirelessly charge at 10 watts, which is where the iPhone currently maxes out for wireless charging. You’re paying a premium, but this phone charger unit has a massive battery (20,000 mAh), a built-in kickstand and a digital readout listing the remaining charge. It comes with a USB-A-to-USB-C cable, but you’ll need to supply an adapter to charge it.
Aukey’s smaller wireless 10,000-mAh portable charger with foldable stand is selling for around $30 after you apply current the promotional discounts at checkout at Amazon (there’s a 20% off code along with a $5-off instant coupon).