The best chargers for your new iPhone

Our take at charging the iPhone 12 Pro

All new iPhones support similar charging standards, so whatever conclusions we draw here - apply for all of the iPhone 12 models. And since the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro have identical batteries, the times we measured are accurate for both.

We did a lot of testing, and one thing became crystal clear way before we were done. The iPhones don't fast charge like other phones as Apple has some numbers in mind, and it always tries to hit them regardless of the charger - that's 50% for half an hour, 80% for one hour.

And it turned out that no matter the charger - as long as it's rated 12W or more - it will do a satisfying job charging your iPhone.

Wireless charging is slower, with charging speeds equivalent to those with a 10W wired charger. If you choose wireless charging, you are obviously not after speed but convenience. In this case, we can't imagine why you would need to splurge for a MagSafe charger with a 20W adapter - just get any regular 10W charger, and you will be fine even though it charges at 7.5W.

Back to wired charging, we are glad Apple chose USB Power Delivery for its fast-charging solution as it's easy to find such power adapters - they are everywhere. And the best part - you don't need to buy the most expensive one as the iPhones max out at 20W. Anything that's 18W or 20W will do great.

IKEA/Aukey/Anker/etc. 12W standard or 18+W fast chargers are utilized pretty well, too, so if you've purchased such - you have what it takes to fast charge an iPhone 12.

Our charger recommendations

The cheapest Apple charger is the 5W one, yet it's not really cheap at all. Its price in the USA is $19, you can get it for €25 in the EU, and £19 in the UK.

Apple's 12W iPad adapter also costs $19/€25/£19, and so is the Apple's new 20W charger.

Apple's 18W chargers have been discontinued, but if you can find them considerably cheaper than the 20W ones, by all means, then get one.

The MacBook USB-PD chargers are way more expensive, yet they still max out at 20W, so we will not list their prices. And even if you have one, we always strongly suggest buying a separate iPhone adapter as the high-voltage charging isn't as good for your battery.

Obviously, you should spend your money on the 20W Apple Power Adapter if an OEM charger is a must.

The company that has the best deals for third-party chargers is, believe it or not, IKEA. The 12W KOPPLA charger costs $8/€6/£6 and it has three USB ports. The cheaper 1-port KOPPLA will deliver the same charging power of 12W with an iPhone even though it's only rated at 10W. If you get any of these chargers with USB-A ports, you would also have to buy a cable separately, and the Lightning cable from IKEA will run you another €10 or £8.

So perhaps the best deal for an iPhone charger from IKEA is the IKEA ÅSKSTORM 23W adapter, as it has a USB-C port which will output up to 18W to the iPhone 12 using the cable that came with the phone and best of all, it only costs $12 or €10!

IKEA chargers are big, though, so if you want a more compact USB-PD fast charger, or more versatile for the cash Apple wants, or more powerful yet cheap, here are some recommendations.

If small charger is a must, you may want to check the AUKEY Omnia Mini 20W. Its USB-PD 3.0 compatible, small, and costs $15.

Then there is the PowerArc 20W GaN charger, which is USB-PD compatible, it is said to support MagSafe, and it's quite small. It costs $20.

The AUKEY 12W car charger we used in our tests is a pretty sweet thing - it can output 12W on each of its two ports and costs just £8.

Or spend some more and get the 30W PD car charger by AUKEY, which can fast charge not only iPhones, but any USB-PD and QC3.0 device. It costs just $15.

If you are after a more versatile wall charger, like AUKEY's car adapters, check this AUKEY Focus GaN 60W adapter for $28. It has one USB-C and one USB-A port and supports pretty much any charging tech you can think of. It can charge your laptop, too.

The 60W PowerPort Atom PD GaN by Anker is yet another versatile power adapter than supports fast charging smartphones, Nintendo Switch, and even laptops. It's a bit more expensive at $46.

The MagSafe costs $39/€45/£39 and requires you to buy a specific power adapter separately for $19/€25/£19 and then it does not impress with performance. This thing is way overpriced for what it offers. Still, we can't stop you if you like the magnetic click when you put your iPhone on top of it.

So, there are plenty of chargers that will charge your iPhone quickly - finding a suitable charger is neither hard nor expensive. We just wish we didn't have to write this piece - if only Apple shipped the charger in the box like we're used to.