A nice, solid, well-made white power bar with lightning protection. On it are four EU power outlets and six 5 V USB ports, an extra feature that I had not seen too often, and which comes in very useful when multiple devices need to be powered up. Four ports are rated 1 A and two are 2.4 A to suit different requirements.
The power outlets are very closely spaced but angled so that long plugs can be placed side by side and no spaces are wasted. As usual, there is an On/Off button with a red light indicating when the bar is turned on. The wide shape and USB functionality means that it can be placed on top of a desk or table, instead of on the floor, provided that you have enough room. |
In use the power bar performs as expected with no overheating or other issues. The connecting cable is a good length (1.80 m), and quite chunky. It has a rated maximum power of 4000W. The only thing that could be better is that the main plug that connects the bar to the wall outlet is a little difficult to grasp. I prefer a more mounded profile so I can get a good grip on the plug. A minor detail which does not detract from the five stars that this product deserves.
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I received a sample unit for evaluation and review purposes and these are my observations after a suitable testing period. Of all the battery chargers I have come across, this is definitely one of the best. For reliability and quality construction, it compares to my AccuPower Fast Charger, although it does not have all the options and is, therefore, a lot simpler to use. I love its versatility. It takes both AA and AAA Ni-MH Ni-Cd batteries in various configurations. You can recharge batteries singly or in sets of twos, which is really handy when you have three depleted batteries, or even just one.
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The adjustment for the shorter AAA batteries is made by pulling down a small section at the top of the unit. This makes it very easy to insert the battery and ensures a tight fit. There are visual indicators for each of the four bays, showing charging status in three increments. Speed of charging is great , it really is a fast charger. My AAA batteries from the Slendertone belt, for example, are flat out when I plug them in and back in operation within 2-3 hours (haven't timed them precisely yet).
Build-wise, the all plastic body is lightweight but looks sturdy. The wire is a little flimsy but the wall plug is very solid and confidence-giving. It's now my go-to rechargeable battery charger.
Build-wise, the all plastic body is lightweight but looks sturdy. The wire is a little flimsy but the wall plug is very solid and confidence-giving. It's now my go-to rechargeable battery charger.
A brilliant idea, combining a wall charger for multiple mobile appliances with a plug adapter. The charger has four 5V USB ports of different amperage: the top two rated for 1.0A and the bottom two for 2.4A. The European plug is removable (by pulling the whole plug out from the body of the charger), revealing the folded-in flat pins of a standard North American plug.
The charger accepts inputs of 100 to 240 volts (50/60 Hz) which, of course, is needed to accommodate the different current ratings of both Europe and North America. It delivers a fast charge for four devices simultaneously (the manual states that it outputs 34W of continuous power). It is compliant with CE, FCC and RoHS standards. The user manual is pretty clear, in five languages (English, German, French, Spanish and Italian). |
This travel charger is a solid-looking piece of kit, in white plastic. When plugged in, a small blue LED lights up to indicate that it is under power.
With the needs of travellers in mind and to keep the size down to a minimum, the USB ports are closely spaced. This might potentially present a difficulty with larger than normal USB connectors, if one wanted to use all four ports at once, but all the USB plugs I have seen are narrow enough to fit in a row. |
In use, the charger works as intended, and does not get unduly warm. In my tests, it does charge very quickly, and is comparable to other fast chargers I have experience of. At this price level (under $20), it represents great value for money, and could quickly prove indispensable for people who travel between Europe and North America.
This is a brilliant accessory which is becoming indispensable, the longer I have it. When I was offered this charger to test and review, I never imagined how much I would come to depend on it.
Operation is intuitive. When the charger is plugged into a wall outlet, a blue LED light indicates that it is receiving power. The USB ports at the front are identical to those found on today's computers. It will charge up to four appliances at one time via USB ports of different amperages: the top two ports are labelled AiO and deliver a fast charge at 5V/2.4A; the bottom two are labelled 5V/1A. That seems to work for a full range of SmartPhones, digital cameras, pads, tablets, mp3 and mp4 devices and even portable power banks. |
Up until now, my only option to recharge USB-enables devices was to plug them into a computer. Quite often that is not convenient, especially if you use your laptop for recording or downloading photos. Even my desktop computer only has two USB ports available and some operations don't work well through a hub. So this quality-made, solid-looking, super-neat wall charger is the answer.