I received a Duracell PowerMat®and several accessories to facilitate this review; all opinions are my own.
I have a love/hate relationship with all of my electronic devices. I love them and what they can do for me, but I hate charging them. In fact, 99% of the time my smartphone is dead, my iPad is running on empty, and any other battery device I own – including my battery packs which are the 2nd line of defense against blackout – can be found stuck deep down between the couch cushions, long ago drained of their life.
With so many portable devices, each having its own charger or charging cable, it seems I’m constantly searching for the right one. While that’s a nightmare at home, travelling brings in all kinds of other insanity. It means bringing along a bag full of cords and nights spent in dimly lit hotel rooms trying to make sure I have power for the next day. Sadly I’m not always successful.
Duracell Powermat – Wireless Portable Power
Luckily the people at Duracell know there are other power-challenged people like me and they’ve come up with a nearly fail proof system for powering up my electronics. Their genius little device is a Duracell Powermat. It’s a small device, about the size of a smartphone, that stays plugged in and compatible devices are just laid upon it to recharge. Yes, it’s that easy!
There are three mats – a single, double, and triple so you can charge the number of devices you need. Even the cord is well-designed with a place to store the extra length or to wrap when travelling.
The Powermats start at $39 and go to $69 so they’re affordable enough to have several around the house or one at the office.
Duracell Powermat – How it Works
Duracell Powermat Accessories
Some of the compatible accessories include an AccessCase™ which clips directly to the back of your smartphone. Then just lay the phone, sensor down, on the Duracell Powermat and you’ll be recharged in about an hour. AccessCases are currently available for Apple iPhone 4/4S, iPhone 5/5S, and Samsung Galaxy SIII.
Sadly my current phone doesn’t have an AccessCase™ available (it’s a Samsung Galaxy S4 so I’m hopeful they’ll make one soon!), so for me there are several wireless backup batteries to choose from that can be charged and then used to recharge my phone. I can choose from GoPower Day Trip (Apple® Lightning™ & micro USB connectors), Go Power Overnighter (smartphones, tablet & USB devices), or GoPower Long Haul (smartphone, tablets & USB devices) depending on your charging needs. They come precharged, though not fully, so you can use them in an emergency situation should you need to purchase one on the road.
I think my favorite Duracell Powermat Accessory is the longer lasting Extended GoPower Long Haul Battery which can recharge your phone or other device for days. It’s so good that my son currently has it. He lives inside a small State Park here in Washington and the electrical power is affected by the wind and trees quite often. He and his lovely wife came to visit when their power went out and they took the battery home with them to power their phones so they’d be able to make a call in an emergency. Because it has such fabulous recharge capabilities, it allows them to use their phone for entertainment too without worrying about draining the battery.
I’m also a HUGE fan of the on board cords. Just take the charged GoPower Day Trip and drop it in your purse or pocket. No cords to bring along – they’re permanently attached so they’ll never get lost – brilliant!
Duracell Powermat – Public Power Stations
My next phone will be chosen with Powermat-capability factored in. Having one place to charge my phone might mean it’s charged and locatable more often than it is now. Plus, there’s a growing number of public places which are offering Powermat usage at no charge. They’re popping up at McDonald’s restaurants, Delta Sky Clubs & Delta Shuttle, Starbucks coffee shops, and even Madison Square Garden (find out where there are and where they’ll be added by checking out the Duracell Powermat Recharge Map)
Have you used a Powermat?
