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Most of us buy into the promise of marathon battery life from our phones when we opt for a new one, but within months, it often seems like they can’t hold a charge long enough to make a call, play some tunes, or even direct us to the closest gas station. Thankfully, there’s an assortment of capable phone chargers available for your car, whether you’re an Apple or Android aficionado, to help make sure power isn’t an issue when you’re on the road.
Some have enough energy to simultaneously charge your smartphone and tablet, while others distinguish themselves from the pack with a streamlined design and built-in cables. Below are a few of our personal favorites, from the likes of Moshi and Incipio. Just don’t forget to keep your eyes on the road — no one likes a $250 fine or a fender bender.
The Best
Moshi Car Charger Duo ($25)
Moshi has quickly and quietly become the undisputed king of all things charge related. The Moshi Car Charger Duo — previously known as the Moshi Revolt Duo — is a testament to the company’s steadfast approach to charging, offering two USB ports rated at 2.1A (10-watt) for energizing two devices at once. The anodized-aluminum cover is about as attractive as it gets for a car charger, adorned with a simple LED indicator light that delivers a faint glow. The charger’s power management circuitry provides under-current and over-current protection, but it’s the charger’s subtle design that makes Moshi’s flagship offering a favorite.
Buy one now from:
Amazon B&H
The Rest
Scosche reVOLT Dual ($12+)
Scosche’s reVOLT Dual is not much of a looker, but the compact charger sports a low-profile frame that sits flush in most vehicle power sockets. Unlike some other chargers in our roundup, each USB port on the sleek device supplies 2.4A (12-watt) of power, which means it’s capable of charging two tablets at a time. The high output also allows it to charge a smartphone quicker than most standard chargers. Oh, and we can’t resist anything that has glowing USB ports.
Buy one now from:
Amazon Walmart
Anker PowerDrive 5 ($25)
Family road trips can be demanding, on both your smartphone and your patience. Fortunately, Anker’s five-port charger is designed for the rare instances when you might need more than one or two USB ports. The robust, 50-watt device outputs 10A overall — enough to simultaneously power five phones or four tablets — while housing premium circuitry that’s designed to prevent your expensive lineup from overcharging. The unique design also places the hub at the end of a cable, so you can rest the charger on the center console and charge everyone’s devices without having to buy extra-long cords. The polished finish and 18-month warranty only help justify the price.
Buy one now from:
Amazon
Incipio Dual Auto Charger ($30+)
Incipio is a household name when it comes to cables, cases, and chargers. The company’s Dual Auto Charger doesn’t vastly differ from others on our list. The USB port provides 2.4A of power, for example, but it does feature a built-in Lightning cable for added convenience. It’s also relatively sleek, with rubberized sides and a vibrant, blue indicator light on the front for checking the charging status of your device at a glance. It’s on the pricier side, but you’ll also never have to worry about forgetting your cable.
Buy one now from:
Incipio Amazon
Aukey Dual Port Car Charger with Quick Charge 3.0 ($20)
This two-port model from Aukey is one of the most popular car chargers on the market, probably because it works with a range of connection types and is 45-percent more efficient than chargers built with Quick Charge 2.0. That said, the Quick Charge capacity only works with smartphones powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon processors (check Qualcomm’s list here). To minimize the risk of circuitry damage, this model also uses the company’s EntireProtect feature, which helps prevent overcharging and overheating.
Buy one now from:
Amazon
This article was originally published on 7-21-2015. Updated 4-28-2017 by Dallon Adams to include Aukey’s latest offering.