I have a 2010 macbook pro, I have two chargers for it, a older one that came with it and a brand new one I just bought. I noticed that often when I plug it in it seems to take a bit of coaxing to get it to turn the light on. It has no problem charging but it just doesn't seem to do it first try like it did on my previous computers. what can I do to improve this?
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charger needs jiggling to work, how to fix?
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First, do you have Applecare? If so, they'll likely replace it. If not, give Apple a call anyway and ask politely if they will replace it. The chargers are known to break at random intervals.
Then is the computer's power jack. Wanna inspect it with a loupe? See if there are dirt present and clean. If that doesn't work, bring it in.
The MagSafe connector has spring-loaded pins on the adapter side that rest on cup-shaped pads on the computer side. I've seen cases where a connector pin gets "stuck" and won't seat correctly on the corresponding pad. In that case, a bit of contact cleaner and a q-tip solved the problem.
Since your problem is happening to both adapters, it would seem the cause is confined to the pads on the computer connector. Take a look at it with a magnifier or loupe (as a simple substitute, zoom in on it with an iPhone or cell phone camera and take a pic.) It may be you have a bit of mung on one of the pins. A bad connection here can result in resistive heating which, in turn, deteriorates the material, resulting in more resistance and more heat. Eventually the connector must be replaced.
Take a look at it. Clean it with alcohol or contact cleaner on a q-tip if necessary. If that doesn't fix it, it will likely be replaced by Apple, even outside of Applecare. Just tell them you're concerned about fire.