The Power Pot is a cooking pot that doubles as a thermoelectric generator to charge electronic devices. The product was initially intended to be the company’s flagship product, Power Practical, which also sells other portable electronic options such as a Portable LED Rope.
The primary selling point of the Power Pot was that it could be used with any heat source, from a stove to a hot spring, making it convenient for charging your phone while camping. Its simple design could easily be used at any time and place. Adding water to the pot was enough to turn it into a renewable energy source.
It could give out 5 watts at a time, making it perfect for charging most electronic devices. It was invented by David Toledo and Caleb Light, the two entrepreneurs who had formed the company. With their knowledge of pyrotechnics and interest in renewable energy, the founders decided to form a company centered around it. Apart from the PowerPot, they also offered many other solar-powered devices.
Even before its Shark Tank pitch, the company had already managed to raise $200,000 from two Kickstarter campaigns. The Power Pot was the company’s flagship product, and the two entrepreneurs were looking for investment to launch it in the US market. Although they had already sold over 1000 units before coming to Shark Tank, they still needed the proper financial assistance and connections to expand their business.
Are They Still an Active Company?
Yes, they are active and still in business.
How Did the Shark Tank Pitch Go?
Toledo and Light came to Shark Tank asking for a $250,000 investment for a 10% share of the company. Despite their successful Kickstarter campaign and projected profit of $2 million, the Sharks were still hesitant about the company’s valuation.
Mark Cuban was the first to be seriously interested in investing. He initially offered $250,000 for a 20% share in the company. This was followed by a counter offer from Caleb and David, who offered $250,000 for a 12% share in the company, an additional 3% in the advisory option shares, plus a seat on the Board of Directors. They were able to persuade Mark to come on board.
Overall, the Power Pot Shark Tank review was positive, and they left with a good deal on their hands.
Our Review of Power Pot
We decided to try the Power Pot for ourselves to see how it would perform in action.
The good news is that the bowl, pot, and power cord are all flame-resistant, meaning that they won’t get damaged no matter what source of heat is being used to heat the Power Pot. It comes with a charging meter showing the number of amps generated at a particular time. It can be used in any weather, unlike solar-powered generators, and it’s a small compact option. The company also offers the Power Pot X, which is slightly heavier to charge bigger devices. The product is simple to use, comes with instructional manuals, and offers ports for USB, which means a wide range of devices can easily be charged with it.
The bad news is that a certain amount of water is required, and it needs to reach boiling point before the Power Pot can charge your devices. On top of this, it’s also expensive as compared to other sources of renewable energy, needs to be watched continuously to prevent the water from drying up, and needs a significant amount of heat before it can start charging devices.
Pros and Cons of Power Pot
Pros of Power Pot
- Heat-resistant pot, bowl and power cord
- It can be used in any weather
- It comes with a storage bag, making it durable and compact
Cons of Power Pot
- Enough water needs to be boiled first
- Need to keep watching the pot to make sure water doesn’t dry up
- Has specific instructions to prevent malfunction
- Expensive
Who Is Power Pot for?
Power Pot is perfect for people who travel frequently and need a portable generator for their charging needs. It’s also a good option for those who want a source of renewable energy to charge their devices.
Are There Any Alternatives?
Power Pot is a unique product for its ability to convert boiling water into a thermoelectric power. However, there are other options on the market as well.
The XUPAI Solar Power Station Kit is one alternative renewable energy option. Although it comes with a solar panel and many wires, the benefit, compared to the Power Pot, is that it produces a higher voltage output. This means that it’s perfect to use as a backup generator as well, not just for camping purposes.
It can support two power saver bulbs simultaneously in addition to charging electronic devices. It provides overcharging protection as well through a visible light system; a red light flashes on when charging and blinks when the device is fully charged.
It comes with a handle, which makes it easy to carry when traveling or outdoors. It consumes less power at a time, and has a display system that lets you know how much power is left in the device. However, it’s a bit on the heavier end, weighing 39 pounds.
Our Final Thoughts
Power Pot is a convenient and compact source of renewable energy for people who enjoy camping or traveling frequently but don’t want to carry a large generator around. It’s much lighter and easy to store than most solar generator devices.
However, there are now many other sources of renewable energy on the market, especially alternatives that can also support energy saver light bulbs for emergencies. It could also be argued that with the invention of power banks, the Power Pot might not be necessary to charge smaller electronic devices.
The Power Pot still offers the dual function of acting as a cooking pot and as a source of energy, which makes it different from other thermoelectric generators.
