How great would it be to charge your phone from a camping site, or whilst at the beach? In recent years, portable solar panel phone chargers have been popping up, allowing you to charge your device anywhere the sun shines!
Below we highlight the pros and cons of some of the best solar panel phone chargers available in 2015.
1. RAVPower 15W Solar Charger – $50
The RAVPower 15W is a great choice for anyone who likes being outside, and away from a power point. Charge whilst hiking or camping with the handy clips, which allow you to easily attach the panels to your backpack or tent exterior. A powerful and sturdy portable phone solar panel charger.
- 3 large panels provide fast charging
- Carabiners and metal eyelets for easy mounting
- Sturdy Canvas exterior
- 2x USB outlets
- 1-year warranty
- Large size (approximately the size of an iPad when folded)
- Only charges USB devices
- No inbuilt battery (can only charge devices whilst the sun is out)
2. Anker 14W Solar Charger – $46
The Anker 14W is a popular choice as a solar panel charger, providing great reliability and a fast charging ability. Similar to the RAVPower, the mounting ability of this charger is useful addition. Lacking an inbuilt battery does mean that the Anker 14W can only be used whilst the sun is shining.
- 4 large panels provide fast charging
- Metal eyelets for easy mounting
- Sturdy Canvas exterior
- Can power certain laptops
- 2x USB outlets
- 18-month warranty
- Large size (approximately the size of an a4 piece of paper x 1 inch thick)
- Not waterproof
- No inbuilt battery (can only charge devices whilst the sun is out)
- A little heavier than some of the other chargers
3. Cobra CPP 300 – $59
The Cobra CPP 300 is a compact and durable solar panel charger that can charge up to three devices at the same time. It features a handy illuminated LCD display, as well as a built in battery, making it great for charging devices when the sun has gone down.
- Can charge 3 devices at once
- Compact folding design
- Inbuilt battery
- Illuminated LCD display
- Sturdy rubber design
- Low power output
- Vague warranty
4. Voltaic Amp – $79
For its size, the Voltaic Amp packs a punch, with its dual solar panels and detachable battery. It also has the bonus of switching from 6V to 12V, making it perfect for charging camera batteries. The Voltaic Amp also comes with an impressive warranty, and is a compact size.
- Water resistant
- Can charge numerous devices
- Built in battery
- LED Indicator
- Panels are light
- 12 (battery) & 24 (case and panels) month warranty
- Slower charging compared to some of the larger panels
- Slight more pricey
5. JOOS Orange – $159
The JOOS Orange is waterproof, has built in legs to pitch towards the sun, and has a built in battery, making it a great solar panel charger. The JOOS Orange is built tough, making it a great option when conditions are wet and rough. The JOOS Orange is quite weighty, and with just one solar panel, the power output is a little slow.
- Very rugged and durable (waterproof)
- Comes with numerous adapters (but no direct USB socket)
- Useful LED indicators
- 1-year warranty
- Inbuilt battery
- Low power output (1 small photovoltaic cell)
- Considerably more expensive
- Heavy for size (1.5 pounds)
6. PowerAdd Apollo Pro Portable Charger – $69
The PowerAdd Apollo Pro comes packed with a powerful battery, capable of charging larger devices, such as laptops and netbooks, as well as your phone and tablet. There is also an impressive warranty, and helpful LED indicators. The solar panel charging is a little slow for the size of the inbuilt battery, and it is quite weighty.
- Works with an array of devices, including laptops
- 1x DC output for laptops & 1x USB output
- LED indicators
- Inbuilt battery
- 2-year warranty
- Low solar output
- Heavy for size (1.44 Pounds)
Conclusion:
For a great value, durable and effective portable solar panel charger, the RAVPower 15W Solar Charger is a great choice. However, if you are looking for something a little smaller and with better waterproofing, you can’t go past the Voltaic Amp, with inbuilt battery and dual solar panels.
For more great solar panel information (big and small), check out solar panels cheap.
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