Super Charge Your Charging Station

As a Walmart Mom, I spend quite a bit of my time at Walmart.  I’m always scouring the store for cool electronics at reasonable prices. On my recent visit to Walmart, I spent 2 1/2 hours going through nearly every department…except for the clothing and grocery areas.

Some of my favorite finds from the past are the Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker, WestBend Gluten-Free Breadmaker, Crock-Pot Casserole Slow Cooker, Bissell Symphony Vacuum and Mop, $55 Brother Sewing Machine, the Keurig 2.0, and a number of other items.

Today I want to tell you about another fun little gem I found near the lighting department.  It’s the GE Charging Station and it’s exactly the tool you need to clean up your charging area while adding more charging capabilities.  In fact, the GE Charging Station gives you 2 AC outlets (which replace your existing ones) and add 3 USB ports, so now you can charge up to 5 devices where you once could only charge 2.

So now the whole family can charge their devices all at the same time!

The top two USB ports are 3.1 AMPS and designed so that you can charge up to 1 tablet and 1 smartphone (or 2 smartphones) at full capacity at the same time.  The 3rd USB port is 1 AMP, which charges at a slower pace.

Why USB 3.1 Over the USB 2 or USB 1 Versions?

Simply said, it’s faster.  USB 1 charges at 500mA AMPS whereas USB 3.1, also known as SuperSpeed+, delivers up to 10 Gbps!  So, now your devices charging in the top 2 USB ports will charge at a faster pace than perhaps some of your slower AC/USB chargers.  One test shows that USB 3.1 performs up to 27% faster than the previous USB 3.0 version.

Features

• Can charge up to 2 AC devices and 3 devices via USB
• Plugs into a standard AC outlet
• Has a LED light that indicates at-a-glance charging status…
  • Blue = Idle
  • Red = Charging
  • Green = Charged
• Two of the 3 USB charging ports are 3.1 which allows for the rapid charging of 2 devices at the same time
• Always on energy-efficient LED nightlight
• Includes surge protection

Pros:

• Has 2 fast-powered USB 3.1 ports for quicker charging
• The Eye Indicator shows you quickly via color if your devices charging in the USB ports are charged or not
• The Eye Indicator helps you to easily find your charge at night without needing to turn on the lights
• Comes in black – most outlet chargers only come in white
• Is reasonably priced
• No installation/tools required
• Can travel with you to make charging at hotels easier
• There is a resting area on top of the charger to lean a phone or small tablet securely against the wall

Cons:

• The two AC plugs are close together which is fine for two normal corded plugs, but two AC chargers can be bulky and both might not fit
• The Eye Indicator is always on and can be annoying for some if in a bedroom
• Is slightly wider and longer than a normal outlet

The GE Charging Station sells at Walmart for $24.97.  You can find this charging station as well as other USB power surge protectors near the lighting area of Walmart.

Interestingly enough, I also found some more of these wall outlet AC charging stations in the Electronics departments.  These were all white.  So if you want some more variety, check out both the Electronics department AND the lighting area in your local Walmart.

One Impulse Item

I couldn’t help myself.  As I was walked near the lighting department, I happened to see a mini rack display just hooked onto the edge of a main aisle shelf.  It contained a bunch of fun-colored mini USB fans.  How cool, I couldn’t resist buying one.  And guess what?  They were only $1.84!

These fun, powerful little fans are great for All-in-One computers and laptops…and what a great little gift to add to presents.  Somehow my daughter took possession of the little fan and has been enjoying it.  We live in Southern California, so yes, fans are useful.

A Mom’s Perspective

I am a big advocate of having the kids charge their phones in a central charging area…especially overnight.  The GE Charging Station allows you to watch over all your children’s’ phones and ensure they get the power they need.  Charging them downstairs in a central area makes your children accountable and ensures they are not staying up all night texting or surfing.

I’d even recommend buying a couple of these to put throughout your home so you always have plenty of plugs available to charge the endless amount of devices we are all collecting…like tablets, smart watches, pedometers, phones, iPods, etc.