Buy Energizer 3x Charge Station for Wii U
CUSTOMER REVIEW
I should start by stating that "I did not buy this item from Amazon", because it was out of stock with no sign in sight...anyway, I went ahead and bought it at my local game store...
The moment you see and feel the box this unit comes in, you start to wonder about the quality and whether it will work or not, but thankfully, my doubts were put to rest; the box is small, but only because the unit's footing is small and compact, which as it turns out, is great, specially for those like me, whom have a ton of games, controllers and their charging station (PS move being the biggest one)...moving on...
The unit comes with: 1 charging stations of course, 2 Wii remote batteries, 2 Wii remote battery covers, 1 AC power brick/cable for the charging station and an instructions booklet. The battery covers are black, so those like me, with blue Wii remotes, keep it in mind. I don't mind.
The charger does not have a power button or extra USB charging ports. The charger, however, can be used on both 120 and 240 voltages, so those living in some parts of Europe and South America, can easily use this unit, but you'll need a plug adapter, such as CVID BA-9N Grounded Universal 2 in 1 Schuko World Wide (100-240 Volts) Travel Plug Adapter Type E/F for Germany, France, Europe, Russia & more - CE Certified - Excellent Quality - 2 Pack . Charging times vary on the remote/pad's battery life; a dead battery can take up to 1 hour to fully charge, after the initial charge (Wii remotes). The charger's LEDs will stay red while charging and change to green when done.
The batteries included do not come pre-charged, so they'll require at least 2 to 2.75 hours to fully charge. As I mentioned above, the package includes 2 battery covers that will replace your existing ones; the new ones are needed to have access to the included battery's charging contacts.
Charging the Wii U Game Pad is very easy and those with the Wii U Pad's craddle should feel at home, this charger is a simple "drop in" style.
I mentioned some flaws, but as stated above, they're minor. First, the Wii Remote charging spots will take some getting used to; at the bottom, there are two plastic tabs sticking out, which are supposed to fit the Wii remote's openings at the bottom, lining those up can be a pain at times, but not extremely difficult, even the instructions say to "wiggle" the controllers in case of an off fit. Also, if you have wrist straps on your Wii remotes, placing them on the charger can be a pain as well, because the strap's splitting plastic piece, being so close to the Wii remote's base, can get in the way when placing them down on the charger. Again, after the first few times of trying, you'll get used to it and won't be a problem any more. This bit is also important, YOU CAN NOT charge the Wii remotes with their rubber sleeves on, you must first remove them, then charge them.
The next "minor" flaw, which in reality, is not 100% a flaw...the LED lights, which indicate the charging stages, they will stay lit as long as the Pad and Wii remote(s) are on the charger, even after fully charged. The LEDs are bright green and in a dark room, they will light up the space like a christmas tree, they only way to have the LEDs off is to either remove the Pad and Wii remotes or to unplugg the charger itself, which defeats the whole purpose of having a charging/cradle style station. As I mentioned above, the charger does not have a power button.
In conclusion, even with its minor flaws, I think every Wii U owner should have one of these, having the Pad and Wii remotes in one location, fully charged and ready to go, is a big plus for any gamer. I've had my unit for about a week now and so far it has performed and fullfiled its purpose with great results. I no longer need to have the Pad's craddle and a separate Wii remote charging station. At this price, you shouldn't pass it up. Hope this helps.