Every iPhone and every iPad needs a Lightning cable to charge it, yet the one Apple supplies in the box is kind of… crappy. The cables tend to wear out quite quickly, becoming frayed and dangerous to use. Thankfully, there are plenty of worthwhile replacements that offer reinforced connections, tougher braided designs, new colour schemes and other upgrades. Here are five of our favourite options.
5. Happy Braided Light-up Lightning Cable (1m)
This cable comes in five fun colours, including pink (shown above), blue, purple, white and black. The cable is flat, with a braided design that ensures it will last a long time. The cable also includes a bright LED at the end of the cable, making it much easier to plug in your iPhone in the dark.
4. Echo IronWire Ultra-Strong Lightning Cable (1.5m)
This braided nylon cable is a good length at one-and-a-half metres, but it’s real claim to fame is its strength. Thanks to its braided design, it’s strong enough to tow a car or lift 70 kilograms of weights. The IronWire even comes with a lifetime warranty, so if it breaks down in the line of duty you can get a free replacement — awesome.
3. Olixar Charging Cables Triple Pack (1m)
This triple pack of charging cables is the value option, allowing you to leave a cable in every place you need to charge your iPhone. Keep one in your car, one at work, and one in your bag — you’ll never need to go without a fully charged iPhone. You can also use them one at a time, so if one breaks you’ll have a replacement at the ready. For £5 each, that’s a bargain.
2. Scosche FlatOut LED Lightning Tangle-Free Cable (20cm)
This cable from Scosche resists tangles, thanks to its flat design. It also includes a red LED near the Lightning connector end which is activated with a button, making it easy to connect even in low light. This cable is only 20cm long too, minimising its weight and bulk for easy transport.
1. Urban Revolt Flat Non-Tangle Lightning Cable (20cm)
Our final cable is the Urban Revolt, another flat (non-tangle) Lightning cable with a modest length of 20cm. This cable doesn’t include lightning, but also comes in at a much lower price point. Combined with its rugged design, it’s enough to give it the top slot this time around. If you need a short cable for use with a portable charger, this is the ideal choice.
Thanks for checking out the article. If nothing really stood out for you, how about picking up some Sugru? This mouldable glue makes it easy to repair old and frayed cables, saving you quite a bit of money in the long run.