Review: Avantree PowerHouse
The Avantree PowerHouse Desk USB Charging Station is a great solution for charging multiple devices at home or at the office. It can charge 4 devices simultaneously with its 4.5A output, and will keep your desk or table top tidy. I’m sure we all have a phone and tablet maybe a smartwatch, even your partner’s phone. One of the biggest drawbacks in todays’ mobile world are that our devices need charged daily. I bet we all wish battery technology would catch up, until it does, people want a solution that suits, that looks good, charges multiple devices quickly and keeps your kitchen counter or office space tidy. The Avantree PowerHouse might just be what you’re looking for.
A well built charging station with clean lines and a “blocky” design. You’ll have noticed it looks pretty unique by now. The charging area at the top feels like a silicon finish which is super super grippy. You slide your device between the shapes, (usually at landscape orientation). Upon testing with a wide range of phones and tablets all fitted snug even a few which had covers on. Charging my Sony Smartwatch at the very front of them all, looked very untidy but it still charged everything I threw at. Apple owners will have to use their on cables, Avantree provided two short micro USB cables for everyone else. (Third cable pictured on the image below is my own. Yes I had to use a white cable too because of OCD reasons.
That high gloss white finish is certainly appealing to look at but the black grey and red might not be everyone’s taste, Included in the box are little covers that are green which you can fit yourself. Personally I’d have preferred all black covers but at least Avantree provides a choice here, we all like choices don’t we. There’s a solid feel to the PowerHouse, although the casing is plastic this accessory feels strong if you give it a little squeeze, it doesn’t squeak, it sits on the table perfect and doesn’t budge until you lift it. You’ll see from the picture below those silicon feet are fantasticly fabtasticly sticky. You’ll not knock this off your workstation by accident. The velcro straps and surface underneath really keep any chance of tangled wires to a minimum. Give your cables a few inches in length to reach your charging port and the rest is tucked away nice and tidy.
Technical Specifications:
- Input: AC 100-240V, 50/60Hz, 0.6A max
- Output: 5V, total 4.5A(Share 4.5A when all the ports in use)
- Amount of USB socket:4 port – USB1, USB2, USB3 and a Smartport
- Single USB max output 2.4Amp
- Smartport: built-in a smart IC, has wider compatibility
- Product size: 15.5 x 11.4 x 8.7cm
- Product weight: around 305g
- Certification: CE, FCC and RoHs
In real-world use… I tested the smartport using Ampere. My OnePlus One actually maxed at 1100 mAh, this was with the provided cable that came in the box. I’m completely satisfied with the charging power that the Avantree PowerHouse supplies. In a normal daily scenario anyway, I just charge my phone over night and I don’t need to quick charge at all. I rest my tablet even if it doesn’t need charged, my phone, my wife’s phone and my smartwatch on the station. It sort of makes a good device stand too, you could say.
To summarize, the Avantree PowerHouse looks good, charges your devices quickly and is built to last. Would I recommend our readers to buy it? I most certainly would at under £30, which you can from the image below via our friends over at MobileFun, award winning accessory retailer in 2014.