What to look for in a car charger
A car charger is judged on two things: how much power it can actually deliver, and whether it holds that output once the cabin warms up. Cheap units quote a peak figure they cannot sustain, which is why a phone on a long drive charges slower than it discharges under navigation.
Single and dual port adaptors for the 12V socket
USB-C ports with power delivery for phones, tablets and small laptops
USB-A ports for older cables and dash accessories
Matching the cable to the adaptor
A power delivery adaptor only reaches its rated output through a cable that supports it. Pairing a fast adaptor with an old charge-only cable is the most common reason a phone charges slowly in the car. Cables are listed separately under charging cables, and mains options sit under wall chargers.
Buying in New Zealand
Stock sits in Queenstown rather than being ordered in per sale, so anything ordered before the 2pm cut-off leaves the same working day and reaches most New Zealand addresses overnight. Pickup can be arranged by appointment.
Questions answered
Will a car charger work with any phone?
Any phone charges from a standard USB port. Reaching the phone’s fastest speed needs an adaptor and cable that both support its charging standard.
Does a dual port charger halve the speed?
On most adaptors the rated output is shared, so two devices charging together each draw less. The listing states the combined and per-port figures.
Can I charge a laptop from the car?
Small USB-C laptops can charge from a high wattage power delivery adaptor, though usually slower than from mains. Check the wattage the laptop needs.
