TomTom AC Charger

How to Save Money on a TomTom AC Charger

TomTom (and I assume many other GPS manufacturers) does not include a wall charger with the GPS, just a car charger.  They probably assume that you will be using it exclusively in your car anyway, but what about for people like me that occasionally ride my bike?  I'll tell you how to save a ton of money if you're like me and in need of a cheap wall charger.

TomTom AC Charger From TomTom: $39.95

Let's start off by talking about the AC wall charger that TomTom sells directly off their site, the Fast Charger which sells for $39.95.  This wall charger is advertised as charging your GPS fast: in two hours.

TomTom AC Charger, CE Approved, Last seen for: $3.95

This inexpensive 'generic' charger is still CE approved and still charges my TomTom brilliantly.  I even think that it also reaches the 2-hour benchmark in charging speed, if not, pretty close.  I just think its ludicrous for anyone to pay $40 just to charge a device that they already paid an arm and a leg for.

Dangers in Buying Generic?

Of course, companies like TomTom will say plenty to discourage you from not buying their over-priced power cable.  What they say is plausibly true; a bad charger can potentially fry your unit.  Since your TomTom really only needs 5 volts, it is extremely unlikely that you will be in danger of killing your GPS, however.  To be sure, make sure you use units that are CE certified (typically printed on the wall charger itself).