Keeping track of your own chargers can be enough of a task but when you throw a family into the mix, there’s bound to be issues like borrowing stealing each others’ cables, not enough chargers where and when you need them, and more. Enter ElevationLab’s Family Charger that can power up to five devices at once with one robust integrated cable. Read on for our full review of this fantastic MFi family (or business) charging solution that offers power for Lightning, USB-C, and microUSB devices.
When you’re thinking about charging up a house full of mobile devices, it’s easy for things to quickly become messy as it often involves lots of charging bricks and lots of cables. FamilyCharger offers a clean and simple solution with a five cable-in-one braided nylon design.
Not only is this wired charging solution a lifesaver for families but can also be a killer addition to businesses or office spaces.
Specs
- MFi (Made for iPhone, iPad, iPod) certified
- Connectors: 3 Lightning, 1 MicroUSB, 1 USB-C.
- Power supply: 52W
- Input: 100-240v – 50/60Hz, 1.5A
- Plug: US 2-prong power cord to C7 connector on power supply. Other options available for international customers.
- Each connector gets up to 12W power. MicroUSB supports QuickCharge 3.0 up to 18W.
Materials and build
No surprises here. We’ve reviewed a good amount of ElevationLab’s Apple accessories over the years and FamilyCharger continues the company’s ethos of creating products with great form and function.
The main cable is made up of a robust braided black and silver nylon for a nice aesthetic to go along with the durability that will stand up to whole family use. ElevationLab also includes two silicon cable management mounts so you can install it practically anywhere.
Another neat aspect of FamilyCharger’s design is that the 52W of total power output and ability to charge five devices at a time only takes up one plug on a power strip or outlet.
More thoughtfulness, the charger can be purchased with or without the USB power adapter so if you already have one or need to replace it in the future, no worries.
Keep in mind this isn’t going to be the cable you want to use if you’d like to keep using your device while it’s charging. You can, it’s just that being a 5-in-1 charger it’s not designed for that use case.
ElevationLab includes a one-year warranty and 30-day return policy with FamilyCharger.
In use
This is one of those products that truly make everyday life better. When it first launched, I think a lot of people (myself included) had a reaction like Peter Dinklage’s character in Elf when talking about great ideas.
There’s not a whole lot to say here other than FamilyCharger is a very well designed and executed product that offers the kind of functionality that makes day to day life smoother. But here are a few more thoughts from my testing…
I love that you’ve got an almost ten-foot length to work with, including cable management and it offers 2.4A 12W charging to each device (up to 18W for the microUSB cable).
In addition to using a FamilyCharger as a power-up hub for your fam, this is a great addition to any office or business that’s very accommodating to most any device, Apple or not.
Another thing I’ve realized, even though it’s a beefy 5-in-1 cable, it can be handy to grab for traveling since you’ve got just one item to remember that takes care of almost all of your charging needs (ElevationLab notes you can trickle charge a MacBook but recommends using a dedicated charger for regular use).
Wrap-up
After spending several weeks with the FamilyCharger, I give it two big thumbs up for delivering exactly what the company claims to with premium construction and eliminating cord clutter and squabbling over cables.
Since wireless charging hasn’t made its way to devices like iPad and other tablets and many younger users in your family may have older iPhones or other smartphones without wireless charging, this is a great buy.
