Powerfreakz Evolution 2500 Solar Portable Charger

I'm not very good with high tech gadgets. Most of the time, I'm never really 100% sure what they're for and even when I can see the point, they look really confusing and overly complicated to use. But for once, when I was approached about testing the Powerfreakz Evolution 2500 Solar Portable Charger, I was immediately convinced not only that it was a brilliant idea but also that even I could use it with no problems ! Bring it on !

The slogan on the box says that it is "the ultimate charging device". It works with anything 5v or less so that icludes digital cameras, MP3 players, Nintendo DS or PSP consoles, mobile phones, Blackberries - or anything else that has a mini USB or micro USB charging input. That to me immediately translates as happy kids (and therefore parents) on long journeys this summer - yay !

As with most other chargers, the Powerfreakz Evolution 2500 Solar charger can be recharged via the mains or USB. However the really snazzy and impressive, not to mention eco-friendly, thing about this particular charger is that you can also use the sun or even interior lighting as a power source. As we'll be in Turkey this summer, that's great news for us !

However, even if you're not heading off to sunny climes, we've tested it and the UK sunshine is enough to charge your device too. Even if you leave it on a sunny windowsill, the sunlight through the glass works just fine. As a green option and an attempt to economise on energy bills, I also try to remember to top it up whenever we turn the lights on in the evening. A full charge via the mains takes about 6 hours but you should expect it to take longer if you're using sunlight or artificial lighting as the power source.

Powerfreakz tell us that with a full battery charge, you will have enough power to charge the average mobile phone 3 times; extend the use of most MP3 players up to a further 48 hours; give PSP, Nintendo and other hand held portable game players up to 6 hours extra game time ; allow digital cameras up to 2800 extra pictures; or power SatNav's and many other portable devices.

The pack is really complete, comprising all the accessories you should ever need : a worldwide mains adapter, device connectors, USB/DC cable and a carrying case. Oh, and a user manual but even I didn't really need to look at that for once !

If you, or more likely your kids, can't bear to be without your various electronic gadgets, it will be a total sanity-saver this summer when you may be away from home on days out or camping trips when recharging via the mains may not always be possible. It's a really handy backup - I love it for my phone and digital camera because I'm forever forgetting to keep the batteries topped up ! - and if you've ever been stuck in an airport for hours due to a strike or volcanic ash cloud, I'm sure you'll agree that it's worth it's weight in gold !

star rating : 5/5

RRP : £49.99 (or £39.99 for the normal Evolution 2500 charger without the solar recharge option)