Having a wall outlet with integrated USB-C charging seems like a fantastic idea, right? No wall adapter needed, just plug your device in and go! However, what seems convenient now might not be later as power requirements change, and that’s exactly why I won’t install a USB charging outlet in my house.Add How-To Geek on Google Add as Preferred Source Follow on Google Discover USB power requirements are always changing Just a few years ago, 18W was enough.Today, that’s not the case Close I remember when I saw the first wall outlets with built-in USB-C and USB-A ports.
I really, really wanted to install them.But, even at the time, 18W was on the lower side of USB-C charging.It would power a phone, but not much else.
Still, the thought of being able to plug my phone into the wall directly with no adapter was something I had never considered before, and desperately wanted.I decided against the plugs though because it just wasn’t worth it to me.Now, I look back and I am very happy that I never purchased and installed those older outlets.
The latest iPhone needs more than 18W to effectively charge, and 18W is seen as a low number for most devices at this point.Integrated USB charging outlets are expensive And they’re stuck wherever you have them installed While 18W from a few years ago isn’t a whole lot today, you can now get outlets that have dual USB-C with up to 60W Power Delivery.This is much better than what was available a few years ago, but there’s still one big thing wrong with it: price.
Take Leviton’s 60W dual USB-C outlet available at Home Depot as an example.It’s $60, provides up to 60W of power (60W to one port, or around 30W to both simultaneously), and, unless you know how to do electrical yourself, requires calling an electrician out to install it.For around $60, you can get so many other chargers that are far better.
I have this JOYROOM charger in my office and it provides two 100W built-in retractable USB-C ports, as well as a third USB-C port capable of up to 140W and two USB-A ports.All from a single wall outlet.It’s $80 at the time of writing, which is $20 more than the Leviton outlet I mentioned above.
However, it plugs into any wall outlet, and can be brought on vacation or moved from room to room.Oh, and it doesn’t require an electrician to install.It seems convenient up front, but becomes a pain in the long run You might use that 18W port today, but next year you’ll be back to plugging adapters in again I can’t even tell you how many chargers I’ve gone through over the years because they weren’t powerful enough.
I’ve had countless USB-A 2A 5V chargers, which I used to think were powerful.Then we went to 18W USB-C, which was a huge step up.Then 25W, 40W, 60W, and now I have a 140W USB-C charger sitting on my desk.
With normal USB-C adapters, you can simply replace them as they age.You recycle the old one, buy a new one.Or, your computer or phone might even come with a new one (if you’re lucky).
When it comes to integrated outlets, the only course of action is to replace the entire outlet or stop using the USB-C functions altogether.If you had an 18W outlet installed a few years ago, now it charges your iPhone much slower than a 45W adapter would.So, you could either replace the entire outlet, or just go back to plugging adapters in.
It’s just not convenient right now.Maybe when USB-C Power Delivery 3.1 and its 240W capabilities, we’ll eventually have integrated outlets that it makes sense to use.But, right now, it just doesn’t.
JOYROOM 5-in-1 USB-C Charging Station Brand JOYROOM Output 140W Input 120V Cable included Two 100W USB-C Cables built-in Charging Ports 1x 140W USB-C, 2x USB-A The JOYROOM 5-in-1 USB-C charging station is perfect for powering your desk or charging setup.It has two built-in 100W USB-C Power Delivery cables, as well as an additional 140W USB-C port on the front next to two more USB-A ports.Powered by a single wall plug, this charging station has a built-in screen to tell you how much power each port is using when plugged in, too.
See at Amazon Expand Collapse Sometimes the “most convenient” solution is actually the least convenient Wall outlets with integrated USB-C seem like the most convenient charging solution, right? You don’t need a wall adapter, just plug the USB-C cable in and go! At least, that’s what happens for a little bit.Then, devices start needing more power than that outlet can give you, and you’re right back to where you started—using wall adapters again.That most convenient solution ended up being the least convenient solution at the end of the day.
This is why I won’t install USB charging outlets in my walls, and why I think you shouldn’t, either.
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