Namsung America sent us a Utilimedic car UV sanitizer for review. Phone hygiene is on our minds right now with the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilimedic should help people sanitize their smartphones, keys, masks, and other small items on the go.
Even though COVID-19 cases are declining we are still in the midst of a pandemic. So it would be best if the clean freak habits we acquired during these trying times stay with us. To that extent, I believe that UV sanitizers are going to become a mainstay in the coming future.
Let’s dive into the review to see how the Utilimedic performs in day-to-day use even though overall driving has reduced considerably these days.
Unboxing the mobile UV sanitizer
Packaging for this device is quite compact. A chipboard carton box and inside is the gadget and some paperwork. The USB-C charging cable and car charger are in a small box inside the sanitizer. The 12V car charger supports 10W Qi wireless charging.
Utilimedic Design and Hardware Impressions
There are quite a few things I like about the Utilimedic. First off, it has nice rounded curves and correctly placed cutouts with smooth rounded edges. Second is the tacky mat in the box that helps the sanitizer stay put on the dash of the car. In my case, the dash doesn’t have a flat surface, yet not once did the device slide and fall off.
The top of the unit has a power button on the left to turn on the sanitizing cycle. It also has the logo and the area indicating where the wireless charging coil is. The top surface has a diamond pattern texture and a siliconized tacky feel which prevents the phone from slipping. This allows for the phone to charge wirelessly while you are driving. Oh and you can have another phone or mask or earbuds inside the sanitizer either for storage or run a sanitizing cycle.
The power button has a blue LED to indicate wireless charging. When a sanitizing cycle is initiated you get a red color LED in the power button and it goes off once the cycle is complete.
Utilimedic supports up to 10W Qi wireless charging. So final wireless charging speed is going to be dependent on what level of charging your gadget maker supports.
The color scheme of the unit and the mat blends nicely from dark to light in color. The mat is dark grey, the unit is light grey and the top surface is off white. There is a small lip on the top lid that allows for ease in opening the unit to place your phone inside for sanitizing. There is a hinge on the inside so the whole lid doesn’t come off.
Inside the box, there are 4 brackets that help prop the device up so that you get complete coverage of the UV-C light. These are adjustable allowing you to prop up the item you are trying to sanitize correctly. There are 4 UV-C lamps in the corners, two at the bottom base and two in the lid for a total of 8 UV-C LEDs.
The bottom of the unit has 4 rubber bumpers and a regulatory information sticker. The unit is powered via a USB-C charging port which is located just below the hinge on the rear.
Overall, this is a light, compact unit that should be easy to transport. Additionally, this makes it easy to swap from one vehicle to another if you choose to do so.
Using the Utilimedic on a daily basis
For my review, I put the mat on the dash, placed the Utilimedic on it, and powered it via the included car charger /USB-C cable. To use the Utilimedic, lift the top, place the phone inside and close the lid. You can start the sterilization cycle by pressing the power button. The power button LED glows red and starts a 5-minute sterilization cycle. Utilimedic has 8 high-power broad beam UV-C LEDs inside. Because of a large amount of UV-C LEDs, this results in a short 5-minute cycle.
If you have a phone or another gadget wirelessly charging on top while sanitizing then the power button LED will show a Magenta color. If there is only wireless charging happening and no sanitization then you get a blue color on the power button LED.
The best thing about the Utilimedic is that you can sanitize and wirelessly charge at the same time. In fact, you can charge the device inside the box via wired charging or use the cable to power Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
I used Utilimedic to sanitize keys, masks, and my wireless earbuds during my review period. Overall this is a quick and easy, plug and play device with a very little learning curve.
Likes and Dislikes after use for a week
For the most part, this is an extremely easy-to-use device. The operating steps are easy and intuitive. The instructions in the manual are easy to follow. Set up takes literally a minute or less. Both wired and wireless charging are feasible. The in-car charger has two ports instead of one which is a great bonus.
There are a few things that can be improved. First, there is no audible indication that a cycle is started or complete. Once the cycle is complete, the power button LED goes blank unless you are charging a device on the top surface. There is no indication that the cycle is complete. And in daylight, it is difficult to see if the LED is on or off if the unit is on the car dash. The second, is that smaller items are difficult to prop up on the four adjustable prongs.
Should you buy the Utilimedic for your car?
Utilimedic is a decent-sized lightweight device for your car. It is very easy to set up and you can easily remove it from one car and use it in another vehicle. The charger has two USB ports that support 10W charging.
This in-car device has the ability to support wired and wireless charging simultaneously. In addition, you can easily use this device outside of a car as well by using a Power Bank.
The only issue is no easy way to identify the completion of the sanitization cycle. On the flip side, they do have official certification as far as the efficacy of the unit in killing microorganisms. So you get effective cleaning and a pretty good in-car wireless charging station when you purchase this device.