The amount of tech we take on holiday with us is astonishing. You might be carrying a phone, a tablet, a camera, an e-book reader, an MP3 player, a smartwatch and a fitness tracker, plus all their assorted chargers, and if you’re travelling with your family you’ll be carrying all that for your partner and kids, too. But there are plenty of other holiday essentials we also need to carry, so something has to give. USB hubs or travel chargers such as this iClever 6-Port Travel Wall Charger offer an excellent solution in such scenarios, letting you leave the chargers at home and just bring a handful of USB cables. They also allow you to charge multiple devices from a single mains power outlet, which may be beneficial for home use, or merely reduce the cable clutter on your desk. The iClever much better built than Lumsing’s plasticky charger, with rounded edges and a soft-touch black finish. It’s also a fraction of the size, making it easier to fit into your suitcase. The iClever six-port travel charger is just 100x69x27mm and 180g, so you’ll barely notice its presence. The iClever also has an extra USB output over the Lumsing, and all six are rated at 12W (5V, 2.4A), which translates to fast charging for your phones, tablets and any other devices that charge over USB. The legends are clearer, too, and by labelling each output with its rating rather than a device name iClever doesn’t leave you wondering whether it’s okay to plug an iPhone into an Android output or vice versa. (It is okay, by the way – read up on how you could be charging your smartphone or tablet faster today.) But it’s worth bearing in mind that the iClever has a maximum total output of 50W, rather than the 72W required to simultaneously operate all six ports at full-speed. (By comparison the Lumsing offers just 30W.) Don’t assume this that means with four ports in use there will be just a trickle of power available to the last pair, however. iClever builds in SmartID tech, which identifies your device and its unique charging requirements, then delivers exactly the right amount of power. And it’s unlikely that you would want to plug in six devices that charge at 12W all at once. Follow Marie Brewis on Twitter. Marie is Editor in Chief of Tech Advisor and Macworld. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she’s worked in tech media for more than 17 years, managing our English language, French and Spanish consumer editorial teams and leading on content strategy through Foundry’s transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.
