Recommend Me a Decent Non-Flammable USB-C Charger with Ports Facing Downwards

klaw81 on 24/06/2025 - 09:26

Hey folks, helping out a family member with a slightly niche problem - they need a standard Type-C charger for a phone, but due to where it's being plugged in, it's essential that the USB ports face downwards.

I know Hexmix sell a cheap 40W charger on Amazon and elsewhere, but the hive mind considers that brand's products a fire risk. Which other chargers have the some bottom-plug configuration but a good reputation, but aren't crazy expensive?

Only need 1 port capable of PD charging, but 2 would be nice if it's available.

Mobile USB Charger

Comments

  • beeawwb on 24/06/2025 - 09:45

    I don't think these fit every item on the wishlist, but just putting them out there as last resort options.

    https://www.belkin.com/au/p/usb-c-pd-3.0-pps-wall-charger-30…
    https://www.belkin.com/au/p/3-port-usb-c-wall-charger-with-p…

    • klaw81 on 24/06/2025 - 10:25
      +1

      Those Belkin ones would be fine, but the price is insane.

      • beeawwb on 24/06/2025 - 10:30
        +1

        Yep, it's not great!

        Looks like Amazon might be price-matching one of the ones from Coles mentioned below: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CTMKFFQ8/

        • klaw81 on 24/06/2025 - 10:42
          +1

          Looks like DigiDirect are selling at the same price, but with eBay plus I can get an even lower price….

  • redforever on 24/06/2025 - 09:55
    +1

    Coles currently has belkin chargers on sale.
    https://www.coles.com.au/brands/belkin-2389378820

    • klaw81 on 24/06/2025 - 10:26

      There's a decent option in that - thanks for the suggestion.

  • Hybroid on 24/06/2025 - 11:08

    These are solid and work flawlessly: https://www.amazon.com.au/Charger-Lightning-Adapter-Compatib…

    • klaw81 on 24/06/2025 - 12:03
      +1

      The model number on that device is HMX-GN40, which is an exact match to the Heymix charger that's allegedly a fire hazard.

      • Hybroid on 24/06/2025 - 12:14

        It's a non-issue. There's hundreds of positive reviews and I have had 2 running daily for months.

        • rumblytangara on 24/06/2025 - 12:39

          There's hundreds of positive reviews and I have had 2 running daily for months.

          That's besides the point. You don't look for positive reviews, you look for teardowns where you can see visual evidence of substandard design, and credible instances of failures.

          "It'll probably be fine" doesn't fly with everyone when more credible alternatives exist. The worst airlines in the world for safety have still carried tens of thousands of passengers a year, but why fly them when safer alternatives exist?

          @OP some of the best cheap chargers (best as in people have taken them apart to show they are carefully designed, have the proper spacing between components) are Ikea, but they only do downward facing ports for USB-A. Their USB-C chargers all have the ports facing outwards.

        • topherboi on 25/06/2025 - 07:22

          It's a non-issue.

          ..until it burns your house down!

  • rumblytangara on 24/06/2025 - 11:29

    I've got an Otto charger that fits those requirements off and old OzB thread. They don't seem to exist at Officeworks anymore, closest I could find was eBay

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/335963584354

    (Yes, this one looks ridiculous, but it was the first hit I found)

    Dual USB-C ports. up to 36W.

  • deeevan on 24/06/2025 - 12:02

    If they already have a charger and there's space, how about a right angle extension cord?

    • klaw81 on 24/06/2025 - 12:07

      I've considered it, but it's not an optimal solution to the problem.

      The object of this exercise is to minimize the total distance the charger extends out from the face of the outlet. Having the port facing down is the best way to achieve this.

      • deeevan on 24/06/2025 - 16:15

        Another idea: This right angle cable only protrudes 15mm from the port. There will be others that come down rather than to the side. Would that be slim enough?
        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/859529

        • klaw81 on 24/06/2025 - 16:31

          The problem is how far the charger brick already protrudes from the face of the GPO. Even if the USB cable was a bare 1.5mm thick ribbon, the protrusion is already too much.

          I am also considering other options (a GPO with integrated USB ports would reduce protrusion considerably) but then it wouldn't match the Clipsal Iconic GPOs and switches used throughout the rest of the house, and Clipsal's own GPO with USB-C ports is $75.

          • deeevan on 24/06/2025 - 17:19

            @klaw81: That's tight. No wonder you want non-flammable. How deep is that charging brick? You should add depth to the list of requirements.

            Got a spare USB-C laptop charger lying around? You could swap the IEC lead for one that has a right angle plug.

            • klaw81 on 25/06/2025 - 11:26

              @deeevan:

              How deep is that charging brick?

              The current charging brick is a pretty generic-looking single Type C port that protrudes about 65mm from the face of the outlet. Plugging in a normal Type C cable means the total protrusion is about 85mm to the back of the cable's hard plug, and then you need another 5mm minimum for the cable itself.

              I'm hoping to get the overall protrusion down to about 40mm - there's plenty of room under the outlet for the cable to be routed where it needs to.

              Got a spare USB-C laptop charger lying around?

              Unfortunately not, but that would also be sub-optimal given the location.

              To my mind, a charging brick with bottom ports is the cheapest and simplest solution.

  • deeevan on 24/06/2025 - 15:11

    Only port and 20W but $22
    https://www.amazon.com.au/Belkin-BOOSTCHARGE-USB-C-Wall-Char…

    • klaw81 on 24/06/2025 - 15:57

      I saw that one, but it seems to have a UK plug.

      • deeevan on 24/06/2025 - 16:00

        That's what I thought at first, but look at the subsequent photos

  • ATTS on 26/06/2025 - 19:23

    Anyone know if samsung s21 support PD charging?

    • rumblytangara on 26/06/2025 - 19:31

      Anyone know if samsung s21 support PD charging?

      This is exactly the kind of question that AI should be used for, if Google is too much of a challenge.

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