Newer Technology Power2U USB Receptacle Review

[admin]

It seems like everything needs a USB power supply these days. iPads, smart phones, Kindles... the list goes on. The bottom line is, it's very likely that your office, your kitchen - possibly even your bedroom is littered with a myriad of power adapters - all designed to charge these portable devices. Newer Technology's Power2U is an innovative device that combines two USB charging ports with a standard Decora-style electrical outlet or receptacle. That means you eliminate the need to use a bulky power adapter to charge your devices. Instead, you just plug in a USB cable and you're good to go. And the 2A (2000mA) rating means that there's enough juice to charge even power-hungry devices like the new iPad.


Discuss "Newer Technology Power2U USB Receptacle Review" here. Read the article.

[spyder152]

I like it!!

[bluemoon737]

One concern...constant power draw when nothing is plugged in. Perhaps a great idea for a switched outlet?

[BMXTRIX]

I just saw this one yesterday and thought this was also a very elegant solution.

RCA Wall Plate Charger with 2 USB Outlets - White | WP2UWR | RCA

It doesn't have the requirement of pulling an outlet and having to rewire it to add USB. Obviously, you lose an outlet, but you pick up the two USB connections at the wall, and anyone can use it anywhere they need to, so it becomes a quick solution for some.

[Rubicon_Joey]

At nearly $30 I doubt I will be buying one any time soon. Standard receptacles are less than $5 (even for gfci) and most charging blocks are free with the device. I just don't see $30 of worth of functionality here. I might be willing to spend a couple $$ more to have them in key locations, but certainly not 6 times as much! Another thought that crossed my mind was, how long will it be before devices switch to another type of cable? Then what happens? Your stuck with $30 outlets that don't do you a bit of good. Maybe the price will go down in the future? I don't know but, I wont be buying any at that price.

[sholling]

I just saw this one yesterday and thought this was also a very elegant solution.

RCA Wall Plate Charger with 2 USB Outlets - White | WP2UWR | RCA

It doesn't have the requirement of pulling an outlet and having to rewire it to add USB. Obviously, you lose an outlet, but you pick up the two USB connections at the wall, and anyone can use it anywhere they need to, so it becomes a quick solution for some.

This $16 900 joule surge suppressor from Belkin is similar to what you found. It appears the one in the review has GFI which is a must if you are replacing a GFI outlet - but I did not see any GFI breaker buttons just a label. But the one in the review has a much higher WAF.

[GO-NAD!]

While you may not need one of these in the bathroom, just about every other location we could think of would benefit.

At $30 a pop, I don't think so.

The design of the outlet is such that the hot and neutral connections require you to run the 12/2 wire up and over the outlet or face scraping the sides of the receptacle box.

Hmmm, must be a different electrical code. A 15 amp circuit only requires 14/2 here.

I like BMXTRIX's suggestion.

[OWC Grant]

What's not mentioned...and what's being incorrectly assumed...is the power use of the Power2U. The Safety Shutters shut off the USB transformer when a cable is removed and the shutter door is close. So, there is no "vampire draw" by the Power2U. Additionally, the Smart Power feature only supplies enough power required to charge a device and then shuts down.

Should also note about the price....it's commonly found for as low as $22. Can't compare this to a $5 outlet as this enables charging of four devices simultaneously. Two USB ports and four device charging....fair to say that's 4x the use of a standard $5 outlet...

Hope that clears up any confusion...and read the reviews tab on the product page....many tech users just love this convenience item. Can't beat its "geek appeal"...no way can a plug in style unit like the RCA compare to a built-in on that regard.

[Rubicon_Joey]

Should also note about the price....it's commonly found for as low as $22. Can't compare this to a $5 outlet as this enables charging of four devices simultaneously. Two USB ports and four device charging....fair to say that's 4x the use of a standard $5 outlet... .

$22 is still outrageous. Except for the GFCI's most standard receptacles in homes are less than $2 each. That now changes it to needing to be 11x the functionality. How many times have you really needed or even wanted to charge more than 2 devices at a time from a single outlet? I can't think of any situation that the need exist other than some mobile hot spots like a coffee shop. Even then I don't think you would find four people sitting together that all needed to charge a device at the same table very often. At ~$7 I would buy a couple just for the convenience of not needing the charging block, but anything more than that and it's not worth it for me.

[OWC Grant]

$22 is still outrageous. Except for the GFCI's most standard receptacles in homes are less than $2 each. That now changes it to needing to be 11x the functionality. How many times have you really needed or even wanted to charge more than 2 devices at a time from a single outlet? I can't think of any situation that the need exist other than some mobile hot spots like a coffee shop. Even then I don't think you would find four people sitting together that all needed to charge a device at the same table very often. At ~$7 I would buy a couple just for the convenience of not needing the charging block, but anything more than that and it's not worth it for me.

Ah...not sure if you have kids...but for the modern multi-device family, this is nearly a necessity...unless you want cords and adapters plugged into multiple outlets in the home. The coffee shop is a good example....at CES, people were lining up to get a chance to get a free charge and add battery time back to their phones...

In any event, not all products for all people. Comes down to individual needs. Thanks!