PhoneSoap Charger Review
01/05/2015 14:44
On your screen, there may be a few fingerprint here and there, but do you really know what’s on there? In fact, whatever you touch ends up on your screen. Some people even take their phones to the bathroom and there is a chance that whatever you are doing in there could get on your device. That’s where the PhoneSoap charger comes in. It uses two UV lights, one on the top, one on the bottom, that sanitizes your phone. The process only takes 5 minutes to complete and with the built in USB port you can charge your device at the same time.
Design
The design of the Charger is overall very good. It’s made mostly of plastic with some glass covering the bottom UV light so you can set your phone in the box. When you shake it the glass does rattle a little and when removing the cap for the cable it feels pretty thin. The lid also feels a little loose, but not like it would come off. It has an overall small footprint and doesn’t take up much space.
Results
As for whether this works or not it’s up to you. According to PhoneSoap as well as many other people, this does work. The UV light features shorter wave lengths that will kill germs. While you may not think it’s working, it is. It kills germs that could get you sick so when you’re not sick and everyone else is, you know it’s doing it’s job.
Problems
No review is complete without problems, right? As for the Charger, there were very few. The first thing is a suggestion. Once you pull your phone out of the Charger and close the lid it turns the UV lights back on. Not only is it running the lights with nothing to clean, but it also wasting electricity. There is no on/off button so the only way to turn it off is to unplug it. My suggestion is that PhoneSoap add a power button in future iterations.
Next is my first and last problem. After I take out a phone the back of it smells like something was burning. While nothing on either the Charger or the phone were burning, after the cleaning there was a rancid smell on the back of the device. Thinking that it was the device I tested it on three different phones and got the same result.
Finally, I noticed that the top UV light gets a little hot. It’s nothing to worry about since it doesn’t touch the device, but it’s just something to note.
Warnings
Since we are reviewers and have multiple devices, we decided to see what fit in it. For me, all of my phones fit, but just barely. My iPhone 6 and coworkers iPhone 5s fit in fine, but our OnePlus One almost didn’t. It features a 5.5-inch screen with a little forehead and chin. It’s nothing too large, but just be warned that your larger phablets might not fit. If you’re thinking that you would throw you tablet in there think again. You couldn’t fit any tablet in there unless it’s the size of a modern day smartphone.
Also, make sure that your phone isn’t too thick either. I threw in a Nokia Lumia 520. While it fit, it looked like it was almost too thick. If you have a phone that’s older than 5 years you might want to wait on the Charger. (You might also want to consider upgrading your phone as well).
Final thoughts
Overall, this is a great product for someone who really hates germs or just doesn’t want to keep those gross things we put on our phone these days. Aside from smell mostly, I wouldn’t hesitate recommending this to someone. Because of the built in charger it could replace a normal cable, getting users into more of a habit for cleaning their device. If you do follow a regular regimen, you can keep your phone nice and clean. Some may question that once you pull your phone out it starts getting dirty again, but it you use it as regularly as you charge your phone you should be good.
The $59.95 price tag may be a little high, but for those who are health-conscious, it’s definitely worth the price. It’s also available in black for those who want it to match their furniture. If you’re interested you can learn more about the PhoneSoap Charger here. You can pick one up for yourself on Amazon here.