British plugs are very safe, being earthed and generally also having their own fuse, but there’s no denying that they are chunky things. Not a problem in the home, but less than convenient when you want to carry one with you for charging in a coffee shop.
Fortunately, a few different companies are changing that. One of them was Apple, of course, supplying UK Apple Watch owners with an extremely neat plug with flip out pins. Another is the Oneadaptr collapsible UK plug, currently on Kickstarter. A couple of commentators there drew my attention to a third option, the Mu Classic, so I gave one a try.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ho3No0KaoE]
Having tried both this and the Apple Watch one, there are pros & cons. The Apple version is undeniably slicker in use: just lift the earth pin and the other pins lever out at the same time. It’s an extremely easy mechanism.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADLy0wZgrgI]
The Mu plug doesn’t have that same one-touch flip action – it’s very much manual, and definitely feels clunky in comparison – but is a slimmer unit. Much as I love the Apple mechanism, the Mu one is no hardship to use, and the reduced size is a win, so that’s the one I’m going to carry with me.
The Classic is a 1-amp version suitable for an iPhone, while the Mu Tablet is a 2.4-amp model designed for the iPad. Finally, there’s a Duo version with two USB sockets.
I’ll add the Oneadaptr plug to the comparison once it’s available, and then give a final verdict.
The Mu Classic is £14.95, and is available in a range of colors. The Mu Tablet is normally £24.95 but currently available for £19.75. The Mu Duo is available for the same price, down from £22.95.
