Can't afford the buzzy battery toaster from CES? Try these alternatives instead

CES 2025 is bringing some seriously cool tech, and while we’ve seen plenty of hype around fitness wearables, TVs, smart home gear, and more, there’s one device so captivating that it’s hard to look away — the Swippitt. Swippitt is a boxy device that lets you insert your phone into the opening, and in two seconds, it comes out with a fully-charged battery. The allure of this tech toaster hasn’t been understated, and we’ve seen it with our own eyes. 

Also: CES 2025: The 15 most impressive products so far

Here’s how the mobile-like toaster works. To use the Swippitt, a user needs the Swippitt Hub and the accompanying Link case. On the back of the Link case is a battery, which when inserted into the Hub (much like a bagel in a toaster slot) gets swapped out for another fully charged 3,500 mAh battery, perfectly boosting your device in a simple exchange. The depleted battery that was just swapped into the hub is then charged. 

The process is so quick and seamless that it left ZDNET’s Kerry Wan confused. So, who wouldn’t want a real-life piece of tech that feels right out of Disney’s 1999 Smart House flick? The answer is anyone who doesn’t want to spend almost $700 on the setup, which includes the Swippitt hub and two Link phone cases. 

Also: New product wows CES by fully charging a phone in under 5 seconds

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, though, and even at that discounted rate, it begs the biggest question: should you just buy alternative power-boosting options? 

As a mobile accessory and battery pack expert at ZDNET, I’ll suggest a few other options to keep your phone juiced up when you need it most without dropping your cash on this pricey futuristic appliance. 

1. Mophie’s Juice Pack phone case

The iconic Mophie Juice Pack returned to CES last year and with good reason. While the Juice Pack will run you $100 full-price, it is sometimes available for as low as $80, and its purpose is very similar to Swippitt’s Link case. It’s a phone case with a built-in battery pack, with varying capacity depending on your phone model. 

Also: Mophie’s Juice Pack is back

The biggest difference between this pack and the Swippitt is that you won’t be able to exchange it through a techy bread slot, and the battery capacity is slightly smaller. But for $100 or less, you can have the same on-the-go battery boost that works quickly — you just have to remember to charge the Juice Pack regulalry. 

2. A MagSafe battery pack 

Yeah okay, so this option is undeniably not as cool as a battery toaster, but it could be just as practical for you and it’s certainly cheaper. There are dozens of MagSafe battery packs on the market that can vary in cost between $30 to $100 or more, with tons of different added features like kickstands, grips, LED displays, and more. 

Also: The best MagSafe battery packs you can buy

A battery pack can be swapped in and out to charge your device wirelessly, and most battery packs offer more than 3,500 mAh of battery capacity, which is what Swippitt’s Link case offers. One of my favorite MagSafe options is the Torras MiniMag, a 5,000 mAh capacity ultra-slim pack that I’d recommend to most users. 

3. The Fairphone 5  

Perhaps the best way to avoid using battery pack phone cases or other accessories is to find a phone that lets you swap its battery out. The Fairphone 5 is a sustainability-focused mobile handset that features a swappable battery. ZDNET’s Matthew Miller tested the Fairphone 5 and says in his review that it’s “a solid Android smartphone through and through.” 

Also: This modular Android will outlive the latest iPhones and Pixels, but there’s a catch

The biggest catch is that Fairphone 5 availability is limited and the device will cost you the most out of the alternative Swippitt options on this list.