Newer Technology Power2U USB Receptacle Review

It seems like everything needs a USB power supply these days. iPads, smart phones, Kindles... the list goes on. The bottom line is, it's very likely that your office, your kitchen - possibly even your bedroom is littered with a myriad of power adapters - all designed to charge these portable devices. Newer Technology's Power2U is an innovative device that combines two USB charging ports with a standard Decora-style electrical outlet or receptacle. That means you eliminate the need to use a bulky power adapter to charge your devices. Instead, you just plug in a USB cable and you're good to go. And the 2A (2000mA) rating means that there's enough juice to charge even power-hungry devices like the new iPad.

When we first saw the Power2U device, we have to admit, it struck us as something that's been a long time coming - and something that should probably redefine what the electrical outlet should look like in the future. While you may not need one of these in the bathroom, just about every other location we could think of would benefit.

The Power2U comes in a variety of packaging options and colors. You can get it in Black, Ivory, Almond or White and it comes packaged singly, or in 2, 10, 20, or 100 packs. The problem is, there doesn't seem to be a discount (at least not on Newer Tech's site) for buying them in bulk. You can, however, find discounts online.

Installation and Use

The Power2U outlet is significantly larger than a standard 15A outlet. In fact, if you're not using a full-size single-gang box you may have difficulty installing it. Shallow boxes simply may not cut it (essentially this receptacle is similar in size to a GFCI). The design of the outlet is such that the hot and neutral connections require you to run the 12/2 wire up and over the outlet or face scraping the sides of the receptacle box. With the wires in place the width of the outlet is exactly the width of a standard single gang old work box. That's a tight fit. A better design would figure out a way to "tunnel" the wire straight through from the back so that you could clamp down the terminals on the straight stripped ends as opposed to having to bend them over and around the bulky plastic housing.

Aside from the difficulty of fitting it into the box, installing the Power2U didn't involve any acrobatics. It uses four screws that clamp down onto your 12/2 wire and a separate ground screw. The clamps seemed like they were sized for 14 gauge and so the 12/2 wire seemed almost too thick for the mechanism, but it went together OK in the end. Everything screwed down tightly and securely. One word of advice is to make sure you don't overtighten the screws as they will strip and then you've rendered that terminal unusable.

Once everything was in place we were ready to install the cover plate. On the Power2U, the cover plate isn't just a nicety, it actually installs spring-loaded covers over the USB ports to keep them from getting dirty or otherwise contaminated by the environment. It's a great feature and one that puts the Power2U a step above other solutions (in our opinion) in terms of aesthetics.

Conclusion

I think these outlets are going to take off over the next few years. It's our hope that they become easier to manufacturer and tip the scales in terms of economy of scale. We really can see these becoming the new norm - or, at the very least - and inexpensive upgrade option for kitchen outlets and bedroom/office outlets. Seeing this technology get built into GFCI circuits would also be cool, but it would almost certainly have to be made as a cohesive unit, and by a manufacturer like Leviton, who's breaking ground in reducing the size of the required electronics. In either case, for now the Power2U can be daisy chained off an existing GFCI circuit, making it perfectly code-ready for a kitchen countertop location. Great product. Great solution. Highly recommended for anyone with USB-powered devices.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.