TOP 5 Eco Energy Battery Chargers

With all of the concern surrounding the environment and its destruction, people are always looking for ways to live in a more eco-friendly way. People are going out of their way to recycle, they are looking for household appliances that are energy efficient, they are striving to make their vehicles more environmentally friendly and they are looking for better ways to produce energy. An innovative way to conserve energy and protect the environment is to charge electronic devices using chargers that do not require a connection to an electrical outlet. There are a variety of of chargers available for this type of energy conservation.

1. The Joos Solar Orange Portable Solar Charger

Solar Joos Orange Portable Solar Chargeris a portable charger that is equipped with a solar panel that collects energy from the sun; it then stores that energy in batteries that are built into the device. The Joos is designed to charge all electronic devices, such as cell phones, tablets and portable game systems. All of the energy it collects and gives off is from the sun, which makes it environmentally friendly. 

The pros:

• Fold out legs allow for maximum energy capture.
• The device is completely waterproof and will continue to charge even when completely submerged.
• The battery also has the capability of being charged from an electrical outlet and will then hold the charge indefinitely

The cons:

• The device weighs 1.5 pounds and is approximately 9″ x 6″ x 1″. It is portable, but is not small enough to be carried in a pocket or purse.
• It does not charge AC devices.
• The device is known for USB connector issues, to the point where Joos offers a new connector cable free of charge for all users, regardless of purchase date.

2. The Pocket Socket 2

K-Tor 120 Volt 10 Watt Hand Crank Generator is a portable charger that runs by using a hand crank. The user simply plugs in the desired device, turns the crank and the power to charge the device is generated. It is eco-friendly by generating power in this way, rather than using nonrenewable energy sources.

The Pros:

• It is very simple device, which makes it simple to use.
• It is powerful; it can generate a maximum of 10 watts of power at 120 volts.
• It is small and portable. Weighing in at less than a pound and being about the size of a bottle of water, it can be placed in a purse or pocket.

The Cons:

• It is only designed to charge devices that have wall plugs.
• It is not capable of holding a charge, only generating one.
• This device is tedious to use.

3. The Sony ICF-B88

The Sony wind up radio is a battery charger and an AM/FM radio combination. It generates power from both the built in solar panel or the hand crank. It is eco-friendly because it powers itself and other devices with its own renewable energy sources.

The pros:

• It is small and lightweight, weighing in at around 12 oz.
• It is water resistant.
• It has a built in flashlight.

The cons:

• It can only charge devices via USB.
• It is not available for purchase in the US.
• It is not completely waterproof.

4. The EcoCharge

The EcoCharge is a device that charges batteries by absorbing heat from other sources, such as household appliances. It is environmentally friendly because it uses energy that would normally just be wasted as it dissipates into the air.

The pros:

• It is magnetic, allowing it to be easily attached to metal surfaces.
• It has an OLED display to allow the user to see the type of charge being generated.
• It is small and portable.

The cons:

• It needs a heat source in order to generate power.
• It can only charge devices via USB.
• The source of heat needs to be continuous and on for long periods of time in order to generate a lot of power.

5. The Window Cling Solar Charger

Window Cling Solar Charger is a device that is able to charge by using a built in solar panel. It is eco-friendly in that it is able to generate its own power.

The pros:

• It suctions to windows to receive the maximum sun exposure.
• It is able to charge a variety of devices such as smartphones.
• It comes with 2 USB adapters and 5 interchangeable plugs.

The cons:

• It is rather bulky for a window cling, weighing approximately 3lbs and measures 4.5″ x 4.5″.
• It does not have the capability of charging larger devices such as some tablets or laptops.
• It has been known to have issues staying on windows.