[Review] XTAR SC1 Plus Charger || 1 x Li-Ion/NiMH, Powerbank function || Supports 26800 batteries

The charger was sent to me by XTAR for review.
Here's the product's link for more info: XTAR SC1 Plus

The charger comes in a simple package.



Here's the back side of the package, which includes the charger's specifications.



Other than the charger itself, a Type-C charging cable as well as a battery strap is also included in the bundle.



The SC1 Plus is a single-bay charger, designed to support the new 26800 Li-Ion battery format.
Of course, it can also charge all of the other regular Li-Ion battery types (18650/21700/26650) as well as NiMH D cells.
Please note that it doesn't support the length of 16340/18350/14500 - which is something I'd definitely want to see included in future models of the charger.




Here's the input current I recorded while charging a semi depleted battery.
The cut-off voltage after letting the cell rest for a few minutes is 4.14V, which is pretty typical for most modern chargers.



The SC1 Plus uses 4 blue LEDs to indicate the battery's charge level.



The positive terminal of the charger is using a solid metal tab.



The negative terminal is a spring loaded contact to allow the charger to support different battery lengths.



On the rear side of the charger, we can get a glimpse of its specifications.
Input: 5V/3A
Output: 4.2V/3A
USB Output (Powerbank mode): 5V/2A



The SC1 plus is powered via a regular Type-C charging interface.
Additionally, it also includes a USB-A output port, since it supports being used a go-to Powerbank.



The Powerbank mode requires the user to install the battery and attach the cable on the USB-A port.
Here's the charger in its Powerbank mode outputing 2A, which is the maximum output it's rated for.



The included USB-A to Type-C cable is marked with XTAR's logo and seem to be of good quality.



I went ahead and checked the included cable's resistance @1A.
The resistance was measured at 0.01Ω, which is very good.



As said earlier, the bundle includes a rubber strap.
The strap is especially useful when the SC1 Plus is used as a powerbank.



Finally, XTAR was kind enough to also include their own QC3.0 wall charger.
Please note that the SC1 Plus can work with any regular USB charger.



The charger comes with a EU plug and provides a single USB output port.
Of course, a US plug variant is also available.



And here's the specifications of the charger.
Input: 100-240V, 50/60Hz, 0.5A
Output: 5V/3A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A

Overall I've had a very positive experience while using it.
It stays relatively cool while usage and supports the QC3.0 protocol - so nothing more I could ask from a simple wall charger



Bottom line

The XTAR SC1 Plus is a great charger for the price.
I appreciate its support for 26800 cells as well as the built-in powerbank function.
If possible, I'd have liked it to support 14500 and 18350 cells as well, but that's not a major complain given its budget price.

Great review. Still loving mine.