A truly must-have gadget if you travel (or not) and have lots of stuff to charge
(edited by C. H. Blickenstorfer)

If you're in the business of running technology and tech gadget websites, you get approached by a lot of companies who would like for you to give them some favorable press. As much as we'd like to oblige all those requests, we usually just don't have the time. Every once in a while, though, something comes along that really attracts our attention and we'll ask for a review sample. Such was the case when ever-helpful Jessica Ross over at SSPR suggested we look at the StarTech 7-Port USB Charging Station. We're forever running out of USB ports to charge stuff, especially when on the road, and so we asked Jessice to send us one.

Here's what we got: A handy little (4.5 x 1.75 x 0.75 inches) USB charging station, power supply and the major interational plug adapters included. The StarTech 7-Port USB charger has five one-amp ports for small stuff like phones, cameras and such, and two two-amp ports for items that need more power, such as tablets.

Now you may argue that USB charging is no big deal. There are always USB ports around. Well, it IS a big deal. Because you can never have too many USB ports, because it's good to know which USB ports can handle the bigger items, and, most importantly, it's really good to only need one wall outlet to power all those ports.

Below is an example of how we've used the StarTech 7-port charger. All of that gear charging, and just one wall outlet. A couple of GoPros, a LiquidImage EGO action camera, the iPhone and its backup battery, the iPad, and an adventure camera. Wow. Much appreciated.

The StarTech 7-port charger has earned a permanent spot in our product review lab. And it's also become one of the gadgets we always take on product review trips. The picture below shows the Caribbean Explorer II, our home-away-from-home for a week of underwater product testing around the islands of Saba and St. Kitts in the Caribbeans. The picture on the right shows our cabin. Yup, that's all of it. For a week. A grand total of two power outlets for all of our gear. Did the StarTech 7-port charger come in handy. You bet.

Where to get: StarTech 7-Port USB Charging Station (US$69.99 MSRP).