The Best Fast IPhone Chargers For 2022

Whether you just ordered a shiny new iPhone 14 or are still hopping along with an older model, you’re probably all too familiar with the dinky 5W iPhone adapter that takes hours to fully charge your battery. The good news is that you can fully power up in less than half the usual time with the right fast charger. Here’s what you need to know.

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Best for Guaranteed Compatibility

Apple’s 20W USB-C Adapter is understated, relatively affordable, and guaranteed to work well with your iPhone. Apple sells it as a standalone item, so you might need to pick up a USB-C-to-Lightning cable separately if you don’t have one.

Best for Charging on the Go

Looking for a fast, inexpensive iPhone charger that easily fits in your pocket or bag? This 20W charger is about the same size as the standard 5W iPhone adapter but charges your phone three times as quickly because of its support for the Quick Charge and Power Delivery protocols. Like all fast iPhone chargers, it requires a USB-C-to-Lightning cable, which you need to buy separately.

Best 30W Charger

We know this seems like a strange pick, but we firmly believe Google’s power adapter is a good choice for iPhone owners. Aside from its affordable price, the charger has a premium build quality and supports maximum charging speeds of up to 30W. It’s a good all-around power adapter for iPhones and iPads, plus can deliver the fastest charging speeds for iPhone 13 Pro Max owners.

Best for International Travel

Native Union’s Smart Charger PD is ideal for travelers because it includes adapters for use in the EU, UK, and US. Its 20W USB-C PD port can quickly charge your iPhone with a USB-C-to-Lightning cable or even a MagSafe charger. There’s also a USB-A port that maxes out at 12W. Like most of the fast iPhone adapters on this list, the Smart Charger PD doesn’t come with cables, but Native Union sells some of our favorite durable USB-C-to-Lightning cables.

Best Eco-Friendly Charger

If you’re looking for an inexpensive charger made from responsibly sourced materials, the Nimble Wally Mini Plus Wall Charger is a good bet. It uses 72% recycled plastic, ships without without plastic packaging, and includes a postage-paid bag to recycle your old tech. It has USB-A and USB-C ports and supports PD 3.0.

Best for Tight Spaces

With a maximum output of 30W, this Anker adapter can quickly charge any iPhone. It’s also super thin, which makes it a good choice for those hard-to-use outlets behind nightstands and desks.

Does Your iPhone Support Fast Charging?
iPhones have long supported faster charging with a 12W iPad adapter and Apple improved on that rate by introducing fast charging via USB Power Delivery (PD) with the release of the iPhone 8 in 2017. Most newer iPhones, such as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14, can charge at speeds between 25 and 27W.

Apple stopped including power adapters with iPhones all the way back in 2020, so you need to either use an old (and potentially slow) power brick you have sitting around or pick up a new one from our list above. Make sure your new adapter supports the fastest charging speeds possible.

What You Need for Fast Charging
You need to keep a few things in mind when you shop for a fast charger. First and foremost, you need to make sure it supports PD. An adapter with a USB-C port is also essential for the fastest charging speeds.

Because Apple only began shipping USB-C-to-Lightning cables with the iPhone 12 in 2020, people with older phones need to buy one from Apple or a third party to get the fastest charging speeds. This is an area where you don’t want to skimp, as we’ve seen some unintended consequences from using off-brand cables. For most people, Apple’s USB-C-to-Lightning cable(Opens in a new window) (starting at $19) does the trick, but we also like some of the cables out there from reputable brands such as Native Union and Nomad.

Next, take time to assess your needs. Do you frequently charge multiple devices simultaneously? If so, it probably makes sense to buy a charger with multiple ports. Do you have AirPods or an Apple Watch to charge? Look into a wireless charging pad (though expect slower speeds).

When multiple ports come into the mix, it’s important to check the total power output for the adapter as well as the power output for each port. Watch out for underpowered ports that lead to longer charge times.

Should You Buy a GaN Charger?
The majority of chargers on the market use silicon semiconductors. Gallium nitride (GaN) is a relatively new alternative to silicon that offers a lot of benefits: GaN chargers are smaller, more efficient, and require fewer components than silicon chargers. They’re also more expensive. Ultimately, traditional silicon chargers are fine for most people. If you’re looking for the absolute slimmest option on the market, however, it’s probably going to be a GaN charger.

With all that in mind, we’ve selected our favorite fast iPhone chargers you can buy right now. Pick the one that best fits your budget and needs and you won’t be disappointed.

What About Wireless Charging and MagSafe?
Anker PowerWave II Pad (Credit: Anker)

If your nightstand is cluttered with cables for your AirPods, Apple Watch, and iPhone, it’s time to streamline your power routine with a wireless charging pad. We assembled a list of our favorite wireless charging stations for Apple products, with both phone-only and multi-device options at a range of prices. Several of them support fast charging.

iPhone 12, 13, and 14 models also offer MagSafe as a faster alternative to Qi wireless charging. MagSafe allows you to wirelessly charge your device at up to 15W. Check out our favorite MagSafe chargers, but just remember that you won’t get the same 27W speeds as you would with a wired charger and the right adapter.

Steven Winkelman contributed to this article.