It is a situation that nobody likes to be faced with: Broken Apple accessories. One of the most frustrating Macbook Pro or iPad Mini parts to have break down is the charger. After all, these devices can't run without power. But, as with some Apple products, customers may find the official replacements kind of pricey, as an iPad charger runs for about $20. Some opt for third-party sellers for a discount, but tech writer and engineer Ken Shirriff has written a new piece on why you should avoid these counterfeit chargers.

In his piece, Shirriff opened up and studied both an official Apple iPad charger and a fake version that can be bought for $3-$5 on websites such as eBay or other independent sellers. Shirriff found various reasons why the counterfeit chargers would be sold at such inexpensive prices. For one, they are produced cheaply and lack interior insulation, meaning that they could heat up quickly and spark, potentially causing a fire and endangering you or your family.

Another issue that Shirriff found was that these chargers are often falsely advertised. While iPad chargers come at 10W?, the fakes only offer 5W, which is why they would take so long to effectively charge. While Apple requires chips to be placed in chargers for official independent sellers so that people know they are approved, these counterfeit products do not contain those chips.

If you need to replace or upgrade an Apple product, be sure to shop with PortableOne today! We carry a wide range of electronic devices to choose from, so be sure to check out the rest of our website for more information.