How to pick the right charger: A practical guide

Picking the best charger for your smartphone and other gadgets has always been a bit of a chore, and the growing trend in handsets shipping without a boxed adapter has only made the process more arduous. The many charging standards, cable types, and brand-specific terminology certainly doesn’t help narrow down your needs.

Charging your phone is simple enough — plug in the USB-C cable to any old plug or port, and you’re off. But is the device really fast charging or powering up as optimally as possible? Unfortunately, there’s no guaranteed way to know. Fortunately, we’re here to help. When you’re done with this article, you’ll be fully equipped to pick out the best charger for your new smartphone, laptop, and other gadgets.

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Here's what you need to know about picking the right charger for your Android device.

• Find out how much power you need in watts (W). This is often listed on a phone's specification sheet or manual. Typically, charging power varies between 18-80W, with some, like OnePlus, exceeding 120W.
• Check the charging protocol supported by your device. You'll need to buy a first-party branded charger if it's proprietary, such as OPPO's SuperVOOC. Universal standards such as USB Power Delivery (PD) open the door to many third-party options.
• Pick a charger matching your device's power requirement and charging standard.
• If you plan to charge multiple devices from a single charger, double-check that it can share enough power on all its ports for your gadgets and that each port supports your required standards.

What charger do you need for an iPhone?

• If you own an iPhone 15 or 16, you'll need a USB-C charger and USB-C charging cable — just like an Android device.
• Have an iPhone 12, 13, or 14? You'll require the standard Lightning charger and Lightning cable.

Keep reading to learn more about our picks for the best chargers you can buy.