(Last Updated On: December 25, 2016)

Just like many other charging electronics, the USB Wall charger is the most used kind of product when it comes to charging not only our smartphones but a bunch of other devices; Such as Bluetooth headsets, controllers, Laptops and much more. There are many USB Wall chargers on the market. Some wall chargers may look premium and aesthetic to look at but the tech behind them is weak. Some wall chargers are dangerous because they may have many charging outputs but they don’t have the safety tech to keep you or your devices safe. Some wall chargers are simply obsolete pertaining to their size and tech.

Charger Harbor is here to let you know what makes the best wall charger the best choice for you to get. We’ve created ways for you to find what makes a USB wall chargers a quality charging product so you’re satisfied every time you use your wall charger. Let’s get started on what to look for when purchasing a wall charger.

#1: Amount of Charging Ports / Charging speed Per Port

Current wall chargers are becoming a more multi-port product only. That means wall chargers usually have two or charging ports to them. So the first thing you’re going to need to know is how many ports do you want your wall charger to have. If you think that you may only need a single port wall charger, then that may not be the best idea because you may need to charge multiple devices in the future and if you’re searching for a wall charger that has a single port, it’s most likely going to be a Quick Charge wall charger. That’s because a single port wall charger does not give too much usability other than charging a single device with it, which is why many One port wall chargers take advantage of Quick Charge technologies.

This is why we recommend for those that get a wall charger, you should usually start with a 2 port wall charger and work your way up from there but if you absolutely only need a 1-port wall charger then get a Quick Charge one; They’re low in price and deliver the fastest charge possible even for non-Quick Charge compatible devices.

2 Port wall chargers are the sweet Spot of wall charging

On from the one port range, there is a wide range of charging possibilities that open up with every charging port that a wall charger has. Starting at the two port wall charger category is perfect because this is where many wall chargers are at their most powerful and most portable. A 2-port wall charger should have either have a maximum charging Output of 5V/2.4A or a minimum charging output of 5V/2.0A. Gone are the days of 2-port wall chargers that have a charging output of 5V/1A; That kind of charging speed is simply very slow at charging a modern device, especially for tablets.

On from 2 ports lies greater charging possibilities.

If your needs take you beyond the 2 port wall charging category then you most likely have an idea of how many devices you’d like to set on charge at any given time or you simply want many ports so all your cables are ready to be used. 3-Port and 4-Port wall chargers are where the max charging speeds of wall chargers at 5V/2.4A charging speed tends to stay the same if you’re looking for a wall charger that is able to provide an optimal charging speed for all ports.

Once you get into the higher 5-port, 6-Port and even 10-port wall chargers, the output tends to go down because the Amperage current that is going out of the wall charger generates too much heat; As a result, the Amperage must be lowered per port if/when the wall charger has many charging ports.

Where to get these Wall Chargers?

So how do you get wall chargers that are in the port ranges that we mentioned and at fast charging speeds? Simple, you must get your wall chargers from online. We’re absolutely serious when we say that wall chargers that are sold in retail stores do not hold the same quality standards that you’re able to find online. Especially if we’re talking about charging speed.

The Interconnectedness of Wall Chargers

Overall, getting a powerful and well-ported wall charger is important for your overall charging needs. Wall chargers are nearly relied upon by every other charging electronic. Power banks have to be recharged through a Micro-USB input that is connected to a wall charger. Wireless chargers still have to be connected to a wall charger to function and charge a smartphone. Tablets can charge faster when there is a higher Amp Output. This is why it’s vital to get a wall charger that is capable of fast charging speeds, so you’re able to recharge a power bank faster, increase the charging speed of a Wireless chargers and charge devices like iPads and smartphones faster.

Always remember to look at the Output of the Wall charger before purchasing.

Output charging speeds:

5V/1.0A – Slow: Wall chargers with 1 Amp charging speeds are very slow because many devices today can charge at higher Amperage speeds. You’re basically settling for a slow charging experience with 1 Amp and that goes for an all your charging needs.

5V/2.0A – Medium: 2 Amps of charging speed is faster and a more commonly used Amperage that is just fast enough to charge devices quickly. However, it won’t be pushing any charging limits, it’s a highly relied on charging speed.

5V/2.4A – Max Standard Charging Speed: The most used and most trusted charging speed that will charge nearly any device that uses a USB cable to be charged at full potential. It’s with 2.4 Amps is a device able to choose what’s the most amount of Amperage it should accept and charge at the fastest possible speed. Recharging power banks, and using Wireless chargers will provide the optimum charging experience.

5V/3.0A – Quick Charge / USB Type-C: Special charging technology like Quick Charge will charge compatible Quick Charge devices at 3 Amps speed and non-compatible devices are provided with a possible output of 2.4 Amps. The best thing about owning a wall charger that uses Quick Charge is that you can depend on it to give fast charging even when you don’t have a Quick Charge compatible device.

Type-C cables are also implemented within Wall chargers for a device that uses the USB Type-C cable for charging. A Type-C to Type-C cable can be used on wall chargers that feature a Type-C input so the device can take advantage of the fastest possible charging speed of 3 Amps.

#2: Safety Tech

Safety Tech with wall chargers is an absolute must. Safety charging tech allows you to have absolute confidence with the wall charger that you’re using because they are able to provide tech that’s going to control the entire charging process when it’s happening; As a result, charging is able to go as smooth as possible.

This is a major thing to look out for with USB wall chargers that have lots of charging ports because the more devices that you have connected to a wall charger, the more current it’s outputting and the higher chance that the charger will generate more heat and cause damage to your device or to the wall charger itself.

Consider these safety tech features when you’re searching for a wall charger to purchase:

Output / Input Current Control: Amperage within chargers are the most powerful force within a charger. It’s the energy that actually charges your device and it must be controlled because if there are too many Amps being sent to your device, then your device will get damaged. A wall charger should have an Amp Current controller to make sure that the Amp current being sent out is always stable.

Voltage Regulation: Voltage is the energy that regulates the Amp current. If there’s not enough Voltage for the Amperage, then the Amperage could potentially lose control and cause damage to the wall charger itself or your devices.

Over Heat Protection: Heat is a very bad thing when it comes to charging in general. In this case, wall chargers need to have the ability to avoid generating too much by changing Voltage and Amp current. This way the generation of heat is stabilized if you’re within a warm climate and as a result, the Amp current may go down. Sure, you will be getting slower charging speed but it’s to keep the wall charger and your devices safe.

Short Circuit Protection: Avoiding a Short-Circuit is a something that should be standard on every charger. Regardless of how low quality it is. A Short-Circuit can do very severe damage because a current is being sent out without being regulated.

All of these safety tech features should be present with all wall chargers because they provide the necessary technology that will keep you worry free. Even with wall chargers that are 10-ports, these safety features are able to allow you to connect 10 devices, charge them efficiently and keep the 10-port wall charger and your devices safe from harm’s way. You should not have to worry about what’s going to happen if you plug in “Too Much” devices within a wall charger because a wall charger should already be built for what you’re going to use it for.

#3: Design & Size

Designs of a charger are important for the wall charger, it may not be an aspect that’s nearly as important but a USB wall charger should have a good design and a size that generally makes sense. These days, they’re becoming more compact, they’re more minimalistic and are very easy to travel with no matter how many charging ports they have. Some wall chargers even have retractable pins that make the wall charger very portable because when you place the plug pins within the wall charger, the charger simply becomes a cube without any outward facing obstructions.

Although we do warn you that some wall chargers with retractable plugs tend to be lower quality than others. There are some cases that the wall charger may sag down or the plug pins are placed weakly within the wall charger and as a result, the plug pins fall out.

Here are some main Design aspects that are the best when it comes to USB Wall chargers:

Charging Ports are clearly visible and labeled

Charging ports on a wall charger are what the wall charger is all about. You should be able to see the charging ports and be able to use them quickly. Vertical placement of charging ports is the best practice because it provides the most optimal room for ports. Labels on charging ports is another important aspect; Such as pointing out that a port is 5V/2.0A or features smart charging tech. Quick Charge ports on wall charger should be labeled with the Quick Charge logo or at least colored a distinctive color.

It’s with these design choices that a Wall charger will be the most straightforward to use and easy to use.

The Wall charger has a LED power light

Knowing when your devices are charging is a great way to enhance the charging experience. This is not available on many wall chargers and that’s OKAY. Although LED charging lights that indicate when Normal charging is taking place and when Quick Charge charging is taking place is good to have. There are even wall chargers that have LED charging lights that turn off when your device is fully charged and the charging itself stops as well.

This design choice is minimally used, and simply is a plus to a wall charger.

There are round corners on the wall charger

Products that have sharp edges tend to be less friendly to carry, take up more space and more prone to taking damage. With round edges, a wall charger is able to be more versatile because it takes up less space and if it falls, it’s the shock damage from a fall will be less severe because round edges are able to dissipate damage better.

Doesn’t Take up other Outlet Spaces

Taking up another outlet can be very frustrating because you may want to use the outlet next the wall charger but you can’t because the wall charger is covering the outlet next to it. Even the most efficient kind of wall chargers do this; They take up the space of an outlet either when they’re on a wall outlet or a Surge Protector. If possible, you should get a wall charger that takes advantage of its vertical shape and doesn’t block other wall chargers.