I Finally Found A Wall Charger Than Can Replace My Airtag When I Travel - And It's Still On Sale (but Hurry)

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

  • Twelve South's PlugBug is simply a wall charger optimized for iOS, offering autochthonal Find My support.
  • It's particularly convenient for predominant flyers who are prone to misplacing their captious charging cables.
  • The instrumentality is pricey but worthy it for its bulk, versatility, and convenience.

The PlugBug Travel 120W is presently connected waste during nan past time of Amazon Prime Day for $85, which is $35, aliases 29% disconnected its original value of $120. 


On my first travel abroad, 1 of my main concerns was purchasing wall adapters to complaint my iPhone and iPad successful different countries. Once they arrived successful nan mail, they were bulky, lacked capable wattage, and hardly fresh successful my luggage. I mislaid 1 connected nan first time successful my hostel, and my hose besides mislaid 1 of my suitcases successful nan process.

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This month, I was capable to effort Twelve South's PlugBug Travel 120W, a wall charger pinch 4 USB-C ports that activity successful almost immoderate country, acknowledgment to its interchangeable wall adapters. However, its champion characteristic is its built-in Find My compatibility, and it would've solved my charging-abroad issues. Here's why I'll ne'er recreation again without it.

PlugBug Travel

Since I was a kid, I've ever misplaced my astir important items. I deliberation I suffer my telephone charger astatine slightest erstwhile a time because I transportation it pinch maine each complete nan place. The first clip I misplaced nan PlugBug, I was easy capable to propulsion up nan Find My app and ping it.

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You tin take from a 120W and 50W type of nan PlugBug, and for $10 more, you tin acquisition world plug-ins. The 50W would beryllium cleanable for mini spaces and arsenic a regular wall charger, while nan 120W configuration is much suitable for group utilizing 1 adapter for larger devices that require much power.

The PlugBug Travel comes pinch six different wall adapters: nan US, EU, UK, Australia, China, and Korea, and they are highly easy to interchange. The website explanation says nan adapters activity successful up to 150 countries, truthful this wall charger is bully to spell nary matter your destination.

PlugBug Travel ports

The 4 USB-C ports connected nan bottommost of nan wall plug.

Allison Jewell/ZDNET

The PlugBug itself has a very sleek creation pinch a colour strategy agleam capable to drawback your oculus erstwhile you're successful a unreserved to battalion up your edifice room. It's colorful without being an eyesore, and I bask that.

Setting up nan PlugBug was ace easy; each I had to do was propulsion nan tab from nan artillery astatine nan bottom, deed nan link button, and past adhd it arsenic an point successful my Find My app. You past delegate it an emoji and a name, and statesman search from there.

Because it's compatible pinch Find My, nan PlugBug tin double arsenic an AirTag for checked luggage aliases individual bags if you're prone to misplacing your charger aliases mounting down your container and stepping disconnected without it.

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However, nan caveat is that you're beholden to Find My's search limitations. It is not ever precise, truthful making nan instrumentality chime erstwhile it's mislaid is your champion bet. I will opportunity that nan agleam reddish colour of nan plug makes it easier to find successful clutter.

The 4 USB-C ports are spaced retired good and person an output of 120W. Technically, you tin complaint up to six devices pinch that magnitude of wattage. Therefore, my smaller devices, for illustration my iPhone and AirPods, complaint very quickly. Bigger devices, for illustration my MacBook, return a small longer.

PlugBug Travel Case

The lawsuit that comes pinch nan PlugBug, positive its world outlets. 

Allison Jewell/ZDNET

The charger comes pinch a lawsuit that fits snugly into your bag. The lawsuit tin beryllium a spot bulky, but it adds a protective furniture for your PlugBug erstwhile things inevitably get shuffled astir successful your luggage. There's besides a small compartment astatine nan apical to shop your cords.

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One point I noticed astir nan PlugBug is really dense it is. If you're sticking this successful your carry-on aliases a checked bag, it will decidedly effect nan weight much than you want it to. Therefore, erstwhile you plug it into nan wall, it has to beryllium connected nan bottommost outlet.

ZDNET's buying proposal

Twelve South's PlugBug Travel 120W retails for $130, which is pricey for a wall charger. However, its convenience, bulk, and versatility make it worthy nan price. If you want to effort retired a PlugBug but don't request 120W aliases nan recreation upgrades, nan PlugBug 50W retails for $70 and is still equipped pinch Find My.

If you're ever walking and trying to complaint your devices but tin ne'er find wherever you put your charging block, nan Twelve South PlugBug is nan instrumentality for you.

Looking for nan adjacent champion product? Get master reviews and editor favorites pinch ZDNET Recommends.

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