Review: Anker 5-Port USB Charger

These days just about everything is powered by USB, and I never seem to have enough ports to charge the items. If I used individual chargers, I’d have a bunch of chargers on power strips and when I travel, I’d have a bunch of pieces to bring. So, when I started reading about multiple port chargers that would handle iPhones as well as the increased power required for iPads, I was quite intrigued. After further research, some chargers required me to plug iPads into certain ports and other devices into the other ports. This is cumbersome and when I saw the Anker® 40W 5-Port USB Charger where it would intelligently figure out what output is required for each port, I jumped at this.

The charger is pretty compact and its operation is simple, plug it in. I’ve been using it for travel on a number of trips and it is a real lifesaver. When I travel with my family, we have 3 iPads, 2 iPhones, my Pebble watch, and an external iPhone battery. While I don’t have to charge all at once, it is quite handy to plug in 5 devices. It works as advertised and I haven’t had any problems with it. Some reviews have indicated that the device arrived dead or overheated. I haven’t seen those and it just works.

Pros

• Compact
• Handles multiple devices

Cons

• None

Summary

The only question about this is how many should you get? I recommend getting at least one to throw in a suitcase so it is always ready for travel. Getting a second one to leave on a desk isn’t a bad idea either. While I don’t have an Anker on my desk (I have a different one that is of lesser quality), having a charger on my desk is quite handy.

These do go on sale for about $20-$25 periodically, so I wouldn’t pay more than that, but if you travel with more than 1 device, this is a great addition to any travel pack.