The best wall chargers: A buyer's guide

Manufacturers ditching wall chargers seems to be all the rage these days whenever you pick up a new phone. The problem is that the older options you have lying around your house may not be up to snuff with today’s fast charging options. Of course, OEMs will tell you to grab a first-party wall charger, but is that really your best option? In some cases, yes, but there are so many more third-party options to choose from.

We’re here to highlight some of the best wall chargers you can buy, including both first- and third-party options. Some offer multiple ports, while others offer impressive fast charging options, and some pack the best of both worlds. What are you waiting for? Let’s get your battery back to a full charge.

See also: The best phone charging accessories you can buy

Buying the right wall charger for your needs

There’s a lot to look for as you shop for a wall charger, and it all starts with a trustworthy brand. We highly recommend Anker, but there are plenty of good options out there. We do our best to ensure that all of these choices balance price, quality, and reputation.

Once you’ve settled on a solid brand, it’s time for more specific questions. The best place to start is with how many ports you need. Many wall chargers include some mix of USB-A and USB-C ports, and you can occasionally find options with multiples of each. Of course, the more devices you plan to charge, the larger a wall charger you’ll need. This adds weight and may make for a worse travel companion.

The third point to research is how fast your wall charger will actually deliver its juice. Fast charging is generally a standard feature these days, but not all fast charging is created equal. You’re not as likely to find a third-party charger that can handle top speeds like VOOC technology. It’s also important to know if your devices can handle Qualcomm’s Quick Charge or USB-PD (Power Delivery) to tap into the highest speeds.

Anker Nano II 65W: The best wall charger for most people

Anker offers a great variety of wall chargers, portable battery packs, and many other accessories. There’s something for everyone, and the company offers great quality, as well as modern technology. Right now, the best option for the common user is the Anker Nano II. There are three versions of it: 30W, 45W, and 65W.

You can obviously save some cash and get a 30W one, which will work perfectly with most phones. That said, upgrading to the 65W doesn’t cost that much more. It’s worth getting the faster charger so you can future-proof yourself for upcoming phones with faster charging capabilities.

Unless you have one of the very few phones with ultra-fast charging speeds, chances are your device will do just fine with this 65W charger. This should cover the most popular modern devices, such as the Galaxy S22 and iPhone 14. You would have to get something very powerful like the ASUS ROG Phone 6D to charge at 65W.

Anker’s compact design means that you can take this wall charger with you on the go. It’s as tiny as wall chargers get.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Anker Nano II 65W.

Looking for other recommendations? While the Anker Nano II 65W is our top recommendation, keep reading for other choices worth considering.

Other products worth considering

The best wall chargers

• ElecJet X21 GaN Pro: It packs blistering 65W charging speeds and a trio of ports to choose from, all wrapped in a compact GaN design.
• Anker 717 Charger (140W): For those who need top charging speeds for more power-hungry devices like tablets or laptops.
• Anker 747 Charger (GaNPrime 150W): An excellent option for those needing to charge three devices simultaneously.
• Spigen PowerArc ArcStation Pro: Spigen’s GaN wall charger offers solid 20W speeds and is one of the smallest options you’ll find. It’s also more affordable.
• RavPower PD Pioneer 65W: This charging hub packs four total ports and enough power to quickly get you back on your feet. It plugs in with an AC cable to keep your devices close at hand.
• ElecJet 45W Super Fast Charger: It’s not easy to find third-party chargers for Samsung’s Super Fast Charge, but this is a great option. The 45W speeds and PD PPS should handle most devices with ease.
• Samsung 45W SuperFast Travel Adapter: Samsung’s proprietary SuperFast adapter is a natural partner for the latest Galaxy devices with a small, travel-ready footprint but a relatively high price.
• Anker 733 Power Bank (GaNPrime PowerCore 65W): This wall charger is extraordinary, as it also doubles as a portable battery.

ElecJet X21 GaN Pro: Great for charging multiple devices

If we had the chance to name a second-favorite wall charger, this would be it. The ElecJet X21 GaN Pro simply covers all of the bases, and it offers impressive speeds while doing so. As you can see above, it packs three total ports, which means you can get all your devices back up and running simultaneously. ElecJet’s X21 GaN Pro is a bit expensive, but it opens the door to far more flexibility.

See also: The best multi-port USB wall chargers you can get

This wall charger tops out at 65W, which makes it a great option for everything from smartphones to laptops. The duo of USB-C ports come USB Power Delivery PPS ready, and the interchangeable prongs are key for travel. We managed great speeds when using two of the three ports, though tapping into all three can slightly limit your output.

Check out our full review to learn more about the ElecJet X21 GaN Pro.

Anker 717 Charger: Laptop-ready 140W charging

As we previously mentioned, Anker makes some amazing chargers, and this one is for those who need a single wall charger to rule them all. The Anker 717 can handle charging speeds of up to 140W! This means it can handle charging most laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

It’s an expensive product, and only charges one device at a time, but it does so at blistering speeds. The unit comes with USB Power Delivery 3.1 technology, and should take a MacBook Pro 16 from 0% to 50% in just 26 minutes. Other features include temperature monitoring and GaN.

Anker 747 Charger (GaNPrime 150W): A two-port beast of a wall charger

You might be sick of seeing Anker on the list at this point, but the company knows how to build a great wall charger. The Anker 747 Charger is for those who need to juice up many devices simultaneously. It comes with four ports, of which three are USB-C connections. The fourth one is a standard USB-A port. 

It’s smaller than most chargers that can handle these speeds, thanks to GaN technology. The unit also offers Power IQ 4.0 and Active Shield 2.0 for protection. It’s also pricey, but it may be the only wall charger you’ll need.

Spigen PowerArc ArcStation Pro: A pint-sized GaN punch

Spigen may be known first and foremost for its portfolio of phone cases, but it’s not a one-trick pony. This is one of the most compact GaN wall chargers you can get, and it just goes to show how little size truly matters. It packs a single USB-C port with Power Delivery 3.0 and up to 20W speeds. The Spigen PowerArc ArcStation Pro retails at $29.99, though it’s frequently on sale for around $20.

While you’re probably not going to rush out for the ArcStation Pro to charge all your devices at once, the tiny footprint is the key selling point. It’s easy to cram into a pocket, and the prongs fold for easier storage. Spigen’s GaN construction also helps to keep the ArcStation Pro running cool while you get back to full strength. We managed just about full charging speeds from the Google Pixel 5, Apple iPhone 12 Pro, and Nintendo Switch, though 20W speeds won’t be enough for your trusty laptop.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Spigen PowerArc ArcStation Pro.

RavPower PD Pioneer 65W: The wall charger for all of your devices

RavPower is also hoping to charge all of your devices at once. This is one of our favorite four-port wall chargers, and it comes with a pair of USB-A and USB-C options, as seen above. It’s also cheaper than the Anker option above. The GaN construction keeps RavPower’s PD Pioneer running cool with up to 65W of output. It doesn’t actually plug directly into the wall, but rather it serves as a hub on your desk to keep devices charging close by.

RavPower’s USB-C ports both support USB PD, which is good enough to charge most laptops nowadays. The USB-A ports top out at 18W, with support for a host of older charging protocols like Quick Charge and Samsung Adaptive Fast Charge. Unfortunately, it can be tough to tell how much power each device gets if you use multiple ports, and it dramatically limits the charging efficiency.

Check out our full review to learn more about the RavPower PD Pioneer 65W.

ElecJet 45W Super Fast Charger: A great third-party charger for Samsung

It’s not always easy to hunt down a wall charger that can handle Samsung’s 45W Super Fast Charge technology. This pick from ElecJet is one such charger, and it bundles plenty of extras to go with the single USB-C port. You get North American prongs fixed to the back, along with interchangeable European and UK adapters. ElecJet includes a one-meter USB-C to USB-C cable for good measure, in case you’ve left yours behind.

You shouldn’t have much trouble reaching peak 45W speeds, as ElecJet’s wall charger supports both USB PD and USB PD PPS standards. At just about $30, this charger is on par with Samsung’s 25W option, yet it achieves much greater speeds. This might be your best bet if you want an affordable wall charger that doesn’t skimp on top speeds.

Check out our full review to learn more about the ElecJet 45W Super Fast Charger.

Samsung 45W Travel Adapter: The best wall charger for Samsung devices

This pick is a great option for anyone with a recent Samsung Galaxy device. It packs 45W of charging power into a small, plastic body, and you get a selection of interchangeable adapters to take on your next trip. Samsung also bundled a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box in case you leave yours behind.

See also: Here are the best Samsung Galaxy chargers

While the single USB-C port can be limiting, Samsung packed plenty of advanced standards into its portable wall charger. It comes ready for USB PD PPS and USB Power Delivery 3.0, which means it can handle iPhones and other devices without issue. You may want another charger for your laptop, though, as the 45W limit takes longer than a 65W option.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Samsung 45W Travel Adapter.

Anker 733 Power Bank (GaNPrime PowerCore 65W): A wall charger that doubles as a portable battery

The Anker 733 Power Bank is a true gem. Its main lure is that it can operate as a wall charger and a portable power bank, as it has a 10,000mAh integrated battery. There are two USB-C ports on board, as well as a single USB-A port.

When plugged in, the Anker 733 can charge at up to 65W. This number goes down to 30W when using the unit as a portable battery. Like any other modern Anker charger, it is spec’d with PowerIQ 3.0 and ActiveShield 2.0.