3 Common Problems Owners Have With Ugreen Chargers

Ugreen may seem like just another generic brand trying to make it big in the mobile accessory market, but in just over a decade, it has established quite a presence. And what's not to love about it? Its stuff is relatively affordable, and many choose Ugreen as an alternative to Anker. There are even some areas where Ugreen products might be better than those from OEMs like Apple. Yet, it's still an electronics company that mass-produces chargers and accessories, which means that there are bound to be some bad apples in a relatively solid bunch. Are there any complaints that seem like a pattern?

Unfortunately, yes. Though Ugreen's products meet the necessary safety regulations, some users complain about ports failing on chargers like the Nexode 300, with similar failures reported for other models. More concerningly, there are those who report chargers like the Ugreen Nexode X 100W GaN reaching excessive temperatures. In some cases, the charger would start melting the ports of devices it was charging, which is certainly not a good look. Other than that, owners are annoyed by some multi-port chargers that stop providing power for a few seconds when they disconnect or connect another device. That is more of a first-world problem, as it's actually quite normal and represents the charger's attempt to balance the wattage.

Note that this isn't a stain on Ugreen's overall reliability. Unhappy users are simply more likely to voice their frustrations, and there are several comments from people who claim their particular chargers work flawlessly. If you look hard enough, you can find related complaints about Anker, as well.

One of the most annoying things is port failure, especially if it's your favorite one (and it's somehow always your favorite one). With Ugreen chargers, there are a series of reports on sites like Reddit where dying ports are a common issue. For instance, in a thread about the Ugreen Nexode 300W GaN Desktop charger, one person says that the USB-C port died after a month, with another port biting the dust a couple of months later. Another Redditor says one of the ports died in much the same way, pointing out that this repeatedly happens with the particular model.

It's a similar thing with an unspecified 300W multiport charger outlined in another thread. It's possible they're talking about the Ugreen Nexode 300W GaN since they noted that USB port problems are a frequent occurrence. The 100W Nexode may not be "safe" either, as two users complain about multiple ports kicking the bucket prematurely.

Dead ports seem to be the rule of the game with multi-port chargers. Anker users complain about comparable malfunctions, with one thread blasting the premium Anker Prime 100W charger. Ugreen itself suggests the reason for this could be corrosion or debris inside the ports, or in the worst-case scenario, worn-out connectors. Tough break, right?

A piece of electronics turning into a portable stove is scary, and it seems to be a pattern with some Ugreen bricks. Remember what we said about bad apples? Apparently, an unlucky Redditor got the worst one, as their Ugreen Nexode X 100W GaN charger reached temperatures as high as 212 degrees Fahrenheit, which is enough to boil a pot of pasta. In fact, they said it was too hot to touch and took nearly ten minutes to cool down. Commenters said that they have the same charger, but it never reached those exact temperatures. Yet, if you look far enough, there are more complaints about Ugreen 100W GaN units, one of which heated up so much that it basically fused the cable's connector to the port.

Elsewhere, there are complaints about unspecified Ugreen chargers. One Redditor was concerned about his device radiating a burning smell. There's another, much more interesting case, where a Ugreen charging brick melted the USB-C port of a Steam Deck — a sad story altogether.

Generally speaking, chargers can get incredibly hot, regardless of the brand. Fortunately, after scouring online sources, there are no documented recalls of any Ugreen products. The same can't be said about its competitors. Anker, for example, was forced to recall some power banks due to a fire hazard. A bunch of power banks (including Anker, Romoss, and Baseus) were also recalled in the Chinese market because of an unsafe battery cell. Ugreen claimed none of its products fell into that category.

The last common complaint about Ugreen chargers may not be an inherent flaw with the product, but it's still worth mentioning since it's a common concern. It involves a random power cut that occurs when you plug in or unplug a new device. Charging restarts after a few seconds. In another Reddit thread, one user was puzzled by this behavior, but one smart commenter clarified that the behavior is perfectly normal. It's just the power renegotiation process that happens when you plug in a second cable, which is like a handshake between the device and the charger, as it has to determine how much power it should deliver.

According to the same commenter, this is a common quirk of many multi-port chargers that can deliver varying amounts of power. It's another quirk of the design, which is just as annoying when a device is fully charged so the port goes idle, and then reconnects again when a small amount of battery drains — something you likely won't experience with a charger that has a single port.

Overall, don't let this discourage you from trying out the brand. If you go looking for flaws in products online, you'll definitely find them, regardless of the brand. Anker has plenty of badmouthing in Reddit threads too. However, if you do experience any of the issues listed here, you're stuck with a dud, and there's nothing else to do but replace your phone charger and move on to something different.