We stress tested 22 USB chargers to find the best for phones, laptops, travel and more

## Summary
At a glance Best overall USB charger: Baseus PicoGo AE11 Now $29.99, originally $39.99 at Baseus Best budget USB charger: Anker 511 Nano 3 $15.99 at Amazon Best high-capacity USB charger: Baseus Blade Power Strip $89.99 at Amazon Best laptop USB charger: Ugreen Nexode X606 $54.95 at Ugreen Best desktop USB charging station: Anker Nano 7-in-1 Charging Station $79.99 at Amazon Why you should trust me I have been testing consumer electronics for about a decade, and many of them use USB for power or charging. Single-port peak: 67W Ports: 2x USB-C, 1x USB-A Weight: 0.26lbs Certified: TÜV Rheinland Baseus PicoGo AE11 from $29.99 $29.99 at Baseus $34.99 at Amazon Best budget USB charger: Anker 511 Nano 3 Anker 511 Nano 3 from $15.99 $15.99 at Amazon $15.99 at Anker Photograph: Mark Knapp/The Guardian $15.99 at Amazon $15.99 at Anker Only need to power one device? Single-port peak: 30W Ports: 1x USB-C Weight: 0.08lbs Certified: TÜV Rheinland Anker 511 Nano 3 from $15.99 $15.99 at Amazon $15.99 at Anker Best high-capacity USB charger: Baseus Blade Power Strip Baseus Blade Power Strip from $89.99 $89.99 at Amazon $89.99 at Baseus Photograph: Mark Knapp/The Guardian $89.99 at Amazon $89.99 at Baseus You’ll always have enough power – and cord – with the Baseus Blade Power Strip. Single-port peak: 100W Ports: 2x USB-C, 1x USB-A, 1x retractable USB-C cable Weight: 0.66lbs Certified: TÜV SÜD Ugreen Nexode X606 from $54.95 $54.95 at Ugreen $59.99 at Amazon Best desktop USB charging station: Anker Nano 7-in-1 Charging Station Anker Anker Nano 7-in-1 Charging Station from $79.99 $79.99 at Amazon $79.99 at Anker Photograph: Mark Knapp/The Guardian $79.99 at Amazon $79.99 at Anker For laptop owners who spend most of their time working in one place, the Anker Nano 7-in-1 Charging Station (100W) is a one-stop charger and power strip for your desk.

## Article Content
The models tested ranged from tiny chargers for topping off your phone on the go, to heavy-duty bricks that can power a gaming laptop.
Photograph: Mark Knapp/The Guardian
View image in fullscreen
The models tested ranged from tiny chargers for topping off your phone on the go, to heavy-duty bricks that can power a gaming laptop.
Photograph: Mark Knapp/The Guardian
We stress tested 22 USB chargers to find the best for phones, laptops, travel and more
These are the best USB chargers in the US to keep devices juiced up quickly and safely for all your tech needs
Sign up for the Filter US newsletter, your weekly guide to buying fewer, better things
Jump to
At a glance
Why you should trust me
How I tested
The best USB chargers in 2026
The best of the rest
What other products did The Guardian test?
What you need to know about USB chargers
What should I look for in a USB-C charger?
How can I tell if a charger is safe?
What are some signs of a malfunctioning USB charger?
How can I prevent safety issues?
Why doesn’t my USB-C charger work with my USB-C device?
Will any cable work with these chargers?
What are all those codes in the product details?
U
SB chargers power the world. From phones to laptops and even
bike lights
, the gadgets we use every day increasingly rely on USB connections for power, making chargers an indispensable tool to keep your life running.
Though the U in USB stands for “universal,” you sadly can’t expect every USB charger to work with every USB device. Modern devices use different charging speeds, protocols and ports. That means if you’re still relying on the brick that came with your phone from a decade ago, it’s time for an upgrade. A high–quality USB charger will cover all your bases to charge devices quickly and safely, all in a compact package.
At a glance
Best overall USB charger:
Baseus PicoGo AE11
Now $29.99, originally $39.99 at Baseus
Best budget USB charger:
Anker 511 Nano 3
$15.99 at Amazon
Best high-capacity USB charger:
Baseus Blade Power Strip
$89.99 at Amazon
Best laptop USB charger:
Ugreen Nexode X606
$54.95 at Ugreen
Best desktop USB charging station:
Anker Nano 7-in-1 Charging Station
$79.99 at Amazon
Why you should trust me
I have been testing consumer electronics for about a decade, and
many
of them use USB for power or charging. I know firsthand how frustrating it is to pair a device with an underpowered charger, and how to find one that works with your device – and I’ll share some tips on that below. I understand what makes these devices tick, but I also reached out to the UL Solutions, an independent testing body, to learn some of the important details for safe operation for this type of device.
How I tested
View image in fullscreen
Photograph: Mark Knapp/The Guardian
I gathered 22 chargers from big-name brands, buzzy upstarts, and aggressive value contenders. The diverse range of models included everything from tiny chargers for topping off your phone on the go, to heavy-duty bricks that can power a gaming laptop.
To stress these chargers to their limits, I had to go beyond phones and laptops, which vary their power draw too much to use for comparison. Instead, I designed a sophisticated testing setup with a dummy load – a glorified heater – that let me dial in exactly how much electricity to draw, as well as a 100W studio light with a USB-C connection. I used this setup to confirm each charger would deliver its advertised peak wattage.
By measuring both power into the charger and out, I could also calculate efficiency: how much electricity does it waste as heat? I tested each charger at 20W – a common level for phones and tablets – for an hour, using an infrared thermometer to check for hotspots after 30 minutes and 60 minutes.
Finally, I gave all but the three lowest power chargers (30W and below) a high-wattage stress test powering the studio light for 30 minutes, pushing them all to max output. Could they run at redline without overheating?
At the end of testing, I donated the chargers to La Casa Norte, a Chicago community center for youth and families experiencing homelessness, except for a handful of top performers that will undergo long-term reliability testing.
The best USB chargers in 2026
Best overall USB charger:
Baseus PicoGo AE11
Baseus
PicoGo AE11
from
$29.99
$29.99 at Baseus
$34.99 at Amazon
Photograph: Mark Knapp/The Guardian
Now $29.99, originally $39.99 at Baseus
$34.99 at Amazon
Despite its compact size, this portable, affordable all-arounder packs enough ports and wattage to power everything from phones to laptops and tablets with ease.
Why we love it
The Baseus PicoGo AE11 is only a little larger than many 20W chargers, yet offers a peak of 67 watts through a pair of USB-C ports and one USB-A port. Folding wall prongs and weight of just 0.26lbs (0.12kg) mean you’ll barely notice it in your backpack or luggage. Its mix of charging protocols, voltages and ports offer good versatility, so you can spread its capacity across multiple devices at once, or

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- I understand what makes these devices tick, but I also reached out to the UL Solutions, an independent testing body, to learn some of the important details for safe operation for this type of device.

### Areas for Consideration
N/A

### Implications
- Photograph: Mark Knapp/The Guardian We stress tested 22 USB chargers to find the best for phones, laptops, travel and more These are the best USB chargers in the US to keep devices juiced up quickly and safely for all your tech needs Sign up for the Filter US newsletter, your weekly guide to buying fewer, better things Jump to At a glance Why you should trust me How I tested The best USB chargers in 2026 The best of the rest What other products did The Guardian test?
- What you need to know about USB chargers What should I look for in a USB-C charger?
- Will any cable work with these chargers?
- Though the U in USB stands for “universal,” you sadly can’t expect every USB charger to work with every USB device.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers usb, power, charger topics. Notable strengths include discussion of usb. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 2615.