The KIWI U-Powered Solar & USB Portable Charger kind of reminds me of the Boy Scout motto: Be prepared. With this in your bag, you’ll be prepared to recharge just about any kind of portable gear, from smartphones to GPS units.
KIWI U-Powered is a portable, universal charger just released by KIWI Choice, Inc. of Canada. It starts with a battery pack that can be charged four ways—by the sun, plugged in to an AC outlet, in a car, or from a computer’s USB port.
Then, the unit can be used to recharge your travel gear during long flights across the ocean, on camping or hiking trips or any other times when there might not be a power plug nearby.
The KIWI U-Powered is really well-designed. It fits perfectly in my hand and weighs less than four-and-a-half ounces.
It can be charged from a 110- or 220-volt AC outlet, making it perfect for international travel.
The KIWI U-Powered storage battery can also be charged by the sun. It unfolds into the shape of a fan blade. The design cleverly allows the use of three photo voltaic solar panels when charging with green power.
The compatibility list is long for this portable charger. Included with the kit are a cable and 11 tips that will charge iPhones and iPods; phones from Blackberry, Nokia, Samsung, LG, Palm, Motorola and Sony; Bluetooth headsets; GPS units; digital cameras; e-readers; and portable game consoles.
The lithium polymer storage battery stores 2,000 mAh, which should recharge several small devices. Charging the battery from a USB port, AC current or a car outlet takes three-and-a-half to four-and-a-half hours.
Solar charging takes much longer, of course. In my tests, the battery picked up more than 25 percent of a full charge sitting five hours in the hot Texas sun. That’s consistent with the company’s claim that a full solar charge should take about 17 hours.
The unit is designed to last for 1,000 power cycles, which means it should be keeping your gear running for years.
My colleague, Tim, reviewed another solar charger earlier, but it lacked the variety of tips included with the KIWI.
A couple of other features on the U-Powered charger are also noteworthy. There are magnets on the back of the storage battery, allowing it to be attached to a car or other metal object while charging the solar panels. I wouldn’t recommend putting it on a moving car, though, unless you want to pick up the pieces from the road. There’s also a handy LED flashlight on the end of the storage battery.
I was pleasantly surprised by the price—$49.99. My guess would have been more than twice that much. It’s available now on the company’s website and will also be rolled out at retailers and other online stores.
If there’s another device on the market that does all this for the same price, I haven’t found it. The KIWI U-Powered Solar & USB Portable Charger brings power wherever you need it, even miles away from the nearest plug.
#1 by Mike - June 8th, 2010 at 09:48
wow! i should get one.
#2 by rich@huntingdon bed and breakfasts - June 8th, 2010 at 10:22
awesome, the swiss army knife of chargers
#3 by Jeremy B - June 9th, 2010 at 08:08
It looks like that Brunton one you linked to stores 2,200 mAh and fully charges a lot faster. This one is a whole lot cheaper though and has all the tips.
#4 by Patricia - May 2nd, 2011 at 09:30
This is a great gadget, I used one of those when travelling around Europe and it came in very handy.
#5 by Lorna - May 14th, 2011 at 11:24
Thanks for this post, this looks like a really handy product. I have been looking for one of these for my daughter for when she goes on her gap year. Thanks for posting.
#6 by Eric - June 3rd, 2011 at 19:15
Big thanks I’m on my way to Costa Rica for a few weeks, was looking for something to help keep the camera charged while in the jungle. From what it looks like this should do the trick just fine, I wouldn’t figure that the solar charge time is so long since I’ll just be charging a camera.
thanks again
#7 by Denise - June 6th, 2011 at 20:57
Wow. This will definitely come in handy when I go camping with my dad. It just makes me crazy that I couldn’t charge my phone in the middle of the wilderness.
#8 by Steve - June 8th, 2011 at 03:26
Yeah, cool gadget but hiw useful is it? 17 hours to charge, and Denise, why would you want your phone in the wilderness?
#9 by Kay Stevens - June 9th, 2011 at 07:59
This looks like one of those nifty little gadgets that you get to use time and time again. It can prove to be a real lifesaver when you’re in a bit of a pickle.
It certainly gets the thumbs up from me….
#10 by Abbs - June 10th, 2011 at 13:41
Wow, that is one handy gadget. I end up travelling a lot and my gadgets always run out of battery at the wrong moments. Looking at the price and portability of this charger, I’m actually considering getting it before I leave for my next business trip. Thanks for bringing us the best travel equipment reviews (:
Abbs
#11 by Sally - August 26th, 2011 at 14:47
This is awesome! I could use this so many times…I’m always trying to figure out whether I remembered the right charger for the right situation. Thanks!