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How do I Choose the Best Car Phone Charger?

A. Rohlandt
A. Rohlandt

The most important consideration when choosing a car phone charger is to ensure that the charger you purchase is compatible with both your phone and your vehicle. Consider your needs when looking at different chargers. Decide whether you want to use the phone while it's charging or whether you would prefer a charger that offers faster charging times. Some chargers also offer extra features such as hands-free communication.

There are a few different types of car phone chargers on the market today, and one of the best known is the universal charger. The name suggests a charger that is compatible with any phone, but it has been noted that some universal chargers do not function well with all makes of phones. It may be best to check beforehand or to purchase a car phone charger that is designed especially for your phone.

A car phone charger must be compatible with a person's cell phone and vehicle.
A car phone charger must be compatible with a person's cell phone and vehicle.

Another kind of car phone charger is one that uses an eliminator direct current (DC) cord which allows the the phone to be used while it is charging. It is important to remember that these types of chargers will not charge the phone while it is being used to make or receive a call. These chargers can be convenient because you will not miss any important calls while the phone is being charged.

Most car phone chargers plug into a vehicle's cigarette lighter.
Most car phone chargers plug into a vehicle's cigarette lighter.

If you need to use the phone and charge the battery simultaneously, it's worth considering a fast or rapid charger. These car phone chargers also offer shorter charging times and can be very handy in situations where you may need a reasonable charge in a short period of time. It is important to remember that these chargers are more vulnerable to overheating and may damage the phone's battery if connected for extended periods.

A trickle charger works in much the same way as a fast charger. The main difference between the two is that the trickle charger has a special sensor that stops charging once the battery is fully charged and shuts off the DC cord. This feature helps to eliminate any risk of overheating, or overcharging your phone.

Car phone chargers generally plug into the car's cigarette lighter, but some cars no longer feature cigarette lighters as standard equipment. Most car manufacturers install what is known as an auxiliary plug, and these can be used with a car phone charger. Certain chargers feature special adapters that will allow you to use it with an auxiliary plug or with a universal serial bus (USB) port. This means that the phone can also be charged by connecting it to a laptop.

Discussion Comments

Mykol

When it comes to a cell phone battery charger I always buy a trickle charger. This way it will stop charging when it is completed and will not overcharge my phone. I think this also helps the cell phone battery last longer.

I used to be more careless about my cell phone charger, but I had one that overheated one time, so now I always use a trickle charger.

I also had someone tell me once that it wasn't safe to talk on your phone while it was charging. I don't know if there is any truth to this or not as I have never had any problems doing this.

John57

I like having a car phone charger that will let me talk while my phone is being charged. Most of the time when I have to use my car charger it means my phone is completely dead.

I use my phone in the car a lot and if I had to wait for it to be charged until I could use it, I feel like I would be wasting valuable time. I hate being in a situation where I have no way to charge my cell phone.

I make sure and have more than one mobile phone car charger around so I don't have to wonder if I have one that will work. I like to keep an extra one under the seat of the car just in case of an emergency.

SarahSon
One thing that has helped keep my family more organized is using a universal charger. All of us in the family have one charger that will charge all of our phones whether they are being charged in the house or in the car.

This makes it so much easier when it comes to buying a new cell phone car charger. It is also less frustrating because I know any charger cord I pick up will work for any phone.

We used to have different chargers sitting around and you never knew which charger worked with which phone. I would always grab the wrong one and then would have to hunt for the right one.

More than once I thought I had the right charger for the car and found out it wouldn't work. Having a universal car charger is just a little thing that has made my life easier and a little bit more stress free.

honeybees

I haven't owned a car with a cigarette lighter for quite awhile now. I can see how they might stop installing them as standard equipment in the future.

I am not a smoker and so I think that the auxiliary plugs are more convenient anyway. My car has these in more than one location so you don't have to worry about something having such a long cord.

It also comes in handy when there is more than one person in the car who wants to charge their cell phone. Many times I forget to charge my phone at night and I find myself charging it on my way to work in the car.

I keep a mobile phone charger in the car all the time so I know I will always have a way to charge my cell phone if the battery runs out.

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    • A car phone charger must be compatible with a person's cell phone and vehicle.
      By: Les Cunliffe
      A car phone charger must be compatible with a person's cell phone and vehicle.
    • Most car phone chargers plug into a vehicle's cigarette lighter.
      By: aris sanjaya
      Most car phone chargers plug into a vehicle's cigarette lighter.