Let's face it - this product review isn't going to be complicated. A wireless charger should do one thing very well: charge your phone. Quickly, and without fail. But what is better is if that charger doesn't look like a hunk of soul-less plastic sitting as a desktop eye sore.
PedPac, a Slovenian startup, was fueled on Indiegogo to launch WOCH, a stylish, hand hewn wood artisan wireless charger.
We received the charger in a modest cardboard package.
Because again, there's nothing too fancy here. We expect the product to plug in and work.
And it does.
The one piece of advice I have for PedPac is to make the "up" or "charging" side more apparent.
At first take, I did (*embarrasingly*) plug in the USB cable, set it down and plop my iPhone 11 Max on and wait, eyes narrowing, for the bolt charger symbol to pop up on my device.
And I waited for all of 4 seconds before frantically shifting the phone around the surface of the square, searching for success.
It was much to my personal embarrasment that I realized approximately 20 seconds later... that I had the square wireless charger upside down.
Once I flipped it right side up, it was instantaneous success. 15W charging means it's fast and efficient as well!
Feedback time
I think my 30 seconds of confusion could have been remedied by the square having some multi-purpose slide grips on the bottom.
This would function two fold to keep the WOCH charger from sliding on the desk, and to visually indicate to dummies like me, which side was down.
The square of real oak or beech wood is truly a beautiful desktop accessory. I would definitely recommend it as an office buy or gift option.
One more note when comparing the WOCH by PedPac to the plethora of Qi chargers we've tested. The square shape has an up and downside.
Upside: It looks sleek and neat. I have a "wood everything" design aesthetic and this fits in nicely with my modern eclectic office vibe.
Downside: Your phone is a rectangle. Thusly, the sides hang off. I'd let each individual average consumer decide if they like that more aesthetically, or less as it leaves the slightest bit more decision in your trajectory when placing down your phone.
I may just end up allocating this charger solely for my more square-shaped Airpods.
GadgetVibes' Opinion
Overall, great artisanal work by the guys across the globe in Slovenia. We wish you the best in bringing more gorgeous real wood tech to market for consumers everywhere.
If you want to snag a WOCH by PedPac, visit their store here.
