A cell phone is only useful if it has a charge, and when away from home, having accessories available to keep a phone charged is of great importance.

A car phone charger plugs into the cigarette lighter adapter or accessory outlet of the car, which allows a phone to be charged while on the road. For many on-the-go cell phone users, having a car phone charger is not only handy, but also a bit of safety insurance because if the phone needs to be used in an emergency, it needs to have a charge.

With more smartphones in the market offering powerful capabilities, cell phone batteries do not last as long as the older analog phone batteries used to last. Powering the Internet, texting capabilities, constantly running applications, and of course heavy phone usage all impact the battery. Also, the advanced technology developed for cell phone screens also is a major draw on the battery.

Car phone chargers are an affordable safety net in emergencies, and ensure mobile consumers will always have the opportunity to charge their phone battery.

How to Choose a Car Phone Charger

There is a large variety of car phone chargers on the market. Some manufacturers, like Apple, have their own proprietary connector that works across all of their phone models. Other manufacturers may have multiple connector designs, especially for phones that came to market before the universal micro - USB protocol was released.

In 2009, China, the European Commission and other countries developed a national standard on mobile phone chargers using the USB standard. Ten of the world's largest mobile phone manufacturers agreed to develop specifications for and support a micro-USB equipped charger for all data-enabled mobile phones in the EU. Later that year, the International Telecommunication Union announced a standard for a universal charger for mobile handsets. As a result, there is a universal standard for cell phones that manufacturers are integrating, which has paved the way for a universal charger.

Next, factor in the phone owner's usage habits. If the person is a heavy user, he may require a faster charge so that he can be ready to use the phone again soon after.