rewrite this title This viral 'phone toaster' at CES can fully charge your handset in under 5 seconds – sort of

Let’s face it: In this always-connected age, we’re forever on our phones checking texts, emails, social media, and more. As a result, we also have a steady appetite for accessories designed to tackle the constant problem of not having enough charge. CES 2025 has a fix.

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The Swippitt, unveiled at CES, resembles a toaster box, except that when you insert your phone into the opening, it comes out in two seconds with a fresh battery. Sound like a CES gimmick? The product was on full display at CES, and we can confirm: It did the thing. Here’s how it works.

To use the device, a user needs the Hub as well as the case, which Swippit refers to as the Link. On the case’s back is a battery, which —  when inserted into the Hub — gets swapped out for another fully charged 3,500 mAh battery, ready to give you the juice you need for the day. Meanwhile, the depleted battery starts getting charged. 

The battery swap takes about two seconds, and the process is so seamless that when ZDNET’s Kerry Wan tried it, he said it happened so quickly that he was initially confused. 

The Hub is compatible with any phone, as long as it has the Swippitt case. Both the Hub and Link come in sleek colorways, making sure you don’t compromise aesthetics for efficiency. Naturally, the battery pack on the back of the case makes the phone case a bit bulkier than a standard case, but all things considered, the case is fairly compact.

There are a total of five batteries inside the machine, ensuring all household members can quickly get a fresh battery back-to-back, taking approximately four seconds between uses. The battery is used to recharge your phone as much as needed, so if you are just looking for a top-off, the power not used remains in reserve for when you need it. 

The device also works with a free app that enables you to check your battery’s percentages, control what percentage you want it to be charged to, and even reserve a specific battery from the hub to prevent other household members from taking up all the batteries when you really need one. 

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This seamless charging experience comes at a hefty cost, with the Hub retailing for $450 and each case priced at $120. You can pre-order the device now on the Swippit website and get 30% off all products, plus an additional CES promotion that takes $100 off the price of the Hub. That still places you at over $350 for a Hub and one case. 

This is a cool solution. But are you better off buying five portable chargers instead? Innovation always has a price, including phone covers that are much more difficult to remove today than they were a decade ago. Considering the nature of smartphone form factors today, it’s commendable that Swippitt has found a way to resurrect the days of swappable batteries.