Mophie Portable Phone Charger

March 22, 2025

I bought this charger before going on vacation last year. It was my first real vacation in five years, and I wanted to minimize the chance of anything going wrong. Nothing is more stressful than rationing the use of your phone in order to extend battery life.

I am obsessed with this charger and think it’s one of my favorite physical purchases in a long time, extending beyond just the “electronics” category.

This is because the Mophie charger itches this nostalgia I have for physical products that I can’t quite articulate. I think the cobalt blue looks incredible on the metal casing. Because of the metal, the thing has heft and feels good in your hand.

There is just generally something about this blue that I’m drawn to. I love this kind of BMW blue; it feels fresh, clean, a little quirky and fun, and always very contemporary to me, even though BMW blue has existed for decades.

I like that the charger works really well by charging quickly and having a lot of battery life. Pressing the button to check the battery life feels great — the tactility of the button is satisfying.

But what I like most of all is only just emerging with the device: the “patina” of the material. I love when stuff gets a little beat up. It gives it so much more character, and it’s almost a tattoo or something in a way, because no two devices are worn out in the same exact place.

I hate having to be precious with my belongings, and I’d rather feature the wear and tear than try to prevent or hide it. My parents thought I was crazy when I got a white Rimowa just so I could beat the shit out of it (and I’ve accomplished that — I’ve had to replace wheels, reset a busted frame, get dents out, etc.). But I love the scuff marks and how contrasting they are with the white polycarbonate.

I’m not a fan of the polycarbonate material in particular, but I am enamored with the cobalt metal casing of the Mophie charger. It’s rare to find products that actually feel good in your hand in terms of material, weight, and size. It reminds me that good products can still be made, and I should be excited that a company like Mophie could really hone in one particular niche and do something good with it.