Quick charger/USB-C cable confusion (iPhone 11)

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We've been using Apple's 10W power adaper to charge an iPhone 11 but would like to get it charged faster, and as far as I've found out it can benefit from up to 18W (which I assume means I should go for a charger at least 18W, but more is fine -though something like 65W would be a total waste of money). Correct so far?

This means I could buy Apple's 20W USB-C charger (being Apple I wouldn't risk runing my warranty in case something goes wrong with the phone, even though I believe reputable brands such as Belkin might be OK, but maybe still not as far as Apple is concerned).

I'm also wondering about the USB-C cables:

1) Is there a specific reason we're seeing only (as far as I've seen) USB-C cables for quick chargers? Do they carry additional wires or something else which USB-A cables don't?
(We already have several quality Lightning to USB-A cables, and it's a shame to waste them by buying yet another cable).

2) Provided there's a reputable brand involved, are there differences between Lightning to USB-C cables?
I ask because I read the following here:

 

[jav6454]

USB-C carries more power than USB-A. USB-C standard (3.1) can delivery up to 240W which USB-A can only deliver up to 7.5W using USB 3.2 Gen2.

So in other words, to take advantage of more power delivery for faster charging, you have to use USB-C.

As per differences in USB cables, I would stick to the Apple-branded Lightning to USB-C.

 

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I see. So there's no way around it (by for instance using a USB-A to USB-C adapter so I can continue to use my USB-A to Lightning cables)?

(image source: Redmond pie)

Those Apple cables are quite expensive and companies such as Belkin even have braided ones which should last longer for less money, but are the Apple ones technically different?
I ask among other things because when I use a recently bought USB (USB-A) to Lightning cable which I've also used with my old 1st. generation iPad Mini, but keep getting the message "This accessory is not supported by this device", so I'm thinking there might be some built-in firmware or other electronics making different cables unique even though they look the same on the outside. Besides this pop-up message I haven't experienced any problems with neither sync nor charging, so I have no idea what this actually means.

Another thing: I always assumed a USB to Lightning cable could be used for both charging and syncing with a Mac, but in some Q & A section of Belkin I read that one of the cables were only made for charging and not data transfer. Does this mean that some cables are internally wired so that they miss the data pins, or are there specific "quick charge cables" which only work with that, and not data transfers (i.e. sync with a Mac)?

Finally, regarding cable length: I know that there's a 1m limit when you attach a USB 3.1 gen 2 (10 gbps) storage device such as an external hard drive or SSD to a Mac or PC, but I don't know if this just means the speed will be lowered if you go with longer cables or if it just won't work reliably. Is this a concern with USB-C to Lightning cables for use with an iPhone as well, or can I go for a long (2m or perhaps even more) cable if that makes it more practical in daily use?

 

[jav6454]

Using adapters will not help as the charge speed will be limited to the slowest charge standard in the chain.

 

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Good point!
I've done a bit of reading on the subject and found out that the most important thing to look out for when buying non-Apple branded stuff is that it should be a reputable brand with "MFI certification" ("Made For iPad"/"Made For iPhone") meaning the product in question had actually been approved by Apple so it meets their specs.
That said I've found some braided cables from Belkin that should outlast Apple's cables and at a lower cost as well, so I think i'm going for that.

I'm trying to figure out how many Watts (W) the charger should be to maximize the charging speed for the iPhone 11 but haven't gotten a clear answer anywhere.
I'm aware that plugging it into a 65W charger won't damage the phone, but the phone won't take advantage of the 65W and the purchase will be a waste of money compared to using a lower output charger.

So..... for the iPhone 11, how many W of power can it use?
Apple has their 20W charger (I understand it replaces their previous 18W charger) and will this fully take advantage of the iPhone 11's charging capabilities, or would I get an even faster charging time with for instance Belkin's 25W charger?
There's also a Belkin 37W charger with two outputs (USB-C at 25W, USB-A at 12W) which could be practical for charging something else at the same time.


UPDATE: I just read that iPhone 11 Fast Charging Limit Can Reach 22 Watts, Reveals Latest Test.
I haven't read this anywhere else, so can anyone confirm this to be true?
Also, the following statement from the article puzzles me:

If you attempt to fool around with any of these devices to reach the iPhone 11 fast charging limit, you can rest assure Apple isn’t going to compensate for the damage you’ve caused to these devices.

Doesn't this contradict what I've read so many places and mentioned earlier -that using a higher W charger won't damage the phone, as the phone will put limits on how much power it draws anyway?

 

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In the end we just went for the 20W charger from Apple and a 2m long Belkin braided "Pro flex" cable (assuming it'll last a whole lot longer than regular Lightning cables from Apple or whatever). The phone charges a lot faster now! 👍

(image source: Belkin)