The gomi power bank is super sustainable charger that gets the job done but lacks any extra features to make it more convenient to use. Overall I rate it 7.3 out of 10. Read full review below.
PORTABILITY
8.0 / 10.00
CHARGING CAPABILITY
7.0 / 10.00
SUSTAINABILITY & REPAIRABILITY
9.0 / 10.00
RECHARGE TIME
7.5 / 10.00
VALUE FOR MONEY
5.0 / 10.00
My Verdict
This little fella has been my personal carry charger whilst my time away in Portugal in December 2023. It has been a very reliable and cool looking charger. And it aligns perfectly with my values of buying the most sustainable version of a product out there. It can also be repaired in the future if needed.
While it may lack the additional convenience features found in some other power banks on the market, such as a built-in wall plug, charging cable, or flashlight, the gomi power bank remains a reliable choice for a straightforward and portable charger ideal for everyday travel.
REASONS TO BUY + + +
- Made in the UK from waste material (probably the most sustainable power bank around)
- Fairly compact given its capacity
- Available in multiple unique marbling patterns
REASONS TO AVOID - - -
- No integrated cables
- Pricey compared to other power banks
My take on the gomi power bank
I liked that it has a fast charge rate of 18W and has two output ports(USB-C and USB-A). Which is fast enough for larger devices like my Macbook. Besides that, it's a very cool looking item. Has a half and half design. One half is this really cool marbled waste plastic from sources like plastic bags, bubble wrap and food packaging. And the other half is recycled aluminium. So it’s a striking look!
The only downside from my perspective is the price. You can get a similar capacity, made in China with virgin materials for around ⅓ this price. I guess made in the UK has it’s costs and trying to use waste streams that are not usually processed has it’s costs.
Portability
The gomi power bank got off to a solid start in the most important metric for me, portability. It is light at around 244g and takes up a fairly small volume of space, measuring at 9.5cm long by 6.2cm wide x 2.5cm thick — definitely small enough to easily carry around in a pocket.
Charging Capability
There’s two power output ports, 1x USB-C and 1x USB-A. Both the ports have 18W Fast charging, which is very handy.
It’s nice it has a USB-C output, as a lot of other power banks still don’t have USB-C output ports.
The power bank is charged via USB-C, so the USB-C port acts as an output and also as an input port.
There’s also pass through technology, which means that you can use your power bank whilst charging the power bank itself. I guess the only reason you’d do this is because you don’t have the correct wall plug to charge your device with. So for example, you use your USB-C port for charging the power bank and then use the USB-A port at the same time to charge a device.
The rated capacity is 10,000mAh. It is to note that all power banks lose the original capacity due to charging inefficiencies of the power board and cable you use. For my iPhone XS. I got 2 full charges and a bit. Which is fine for my use.
Sustainability
This is where the gomi power bank shines. The thing I love the most is that the batteries are not mined from new sources. They are simply rescued from e-bikes and given a new life as they are perfectly fine batteries. I have summarised their very long sustainability credentials below:
- Product can be sent back for repairs and even the batteries can be replenished
- No glue is used in the design
- 73.9% of the product is made from post-consumer recycled materials like second-life e-bike cells, plastic waste from packaging etc. Keep in mind, most power banks in the market have less than 5% post consumer recycled content
- At end of life, the product can be sent back to be upgraded or repaired. They can even keep the same plastic top and turn it into a new power bank for you
Recharge Time
It took approximately 180 minutes (3 hours) with me using a 30W Apple USB-C Power Adapter. though this could increase if your USB power source doesn't have the best discharge rate.
From my tests, I can say that it charges from 0% to 100% in about 3-4 hours. Which is as advertised on their website.
Value for money
This is the only sticking point for me about this charger. Of course, it’s made in the UK with amazing sustainable materials. So I understand the price of £79. The sad truth is that you can get a made in China product that has zilch sustainability built into it for around £25. So ⅓ the price of this charger.
Of course, this charger can be repaired in the future. And gomi website claim that the max cost of repair or replenishment would be £20. Which means that if later on, you want to replenish the cells, it will actually be cheaper than buying a cheap Chinese charger from Amazon. So you are not stuck paying a premium for sustainability and UK made product.
Should you buy the gomi power bank?
If you have the spare cash to support the best choice for the planet and small business that’s on a mission to change the electronics industry, this is the best option out there.
It is a fantastic sustainable charger but the value for money is the main issue with this product. As it is for many UK made sustainable products.
See here a link to the gomi power bank.