Portable Charger Review

I recently wrote and said about how much more confident I was going to London by myself. Well a big part of that is thanks to my iPhone. How we managed before is beyond me! I rely on my iPhone for a lot – the time, the internet (using Google to find out which tube I should be catching), maps, alarms, torch, killing time, not to mention texting and making a phone call! If I am honest I am also always checking my e-mails, and on social media – these are the things I have to try to limit when saving my battery. One of the problems with Smart phones is that they are smart, and smart uses up a lot of energy! The one thing I really fear is having no power to my iPhone – then what? I wouldn’t even be able call my husband (and don’t forget without the internet and maps I don’t think I am capable of finding one of those bright red phone boxes! I find myself reading lots of posts on how to make sure I only use minimal battery power (such as always turning off the wifi when I am not at home), but no what I need is extra power!

RAVPower Luster 3000mAh External Battery Charger

When I was offered to review the RAVPower Luster Mini Lipstick-Shaped External Battery Charger the first thought was how compact and easy it would be to take on a night out. That then got me to thinking of the colour, I do like things to match when I go out. But that’s okay as it comes in Blue, Pink, Silver, Gold and Black! When it arrived I was surprised at how much bigger than a lipstick it was – but guess the description is “lipstick shaped” not size. I guess I could have also worked that out before ordering as the dimensions are clearly listed (10.6 x 2.3 x 2.3 cm). Still it is still reasonably small and easy to pop into even my smallest of handbags. Weighing only 73g (2.56 ounces) it didn’t make my bag too heavy either. It is just the same as a roll of pound coins. If you do not have a handbag there’s an aluminium clip provided to attach it to your clothes, etc, although it would also fit easily in your pocket. Mine fits in the same jeans pocket alongside my iPhone no problem.

Devices that can utilise the RAVPower Luster 3000mAh External Battery Charger

The product can be used with devices that have a DC 5V input:

iPhone 6, 5S, 5C, 5, 4S, 4, iPod (Lightning Cable not Provided); Samsung Galaxy S5, S4, S3, S2, Note 2; Nexus 5, Nexus 4, HTC Sensation, One X V One X V S, EVO 4G, Thunderbolt; Nokia Lumia 1020, 920 900 N9; Motorola Razr; LG Google Nexu 4 and other Android & Apple Device, Smart Phones, tablets.

Note that it comes with a USB to Micro USB cable, if your device requires any other type of connection then you will have to use the one it came with. Also to charge the device you will need a Mini AC adapter (supplied with your device), PC USB Port, or Car Charger.

Do bear in mind that whilst this compatible with your Apple products it is not officially endorsed by Apple and may void your warranty.

Why Chose the RAVPower Luster 3000mAh

It really is compact and therefore really portable. It can give the iPhone 5s up to 2 full charges. For me the fact that it is still compatible with the iPhone 6 is fantastic, as it means it will not need replacing if I go for an upgrade. It is clear to see when it still needs charging as it shows a red light, changing to blue when fully charged. It will not overcharge as it has an in-built security protection design for short-circuit and over-current protection. They are in an aluminium alloy casing – which means it is solid and not easily broken (not that I may have a drink and drop it!). Simply plug it into the device – no need for an on/off. It has a cool flash light with three settings – high (very bright), low and strobe (again great if you are coming in late at night and do not want to wake everyone up!).

My Verdict of the RAVPower Luster 3000mAh

It did take a while to charge up, and it would have been nice if they had arrived charged. Only one of mine had power enough for the torch to work straight away. There was no way of telling how much longer (in time or amount of power) it would take to fully charge the battery. The torch was really bright and quite useful, however in the dark it was quite fiddly to find the on button. In the car the torch turned itself on, was really difficult to turn off and got really hot. As a charger they did a great job of charging my iPhone 5s. One of them spun around in the packaging. These would make a really good Christmas present and there’s a great deal on Amazon £10.99 instead of £39.99. We think they are going to be great for when we go camping too.

As a charger it is very cheap to buy, very compact and portable (for its power) and has a great torch. Personally I rely on my iPhone too much and will not be risking them on it again: I may use it to help charge up an old iPhone 4 though. They are mostly likely perfectly fine but it getting hot really put me off using it on such an expensive/important object. I found the fact that I needed the wire it came with to charge it up, but the wire that came with my phone to charge the phone a bit of a faff. It was mistaken for a ladies adult toy at the MAD Blog Awards – so I will let you decide whether you’d like one lol.

I was sent 5 RAVPower Luster 3000mAh External Battery Chargers, in order to review them. I needed one for each colour as I think it matching my outfit and purse is very important. Information is provided on the website and information booklet provided. I was not told what to say, all opinions are my own.