The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.TL;DR We'vecharged our iPhones with dozens of lightning cables over the years to find the best ones. The durable Anker PowerLine lightning cable is a cut above the rest.Anyone who has ever owned an iPhone loves to hate Apple's lighting cables. The charging cables that come with your iPhone or iPad don't usually last too long, and you end up needing more than one lightning cable at home anyway.Luckily, the internet is full of great lightning charging cables to suit your every need. Whether you need an extra long cord, a super short one, or the most durable one in the world, there's a lightning cable for you out there.However, there are lots of cheap lightning cables that aren't MFi certified by Apple, and many of them are dangerous or ineffective. You should always buy MFi-certified lightning cords for your own safety, so we've rounded up the very best Apple-approved lightning cables we've tested over the years.Although the Anker PowerLine is our top pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the Native Union Night cable, the Ventev ChargeSync cable, the Fuse Chicken Titan cable, and the AmazonBasics cable.SEE ALSO:The 8 iPhone and iPad accessories I use every dayDON'T MISS:These are the 5 cables you should always have spares ofThe best lightning cable overallWhy you'll love it: The Anker PowerLine Lightning cableis the best cord for most people with its sturdy design,fast charging speed, and fair price point.When it comes to lightning cables, you can't beat Anker's PowerLine lightning cables. These cables have it all: They're fast to charge your iPhone or sync data, they're durable, and they're affordable.The cable is strengthened with Kevlar and the stress points near the lightning charger and the USB connector are reinforced for added durability. They're slightly wider than theconnectors on Apple'scable, but the Anker cable should fit most iPhone cases.In testing, Ankerbent the PowerLine cables more than 5,000 times to ensure that they last. The company also offers an 18-month warranty and it has a great reputation for following through when users have problems.Anker's PowerLine lightning cables come with a Velcro tie to help you wrangle up any extra cord length you don't need. It also makes traveling with your lightning cable easier. You can get the cable in black, white, blue, red, or gray.User reviews are very positive, and tech reviewers agree that Anker makes excellent cables for a very reasonable price. Digital Trends,Best Products, and The Wirecutter give Anker high marks.Anker's lineup of PowerLine lightning cables is so good that The Wirecutter recommends every single length option as the best buy in its guide. PowerLine cables come in 1-foot, 3-foot, 6-foot, and 10-foot lengths to suit everyone's needs. We can't help but agree that Anker makes the best lightning cables you can buy for a great price.Pros:Made from durable aramid fiber, lots of lengths, 18-month warranty, fast charging, reinforced stress points, and it's MFi certified by AppleCons:NoneBuy the 1-foot Anker PowerLine Lightning cable on Amazon for $8.99Buy the 3-foot Anker PowerLine Lightning cable on Amazon for $7.99Buy the 6-foot Anker PowerLine Lightning cable on Amazon for $10.99Buy the 10-foot Anker PowerLine Lightning cable on Amazon for $13.99The best cheap lightning cableWhy you'll love it: The AmazonBasics 3-foot lightning cableis the cheapest cord on our list, but it's still excellent.Sometimes you just need a cheap lightning cable for your iPhone. If you're not interested in paying a premium for your charging cable, Amazon has you covered with its no-frills AmazonBasics Apple Certified lightning cable.Amazon offers three different lengths: four inches, three feet, and six feet. The neck next to the lightning cable is relatively thin, so it should fit into the cutout for the charging port for most iPhone cases. The ends are reinforced to improve durability, though, and Amazon says it put the cable through 4,000 95-degree bend tests. The AmazonBasics cable evencomes with a one-year limited warranty.Unlike most cheap lightning cables, you can count on the AmazonBasics cable to work with your iPhone or iPad, because it's MFi certified by Apple. That's rare for cheap cables, and it's incredibly importantuncertified third-party cables can be dangerous and result in charging problems or even damage to your iPhone. If money is a concern, buy this cable instead.User reviews on Amazon are positive, and sites like Lifewire, Best Products, and Digital Trends all recommend the AmazonBasics cable. It comes in black and white, and you can get 3-foot, 6-foot, or 4-inch lengths. Amazon offers two packs of the 3-and-6-foot cords.Pros:It's supercheap, extra protection at stress points, passed a 4,000 bend test, it's MFi certified by Apple, and it has a one-year warrantyCons:It only comes in black or whiteBuy the AmazonBasics 3-foot lightning cable on Amazon for $6.49Buy the AmazonBasics 6-foot lightning cable on Amazon for $7.99Buy the two-pack AmazonBasics 3-foot lightning cable on Amazon for $11.98Buy the two-pack AmazonBasics 6-foot lightning cable on Amazon for $15.98Buy the AmazonBasics 4-inch lightning cable on Amazon for $5.99The best long lightning cableWhy you'll love it: The 10-foot Native Union Night cablemakes charging your iPhone super easy when you need a long, strong, stable lightning cable.If you've ever struggled with a short cord, you'll absolutely love Native Union's weighted Night cable. Not only is it 10 feet long, it's also durable and has a weighted knot that keeps it from pulling your iPhone off the table while it's charging.Native Union makes its lightning cables out of braided nylon, which is strong and durable. It also means that the cable doesn't tangle as much. There are four layers of material protecting the cable's wires: braided nylon, a TPE rubber sleeve, a tinned copper braid, and a grounding layer. Inside all those layers are wires that are also protected and reinforcedsome of them even have Kevlar fiber inside.Native Union is so confident in its lightning cables that it put them through a10,000 bend test to see whether they would break or fray, and the cables survived. The company also offers a limited lifetime warranty, so you know this cable is built to last.I've used the Native Union Night cable for the past three years as my main charger, and it has never let me down. I've bent it all sorts of ways, and it hasn't frayed at all. I typically use the weight to keep my iPhone on my nightstand while I charge it, but it's easy to adjust when I need the weight anchoring the cord in another place. The cable comes in several fun colors, too, so it looks nice in any home.The Night cable is also highly rated by users on AmazonandNative Union's website. Many tech publications also recommend Native Union's Night cable.Pros:It's 10-feet long, weighted so it doesn't fall, covered in sturdy woven fabric, 12-month warranty, MFi certified by Apple, and it bends but doesn't breakCons:ExpensiveBuy the black and white 10-foot weighted Native Union Night cable on Amazon for $39.99Buy the marine blue 10-foot weighted Native Union Night cable on Amazon for $39.99Buy the taupe 10-foot weighted Native Union Night cable on Amazon for $39.99Buy the nautical 10-foot weighted Native Union Night cable on Amazon for $39.99See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Click here to read full news..
