Search Wirecutter For: Search Reviews for the real world Browse Close. Browse Close. After using six iPads to test dozens of models, we can safely say that is the best wall charger for most phones, tablets, and other USB devices.
- How To Obtain The Actfor Mac Power Pack. Knowledgebase
- How To Obtain The Act For Mac Power Pack. Actknowledgebase
- How To Obtain The Act For Mac Power Pack. Act Knowledgebase
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It costs a little more than, but the Anker model can push out more than three times as much power and charge four devices at once. In fact, it can simultaneously charge three full-size iPads at full speed while also charging a smartphone. Surveyed readers said they preferred chargers that plug directly into an outlet, and this is the most powerful one we tested to do so. Additionally, Anker’s charger allows connected devices to draw the advertised amount of power; some of the competition doesn’t. This 40-watt four-port charger is just as wide as Apple’s iPad charger but larger in its other dimensions because of its extra ports.
It plugs directly into an outlet instead of using a detachable power cable, but thanks to the orientation of its prongs, it covers only a single outlet instead of crowding your power strip or wall plate. Anker’s PowerIQ technology identifies what kind of device is plugged into each port and delivers the proper amperage without your having to figure out the “right” USB port for each device. If your phone or tablet’s original USB charger is broken or lost, you’re obviously in the market for a new charger. But even if you’ve still got the original chargers for all your devices, you might want to consider something that can charge your devices from a wall outlet more quickly, charge multiple devices at the same time, or both. You connect each device to the charger using cables with a USB-A plug at one end and, usually, either a Lightning-connector (for iOS devices) or Micro-USB or USB-C (for other gear) plug at the other. (We have some recommendations for great, and cables.) Most phones and tablets include a USB wall charger, though you may also get one with other devices—some Bluetooth headsets and speakers, for example, will come with a USB charger. Even if you’ve still got the original chargers for all your devices, you might want to consider something that can charge your devices more quickly, charge multiple devices at the same time, or both.
Most of us have more than one device that charges via USB: tablets, smartphones, external battery packs, e-readers, portable speakers, Bluetooth headphones and headsets, fitness trackers—the list goes on. And there’s a good chance you’ll regularly need to charge two (or more) of those devices at the same time. That’s where multiport USB chargers come in—they take up only a single outlet yet provide the capability to charge a number of devices simultaneously. Similarly, though every smartphone or tablet includes a USB charger, it’s surprising how many of those stock chargers can’t juice up the device as fast as possible. For example, Apple’s iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X ship with a charger that can provide only up to 1 A of current even though the phones. Multiport chargers are also great for travel. Instead of having to pack a gaggle of chargers, you can bring one charger that handles everything.
If you’re content with your current charging equipment, a new USB charger may not be necessary. But if you’re looking to open up some outlets, to charge multiple devices in one place, or to possibly reduce how long it takes to recharge your gear, a new charger may be in your future. And most of the models we tested cost much less than buying an equivalent number of single-port chargers. Multiport chargers are also great for travel. Instead of having to pack a gaggle of chargers for the family—or when traveling alone, for your phone, tablet, headset, and Bluetooth speaker—you can bring one charger that handles everything.
(Of course, you’ll have to pack the appropriate or, but nothing’s perfect.) How we picked and tested. Testing our upgrade pick, Anker’s 60W charger, with six full-size iPads. We began our search on Amazon, where a huge selection of multiport USB chargers is available. We settled on a starting list of 45 USB-A chargers for the original version of this guide, which we whittled using these criteria:. Multiple USB ports: Chargers with at least two USB ports are inexpensive and small, so there’s no reason to choose one with only one port. Charging speed: We eliminated any chargers that don’t support at least 2.4-amp charging from each of its ports simultaneously.
And we didn’t test models that mix faster- and slower-charging ports—you shouldn’t need to figure out which is the “right” port if you want to charge your device as quickly as possible. Reliable brands: An incredible number of companies make USB chargers. We stuck to brands with an established reputation, so that we could be more confident in the quality of the product—and the level of support if something goes wrong.
This left us 18 USB-A-only units for our first round of testing, and several more in the years after. For each model, we tested:. Charging output per port: We connected an iPad to a USB ammeter, a tool that measures power transfer. Because the iPad is capable of drawing 2.4 amps, we expected to see a number in that ballpark from each port, though not necessarily the full 2.4—it’s common to see only 2.3 A or so, because of resistance from the meter.
Overall charging output: We plugged a collection of iPads into every port on the remaining chargers with a collection of iPads. We used our ammeters to measure the average draw of each iPad. USB-C Power Delivery (USB-C PD) is an industry specification that allows faster charging over USB-C. Standard USB-C charging tops out at about 25 percent faster than USB-A—15 watts.
But USB-C PD can go all the way up to 100 watts to charge or power larger gear like laptops. Many recent phones, including Android devices like the Google Pixel 2 and the iPhone 8 or newer, support 18-watt charging when paired with the right USB PD charging hardware. We tested four promising USB-C PD 18-watt chargers from well-established companies by plugging each charger into an iPhone XS, with a Satechi meter measuring the power draw, and recording the phone’s charge 30 minutes and one hour from the start. We also considered each charger’s size and other ports in determining our pick. Our pick: Anker PowerPort 4. Is the best multiport USB charger for most people.
It’s the most powerful charger that plugs directly into a wall outlet—something a plurality of our survey respondents said they wanted—letting you fast-charge up to three full-size iPads at once or four at a slower rate. (Alternatively, you can fast-charge two iPads and two smartphones.) It’s also physically small next to the competition, and it’s quite affordable. Finally, Anker is a company that has quickly built a strong reputation in the mobile-accessory field: Anker’s charging accessories are well regarded not only by us, but also by customers on Amazon and by third-party reviewers. The Anker PowerPort 4 measures roughly 2.6 inches deep and tall, and 1.1 inches thick. (For comparison, —the 12-watt, single-port charger that comes with full-size iPads and sells for $19 on its own—is 1.8 inches square and 1.1 inches thick.) Rather than requiring a cable between the wall outlet and the charger’s body, the Anker PowerPort 4 plugs directly into an AC outlet.
(In our reader survey, 41 percent of respondents told us they preferred this approach, 30 percent said they preferred a charger that uses a power cable, and 29 percent expressed no preference.) The Anker charger’s four ports are stacked horizontally on the end opposite the AC-outlet prongs. One of our favorite features is that the orientation of the prongs combined with the charger’s narrow profile allows you to plug the Anker PowerPort 4 into any wall outlet without obstructing other outlets. This device will, however, block the outlets on a power strip with outlets perpendicular to the long edge. We like that the prongs flip up, making it easier and safer to travel with the PowerPort 4 than with models bearing stationary prongs.
Anker uses technology it calls to regulate the power output from many of its accessories, including the Anker PowerPort 4. According to the company, Power IQ “intelligently identifies your device to deliver the fastest possible charge.” Put simply, circuitry in the charger is able to tell whether you’re plugging in a smartphone, tablet, or other device, and whether it’s Android, iOS, or something else; it’s then able to deliver the appropriate amount of current for the fastest charging speed. This is one reason why you don’t need to worry about finding the “right” port on the charger for full-speed charging; each port adapts on the fly depending on what’s plugged in. (Some other chargers use similar circuitry—this kind of feature isn’t unique to Anker, though we’ve had good luck with it on Anker products.) We ran a battery of tests on the Anker PowerPort 4. With three iPads attached, our ammeters reported 2.3 A to 2.35 A of current to the iPad Air and 4th-generation iPad.
Again, this is normal for a device that can draw 2.4 A once you take into account the electrical resistance from the ammeter. What this means in practical terms is that you can plug in one, two, or three tablets at once and they’ll all charge at full speed.
Connecting a fourth tablet won’t cause any adverse effects, though the output of each port will go down, resulting in slower-than-optimal charging speeds. (Power = voltage. current.
When charging devices rated at 5 V—which includes most devices you’ll charge via USB—this means the Anker PowerPort 4 can provide 7.2 A, which breaks down to a maximum of 2.4 A per port over three ports, or 2.0 A over four ports.) Of course, many people will never try to charge four high-current-draw tablets at once. (If you do need this capability, you’ll want to consider our more-powerful pick, below.) Instead, you’ll likely charge some combination of tablets, smartphones, speakers, external battery packs, and other accessories, and most USB-charged devices draw less current than an iPad Air or fourth-generation iPad. So while we can’t say exactly how much juice every combination of gadgets will require, in most circumstances, anything you plug into the Anker PowerPort 4 will charge at either full speed or close to it. Why didn’t we pick a charger with more ports or a higher total power? Because 84 percent of respondents to our survey said that three was the maximum number of devices they needed to be able to charge at once.
With that in mind, the Anker PowerPort 4 makes for the perfect pick. If you have more taxing demands, we have an alternative pick below. To test idle electricity consumption—that is, how much power the Anker PowerPort 4 draws when it’s plugged into the wall but not actively charging a device—we connected our test unit, with no devices attached, to, a tool made for just that purpose. After we left the setup going for 166 hours, the monitor showed a cumulative power draw of 0.00 kilowatt hours.
Yes, that’s right, zero. We’re assuming there’s some power being drawn, but the amount is so negligible that after a full week, our meter showed it as equivalent to zero. In other words, you don’t need to worry about the Anker PowerPort 4 costing you money by sucking up power when you’re not using it. It’s also worth noting that the charger is rated for 100 V to 240 V, meaning it’ll work both in the United States and abroad—assuming you have the right plug adapter. Anker says that the device is UL certified. Like many Anker products, the Anker PowerPort 4 has very strong Amazon customer ratings, with about 4.8 stars (out of five) across more than 3,000 reviews at the time we checked. Not only do most of the people who buy the charger love it, but a lot of people buy it and love it.
Only 2 percent of its Amazon reviews are less than four stars right now, and says the PowerPort 4’s Amazon reviews are of high quality and can be trusted On the professional-reviewer side, The Wall Street Journal’s a “godsend.” Our pick: Flaws but not dealbreakers. The biggest drawback to the Anker PowerPort 4 is that it can’t provide enough juice to fast-charge four large tablets at once.
Plug in three iPads, and they will all charge at the maximum rate, but the current to each will drop a bit when you connect a fourth. We’d love to see Anker update this charger to handle 48 W, so that all four ports could provide 2.4 A of current simultaneously. One potential downside to the PowerPort 4’s prongs: They’re oriented such that the charger’s body sits parallel to the wall outlet, rather than perpendicular as on Anker’s now-discontinued 36W 4-Port Wall Charger. This won’t be a problem with most wall-outlet plates, where you can plug the PowerPort 4 into the bottom outlet, leaving the top outlet available.
But on power strips where the outlets sit parallel to the long edge, the PowerPort 4 will block adjacent outlets, whereas the 36W 4-Port USB Wall Charger would not. (On power strips where the outlets are perpendicular to the long edge, on the other hand, the older charger would block adjacent outlets, while the PowerPort 4 will not.) A minor issue is that, like most of the multiport chargers we tested, the PowerPort 4 lacks any sort of organization for the devices being charged or the cables being used. When you connect four devices, those four USB-charging cables—which, as with all of the models here, you must provide yourself—can easily become tangled. Our pick: Long-term test notes. If you need an extra charger for a USB-C–powered MacBook or PC laptop, or have to replace the one that came with your computer, is the best option, based on our testing of 18 USB-C chargers with seven computers. The Nekteck supports 60-watt charging from its USB-C port, fast enough to charge most laptops at full speed, and it’s USB-IF certified, which means that it should be safe to use.
It also has three USB-A ports for charging other devices at the same time. You can read more about it—and our other laptop-charging picks—in our. A pick with more ports and more power: Anker PowerPort 6. Although four charging ports is a lot, some people need even more. Is the best option for them. It’s considerably more powerful than the Anker PowerPort 4, and it offers two additional ports.
Naturally, these upgrades involve some sacrifices. The PowerPort 6 isn’t actually much larger than our top pick: It’s roughly the same thickness, but it’s just over half an inch deeper and a little over a quarter of an inch taller.
How To Obtain The Actfor Mac Power Pack. Knowledgebase
However, instead of built-in prongs, it connects to an AC outlet using a five-foot-long, detachable power cord. That’s more clutter, to be sure, but it also allows you to place the unit away from your wall outlet—handy if, for instance, that outlet is hidden under a desk.
The PowerPort 6 is a great pick for all but the most demanding tablet users—and even then, we haven’t found anything more capable.The PowerPort 6 aced our initial six-iPad test, so we replaced the iPad mini 2 with an iPad Air 2 to test the charger with six full-size iPads. The PowerPort 6 successfully provided 2.4 amps of current to each of our two control iPads, even with the four other full-size iPads connected.
It’s worth noting that 60 W isn’t enough power to provide a full 2.4 A to each of six ports simultaneously. However, based on our testing, the PowerPort 6 is a great pick for all but the most demanding tablet users—and even then, we haven’t found anything more capable. You have to provide your own cables, but here are enough ports for the entire family. 9to5Mac’s Jeremy Horwitz is a big fan of this charger: “Anker’s 6-Port Desktop USB Charger is very easy to recommend, particularly when you consider that it costs less for these six USB ports than two one-port Apple 12W USB Power Adapters,” he said in a. “Whether you’re at home with a single wall outlet (rather than six) to spare, or in need of a travel charger that requires much less space than carrying multiple wall adapters around, a multi-device power solution like this just makes sense.” As with the Anker PowerPort 4, when we tested the power usage of the Anker PowerPort 6 with no devices connected—this one over a period of 48 hours—it showed a power draw of 0.00 kilowatt hours. Again, this means that any idle power consumption is negligible.
The 60W is also rated for 100 V to 240 V. If this pick goes out of stock or the price jumps, is a great alternative.
The RAVPower is about the same size as the Anker model and performed just as well in our tests. The only reason Anker got the edge over such a similar model is its warranty: Anker covers return shipping costs during the full 18 months of the warranty, while RAVPower does so for only six months.
A small travel pick: Anker PowerPort 2. If two ports is enough for you, is the best option for multiport charging, and its compact size makes it great for travel. Each of its two USB ports can provide 2.4 amps simultaneously. This means that it can charge most handsets, tablets, or accessories (anything that uses standard USB rather than Quick Charge or USB-C Power Delivery to charge) at full speed from either port.
These charging capabilities are especially impressive when you consider the charger’s size and price. Measuring a little more than 2 inches square and just over an inch thick, it’s only a little bigger than the 12-watt charger Apple ships with every iPad. As with Apple’s iPad charger, the PowerPort 2’s wall prongs fold in for travel, making the charger smaller and keeping the prongs protected from damage. But Anker’s charger sells for almost half the price of Apple’s iPad charger—a great deal considering the Anker’s charging capabilities. The PowerPort 2’s circular LED indicator, which glows blue when the charger is receiving power, puts it over the top when compared with a number of equally powerful, equally affordable chargers. If you don’t like the light, or need another option than the Anker for some reason, and (formerly our pick, but ousted by the smaller and sleeker PowerPort 2) are all good options. An organizational docking station: Skiva StandCharger.
We didn’t dive too deeply into charging stations that can also hold your gear, but we really like the, which can charge seven full-size iPads simultaneously while also keeping them—if not their charging cables—neatly arranged. The StandCharger is roughly 7½ inches deep (front to back), 5½ inches wide, and 2½ inches tall. It has a plastic base with eight 1.3-inch-tall plastic dividers that allow it to hold as many as seven tablets, phones, or other devices upright while they charge. The ¾-inch space between these dividers is wide enough for tablets in all but the bulkiest of cases.
The dividers are plastic, but they’re permanently attached to the base, and they’re sturdy enough to prop up even a 12.9-inch iPad Pro in a case. In the limited category of multiport chargers with organizational features, the StandCharger is the one we’d buy. Seven USB ports along the right side of the base each advertise 2.4 A of charging current—a total of 16.8 A from 84 watts of power. We tested this model separately from the other chargers in this guide, so we didn’t have our full testing rig with seven iPads and ammeters, but during several months of use, we regularly had as many as five iPads connected simultaneously, and the StandCharger had no problem charging them quickly.
(The downside to the StandCharger’s design is that even though your devices are organized, you still have cables snaking from those devices to the USB ports—we recommend picking up some short or cables.) In this relatively limited category, the StandCharger offers the best combination of charging capability, organizational features, and price that we’ve yet found. Fast-charging iPhones, tablets, and other smartphones with USB-C: Anker PowerPort II PD.
If you have one of the latest Apple devices—the iPhone 8 or newer, or the 10.5- or 12.9-inch iPad Pro or newer—or an Android phone with USB-C like the Google Pixel 2, a USB-C PD charger like the will fill your battery a little faster than our USB-A picks (which are already faster than the stock charger included with many phones). The PowerPort II PD stands out from other fast chargers because it also includes a USB-A port for charging a second device, making it much more versatile for only a few dollars more than the competition. Battery percentage of an iPhone XS over time Charger 30 min. Apple 5W iPhone Charger 17% 33% Apple 12W iPad Charger (equivalent to fastest USB-A) 35% 73% Aukey 18W USB-C Charger 48% 81% Anker 30W USB-C Charger 49% 83% Anker PowerPort II USB-C (30W) 46% 80% iClever 30W USB-C Wall Charger 47% 81%. When paired with Apple’s USB-C–to–Lightning cable (available in and lengths), all four USB-C chargers we tested charged an iPhone XS from empty to nearly half full in 30 minutes and to about 80 percent in an hour. (Because, Apple’s own cable is currently your only option.) With the bundled 5-watt charger and cable from Apple, our test phone charged to only 17 percent and 33 percent in the same time periods, respectively. Buying an 18-watt-or-more charger and a new cable is an expensive setup, but it’s the only way to charge this quickly.
We tested four USB chargers capable of 18-watt charging. Left to right: Anker Powerport II, Anker PowerPort Speed PD 30, iClever 30W Type C Wall Charger, Aukey USB C Charger with 18W PD Photo: Sarah Kobos These chargers provide the most possible power in the least amount of time, but they aren’t worth the additional expense if you charge overnight or for long periods at your desk. And although our pick and some of the competition support charging up to 30 watts, the latest phones can draw only 18 watts at most; and some recent USB-C Android phones use the lower 15-watt standard even when paired. The competition.
USB-A chargers For an impressive amount of power in a tiny package, we like. You get as much juice as you’d get with Apple’s iPad charger and an extra charging port, in a much smaller package—a scant 1.4 by 1.2 by 1.2 inches with its prongs folded in—for half the price. The Aukey is the smallest full-speed iPad/tablet charger we’ve found, and it’s a great travel companion for charging a tablet and phone overnight, for fast-charging two smartphones, or for just charging your phone and a Bluetooth headset or speakers. (It provides a total of 2.4 amps of current, which means it can fast-charge an iPad by itself; if you connect two tablets, or a tablet and a smartphone, those 2.4 amps will be split between them.) is essentially the same product as the Aukey 12W / 2.4A, above, but more expensive. Is so much more expensive than our top charging picks that we have a really hard time recommending it despite its novelty. Four USB ports provide up to 2.4 amps each, as advertised.
But what makes this one kind of cool is the inclusion of a 1-amp, 3,200-mAh battery pack that slides into the base station for charging—you just pop it out when you need portable power. (The 0.8 inch by 0.8 inch by 3.7 inch battery can also be charged via a Micro-USB cable on the go.) However, considering that go for as little as $10, we don’t think the huge price premium for the setup is worth it. We saw all sorts of weird readings with on our power meters during testing. Didn’t live up to the company’s claims.
It promises two 2.4-amp ports, two 2.1-amp ports, and two 1-amp ports, but in repeated tests, one of the 2.1-amp ports put out only about 0.5 amps. We’ve been testing the, and although it’s an appealing idea, its high price makes it difficult to recommend for most people.
The Cove is a plastic shell measuring 16.8 inches wide by 12.8 inches deep by 6.7 inches tall. Most of the body is white, but the top and the exterior of the fold-down front door are covered in a woodlike veneer (your choice of birch, walnut, or ebony). Inside are three shelves with openings to route charging cables that you connect to a five-port USB charger built into the top, slide-out shelf.
(Only a power cable for the charger is included—you don’t get any device-charging cables.) Each port can provide 2.4 amps of current, and the front door can either close completely or sit slightly ajar to act as an angled tablet stand, using the door’s handle as a cradle. The shelves are covered in thick felt, and a drawer-like cubby in front of the charger ports offers a good place to stash your smartphone. The Cove keeps your devices organized and hidden while charging, though keeping the cables organized inside the Cove takes a bit of finagling. And despite the Cove’s sturdy looks, the top is largely unsupported—you can store a MacBook on top, but anything heavier (or similar in weight but not spread out over the top of the Cove) will cause the top to sag, which prevents its door from opening. If you’re seeking a way to keep all your devices hidden when charging, and you like the Cove’s design, take a look, but for the price, we’d like something sturdier and perhaps made with real wood.
The uses the same body as our organizational-charger pick, Skiva’s StandCharger, but only three of the Satechi model’s seven ports provide 2.4 amps of charging current; the other four offer only 1 amp each. Used to be our pick for travel, but when we tested it against the they performed exactly the same. Because the PowerPort 2 is a bit smaller and sleeker, we think most people looking for an on-the-go charger should get that one. USB-C PD chargers is the smallest USB-C PD charger we tested—it’s just a little larger than Apple’s 5-watt charger—but it was just as fast as the rest. We prefer our pick’s extra USB-A port, but this is a great option if you just need to charge your phone at top speed, or if you need the smallest charger.
Is also smaller than our pick from Anker, but like the Aukey charger has only one port. Is the largest one-port pick we tested, and though it can charge some small laptops at up to 30W, it doesn’t offer any benefits over our pick when it comes to phone charging.
What to look forward to. Anker announced the power brick, which Anker says will be more efficient within a smaller package. It’s a 27-watt USB-C charger that’s only slightly larger than the standard Apple 5-watt charging brick. Anker also said that even more powerful chargers will join the Atom line in the future: The company will launch the 60-watt, two–USB-C–port PowerPort Atom PD 2 charger and the 100-watt, four-port (two USB-C and two USB Type-A) PowerPort Atom PD 4 charger. That seems to be the same product, essentially, as the and models we discuss in.
We’d like to test and compare all three in our next round of testing.
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After using six iPads to test dozens of models, we can safely say that is the best wall charger for most phones, tablets, and other USB devices. It costs a little more than, but the Anker model can push out more than three times as much power and charge four devices at once. In fact, it can simultaneously charge three full-size iPads at full speed while also charging a smartphone. Surveyed readers said they preferred chargers that plug directly into an outlet, and this is the most powerful one we tested to do so. Additionally, Anker’s charger allows connected devices to draw the advertised amount of power; some of the competition doesn’t. This 40-watt four-port charger is just as wide as Apple’s iPad charger but larger in its other dimensions because of its extra ports.
It plugs directly into an outlet instead of using a detachable power cable, but thanks to the orientation of its prongs, it covers only a single outlet instead of crowding your power strip or wall plate. Anker’s PowerIQ technology identifies what kind of device is plugged into each port and delivers the proper amperage without your having to figure out the “right” USB port for each device. If your phone or tablet’s original USB charger is broken or lost, you’re obviously in the market for a new charger. But even if you’ve still got the original chargers for all your devices, you might want to consider something that can charge your devices from a wall outlet more quickly, charge multiple devices at the same time, or both. You connect each device to the charger using cables with a USB-A plug at one end and, usually, either a Lightning-connector (for iOS devices) or Micro-USB or USB-C (for other gear) plug at the other. (We have some recommendations for great, and cables.) Most phones and tablets include a USB wall charger, though you may also get one with other devices—some Bluetooth headsets and speakers, for example, will come with a USB charger. Even if you’ve still got the original chargers for all your devices, you might want to consider something that can charge your devices more quickly, charge multiple devices at the same time, or both.
Most of us have more than one device that charges via USB: tablets, smartphones, external battery packs, e-readers, portable speakers, Bluetooth headphones and headsets, fitness trackers—the list goes on. And there’s a good chance you’ll regularly need to charge two (or more) of those devices at the same time.
That’s where multiport USB chargers come in—they take up only a single outlet yet provide the capability to charge a number of devices simultaneously. Similarly, though every smartphone or tablet includes a USB charger, it’s surprising how many of those stock chargers can’t juice up the device as fast as possible. For example, Apple’s iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X ship with a charger that can provide only up to 1 A of current even though the phones. Multiport chargers are also great for travel.
Instead of having to pack a gaggle of chargers, you can bring one charger that handles everything. If you’re content with your current charging equipment, a new USB charger may not be necessary.
But if you’re looking to open up some outlets, to charge multiple devices in one place, or to possibly reduce how long it takes to recharge your gear, a new charger may be in your future. And most of the models we tested cost much less than buying an equivalent number of single-port chargers. Multiport chargers are also great for travel. Instead of having to pack a gaggle of chargers for the family—or when traveling alone, for your phone, tablet, headset, and Bluetooth speaker—you can bring one charger that handles everything. (Of course, you’ll have to pack the appropriate or, but nothing’s perfect.) How we picked and tested. Testing our upgrade pick, Anker’s 60W charger, with six full-size iPads.
We began our search on Amazon, where a huge selection of multiport USB chargers is available. We settled on a starting list of 45 USB-A chargers for the original version of this guide, which we whittled using these criteria:.
Multiple USB ports: Chargers with at least two USB ports are inexpensive and small, so there’s no reason to choose one with only one port. Charging speed: We eliminated any chargers that don’t support at least 2.4-amp charging from each of its ports simultaneously. And we didn’t test models that mix faster- and slower-charging ports—you shouldn’t need to figure out which is the “right” port if you want to charge your device as quickly as possible.
Reliable brands: An incredible number of companies make USB chargers. We stuck to brands with an established reputation, so that we could be more confident in the quality of the product—and the level of support if something goes wrong.
This left us 18 USB-A-only units for our first round of testing, and several more in the years after. For each model, we tested:. Charging output per port: We connected an iPad to a USB ammeter, a tool that measures power transfer. Because the iPad is capable of drawing 2.4 amps, we expected to see a number in that ballpark from each port, though not necessarily the full 2.4—it’s common to see only 2.3 A or so, because of resistance from the meter. Overall charging output: We plugged a collection of iPads into every port on the remaining chargers with a collection of iPads.
We used our ammeters to measure the average draw of each iPad. USB-C Power Delivery (USB-C PD) is an industry specification that allows faster charging over USB-C. Standard USB-C charging tops out at about 25 percent faster than USB-A—15 watts. But USB-C PD can go all the way up to 100 watts to charge or power larger gear like laptops.
Many recent phones, including Android devices like the Google Pixel 2 and the iPhone 8 or newer, support 18-watt charging when paired with the right USB PD charging hardware. We tested four promising USB-C PD 18-watt chargers from well-established companies by plugging each charger into an iPhone XS, with a Satechi meter measuring the power draw, and recording the phone’s charge 30 minutes and one hour from the start. We also considered each charger’s size and other ports in determining our pick. Our pick: Anker PowerPort 4. Is the best multiport USB charger for most people. It’s the most powerful charger that plugs directly into a wall outlet—something a plurality of our survey respondents said they wanted—letting you fast-charge up to three full-size iPads at once or four at a slower rate. (Alternatively, you can fast-charge two iPads and two smartphones.) It’s also physically small next to the competition, and it’s quite affordable.
Finally, Anker is a company that has quickly built a strong reputation in the mobile-accessory field: Anker’s charging accessories are well regarded not only by us, but also by customers on Amazon and by third-party reviewers. The Anker PowerPort 4 measures roughly 2.6 inches deep and tall, and 1.1 inches thick. (For comparison, —the 12-watt, single-port charger that comes with full-size iPads and sells for $19 on its own—is 1.8 inches square and 1.1 inches thick.) Rather than requiring a cable between the wall outlet and the charger’s body, the Anker PowerPort 4 plugs directly into an AC outlet. (In our reader survey, 41 percent of respondents told us they preferred this approach, 30 percent said they preferred a charger that uses a power cable, and 29 percent expressed no preference.) The Anker charger’s four ports are stacked horizontally on the end opposite the AC-outlet prongs. One of our favorite features is that the orientation of the prongs combined with the charger’s narrow profile allows you to plug the Anker PowerPort 4 into any wall outlet without obstructing other outlets. This device will, however, block the outlets on a power strip with outlets perpendicular to the long edge.
We like that the prongs flip up, making it easier and safer to travel with the PowerPort 4 than with models bearing stationary prongs. Anker uses technology it calls to regulate the power output from many of its accessories, including the Anker PowerPort 4. According to the company, Power IQ “intelligently identifies your device to deliver the fastest possible charge.” Put simply, circuitry in the charger is able to tell whether you’re plugging in a smartphone, tablet, or other device, and whether it’s Android, iOS, or something else; it’s then able to deliver the appropriate amount of current for the fastest charging speed. This is one reason why you don’t need to worry about finding the “right” port on the charger for full-speed charging; each port adapts on the fly depending on what’s plugged in. (Some other chargers use similar circuitry—this kind of feature isn’t unique to Anker, though we’ve had good luck with it on Anker products.) We ran a battery of tests on the Anker PowerPort 4. With three iPads attached, our ammeters reported 2.3 A to 2.35 A of current to the iPad Air and 4th-generation iPad. Again, this is normal for a device that can draw 2.4 A once you take into account the electrical resistance from the ammeter.
What this means in practical terms is that you can plug in one, two, or three tablets at once and they’ll all charge at full speed. Connecting a fourth tablet won’t cause any adverse effects, though the output of each port will go down, resulting in slower-than-optimal charging speeds. (Power = voltage. current. When charging devices rated at 5 V—which includes most devices you’ll charge via USB—this means the Anker PowerPort 4 can provide 7.2 A, which breaks down to a maximum of 2.4 A per port over three ports, or 2.0 A over four ports.) Of course, many people will never try to charge four high-current-draw tablets at once. (If you do need this capability, you’ll want to consider our more-powerful pick, below.) Instead, you’ll likely charge some combination of tablets, smartphones, speakers, external battery packs, and other accessories, and most USB-charged devices draw less current than an iPad Air or fourth-generation iPad.
So while we can’t say exactly how much juice every combination of gadgets will require, in most circumstances, anything you plug into the Anker PowerPort 4 will charge at either full speed or close to it. Why didn’t we pick a charger with more ports or a higher total power? Because 84 percent of respondents to our survey said that three was the maximum number of devices they needed to be able to charge at once.
With that in mind, the Anker PowerPort 4 makes for the perfect pick. If you have more taxing demands, we have an alternative pick below.
To test idle electricity consumption—that is, how much power the Anker PowerPort 4 draws when it’s plugged into the wall but not actively charging a device—we connected our test unit, with no devices attached, to, a tool made for just that purpose. After we left the setup going for 166 hours, the monitor showed a cumulative power draw of 0.00 kilowatt hours. Yes, that’s right, zero. We’re assuming there’s some power being drawn, but the amount is so negligible that after a full week, our meter showed it as equivalent to zero. In other words, you don’t need to worry about the Anker PowerPort 4 costing you money by sucking up power when you’re not using it.
It’s also worth noting that the charger is rated for 100 V to 240 V, meaning it’ll work both in the United States and abroad—assuming you have the right plug adapter. Anker says that the device is UL certified. Like many Anker products, the Anker PowerPort 4 has very strong Amazon customer ratings, with about 4.8 stars (out of five) across more than 3,000 reviews at the time we checked.
Not only do most of the people who buy the charger love it, but a lot of people buy it and love it. Only 2 percent of its Amazon reviews are less than four stars right now, and says the PowerPort 4’s Amazon reviews are of high quality and can be trusted On the professional-reviewer side, The Wall Street Journal’s a “godsend.” Our pick: Flaws but not dealbreakers. The biggest drawback to the Anker PowerPort 4 is that it can’t provide enough juice to fast-charge four large tablets at once.
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Plug in three iPads, and they will all charge at the maximum rate, but the current to each will drop a bit when you connect a fourth. We’d love to see Anker update this charger to handle 48 W, so that all four ports could provide 2.4 A of current simultaneously. One potential downside to the PowerPort 4’s prongs: They’re oriented such that the charger’s body sits parallel to the wall outlet, rather than perpendicular as on Anker’s now-discontinued 36W 4-Port Wall Charger.
This won’t be a problem with most wall-outlet plates, where you can plug the PowerPort 4 into the bottom outlet, leaving the top outlet available. But on power strips where the outlets sit parallel to the long edge, the PowerPort 4 will block adjacent outlets, whereas the 36W 4-Port USB Wall Charger would not. (On power strips where the outlets are perpendicular to the long edge, on the other hand, the older charger would block adjacent outlets, while the PowerPort 4 will not.) A minor issue is that, like most of the multiport chargers we tested, the PowerPort 4 lacks any sort of organization for the devices being charged or the cables being used. When you connect four devices, those four USB-charging cables—which, as with all of the models here, you must provide yourself—can easily become tangled. Our pick: Long-term test notes. If you need an extra charger for a USB-C–powered MacBook or PC laptop, or have to replace the one that came with your computer, is the best option, based on our testing of 18 USB-C chargers with seven computers.
The Nekteck supports 60-watt charging from its USB-C port, fast enough to charge most laptops at full speed, and it’s USB-IF certified, which means that it should be safe to use. It also has three USB-A ports for charging other devices at the same time. You can read more about it—and our other laptop-charging picks—in our. A pick with more ports and more power: Anker PowerPort 6. Although four charging ports is a lot, some people need even more. Is the best option for them.
It’s considerably more powerful than the Anker PowerPort 4, and it offers two additional ports. Naturally, these upgrades involve some sacrifices. The PowerPort 6 isn’t actually much larger than our top pick: It’s roughly the same thickness, but it’s just over half an inch deeper and a little over a quarter of an inch taller. However, instead of built-in prongs, it connects to an AC outlet using a five-foot-long, detachable power cord.
That’s more clutter, to be sure, but it also allows you to place the unit away from your wall outlet—handy if, for instance, that outlet is hidden under a desk. The PowerPort 6 is a great pick for all but the most demanding tablet users—and even then, we haven’t found anything more capable.The PowerPort 6 aced our initial six-iPad test, so we replaced the iPad mini 2 with an iPad Air 2 to test the charger with six full-size iPads.
The PowerPort 6 successfully provided 2.4 amps of current to each of our two control iPads, even with the four other full-size iPads connected. It’s worth noting that 60 W isn’t enough power to provide a full 2.4 A to each of six ports simultaneously. However, based on our testing, the PowerPort 6 is a great pick for all but the most demanding tablet users—and even then, we haven’t found anything more capable.
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You have to provide your own cables, but here are enough ports for the entire family. 9to5Mac’s Jeremy Horwitz is a big fan of this charger: “Anker’s 6-Port Desktop USB Charger is very easy to recommend, particularly when you consider that it costs less for these six USB ports than two one-port Apple 12W USB Power Adapters,” he said in a. “Whether you’re at home with a single wall outlet (rather than six) to spare, or in need of a travel charger that requires much less space than carrying multiple wall adapters around, a multi-device power solution like this just makes sense.” As with the Anker PowerPort 4, when we tested the power usage of the Anker PowerPort 6 with no devices connected—this one over a period of 48 hours—it showed a power draw of 0.00 kilowatt hours. Again, this means that any idle power consumption is negligible. The 60W is also rated for 100 V to 240 V.
If this pick goes out of stock or the price jumps, is a great alternative. The RAVPower is about the same size as the Anker model and performed just as well in our tests. The only reason Anker got the edge over such a similar model is its warranty: Anker covers return shipping costs during the full 18 months of the warranty, while RAVPower does so for only six months. A small travel pick: Anker PowerPort 2. If two ports is enough for you, is the best option for multiport charging, and its compact size makes it great for travel.
Each of its two USB ports can provide 2.4 amps simultaneously. This means that it can charge most handsets, tablets, or accessories (anything that uses standard USB rather than Quick Charge or USB-C Power Delivery to charge) at full speed from either port. These charging capabilities are especially impressive when you consider the charger’s size and price. Measuring a little more than 2 inches square and just over an inch thick, it’s only a little bigger than the 12-watt charger Apple ships with every iPad. As with Apple’s iPad charger, the PowerPort 2’s wall prongs fold in for travel, making the charger smaller and keeping the prongs protected from damage. But Anker’s charger sells for almost half the price of Apple’s iPad charger—a great deal considering the Anker’s charging capabilities.
The PowerPort 2’s circular LED indicator, which glows blue when the charger is receiving power, puts it over the top when compared with a number of equally powerful, equally affordable chargers. If you don’t like the light, or need another option than the Anker for some reason, and (formerly our pick, but ousted by the smaller and sleeker PowerPort 2) are all good options. An organizational docking station: Skiva StandCharger. We didn’t dive too deeply into charging stations that can also hold your gear, but we really like the, which can charge seven full-size iPads simultaneously while also keeping them—if not their charging cables—neatly arranged. The StandCharger is roughly 7½ inches deep (front to back), 5½ inches wide, and 2½ inches tall.
It has a plastic base with eight 1.3-inch-tall plastic dividers that allow it to hold as many as seven tablets, phones, or other devices upright while they charge. The ¾-inch space between these dividers is wide enough for tablets in all but the bulkiest of cases.
The dividers are plastic, but they’re permanently attached to the base, and they’re sturdy enough to prop up even a 12.9-inch iPad Pro in a case. In the limited category of multiport chargers with organizational features, the StandCharger is the one we’d buy. Seven USB ports along the right side of the base each advertise 2.4 A of charging current—a total of 16.8 A from 84 watts of power. We tested this model separately from the other chargers in this guide, so we didn’t have our full testing rig with seven iPads and ammeters, but during several months of use, we regularly had as many as five iPads connected simultaneously, and the StandCharger had no problem charging them quickly. (The downside to the StandCharger’s design is that even though your devices are organized, you still have cables snaking from those devices to the USB ports—we recommend picking up some short or cables.) In this relatively limited category, the StandCharger offers the best combination of charging capability, organizational features, and price that we’ve yet found. Fast-charging iPhones, tablets, and other smartphones with USB-C: Anker PowerPort II PD.
If you have one of the latest Apple devices—the iPhone 8 or newer, or the 10.5- or 12.9-inch iPad Pro or newer—or an Android phone with USB-C like the Google Pixel 2, a USB-C PD charger like the will fill your battery a little faster than our USB-A picks (which are already faster than the stock charger included with many phones). The PowerPort II PD stands out from other fast chargers because it also includes a USB-A port for charging a second device, making it much more versatile for only a few dollars more than the competition. Battery percentage of an iPhone XS over time Charger 30 min. Apple 5W iPhone Charger 17% 33% Apple 12W iPad Charger (equivalent to fastest USB-A) 35% 73% Aukey 18W USB-C Charger 48% 81% Anker 30W USB-C Charger 49% 83% Anker PowerPort II USB-C (30W) 46% 80% iClever 30W USB-C Wall Charger 47% 81%. When paired with Apple’s USB-C–to–Lightning cable (available in and lengths), all four USB-C chargers we tested charged an iPhone XS from empty to nearly half full in 30 minutes and to about 80 percent in an hour. (Because, Apple’s own cable is currently your only option.) With the bundled 5-watt charger and cable from Apple, our test phone charged to only 17 percent and 33 percent in the same time periods, respectively.
Buying an 18-watt-or-more charger and a new cable is an expensive setup, but it’s the only way to charge this quickly. We tested four USB chargers capable of 18-watt charging.
Left to right: Anker Powerport II, Anker PowerPort Speed PD 30, iClever 30W Type C Wall Charger, Aukey USB C Charger with 18W PD Photo: Sarah Kobos These chargers provide the most possible power in the least amount of time, but they aren’t worth the additional expense if you charge overnight or for long periods at your desk. And although our pick and some of the competition support charging up to 30 watts, the latest phones can draw only 18 watts at most; and some recent USB-C Android phones use the lower 15-watt standard even when paired. The competition. USB-A chargers For an impressive amount of power in a tiny package, we like. You get as much juice as you’d get with Apple’s iPad charger and an extra charging port, in a much smaller package—a scant 1.4 by 1.2 by 1.2 inches with its prongs folded in—for half the price. The Aukey is the smallest full-speed iPad/tablet charger we’ve found, and it’s a great travel companion for charging a tablet and phone overnight, for fast-charging two smartphones, or for just charging your phone and a Bluetooth headset or speakers. (It provides a total of 2.4 amps of current, which means it can fast-charge an iPad by itself; if you connect two tablets, or a tablet and a smartphone, those 2.4 amps will be split between them.) is essentially the same product as the Aukey 12W / 2.4A, above, but more expensive.
Is so much more expensive than our top charging picks that we have a really hard time recommending it despite its novelty. Four USB ports provide up to 2.4 amps each, as advertised.
But what makes this one kind of cool is the inclusion of a 1-amp, 3,200-mAh battery pack that slides into the base station for charging—you just pop it out when you need portable power. (The 0.8 inch by 0.8 inch by 3.7 inch battery can also be charged via a Micro-USB cable on the go.) However, considering that go for as little as $10, we don’t think the huge price premium for the setup is worth it. We saw all sorts of weird readings with on our power meters during testing. Didn’t live up to the company’s claims. It promises two 2.4-amp ports, two 2.1-amp ports, and two 1-amp ports, but in repeated tests, one of the 2.1-amp ports put out only about 0.5 amps. We’ve been testing the, and although it’s an appealing idea, its high price makes it difficult to recommend for most people. The Cove is a plastic shell measuring 16.8 inches wide by 12.8 inches deep by 6.7 inches tall.
Most of the body is white, but the top and the exterior of the fold-down front door are covered in a woodlike veneer (your choice of birch, walnut, or ebony). Inside are three shelves with openings to route charging cables that you connect to a five-port USB charger built into the top, slide-out shelf. (Only a power cable for the charger is included—you don’t get any device-charging cables.) Each port can provide 2.4 amps of current, and the front door can either close completely or sit slightly ajar to act as an angled tablet stand, using the door’s handle as a cradle. The shelves are covered in thick felt, and a drawer-like cubby in front of the charger ports offers a good place to stash your smartphone. The Cove keeps your devices organized and hidden while charging, though keeping the cables organized inside the Cove takes a bit of finagling. And despite the Cove’s sturdy looks, the top is largely unsupported—you can store a MacBook on top, but anything heavier (or similar in weight but not spread out over the top of the Cove) will cause the top to sag, which prevents its door from opening. If you’re seeking a way to keep all your devices hidden when charging, and you like the Cove’s design, take a look, but for the price, we’d like something sturdier and perhaps made with real wood.
The uses the same body as our organizational-charger pick, Skiva’s StandCharger, but only three of the Satechi model’s seven ports provide 2.4 amps of charging current; the other four offer only 1 amp each. Used to be our pick for travel, but when we tested it against the they performed exactly the same. Because the PowerPort 2 is a bit smaller and sleeker, we think most people looking for an on-the-go charger should get that one. USB-C PD chargers is the smallest USB-C PD charger we tested—it’s just a little larger than Apple’s 5-watt charger—but it was just as fast as the rest. We prefer our pick’s extra USB-A port, but this is a great option if you just need to charge your phone at top speed, or if you need the smallest charger. Is also smaller than our pick from Anker, but like the Aukey charger has only one port.
Is the largest one-port pick we tested, and though it can charge some small laptops at up to 30W, it doesn’t offer any benefits over our pick when it comes to phone charging. What to look forward to. Anker announced the power brick, which Anker says will be more efficient within a smaller package. It’s a 27-watt USB-C charger that’s only slightly larger than the standard Apple 5-watt charging brick. Anker also said that even more powerful chargers will join the Atom line in the future: The company will launch the 60-watt, two–USB-C–port PowerPort Atom PD 2 charger and the 100-watt, four-port (two USB-C and two USB Type-A) PowerPort Atom PD 4 charger. That seems to be the same product, essentially, as the and models we discuss in.
We’d like to test and compare all three in our next round of testing.