Generic Chargers Can Cause Serious Injury

People are always losing their phone chargers.

As a solution, many turn to low-cost, generic plug-in chargers and charging cables found in the sea of impulse items that flank checkout lines and are pushed by low-cost online retailers. They’re cheap and so convenient—a seemingly great purchase.

Knockoffs can be great, but not when replacing your phone charger—one cost where you don’t want to cut corners. Using an authentic replacement charger made by your mobile phone’s manufacturer is always a better choice.

Along with a potential burn and fire hazard, cheaply made charging components and devices can cause shock and electrocution. Serious potential dangers aside, they may cost you more in the long run since they can also damage your devices.

When using charging gear:

• Check all wires, cords, and plugs for signs of damage or fraying.
• Always keep charging items away from flammable objects, especially bedding, and do not take them to bed with you. Tell kids and teens to never place any charging device under their pillow. The heat generated gets trapped, which could cause the pillow or bed to catch fire.
• Do not touch charging electronic devices with wet hands or while standing in water.
• Make sure charging components are certified by a reputable third-party testing laboratory.
• Only buy product-approved chargers and cables (those made or certified by the manufacturer). Using cheaper devices can cause damage to the USB charge chip, which can have a lasting impact on how quickly and effectively your device charges in the future.
• Be on the lookout for fakes or impostors claiming to be brand approved. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.