WHAT IS IT: USB AC wall outlet
NEW, FUTURE or RETRO: new
PREVIEW or REVIEW: review
HOW GOOD IT IS: There are two places in my house that always seem to be where I need to plug in some sort of USB device, either to use it temporarily or to give it a quick charge. One place is next to my favorite chair in the den and the other is in the bathroom so the device is ready to go when I head out the door. Neither place is where I would routinely charge my devices. The kinds of devices I’m talking about can range from smartphone to tablet to Bluetooth headset to Bluetooth speaker to car GPS. Life got a whole lot easier when I discovered the existence of USB wall outlets. I now have them installed in both places
There are several manufacturers. Mine is a Leviton TS830 which is rated at 20 amps and has a NEMA 5-20 A T-slot for the neutral blade which accepts either 15 amp parallel-blade plugs or 20 amp plugs. Leviton also sells a 15 amp version for a few dollars less.
INSTALLATION: Total time less than 10 minutes from opening the box. The instructions are clear and there were no surprises. Rather than use little holes to poke the wires into, you have a choice of wrapping them around the set screw or into a receptacle behind the screw. Both ways are safe and secure. The outlet does not come with a wall plate but the Decora wall plate I used is very attractive.
OPERATION: You have 3 outlets, one a standard AC grounded outlet has a nice solid grip to what is plugged in to it. The outlet has a NEC® Compliant shutter mechanism which blocks access to contacts from most foreign objects for improved safety. The other two are USB outlets that can be used simultaneously or individually. One of them is intended for higher power devices like tablets and the other for standard smartphone, cameras and other USB-powered devices. There is circuitry built in that allows you to use either plug for lower powered devices and another sensor that will temporarily shut down the USB jacks if you exceed the maximum capability when charging two devices simultaneously.
NOTE: This particular unit is 1.75" wide x 1.25" deep, larger than a slimline outlet, more the size of a GFCI unit. If you have a shallow outlet box or one that's crammed full of wires it could be a tight fit.
SIMILAR TO: Cooper, Newer, FastMac, Ecsem. Cooper is probably the most well-known along with Leviton.
DO YOU NEED IT: If you routinely carry around both a smartphone and a tablet you know you often need to use two different charging transformers. This outlet has some "smarts" built in to this outlet to regulate the USB power depending on the device which can also shut the USB jacks off if they are overloaded. That can be very convenient compared to searching the house for where you last left the transformers.
HOW IT IMPACTS YOU: It's all about convenience. I'm always running around looking for the right transformer to charge a device and there are times as described above I want to plug something in at a location where I wouldn't normally leave the device when not in use. This is just another step toward the wired house of the future.
COMMENTS: Unlike most other brands, Leviton aligns the USB jack vertically so there is less stress on the plug when in use. This also allows them to be spaced further apart which helps in plugging and unplugging the cables. The design of the outlet is contemporary gloss white (other colors available) with no obvious logos or markings.
TECH TOY WIZARD RATING: 4/5
WEBSITE: Official Leviton Website
BUYING OPTIONS: Buy it at Amazon
SEE IT IN MOTION: Leviton Product Video
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