Technaxx Foldable Solar Camping Table 20W TX-251

£68.99

As the summer months begin many of us will be heading out into the countryside to enjoy a little break away from the chaos of everyday life. However, one of the main downsides of being in the middle of nowhere is trying to find a source of electricity to recharge your devices. For many, a large power bank is the answer, but they’re always quite heavy and even they have a limit before they need to be recharged from a power source again. However, Technaxx has developed a solar table which, as the name suggests, delivers power to recharge your phone or tablet using only solar power.

Straight out of the box, the camping table was super easy to put together. The base needed to be opened out and then the attached support bars clicked easily into place going across the sides. The top solar table panel then clicks directly onto the support base and has two pockets attached to either side for storage. However, for a little extra storage, you can even add a small square mesh canopy across the base legs. The assembly only took a few minutes and then I had a perfect camping table. The tabletop is a good size and is fairly sturdy with the solar panels on the top. The idea of the table is that whilst camping, you set it outside your tent next to your chairs for use as a table, however, throughout the day this will slowly generate electricity through solar power. Then, when you need to recharge your device, you just attach a cable to the power port on the underside of the table and connect it to your phone.

One of my favourite aspects of the Solar Camping Table is that the two side pockets, which come already attached to the tabletop, provide great storage for your campsite, whether to hold snacks, reading materials or even your device whilst charging. It is clear Technaxx has taken into consideration the functionality of the table, and, with these pockets, the tablet is doubly functional for holding your cups and snacks, whilst also producing power at the same time. Plus the table even comes with a carrying strap for easy transportation to your camping sight!

I tested out the camping table on a lovely sunny day and was impressed with how easy it was to set up and use almost forgetting it was producing power in the process.  The table was the perfect height next to our deck chairs and was super useful for providing a nice space to hold drinks, some snacks and my Kindle. However, as my Kindle began to run low on charge, I just plugged my usual wire into the USB-A port, and it began to charge. Now, I will note that the charging speed isn’t anywhere near as quick as you’d expect from a wall plug, however, to charge your devices whilst away from a mains power source it is a great option. After a few hours it had charged up a decent amount but would probably need a much longer charging time to get to full power. Therefore, I do think if you need to charge your phone it may be best to leave the table out in the sun all day and then charge it using the stored-up power overnight for best results.

My only concern is that you do need the sun to produce power, so whilst it is great as a foldable camping table, with typical British weather you may only get the use it as a camping table when the sun isn’t out but that’s to be expected with solar powered items.  Also, to make the most of the solar panels it is best to not cover too much of the tabletop area, while this may seem obvious, when using it as a table you have to be mindful that you’re not covering too much as the solar panels will not be able to get any sun!

Overall, the Technaxx Foldable Solar Camping Table 20W TX-251 is lightweight, easy to assemble and built with functionality in mind. The solar power table top is well designed with both a USB-A and USB-C port to deliver great power – especially when you’re camping in the middle of nowhere. It’s a great and functional alternative to a heavy power bank or battery that is completely powered by the sun which is a perfect choice for camping this summer!

Pros:

• Lightweight and foldable design with lots of storage
• Solar-powered charging – great for when away from power sources whilst camping
• Compatible with USBA and USB-C chargers

Cons:

• Does require sun to operate the charging aspect which isn’t always possible with typical British weather!