Customer Reviews

Energizer Energi To Go Instant Cell Phone Charger, Mini USB

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I picked up one of these Energizer Chargers in the middle of a business trip. I left my USB Cable for my Blackberry at home, and it was about to die mid-trip. I couldn't find an actual plug-in charger, so I decided to try this. I plugged it in to my Blackberry, and it fully charged the device in less than 2 hours. I'm not sure of the exact time because I wasn't watching, but when I checked on it after two hours, it was already charged. I didn't remove the batteries from the pack, and when I went to recharge again a few days later with the same batteries in the charger, it worked just fine.

I certainly don't plan on using this regularly, but I will definitely keep this in my suitcase going forward for those times that I forget to throw in the actual charger. AA batteries are much easier to find than chargers, so it's a very handy device and small enough that it won't take up any noticeable room in my bag.

I see some things in other reviews that I'd like to comment on. First of all, as for the comment about not fitting most phones, well, most phone chargers only fit one brand or model of phone. It's important to know what kind of device the user is using before buying any charger.

I also see someone else had trouble changing the batteries. I haven't had that problem at all. There are spots that need to be squeezed at the end of the charger, and then the end pulls off. It's actually quite simple. I also did not have any problem with the batteries draining when left in the device.

I have two of these chargers and have bought a few others for colleagues and we've all been rather impressed with them. They're reasonably well-built and work. I didn't have any of the quality control issues that one reviewer had with the battery terminals. I normally use Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable AA batteries with mine and haven't had a problem with connections. I use it to charge my PDA, personal Motorola Razr phone, and corporate Blackberry. (Thank you God for whoever decided to finally standardize some devices with the mini-USB connector!) It does seem to take about 1-2 hrs to charge up the devices, which is as long as it normally takes when they're connected to their native chargers.

These units ARE picky about battery voltages. If the AA batteries are partially discharged, it might not see them. In terms of battery usage, using regular rechargables, you can expect to get one full charge on your phone from the batteries because of the high voltage requirement of the charger to start up. There'll still be juice left in the AA's, but good luck getting the little chip inside these chargers to wake up.

What would I like to change? 1) The very high low-voltage cutoff. Chances are you're using these in an emergency situation when power isn't available or nearby. These are the times when you want EVERY last ounce of power, even if it's only 5 minutes worth of charging time. 2) The charging tips are detatchable and are too easy to lose and a longer cord would be appreciated, especially when trying to talk on the phone and charge. 3) A different battery door design. The current design is solid, but can be a bit challenging to replace the door after changing batteries.

Overall, a little gadget no road warrior should be without. Its shortcomings are minor compared to the functionality it provides.

Most people by this for their cell phones. I bought it for my Garmin Edge GPS and it works great! The GPS uses a USB charging port so it was a direct fit and charge.
One reviewer mentioned it didn't take rechargeable batteries. I put Energizer rechargeables in and they fit and worked fine. No modifications needed.
The changes I'd recommend: 1) do something about the short and easily loseable adapter cables, 2) change the location of the battery diagrams from inside the case to outside, they're hard to read on the inside.

Now I don't have to worry so much that my phone will die when I need it most. I carry this thing in my purse so just in case I turn on my phone and battery is low I can charge it anywhere. It does take long to charge fully and maybe the charge does not hold as long but its not supposed to be an everyday charger.
I bought this instead of a car charger because I am not always in the car long enough to get a good charge.
They have different types for different phones and you can try your phone out before you buy. So, if someone buys the wrong one its their fault and its not fair to rate this product low for something thats one's own fault.
So, unless I find out this thing is going to kill my phone somehow I will keep my 5 star rating.

I bought two of these and keep them in the glove boxes of both cars. In the event of a car accident or other emergency, I can use them to charge the cell phones if they've run out of power.

The included lithium battery has a ten year shelf life, so it will be ready when you need it. I consider it good, cheap insurance.

This thing works great!! I use Rayovac Hybrid Rechargeable batteries and have never had a problem. I went camping and took the Energizer recharger because if I write a lot of emails my Blackberry doesn't last over a day and a half. When the battery died, I plugged this in and got a FULL charge. I even had enough power left over to give it half a charge a couple days later. It says not to leave the batteries in when you are not charging and if you unplug it from the phone to take the batteries out for at least 10 minutes before plugging it back in. I don't know why but I follow these instructions and this is the most handy thing for extending my cell phone life. I keep it in my bag at school and plug it in if the battery is dying and I am in the middle of a conversation. n I would recommend this to everyone.

I bought one of these at O'Hare, when my cell phone gave me a low battery warning as I was waiting for my plane. No time to plug it in, and I didn't have a car charger cable that I could use in the airplane. So, I grabbed one of these just before I boarded the plane. I used it to make one last phone call, than threw the whole thing in my briefcase. My phone was fully charged an hour or so later. I keep it around now as a backup, in case I get a low battery warning at a time when I can't charge.

This is an upgrade of an earlier single battery unit. When my cell phone goes low and I am without my charger, as when my car breaks down and is towed to repair shop and I am in a rental car, it is great to have the capacity to quickly add charge to the phone. Toss one in the glove box for that, 'Just in case' moment. The dual battery unit charged my Smart Phone to about 50% (from dead) in 15 minutes.

My husband had to go to another state for 3 days for a family emergency and we were down to one cell phone charger. I told him to take it with him since my phone was fully charged and I don't talk on the phone much. That same day my phone was down to one bar (of course!)...not good since we dont have a landline and I have 3 little ones. I started to imagine all of the worst case situations all evening. The following morning I put the kids on the bus and drove down the street to the local Rite Aid, crossing my fingers that they might have chargers. Thats when I spotted this! There is an open section on the back that allows you to connect your phone to see if it fits. Mine did,,,yay! It was $20 which I thought was a bit much but I was in a jam and would have paid more for it Im sure. I opened it when I got to the car and began to charge my phone right away. I let it sit for around a half hour when I got home and Voila! A fully charged cell phone! It does exactly what it says.

I feel for the reviewer who had his Garmin fried, but I thought I'd add a more positive review since it has worked well for me with a TyTN II smart phone (AKA the "Tilt"). I've used it on long plane flights to get extra "battery milage" while I'm watching videos and listening to mp3s. So if you have a Tilt, you can be reasonably sure that one of these will work for you. If anyone finds otherwise, please post here. Also note that although the blurb says it requires Energizer E2 batteries, I just use it with regular Costco Kirkland brand AA alkalines. I haven't tried it with rechargeable AAs.