While visiting the Legrand booth during the International Builders’ Show earlier this year, one of the new products that I had the opportunity to learn about was a new Radiant outlet that included dual 65W USB Type-C ports in addition to the two standard plugs. What made the new outlet different from others you might find is the fact that, with some smart power distribution tech built in, the outlet is capable of delivering a full 65 watts to each USB port, even when two devices are connected—meaning there’s no degradation in the charging quality or speed.
Seeing the outlet in action during the show was cool enough. But Legrand afforded me the opportunity to test one of the outlets out in my own home—a great way to see how it holds up over an extended period in a real-world setting. To boot, they sent an Adorne faceplate to pair with the outlet, giving the plug a refined and modern look. This particular faceplate, it’s worth noting, features enduring Microban Registered antimicrobial technology that works to reduce the growth of bacteria, around the clock, for the lifespan of the product.
While an outlet alone isn’t maybe one of the sexiest or flashiest pieces of technology, this is one that makes me look judgingly at the others in my house that now seem oh so outdated.
Make it Modern
Generally speaking, when I think about how a home and the technology within it can provide a more modern experience, my mind wouldn’t typically go to the outlets around the space. But, having now lived with this Legrand Radiant outlet with dual USB Type-C plugs integrated into it, it’s easy to see why something so simple can provide that little bit of extra convenience that really does create a much larger impact than you’d realize.
Plugs can get overlooked, but with all of the devices consumers charge today or need to have plugged in to operate, it’s somewhat liberating to both myself and my outlet to have access to those two extra ports.
Hyperbole? Maybe a little.
But this really does feel like one of those things that all new construction homes should have come standard within them—especially for bedside or couch-side outlets. These USB outlets solve a common first-world type of problem where we have all these cables that, traditionally, require you to find a matching wall brick to charge whatever device would be plugged into the other end. Or, if you’re a bit extra like I am, you’re someone who has multiple USB hubs around your house in order to charge your 12,000 different devices all at once.
Here, though, you get access to those two ports, freeing you from having to remember where you put said brick, and allowing you to keep the standard outlets free for devices that only have those types of plugs.
It’s a simple modification and modernization that helps to elevate any room where these outlets are installed. And, in the case of these Adorne Collection units, they look good while doing so.
Easy Install
Behind the plug, Legrand managed to keep things super simple. The Radiant outlet uses the same basic three-wire setup you find on just about all outlets—your white, black, and green wires.
Truthfully, the longest part of the entire installation process for me was walking back and forth between my breaker box and the room where I installed the outlet, because of our poorly labeled electrical panel—that’s on me.
Once the electricity was safely cut off to the outlet, the entire process took maybe 10 minutes to complete. I simply unscrewed the old outlet, disconnected the wires, cut and stripped the wires on the Radiant outlet, put the caps on, reattached it to the same box mount (another convenient design decision), and snapped on the Adorne faceplate. Job complete, and wall outlet upgraded.
Of course, the moment of truth came when I had to flip the breaker switch back and make sure the house didn’t explode in the process. I’m typing this review out right now, so safe to say I didn’t screw up :-).
One very small but much appreciated feature, I found, was the indicator light by each of the USB Type-C outlets. When a device is plugged in and charging, the light is yellow. Once the device is fully charged, that same light turns green. It’s a very convenient way to tell when your phone or wireless headphones are good to go. Again, one of those things that maybe no one asked for, but now that I’ve been living with it, I’d expect to have it on any new outlet in the future.
Power Performance
Being a true 65W outlet, the USB ports perform how you’d expect. They allow for quick charging capability, delivering 0-50 percent charging for a laptop in just 45 minutes, or the same for a phone in just 15 minutes.
Legrand notes that the smarts built into the outlet allow for what it calls “intelligent charging,” meaning the outlet will deliver the precise amount of power needed to safely maximize charging speeds. Overcurrent protection also ensures connected devices will charge as fast as possible while maintaining a safe experience for both the device and the outlet.
Again, this is not an Earth-shattering advancement in the world of technology. But what Legrand has accomplished here is a modernization that makes sense. We plug a majority of our devices in differently today than we did maybe just a handful of years ago. And this adapts those sources of power to better fit into our lifestyle today—without any crazy retrofitting required.
A product and concept that’s so simple it’s worth stopping to celebrate.
