Today I’m testing out the unusual Bobino Phone Charging Shelf. This device hangs over a USB adapter and provides an anti-slip shelf for your phone while charging. Does it really work? Read my review to find out!
Where to Purchase & About
You can pick up the Bobino Phone Holder on Amazon for about $10. It comes in 10 different colors and is designed to hold up to a large phone. The shelf has an anti-slip material which is slightly angled toward the wall to prevent it from falling onto the floor. It can be folded for travel or easy storage.
Bobino Phone Holder Review
When I first saw the Bobino Phone Holder, I was reminded of other “outlet shelves” I’ve reviewed in the past, such as the As Seen on TV Socket Shelf. That item functions a little differently, as it provides additional outlets and a shelf. The Bobino Phone Holder is much simpler, providing a loop to hang over a USB adapter, and an angled shelf. There is a small silicone piece that I did not notice when I first unboxed it. That piece is important because it slips over the top of the unit and helps prevent it from slipping along the USB adapter. There was no mention of this piece in the packaging, and even the Amazon listing states that there is only one piece in the packaging.
Once I put the silicone piece in place, it was time to test it out. I plugged my USB cube into the wall, placed the Bobino over that, plugged in my phone, and placed the phone on the shelf. The first thing I noticed was that the phone holder slid about halfway across the cube before coming to a stop. This is because the phone puts weight on the unit, causing it to slide forward until the shelf comes to rest against the wall.
Although you can just plug your phone in and use the Bobino as a shelf, the Amazon listing showed an even better way to use the product by wrapping the cord around the base. Once you do that, the cord is much less visible and does not touch the floor. I much prefer that to placing my phone on the floor while charging.
I tried a couple of other USB adapters to see how they worked. The first was a long, rounded adapter which had a tendency to fall forward slightly due to the weight of my phone, although the shelf did remain in place. The last adapter I tried was a wider design. At first the Bobino didn’t fit over that plug, so I plugged it in through the Bobino, which did work. I’m not sure that is an advisable use for the product, however.
In the end, it appears to me that this product is good for a very specific scenario: Those who charge their phones with a USB adapter in an outlet near the floor. I happen to fall into that category, so this product will suit my needs.
Have you used this phone holder or something like it? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
I don’t often charge my phone near the floor and really wouldn’t have a use for this. One thing I do not like is the fact that it seemed to pull on the plugs in such a manner that they came away from the socket — though it didn’t seem to do that with the right-angle power block. While that might not be a problem, it doesn’t bode well and would have me worrying about it pulling out the socket or causing an electrical arc that could damage whatever I’m charging or even start a fire. If I was going… Read more »
I don’t like how it pulls on the plug either. I do charge my phone in that specific outlet by the floor so I’m hoping this is at least provides less of an eye sore than having it on the floor!
Surprised you haven’t reviewed wireless phone chargers but i appreciate that you don’t tread too far into electronics.
It’s funny you should mention that. I once bought a bunch of them, started testing them out, and was not happy with my tests or the results, so I ditched the idea. There are so many variables, like phone/battery type, age of the phone/battery, etc, that I didn’t feel like I was able to provide enough value to post my results.