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Best USB-C Charger

Last Updated on September 29, 2023
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More and more devices are shifting to USB-C charging, so now phones, tablets, game consoles, headphones, speakers, and more have broadly started adopting the more modern USB connector.

It’s a nice improvement from the previous USB connectors. It’s a small connector that allows for support of fast charging, HD video signals, high bandwidth data transfer, and convenient compatibility for a wide range of devices. It’s also symmetrical, so the tricky act of fiddling around to see if you’ve got your USB cable and port correctly aligned is a thing of the past.

For all these reasons, it’s handy to have extra USB chargers around in places where you may want to charge any of these devices. USB-C devices usually ship with a charger included, but if you need a spare, the chargers we’ve included in this lineup will be ideal. Some devices don’t actually ship with a charger that maximizes it’s charging speed potential, so a fast charger could reduce the time it takes to get your devices fully charged.

It’s important to pick out a charger from a reputable brand since with cheaply made or unbranded chargers you are risking getting a charger that could potentially damage your devices.

Products at a Glance

How we picked

We’ve taken into consideration how each charger featured in this list performs, how well suited it is to travel, how many charging ports they offer, and how well designed they are.

Different chargers will suit different users and tastes, and this roundup offers a varied selection of different styles of USB-C starters.

How we tested

We’ve picked out a variety of different USB-C wall chargers, offering different charging wattage scaling from 15w to 65w, and comparing factors like price, features, what warranty is offered, and the build quality.

Our Recommended

Best USB-C Charger

1
PROS
  • Great value
  • Perfect for travel
  • Decent charging speed
CONS
  • Not powerful enough for demanding high-end laptops
  • Not the fastest charging speed
  • Plain looking

AUKEY has been making phone and computer accessories since 2005, and make simple but well-made products. This is a straightforward and compact USB charger that is a great and easily pocketable way to charge your USB-C devices.

It’s an 18W compact charger, with foldable plug prongs to make it easier to take on the go. This isn’t powerful enough to fully charge most laptops, or it will only be able to charge them slowly, but it will be capable of charging phones very quickly.

There’s only one port here, so it won’t be a good choice if you might want to multiple devices at once.

It’s a great value charger, and it includes a 24-month manufacturer warranty.

2
PROS
  • Extremely durable design
  • Pleasant aesthetics
  • Great charging speed
CONS
  • Only one port
  • Not the cheapest charger
  • Not powerful enough for demanding laptops

OtterBox specialize in rugged and well-armored electronics, having made their name with their water-resistant and drop resistance phone cases, and even providing protective cases for the US Army.

This charger is constructed, as you might expect, to be durable and robust. It’s rated to withstand over 500lb of pressure and has a tough protective outer case. This would be an excellent choice for anyone taking this charger on trips to remote places, or anyone wanting a charger to use in rough conditions. OtterBox offers this charger with a lifetime warranty.

At 30 watts, it’s powerful enough to charge phones and tablets really quickly and will be a great charger for all but the most demanding laptops.

This might be overkill for standard domestic use, but it’s a great option for anyone who wants a tough charger.

3
PROS
  • Comes in a variety of port configurations
  • Offers up to 65W charging options
  • Great value
CONS
  • Not at all pleasant to look at
  • Physically large
  • Could block nearby ports

AmazonBasics are true to their name here, with this extremely basic charger. It’s frankly awful to look at, with a cheap plastic look and feel, and basically no effort going towards an attractive design.

But perhaps visuals are not the most important consideration when picking out a charger, and for the price, this is a very competitive charger. It comes in a variety of wattage from 15W to 65W depending on what most suits your needs. There’s also a five-port variant, that gives you a single USB-C port, and four extra full-sized USB ports.

It’s a big bulky charger, but for the price, it is one of the best value chargers if you don’t mind its perfunctory design.

There is the option of black or white, so you can pick one that most matches your devices, or compliments your existing setup. This charger comes with a 12-month warranty.

4
PROS
  • Slim design
  • Fast charging with support for laptops
  • Visually attractive
CONS
  • Could block other charging sockets
  • Unconventional port placement
  • Reasonably expensive

This is a reasonably fast USB-C charger from Anker, who makes solid and functional accessories for lots of different electronics and has made a big name for themselves in recent years for the reputation for good build quality, thoughtful design, and great value.

It offers 30W charging and supports Power Delivery. It’s going to be great for charging phones, tablets, and all but the most demanding laptops. The color LED indicator light tells you when it’s in use.

Perhaps the biggest drawback to this charger is the physical size. It is a slim charger, but it’s long, and could easily block adjacent sockets, or struggle to fit in some sockets without much room around them. The unconventional port placement might work better for some users, or be inconvenient for others, depends on how you intend to use this charger.

This charger comes with an 18-month warranty from Anker.

5
PROS
  • Offers both full-sized USB and USB-C for great compatibility
  • 65W of charging power
  • Supports high-end laptops
CONS
  • Pricy
  • Bland design
  • No warranty beyond standard retailer warranty

This is a beefy 65W charger that comes in a surprisingly compact form. It has both a USB-C and a full-sized USB port, and with its support for Power Delivery, it can smartly manage charging two Power Delivery devices with optimum efficiency.

It’s not the smallest charger, but it is pretty compact given its high power capability and inclusion of two ports.

This will be powerful for pretty much any device you can throw at it, including MacBook Pros or top-end gaming laptops. This doesn’t include any warranty beyond the standard Amazon warranty.

Things to consider

Is this charger going to get plugged in and left in an office setting, or is it something you want to take with you when traveling. If you need a charger that’s you’re going to take on lots of trips, it may be better to opt for one of the smaller chargers, rather than one of the larger more powerful ones.

What is Power Delivery?

Power Delivery is a charging standard to ensure compatibility and charging speed across compatible devices. If your device supports Power Delivery, it’s worth getting a charger that is also compatible, to get the best results.

How much Wattage do I need in a charger?

Ideally, you should be able to check with the manufacturer of your devices to see what Wattage they support up to, but a good rule of thumb is that the higher your charger supports the faster your devices will charge, until the point you’re maxing out the devices maximum charging potential. 30W will be great for anything but most demanding laptops, and fast charging phones and tablets should be good with chargers at around 12-18W.

Our Verdict

We’ve picked the AUKEY charger as the best in our lineup because it offers a great balance of value, charging capability, and design. It’s a compact little charger that’s great for taking on the go, it offers very capable 18W charging, and it’s one of the cheaper chargers from this lineup.

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