Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Car charging

H

Handle

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 16, 2013
143
0
I have an iPhone 5 and iPad Mini Retina, both with the Lighting port.

I also have 2 different vehicles, my own car and a work truck.

I would like to purchase 2 chargers so I have one in each vehicle. The Apple car chargers are expensive so I was wondering if I could purchase a less expensive model?

I've heard that no-name chargers sometimes give problems so I figured I would ask.
 
I just bought a cheap 2 port USB charger and use Apple cables. Can charge multiple devices and it works great
 
Handle said:
I have an iPhone 5 and iPad Mini Retina, both with the Lighting port.

I also have 2 different vehicles, my own car and a work truck.

I would like to purchase 2 chargers so I have one in each vehicle. The Apple car chargers are expensive so I was wondering if I could purchase a less expensive model?

I've heard that no-name chargers sometimes give problems so I figured I would ask.
Click to expand...
Stick with a brand with full UL type approvals. Belkin, Griffin, etc like you see on Bestbuy shelves. Cheaper price at Amazon.

Get one that has USB output, then you can plug whatever into it, Lightning cable, mini or micro usb cables.

I like my microjolt dual from Griffin. Two people can charge, it sits flush and doesn't stick out of the console.
http://store.griffintechnology.com/powerjolt-dual-universal-micro
 
The problem with the Griffin that you linked to Menel, is that after I buy an Apple lightning cord I am out $40, times two (one charging setup for each vehicle).

If I buy the Griffin charger that weaselboy linked to it's only $18 total. The concern I have is whether or not it will work right (I heard using non-Apple cords is hit or miss).

Thanks for the help everyone.
 
Handle said:
The problem with the Griffin that you linked to Menel, is that after I buy an Apple lightning cord I am out $40, times two (one charging setup for each vehicle).

If I buy the Griffin charger that weaselboy linked to it's only $18 total. The concern I have is whether or not it will work right (I heard using non-Apple cords is hit or miss).

Thanks for the help everyone.
Click to expand...

What you want to look for are cables/chargers that say they are "Certified by Apple"... what this means is the cable meets Apple's MFi program. The cable I linked says it is Certified MFi right on the Griffin web page. You can also find the cable for sale right in the Apple online store.

Where you get in trouble is crappy knock off cables that are not MFi certified.

Trust me, I have been using this cable and it works fine with my iPhone 5S.
 
Weaselboy said:
What you want to look for are cables/chargers that say they are "Certified by Apple"... what this means is the cable meets Apple's MFi program. The cable I linked says it is Certified MFi right on the Griffin web page. You can also find the cable for sale right in the Apple online store.

Where you get in trouble is crappy knock off cables that are not MFi certified.

Trust me, I have been using this cable and it works fine with my iPhone 5S.
Click to expand...

This is the information I was looking for, thanks.

Since I am an Amazon Prime member I was just about to order that charger you linked. But I took a quick look and saw a significant amount of negative feedback. A lot of people say that the connector breaks or that the charger simply stops working within a few weeks. Now I'm a bit worried about it.
 
Handle said:
This is the information I was looking for, thanks.

Since I am an Amazon Prime member I was just about to order that charger you linked. But I took a quick look and saw a significant amount of negative feedback. A lot of people say that the connector breaks or that the charger simply stops working within a few weeks. Now I'm a bit worried about it.
Click to expand...

I don't what to tell you. If you search Amazon for any iPhone charger you will find quite a few one stars for them all... some far more than the Belkin. I suspect people bang them around in the car and they maybe all have high failure rates from that. Look at the other chargers in the Amazon side bar when you look at this one and they all seem to have around the same mix of one to five star reviews.

No offense... but you are putting too much thought into an $18 purchase. :)
 
Weaselboy said:
No offense... but you are putting too much thought into an $18 purchase. :)
Click to expand...

That's a very silly thing to say.

First of all, it's $36 (two cars).

Second, glancing at the reviews and seeing almost as many negative reviews as positive isn't really putting too much thought into something. It's simple due diligence.

I very rarely buy something that has so many negative reviews, especially when the reviews echo the same bad things happening.

Why should I spend money on something that is bound to break?
 
Handle said:
That's a very silly thing to say.

First of all, it's $36 (two cars).

Second, glancing at the reviews and seeing almost as many negative reviews as positive isn't really putting too much thought into something. It's simple due diligence.

I very rarely buy something that has so many negative reviews, especially when the reviews echo the same bad things happening.

Why should I spend money on something that is bound to break?
Click to expand...

Buy whatever you want. I really do not care. You act like I am getting a commission from Belkin or something.
 
Weaselboy said:
Buy whatever you want. I really do not care. You act like I am getting a commission from Belkin or something.
Click to expand...

No, I never said that. I simply said that it's silly for you to expect me to buy something that has a very good chance of breaking simply because you don't think it's a lot of money.
 
Weaselboy said:
Yeah. That us not what I said at all.
Click to expand...

After I explained that it had many negative reviews and many people agreed that it broke easily, You replied that I was putting too much thought into an $18 purchase.


The stage is yours, what did you mean?
 
Handle said:
After I explained that it had many negative reviews and many people agreed that it broke easily, You replied that I was putting too much thought into an $18 purchase.


The stage is yours, what did you mean?
Click to expand...

Wow. I think you are kind of proving my point here.
 
Weaselboy said:
Wow. I think you are kind of proving my point here.
Click to expand...

So you won't clarify?

Then we will stick with what I previously said, it's silly for you to expect me to buy something that has a very good chance of breaking simply because you don't think it's a lot of money.
 
Weaselboy said:
I don't what to tell you. If you search Amazon for any iPhone charger you will find quite a few one stars for them all... some far more than the Belkin. I suspect people bang them around in the car and they maybe all have high failure rates from that. Look at the other chargers in the Amazon side bar when you look at this one and they all seem to have around the same mix of one to five star reviews.

No offense... but you are putting too much thought into an $18 purchase. :)
Click to expand...

Handle said:
So you won't clarify?

Then we will stick with what I previously said, it's silly for you to expect me to buy something that has a very good chance of breaking simply because you don't think it's a lot of money.
Click to expand...

Again... not what I said.

Just pick a charger already.
 
Weaselboy said:
Again... not what I said.
Click to expand...

After I explained that it had many negative reviews and many people agreed that it broke easily, you replied that I was putting too much thought into an $18 purchase.


The stage is yours, what did you mean?
 
If you have a Marshalls or TJ Maxx near you they have a ton of certified chargers right now...Belkin, Ihome, Kensington all between $ 12-$15 dollars. I have picked up a couple of spares at the price.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back