Has anyone found a small, good wall-plug charger with all major USB ports?

John AdamaStaff - May 12, 2020

Gear

Looking for:

• At least one port for each of the three most common types used in portable devices: USB-A (the big boxy one), Micro-USB (was common on cell phones until recently), and USB-C (the new standard).
• Small enough to be appropriate for a go-bag.
• Durable. For example, maybe the electrical prongs can fold in to make it more compact and less likely to bend/snap.

It makes sense that if you’re in an emergency away from home you’d want the all-in-one ability to use any of the common cables and devices scattered around.

I assumed there would be lots of options, but haven’t found something obviously worthy after some quick searching. This kind of product seems ideal for a go-bag, and if we find a great one, I’ll buy and test it.

Here’s what A, Micro-B, and C look like:

Edit to add: I wasn’t aware of all the multi-headed hydra cables, like this: https://www.amazon.com/CHAFON-Multi-Cable-Micro-Charging/dp/B01DK13VZ6/

So if you’ve used those kinds of cables, share that feedback too! Seems like we can solve the same problem by having a wall-charger with only USB-A and -C, combined then with a cable with a wider range of options.

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Most of these solutions exist as cables rather than stand alone chargers (imagine plugging your phone into a wall charger without a cable, It’d probably torque the connector and break something).

I realize it takes up more space, but is there a reason why adding a couple of light-weight cables is not viable (you probably want/need at least one anyway), they sell cables that end in multiple shapes so you could get away with a single one even (I haven’t used this, but there are many varieties to choose from try searching for “multi usb cable”):
https://www.amazon.com/CHAFON-Multi-Cable-Micro-Charging/dp/B01DK13VZ6/

for what its worth, I’ve used an older, lower powered version of this for (5-6 years?) and it hasn’t broken yet, may not fit your needs though (it has different power/amp outputs for tablets vs phones, etc):
https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Charger-PowerPort-iPhone-Galaxy/dp/B00P936188

 

Have you used this with multiple devices as the picture? Im wondering if it presents heating issues.

 

I wouldn’t take my word alone for it, but based on the reviews I don’t imagine its an issue.  Heat issues are usually a result of the power draw – if you are plugging multiple smart phones or even tablets at the same time thats probably fine and likely the designed use.  However if you try and power 1 or more laptops via USB-C off of this, it might not go so well (higher draw).

Honestly, another thought (half joke, half serious), if a bit pricy, just buy an apple USB-C laptop charger and a multi cable.  You could literally power a laptop, or charge a phone real fast.  It also has that folding “electrical prongs” feature requested by the original post here.

 

Thanks for the lead on the cables Rich. We’re going to order the one you linked for testing. Coincidentally, we also just got a message from a company with similar products, and they’re sending these in for testing too:

Cable – Trident 3-in-1 (1m)

Cable – Universal 3-in-1 for Photon

 

I, too, am interested in the answer to this. I may tweet this thread and see if I can get some suggestions.

 

Although it doesn’t solve the portable kit problem, it might make sense to upgrade your home with those outlets that have USB-A plugs directly in them. That way you at least don’t need the bulky “wall wart” plug in the middle.

I bookmarked this roundup when I was researching options. They haven’t updated since 2018 but I’d guess they will soon.

https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wall-outlets-with-usb-charging-ports/

 

Have you seen this one by Chafon? I don’t know the brand too well but it comes up a lot on Reddit when people talk about multi adapters.

I scrolled down to the questions and it sounds like it won’t do data transfer. So if you just need to charge random devices from the same outlet this is probably a good option.

 

Following up: I bought some of the mentioned cables 

It does seem like the way to go is to have a small wall-wart (like the Anker one pictured) that can take USB-A, then combine it with a multi-headed hydra cable that can handle the common ports. I’m liking the one on the left that coils up to be compact and has a USB-C, Micro-B, and Apple plug.

 

I’m testing out one of the multi-tipped cables by Anker:

it’s worked for power and data via CarPlay in my vehicle, but I’ve only had it for a week or so.  it replaced this one that started not working well after 9 months.

So maybe the hydra version that doesn’t stack the connector ends would be more durable.  But it’s also more cumbersome during daily use in a car.  .

 

I haven’t had hands-on with that style / adapters, but it’s an interesting question about the durability. On one hand, I’d think the style you pictured is less ideal because you’re more likely to lose one of the extensions. On the other hand, it could be beneficial because if your main wire breaks but you find another wire laying around in a crisis, could put those caps on anything you find.

 

I also like that it’s lighter than the hydra versions – always looking to reduce weight.  I’m not using my car so much these days so the durability test is going to take quite a while.  I’m also concerned about durability on the Chafon single center hydra you chose.  I’d be pulling on the two ends in use and straining that middle ‘wirenut’.

 

The Anker has now served in my car through several hour long road trips in addition to weekly errand runs for a year and a half. Still not pre-pandemic daily use but I think it has passed the previous failure duration. 

 

Thanks for the valuable update and review of the Anker cable! They do make high quality cables.

 

I’ve used both the hydra and multi-tipped types for many years. The hydras last a lot longer. The multi-tip ends tend to get lost or have a loose connection after a while. And once the plug is damaged (from plugging and unplugging regularly) the cable is toast. If one plug on the hydra is damaged, it still has use. Charging multiple devices at once is a big bonus too. I have the short-cable versions in my day-bag / go-bag and a couple of longer ones for the office / home. Baseus is the brand I’ve settled on. They come well-reviewed.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001211122224.html

 

Thanks for sharing this Russell. I am in that phase in life where half my devices are still on micro USB and the other half are USB C. I want to have one cable with my portable power bank and was looking for an option.I also needed to buy something off of Aliexpress, so I can throw it in the same cart.

For those who haven’t ever bought from Aliexpress, it looks like a shady website, but it’s 100% safe, has excellent customer service, and has amazing prices! The one downside is it takes 1-2 months to receive your product, but if you can wait it can’t be beat.

 

Thanks also. I just ordered the 2-pack from Amazon (4’) for $15. It looks solid, has good reviews, and is color coded (plus 2-pack!).

 

They arrived today. They look high quality. I’ll use one in my truck for daily use and put the other in my kit. My wife wants me to order a set for her.