If you are contemplating the purchase and wondering if you can DIY, this post by a guest blogger is the answer you have been looking for. Please welcome Jeff from Home Repair Tutor. He is a fellow professional who also participates on HomeTalk.
Permanently Recycle Your Electronic Device’s AC Adapter with the U-Socket
Do you get as frustrated as I do when you buy a new electronic device and they don’t give you an AC adapter? I mean, c’mon! You pay hundreds of dollars for a phone, e-reader, iPod, etc and now you have to pay an extra $30 just to charge it from a normal outlet!
My friend from Hometalk (a great website for homeowners or renters) Becky Sue went to KBIS (Kitchen & Bath Industry Show) and posted a picture of a new AC outlet called the U-Socket. It has a traditional receptacle look but comes with 2 USB ports also. Waaaay cool and a much-needed upgrade for anyone who has electronic devices like an iPod, iPhone, iPad, Kindle, or smartphone.
I installed one in my own kitchen because we use Vonage and all our home phones need to be plugged into an outlet. Thus, one receptacle is always in use because of the phone. Since the kitchen seems to be the location where all our devices get charged the U-Socket could be a tremendous help.
The cost is roughly $34 with shipping and handling from FastMac. I know it’s a bit steep considering you can buy a standard receptacle for under $1 but it’s super useful. First off, most electronic devices come with USB cords and not necessarily chargers for the wall. So you don’t have to run to Best Buy to purchase the extra charger for each device.
Secondly, if you need to plug in multiple items like me then this is a solution to your electrical needs. Just make sure you have the counter space to accommodate all the devices.
The installation is exactly the same as that for a normal receptacle except for a few minor checkpoints.
