Jupio Compact Universal Charger

Jupio Compact Universal Charger at a glance:

Charges AA, AAA and Li-ion batteries
Low-power 0.5A USB output
Four plug adaptors supplied
12V car adaptor included
Price: £29.99
Website: www.jupio.co.uk

If you own several cameras that use different batteries, and are fed up carrying around chargers for each, then a universal unit may be just what you need. The Jupio Compact Universal Charger (LUC0055) claims to be capable of recharging almost any 3.6V or 7.2V Li-ion power pack, using a pair of prongs that slide to align with the battery’s contacts. Alternatively, one or two AA or AAA-sized NiCd and NiMH batteries can be charged. It also has a USB socket with 0.5A output, suitable for topping up a phone or other low-power device, which can be used at the same time as charging batteries. Note, though, that this isn’t really powerful enough for larger devices such as tablets.

It’s not just the output that’s universal: the small mains adaptor has interchangeable prongs for the UK, EU, North America and Australia, and automatically switches between input voltages. A 12V in-car connector is also included, allowing you to charge almost any device, anywhere in the world.

Jupio Compact Universal Charger – key features

Indicator lamp

This lights up red when the battery is charging, and goes green when it’s done

Adjustable prongs

Use the orange-coloured sliders to line these up with your battery’s terminals. The polarity is adjusted automatically

Sliding lock

Holds the battery in place during charging. It’s released via the orange button

Jupio Compact Universal Charger – verdict

I tried the charger with an array of camera batteries and while it worked with most, it did fail with some, giving a flashing red status light rather than charging. The problem is that, like other similar products, Jupio offers no compatibility list, so there’s no way of knowing for sure before you buy whether or not your own batteries will work. However, if you find that it does work with your devices, this is a really handy charger for travel, especially if you have a camera that normally charges over USB and you want to keep a spare topped up.

SCORE: 3.5 out of 5

You may also wish to consider:

Braun 1-For-All-Switch Universal Charger

Price: £30

Website: www.braun-phototechnik.de/en

A durable and well-made unit with a charge level indicator and USB output. The blue LCD can display charge level, charging status and battery type.

Hähnel UniPal Plus Universal Charger

Price: £25

Website: www.hahnel.ie

This stylish-looking device uses dials to set its contact prongs to match the battery. A small LCD display can be used to show the battery charge level.