How to Choose the Right Car AC Adapter

A car AC adapter can be an amazing tool. Mine can power my small laptop, which in turn powers my iPhone, and in a pinch, I can bring a lamp or a hot plate or pretty much anything else with me while I travel across the country.

However, the wrong car AC adapter can break your electronics and blow a fuse in your vehicle. You've got to know how to pick an adapter that works safely and effectively.

Here are a few tips for choosing a car AC adapter that works through your vehicle's cigarette lighter.

Protect your gadgets. Get a car AC adapter that has a built in surge protector or even a fuse (this is common in larger adapters). The power provided by your vehicle can vary, especially if your vehicle is fairly old, because the cigarette lighter wasn't always intended to be a charging dock for iPods, cell phones, and computers.

You really don't want to send extremely variable amounts of electricity through electronics, as this is a good way to fry stuff. Avoid surges by looking for a car AC adapter with some sort of anti-surge feature. Car AC adapters often cost a bit more with this feature, but it's worth the money.

Know what you need. Most commuters will get by with a 12 volt AC adapter, and I don't really recommend using much more than that, but know how much power you're going to be using and compare this to the car AC adapters that you're considering. Running a TV and a game system in the back of your vehicle (which I've done) will take a whole lot more energy than a laptop.

Think about your car's physical layout. Some car AC adapters sit in your vehicle's cupholder. This can be very convenient unless your car has weird cupholders--at which point your new adapter will just sort of hang there. Don't make the mistake of ignoring the physical layout and limitations of your car. Get a good fit.

Look for a fan. The best AC adapters for cars come with little built in fans, as this will expel some of the heat that the device will build up during use. Without some sort of cooling mechanism, an AC adapter might break or even melt. While that can be fun to watch, it's not so great for your car's value (or smell). Make sure that the car AC adapter's designers kept heat in mind.

Do you have any other tips for choosing a car AC adapter? Post below.