This wireless charger is so compact, it rests right on my wall outlet

I love a good charging gadget. I feel that battery-replenishing products are the most important tech accessories to have on deck in the modern age, and, over time, I’ve developed a taste for certain brands, form factors, and top-up methods in particular. On the surface, Twelve South’s new $50 PowerBug ticks all the boxes I’m looking for: it’s compact and lightweight, it features foldable prongs for portability, its design is minimalistic, and it features magnetic wireless charging in addition to a dedicated USB-C port.

Unlike most other wireless chargers, however, the PowerBug offers quite a unique proposition by virtue of its design. Twelve South hasn’t built a wireless charging pad here, and it also hasn’t built a charging stand. Rather, the company has designed a small gadget that transforms any old wall outlet into a makeshift wireless charging surface. The PowerBug’s puck-style shell and hard-wired prongs promote a sort of plug-and-play usage style, more reminiscent of a nightlight unit than, say, the company’s excellent HiRise 2 Deluxe wireless charger.

The ideal accessory for StandBy, YouTube, and more

The PowerBug has quickly become a staple within my kitchen setup

Upon unboxing Twelve South’s PowerBug, I was immediately impressed. My black/slate unit is made out of matte, dark plastic, but a white/dune variant is also available. I find both colorways to be attractive, though the latter is likely to blend in with more power outlets, considering how many are capped with white plastic shields.

The PowerBug is compact and lightweight, measuring in at 2.37 x 2.37 x 1.15-inches (60 x 60 x 29.18mm) and 3.35oz (95g), respectively. It’s well-built with no flex or creaking, despite its plastic construction. The Type A (US style) prongs of my unit fold and unfold with a satisfying snap, and the understated design language and rounded puck shape are warm and inviting.

When plugged into a wall outlet, the user-facing side is dominated by a Qi wireless charging pad, which includes inductive copper coils and an array of magnets under the hood. This magnetic ring is physically compatible with (as in, will attach to) any MagSafe or Qi2 smartphone or peripheral, though it caps out at 15W of charging output, based on the older Qi specification.

At the bottom of the unit is a hidden USB-C port, which is Power Delivery (PD) compliant. This socket can top up electronics at a relatively speedy 35W. Of course, to do this, you’ll need to source your own USB-C to USB-C charging cable, as one isn’t included in the box.

Naturally, it’s possible to wirelessly charge one device while juicing up another via the USB-C port, and doing so splits the share of wattage to 15W of wireless and 20W of wired throughput. In my experience, doing so generates a fair deal of heat, but never to a worrying degree or to the point where the PowerBug becomes too hot to touch.

The ideal accessory for StandBy, YouTube, and more

The PowerBug has quickly become a kitchen staple

Actually using the PowerBug in my day-to-day life is a pleasure. Twelve South pitches the device as the perfect bedside or desk companion, but I find it to be at its best when perched in my kitchen. As with most kitchens, mine is lined with several outlet plugs across its walls, each one just a bit above the countertop itself. This makes the PowerBug ideal for streaming video content while preparing dinner or while doing the dishes, with a display that’s close enough to eye level to make for a comfortable viewing experience.

When I’m not actively watching content, my Apple iPhone automatically detects that it’s being charged while in landscape orientation, entering itself into StandBy mode as a result. As an ambient screen, Standby is wonderful, with options to display a digital photo frame, clocks, and other widgets. On my Google Pixel, meanwhile, I have Android’s screensaver mode enabled, which works in a similar (albeit less interactive) manner.

Of course, there’s always room for improvement, and with the PowerBug, I’d love to see a next-generation variant be designed with adjustable angles in mind. Similar to some magnetic car mounts I’ve seen, I reckon this could be achieved via a ball mount, allowing for effortless swiveling in a variety of directions.

Even without angle adjustability, Twelve South’s PowerBug is an excellent gadget. With more and more phone cases shipping with magnetic rings, and with Google’s upcoming Pixel 10 series rumored to be incorporating magnets into the handsets themselves, the market for a plug-and-play wireless charger can only go up from here. At $50, it isn’t the cheapest charger out there, but I feel it’s priced appropriately for the utility it provides out of the box.

This device was provided to Pocket-lint by Twelve South.