Why You Can Trust CNET CPS Cellboost phone charger review: CPS Cellboost phone charger
Small, light, and reliable, the Cellboost phone charger makes it easy to revive a spent handset in case of an emergency.
Small, lightweight, and even a little stylish, the dependable CPS Cellboost phone charger makes for one of the best emergency cell chargers we've tested. This bargain-priced, disposable charger packs enough juice for more than an hour of talk time--just plug it into your depleted phone and start dialing. We wish we could recharge the Cellboost, and a battery gauge would've been a handy feature, but with a rock-bottom $10 price tag, we're not complaining.
The small (2.6 by 1.6 by 0.75 inches, 1.5 ounces), silver Cellboost looks just like a Zippo lighter, except for the translucent blue cover that sits on the top; several other colors are available for purchase. Pop off the cover and you'll find a power plug for your phone; our review model was designed for Motorola handsets, but you can buy versions that work with LG, Samsung, Nokia, Siemens, Sony Ericsson, and Sanyo cell phones.
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Powering your handset with the Cellboost couldn't be easier: Just plug the device's adapter into your phone's AC input. You can leave your phone off and wait a few minutes for your handset to charge, or you can power up your phone and start dialing right away. We found that the Cellboost was light enough to hang securely from our phone's AC input without falling out, even with a good shaking. The Cellboost specs claim that the device packs enough juice for 60 minutes of talk time or 60 hours of standby time. Once its charge is depleted, however, you can't recharge the Cellboost; instead, you'll have to toss it in the trash and pony up for another one. That's not such a bad deal, considering the Cellboost costs a very reasonable $10; however, we wish there was a battery gauge to let us know how much juice was left.
In our tests, the Cellboost performed admirably. We clicked the device into our dead-as-a-doornail Motorola V600, waited a couple of minutes, and hit the power button. The phone lit up immediately, and we dialed and connected to a buddy with no problems. We tested the Cellboost by keeping it attached to our phone and timing the length of our call; after 90 minutes (a good 30 minutes more than the charger's rated battery life), we were still talking.