Iphone and ipad usb car charger from xcessory in test

Various third-party manufacturers offer car charger cables and USB adapters for cigarette lighters. But hardly any of these chargers are also suitable for the apple iphone and ipad, mostly due to missing technical requirements. The situation is completely different with the car charging set of the brand xcessory from germany. because this set of charging adapter and lightning cable is specially certified by apple for use with the iphone, ipad and ipod. In our test report, we therefore take a closer look at the xcessory car charging set.

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trouble-free charging thanks to apple certification

Since modern smartphones and tablets are increasingly being used for car navigation, it has become all the more important to ensure that their charging the battery in the car on the road to be able. there are dozens of different usb-charging adapters on the german market for the 12-volt connection, colloquially also called cigarette lighter. Unfortunately, there are at least as many technical pitfalls that can prevent successful charging, as we have already described in our review of the wicked chili car charger adapter.

Each smartphone manufacturer defines its own specifications for the technical charging control, which unfortunately often makes charging with third-party accessories a gamble. if you want to be on the safe side, it is better to use a manufacturer-certified charging adapter. the xcessory car charger set for the iphone, ipad and ipod is such a, special licensed product certified by apple for the cigarette lighter. the packaging therefore also bears the "made for ipod, iphone and ipad" logo of the apple mfi program, which is much sought-after by accessory manufacturers.

With which apple devices does it work?

the xcessory car usb charging set consists of an adapter for the 12v socket and a separate, 1 meter long usb cable with lightning connector connection. apple has been using this since iphone 5, the ipad of the 4. generation, the first ipad mini and the ipod touch 5 with all current variants since 2012, which means that the charging set can be used for a correspondingly large number of apple devices. For older iphones and ipads that still have the 30-pin dock connector to charge, the then original charging cable can be plugged into the xcessory adapter instead. the apple certification also ensures that the adapter for the cigarette lighter is compatible with all previous and future ios versions.

features and functions of the car charger set

The output power of the xcessory charging adapter is 2.1 amps, which is provided via a usb socket. alternative adapters deliver more power and distribute it to two usb-sockets, but many of them have problems with apple’s devices, which is related to their special charging control. Either they are only charged in the slow USB mode, or charging may not work at all. However, the 2.1 amps of the xcessory car charging kit are more than adequately dimensioned for a reliable and fast charging process, because an iphone is already content with about 1.1 amperes of power.

The xcessory iPhone charging adapter, together with the USB Lightning cable, is certified by Apple as an official accessory, ensuring charging functionality with all compatible Apple iDevices

Technical data

xcessory car charger set for apple ipod/iphone/ipad
number of usb sockets 1
input voltage 10,5 – 18,0 volt DC via car connector
output voltage 5 volt dc
output current (maximum) 2.1 amps
ready indicator blue LED
scope of delivery charging adapter, 1 meter long usb to lightning connector charging cable
dimensions 39,0 x 25,0 mm (length, width)
weight 10.0 grams

The workmanship and the design are convincing?

the workmanship of the adapter and the 1 meter long lightning charging cable makes a decent impression. a lot of plastic is used, but thanks to its high-gloss look, it gives the adapter more than sufficient dimensions a thoroughly valuable impression. xcessory’s auto-USB adapter is compactly designed so that it should fit almost flush into most 12V jacks. thanks to the detachable, separate charging cable, the adapter can also be left in the cigarette lighter when it is not needed for charging. The included lightning cable has the same length as an original apple cable. the xcessory cable is a bit stiffer in direct comparison, but this should hardly make a difference in everyday use.

in terms of color and design, xcessory has taken its cue from the apple iphone and ipad versions, as the car charger set is available in plain glossy black and white, which are technically indistinguishable from each other.

experience in everyday use

Due to the existing apple certification of the xcessory car charging set, the result of our charging test is hardly surprising: we were able to achieve a apple iphone 5 and iphone 6 as well as an ipad air 2 successfully charge on the adapter with the included lightning cable. In our tests, there were also none of the infamous ios error messages that a charging process was not possible with third-party accessories. So you really don’t have to worry about any incompatibilities. The iphone 6 continued to load swiftly even with google maps navigation enabled, which suggests, that the adapter should still have sufficient reserves. During the charging process, the adapter becomes noticeably warm, but this does not affect its functionality.

We have tested the charging set in two different cars. Due to its grippy sides, the adapter can be plugs well into any cigarette lighter and also easy to pull out again. In the 12V socket of an opel astra GTC, however, the adapter does not sit completely tight, which we attribute to its slightly oval shape. In the socket of a toyota corolla, the USB adapter sits snugly and tightly without wobbling. Unfortunately, it is therefore not possible to make a general statement for all cars. The charging function is always given, even if the charging adapter should not always sit tightly in the socket, depending on the car type.

Also worth mentioning is the small LED bar that glows a discreet blue when the USB charging adapter is connected to the 12V socket. this is inconspicuous enough not to be disturbing at night, but can be helpful in the dark to find the adapter’s usb jack.

Does the xcessory adapter interfere with radio reception??

there are a few amazon reviews of the car charging set, in which a disturbance of the radio reception is reported. Reason enough to examine the xcessory adapter more closely from this point of view as well. For this it is important to know how such a car charger works technically. This generates a 5V DC voltage from the 12V voltage of the car’s electrical system, which can then be used to charge a smartphone. This transformation is done by a high frequency fragmentation of the output voltage, to generate an alternating voltage. This is then transformed down to the 5-volt target voltage and converted back to DC. During this process high-frequency fields, that can affect the reception of a car radio.

this principle of voltage transformation is ultimately followed by all usb car charging adapters, including those from other manufacturers. if the radio reception is indeed weakened, this is mostly due to the fact due to an unfavorable position of the 12V-connector. If the adapter is placed in the immediate vicinity above or below the radio, the high-frequency field of such an adapter can affect the radio reception.

In our test with the xcessory adapter, we actually noticed a somewhat muffled radio reception, which was noticeable by a slightly audible crackling noise. In our case, the 12V socket was located directly below the radio. plugged into another 12v socket in the center console, there was no interference with the reception of the radio more. as soon as there is a short distance between the car charger adapter and the radio, there will be no problems with the reception of FM radio stations.

Direct comparison: xcessory or wicked chili car adapter?

also the wicked chili car adapter we tested can technically charge an apple iphone or ipad, so a direct comparison with the xcessory adapter tested here is recommended. The most important difference is the apple certification, which only the xcessory car charger set offers, whereas the wicked chili adapter does not. In terms of processing, both adapters are at about the same good level.

the wicked chili adapter is available in a dual version, which has two usb sockets. As soon as the purchase price is included in the comparison, the xcessory autoladeset clearly has the best performance the better price-performance ratio. because the set comes with the charging adapter and a 1 meter lightning charging and sync cable, which would have to be purchased separately for the wicked chili adapter.

Advantages

  • The car charging kit works with any apple iphone, ipad and ipod
  • The car adapter and the lightning cable are certified by apple
  • The current strength of 2.1 amps ensures a quick charging process
  • A separate 1-meter lightning charging cable is already included in the set
  • Extremely small and compact design
  • offers a very good price-performance ratio overall

Disadvantages

  • the car adapter offers only one usb socket for charging
  • Due to the oval design, the charging adapter may have some play in some 12V sockets, but this does not affect the charging function

Conclusion and recommendation

The existing apple certification makes the xcessory car charging set the optimal companion in the car. You don’t have to worry about compatibility problems, because the adapter works with every apple iphone, ipad and ipod. The price of the xcessory set is also convincing, considering that the adapter comes with a 1 meter long lightning charging cable. for this alone, apple charges more money in their store than the xcessory charging adapter and lightning cable costs together. Due to the apple certification, the decent workmanship and the good price, the xcessory car charging set gets a clear buy recommendation from us.

Update: anker powerdrive 2 elite car charger as an alternative

The xcessory car charger is now discontinued. However, with the 24-watt strong anker powerdrive 2 car USB charger, there is a recommendable alternative. thanks to the manufacturer’s patented poweriq charging technology, this attractively priced adapter can be used universally for all iphone models and android smartphones. the powerdrive 2 adapter offers two usb charging ports and is easy to handle due to its compact design.

the many positive reviews on amazon also speak for its good quality, so that we can recommend the charging adapter from anker without reservation. (updated on 6. november 2021)

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Christina Cherry
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