Having all your devices charged at all times seems to be a priority for most of us. However, it can be challenging in a house or office to find a place or the right adapter to charge your smartphone, tablets, and more. That’s where Leviton came up with the idea of creating USB wall outlets that allow you to charge these devices without an adapter.
With a greater need for USB Type-C access, Leviton now offers two wall outlets that provide for USB Type-C charging. I tried both of these new Type-C outlets, and here is my review.
About Leviton
Leviton engineers products for industrial, commercial and enterprise, and consumer applications. Their product portfolio includes electrical solutions as well as lighting and networking products. Leviton’s objective is to engineer solutions that increase safety, efficiency, convenience, and productivity for businesses and consumers.
The Benefits of Type-C Power Delivery
There are many reasons to use Type-C power delivery. First, it offers more power to charge larger mobile devices like tablets as well as laptops. Second, it takes charge at a much faster rate, allowing you to unplug and get to work.
Third, it is a universal power delivery system that works across all your electronics. Type-C has a small size, which makes it easier to support thinner electronic devices.
Finally, this type of power delivery is the new charging standard that is being used for current and future products. It already works across the most common Operating Systems like iOS, Android, Google, Windows, and others.
USB Type-C Outlets
Leviton offers two different Type-C outlets: The Type-A and Type-C combination outlet and the Dual Type-C outlet.
The Type-A/Type-C outlet model is a 15 Amp, 125 Volt, Decora Tamper Resistant Receptacle/Outlet. It works with 5.1 Amp, 5VDC, 2.0 Type A, and Type C USB chargers (2.4A and 3.0A max, respectively). The outlet can be installed with either back wiring or side wiring.
There are five colors to choose from that make it easy to match other outlets in your home or office. The colors include white, black, brown, gray, ivory, and light almond.
Then there is the Dual Type-C USB outlet with power delivery. It gives you up to 30 watts of charging power on a single port. The outlet features smart chip technology to optimizes charging and prevent overcurrent. The outlet comes in a choice of colors like white, ivory, gray, light almond, black, and brown. It is also side wired and back wired.
The Good and Bad
The good was the power and charging speed, as well as the straightforward installation. I liked how it worked once I got it installed, which primarily involved removing the old traditional outlet, disconnecting the wires and reconnecting the wires to the Leviton outlet.
The instructions that were provided had me swapping it out in about 15 minutes. Installation probably would take less time, but I hadn’t changed outlets before, so proceeded slowly. If you are not sure what you are doing or you have an older home with outlets and wiring that may not be standardized, it might be best to contact a professional electrician.
What I like best is that I can plug in more than one electronic device but still have plugs to work small appliances in the kitchen, which is where I installed mine. However, for our family, I think we will need to purchase additional outlets to ensure everyone can charge their items.
The Type-A/Type-C outlet retails for about $30 while the Dual Type-C outlet ranges from $40 to $45. While I see the value, the price point has slowed down the purchase of multiple outlets for our home for now.
The only other issue I had with these outlets is that the USB ports are close to the standard outlets, especially the bottom port. You can still use it at the same time but can’t use a plug that may be larger than a standard plug.
Where to Buy
There are many places where you can buy these USB Type-C outlets. Retail stores include ACE Hardware and Home Depot. Online retailers include Leviton, Amazon, Home Depot, SmartHome, and more.
Overall Thoughts
My overall thought is that it is worth buying the Leviton Dual Type-C outlet because it saves having to use adaptors and offers an outlet that allows for more devices and appliances to be safely plugged into the same outlet. The convenience and safety factors are the biggest reasons to add at least one of these to your home or office.
