Solar Juice Pro is a portable mobile charger with dual USB charging ports. Does it work? Read my hands-on Solar Juice Pro review.
About Solar Juice Pro
Solar Juice Pro is a solar powered mobile charger that can recharge two devices at the same time. The 5000mAh battery can be charged via USB or solar power.
Claims & Features
- Charges two devices simultaneously
- Waterproof
- Compatible with smartphones, tablets, Bluetooth headsets
- Signals when your device is fully charged
- Dual USB charging ports (one on each side)
- Doubles as a LED flashlight
- Comes with charging adapter
Cost
Solar Juice Pro can be purchased for around $20 online and in some stores. I found it here in Las Vegas at a local Fry’s.
Solar Juice Pro Review
If the name “Solar Juice” sounds familiar, you may recall seeing television commercials for the original Solar Juice a few years ago. That item was a mobile charger that itself could be charged by sunlight. It disappeared, but then re-emerged with its second generation version called Solar Juice Pro. This version sports a stylish oval shape and a large solar panel.
I haven’t seen any ads for Solar Juice Pro – nor could I find a product website, and the original Solar Juice website is no longer online. That said, I’m starting to see Solar Juice Pro appear in the As Seen on TV section of stores, so I thought it would be an appropriate item to review.
As of this writing, Target has Solar Juice Pro listed on its website for $15, and I found it for $20 at a local Fry’s here in Las Vegas.
The first thing I noticed after opening the package is that the instructions state that solar charging is for emergency only, and that it will take 22-25 hours to charge via solar. It felt a bit like bait and switch, since the word “solar” is so prominent in the name and on the box.
When I first unboxed Solar Juice Pro, it appeared to be fully charged, so I plugged it into an iPhone to see how well it worked right out of the box. After about 2 hours, the phone went from 3% to 63%, and then the Solar Juice Pro ran out of juice.
After that, I charged Solar Juice Pro via USB. Although the instructions state that it will take 6-7 hours to charge, the first charge took over 12. I realize that some batteries take longer to charge on the first use, but the instructions don’t mention this. Subsequent charges took about 4 to 7 hours.
Several uses later, it appears that Solar Juice Pro provides about enough power for 1 entire phone charge, plus a little extra. Maybe about 120% of the battery capacity of an iPhone 7 Plus. This will, of course, vary based on your phone and the condition of your battery.
I did attempt to charge it via solar, but had no luck whatsoever. I tried it on windowsills, outside in direct sunlight, and in the car. After about 12-16 hours of exposure to sunlight, I never saw even a bar of energy in the Solar Juice Pro.
One feature I do like is that you can charge two devices at the same time, although there wasn’t enough “juice” to completely charge two iPhones when I tried it out. It took about an hour and a half to transfer all of its energy to two devices, which both gained a little over 40% battery power.
In the end, if you forget about the solar option, you may find Solar Juice Pro to be an adequate mobile charger. If the solar option is your primary feature, you will probably be disappointed.
Also note that there is no customer service contact information, nor any website provided. I had many questions about the product, but no way to ask for help.
Alternatives
There are other solar mobile chargers on the market. This $18 model sports about the highest rating among the most consumers I could find, although many buyers still said it took a very long time to charge via solar.
Video Review
You can watch my full video review of Solar Juice Pro below.
Your Solar Juice Pro Reviews
What are your thoughts about Solar Juice Pro? Drop a comment below and a star rating above to let us know what you think about it.