USB Car Chargers

While USB power cables are extremely common among many of our modern devices, USB power ports are not yet readily available in all vehicles on the road today. In many cases vehicles were either made prior to the surge in popularity of USB, or simply have yet to embrace this newer technology. This makes a USB car charger the perfect solution for those looking to power their devices on the go.

What is a USB car charger?

Prior to the emergence of USB, the most common way to power devices in a motor vehicle was via an automobile auxiliary power outlet—also informally referred to as the “cigarette lighter receptacle”, due to the fact that these power outlets once commonly functioned as a heat source for that purpose. However, in more recent times the automobile auxiliary power outlet has been regularly purposed as a power source, and nearly every vehicle on the road today has at least one.

A USB car charger is an adapter that plugs into this auxiliary port, opening up to one or more female USB ports on the outward face of the charger. This will allow users to plug in one or more USB cables and subsequently draw power for their USB devices via the traditional automobile auxiliary power outlet. This can be useful for keeping devices such as cell phones, tablets, or gaming systems charged and ready during a long commute or lengthy road trip. USB car chargers can also be used to power handy devices for your vehicle such as dash cams, GPS units, and more.

What to look for in a USB car charger

Not all USB car chargers are created equal. For starters, you’ll want to ensure that a potential USB car charger has enough USB ports to satisfy your needs. If you have multiple devices that regularly require USB power but only a single automobile auxiliary power outlet, you may want to consider a USB car charger with a maximum number of USB ports.

You’ll also want to make sure that each of those ports provides enough power to sufficiently charge or power your devices. Smart phones typically require a bit less power, but if you are looking for something that can handle multiple larger devices such as tablets, you should likely aim for a benchmark of over 2.0 Amps per USB port at a minimum.

Are USB car chargers safe?

For many this question can be a fair concern—especially when you consider the origins of the automobile auxiliary power outlet as a tool for creating enough heat to light a cigarette! While you can rest easy knowing that a USB car charger isn’t likely to become an incendiary receptacle, when in doubt it is a good idea to consult the owner’s manual for your vehicle and/or your USB-powered devices to ensure that the amount of power being delivered is within the suggested range. It is also always a good practice to unplug USB car chargers when you are not operating or running your vehicle.