Charge as you drive -- Inateck USB car chargers [Review]

It's not unusual for modern cars to have a built-in USB facility, but generally you only get one port and it has to do duty as both a charging point and an input for the audio system. That means family journeys with multiple devices demanding power can lead to squabbles.

For those who need extra USB charge points in the car Inateck has produced two new solutions in the form of adaptors that plug into a standard 12V power socket -- lighter socket for older readers and classic car owners.

The AL 4001 is a 4-port device with a smart white and silver finish and comes supplied with two micro USB cables. The AL2001 has two ports and a choice of white or shiny black finish, it comes with one cable but it also has a hard-wired Lightning cable to charge Apple devices.

Both have a blue LED indicator to let you know when they're working. The 4-port delivers a maximum of 5V/2.4A, the 2-port gives 5V/2.1A on the USB sockets and 2.4A on the Lightning cable. Talking of cables the Lightning cable is three feet long, the supplied USB cables with both units are a more generous four feet allowing you to power a device like a satnav or camera that's sitting on top of the dash.

Inateck uses intelligent charging technology to detect the connected device and deliver the appropriate current. The chargers also have short circuit, over current, over watt and overheating protection for safety.

The units feel well made and are easy to use straight out of the box. The 4-port charger is a bit bulky so may be awkward to use depending on where your power socket is located but other than that there's not much to criticise here.

The two port costs $19.99 on Amazon (£20.99 in the UK) the 4-port is $14.99 and £13.99 in the UK. More information is available on the Inateck website.