I love making sure that all my devices are charged and I really hate when I’m out driving around or on a road trip and my smartphone does, mp3 player runs out of juice, or the battery on my GPS gives out.
One of my main rides is a 2002 Volvo S60 and as you might imagine it doesn’t come with any USB ports or fancy charging setups that I can use to keep my devices charged.
Since all I have is the old power outlet to use, the cigarette lighter outlet if you will, I’m always on the lookout for the best USB car charger so that I don’t ever have to worry about anything running out of juice while I’m out driving around.
In this post today I want to talk about some of the different options that I’d recommend checking out if you’re looking for a USB charger to use in your car.
All of these are designed to plug into the 12v power outlet in your car (cigarette lighter) and will come equipped with at least 2 ports for suitable usability.
If you’re interested in keeping your iPad charged in the car then you should take a look at my post where I go over a few options for the best iPad car charger.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at my recommendations!
The Best Car Charger: USB Capable
Maxboost Car Charger
The Maxboost Car Charger comes equipped with a pair of USB ports making it possible to charge one or two devices at a time and features an LED light so that the ports can be quickly found in the dark.
It takes on a small and sleek design so it doesn’t take up too much space around the area where the power outlet is and it offers 4.8 amps of charging power to charge your devices while you’re driving.
It’s well suited for smartphones, tablets, mp3 players, and I didn’t find that it got too warm at all while it was being used to charge.
Once it has been plugged in it doesn’t stick out very far from the power outlet and has quite a streamlined, low profile design.
I quite like the compact design of the Maxboost Car Charger and it’s portable enough that I can quickly toss it into the glove compartment until I needed it again.
If you’re looking to charge up to two devices at the same time while you’re driving with a portable and lightweight charger then I would recommend checking out the Maxboost Car Charger.
Anker PowerDrive +1
The Anker PowerDrive +1 is a nifty little USB car charger that can be used for charging just a single device at a time.
This device features the Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 capability that makes it possible to charge any devices that compatible with this charging feature up to 80% battery life in just 35 minutes.
The LED light that it comes equipped with just above the port makes the port easy to locate even when it’s dark out.
Anker is a brand I’m quite happy with so far, especially when it comes to their wireless portable keyboards, and this compact single USB charger has continued to please me with its quality design and durable build.
It’s possible to charge a single device at the a time and it’s well-suited for keeping smartphones, mp3 players, and other USB-based devices powered up and ready to use.
For peace of mind it comes with an 18-month warranty just in case something goes wrong and it also boasts quite a streamlined and low-profile design so isn’t too obnoxious on the dash while it’s plugged in.
I like the Anker products I’ve used so far and I would also recommend checking out the Anker PowerDrive +1 if you’re looking for a way to keep a device charged in your car through the older 12v power outlets while being able to take advantage of the quicker Qualcomm 3.0 charging speed (if your device is compatible).
Crave CarHub 4 Port USB Charger
The Crave CarHub 4 Port USB Charger comes equipped with 4 different USB ports so that it’s possible to charge up to four different devices at the same time.
Three of the ports come equipped with 2.0 quick charge capabilities with the fourth port offering 5v/9v/12v for any devices that might require more power.
To keep your devices protected while they’re charging there is short circuit and surge protection and it’s possible to charge a tablet, smartphone, and even keep a GPS charged all at the same time without having to worry about battery life.
This charger is also quite compact so it can be tossed into the glove box when it’s not being used or carried around in your backpack or purse so that you have it whenever you happen to need it in your vehicle.
With its lightweight design and 4 USB port charging capabilities I would definitely recommend checking out the Crave CarHub 4 Port USB Charger if you’re looking to keep a variety of different devices charged while you’re driving around.
Scosche USBC242M ReVolt Dual Charger
The Scosche USBC242M ReVolt Dual comes equipped with 2 USB ports so it can be used for charging up to 2 different devices at the same time.
It’s quite small and once it’s plugged into the 12v power outlet it doesn’t stick out very much so it’s not taking up too much space on the dashboard panel and thanks to the small indentations that you can find underneath the top part it’s quite easy to remove from the power jack when you’re not using it.
When it’s plugged in and powered on there is a LED light that you’ll see that lets you know when it’s ready to use and also makes it easier to find in the dark and poor lighting conditions.
It takes advantage of a pair of 12w USB ports for quick charging capabilities and it can be used with most smartphones, most tablets, and also for things like GPS, portable speakers, and even to keep a Bluetooth headset charged.
Quite like the low profile and streamlined look of the Scosche USBC242M ReVolt Dual and I would definitely recommend checking it out if you’re looking to keep a wide range of different devices charged (two at a time of course) while you’re in the car.
Anker PowerDrive 2
I was keeping my eye out for the best dual USB car charger and it was this one that I eventually settled on.
The Anker PowerDrive 2 comes equipped with 2 USB ports and each Port is able to automatically adjust the output that it provides in a range up to 2.4amps in power.
I find that it’s quite reasonably priced and as I already mentioned I’m very happy with the range of different products that I’ve been able to use from Anker so I trust that their USB car chargers are up to snuff.
It takes on quite a small profile so it doesn’t stick out too far from the power jack and thanks to the glowing LED above the ports the USB ports enjoy a highlighted glow during the dark and in poor lighting conditions.
The majority of the charger is made from a hard plastic material so it’s quite lightweight and its small size makes it portable so it’s possible to bring it around or just keep it stored in the glove compartment until it’s ready to be used.
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