Chipolo Plus Review: Find Your Stuff!

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Since we now have a Schlage Smart Lock on the front door, I often simply carry my car fob with me when I go out. The thing is, the car fob is so small that I often misplace it. That’s where the Chipolo Plus comes in.

 

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The Chipolo Plus is Chipolo’s brand new version of their popular Bluetooth Tracker. It was developed based on customer feedback. That feedback led them to create a Bluetooth tracker that was both louder and water-resistant. And while the Chipolo Plus is just that — at 100 dB, it is the loudest Bluetooth Tracker on the market. It is indeed water-resistant — the company still offers a Bluetooth tracker that is not water-resistant but does have a replaceable battery. They call that product the Chipolo Classic.

To make the Chipolo Plus water-resistant and able to last up to a year before breeding to be replaced, the company had to make the Chipolo Plus a bit larger than the Chipolo Classic. It isn’t a huge difference and, to my mind, is a worthwhile tradeoff. So yes, it is bigger, but it is still small enough to attach to keys, dropped inside a wallet, or stick on a remote.

But what about the fact that the Chipolo Plus will run out of juice after about a year? Doesn’t that make it a non-starter? After all, you would buy the product and then,… some twelve months later… have to buy a new one. Fortunately, Chipolo has an answer. Yes, the battery lifetime is 1 year. And, at the end of that year, the company offers a renewal program that not only lets you recycle the Chipolo Plus, but it also lets you upgrade to the latest version of the Chipolo at a 50% discount. That seems like a pretty good tradeoff to me and a way to have a Bluetooth Tracker with a sealed battery that is neither wasteful nor economically stupid.

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I like the fact that the housing of Chipolo Plus is sealed and, as a result, water-resistant. A water-resistant Bluetooth tracker lets you do things you could not previously do. For example, you can use it on an umbrella, clip it to a backpack, put it on a bike, or clip it to your pet if you are really ambitious. (Hear that, Nava? We’re going to Chipolo Plus you!!!) However, it is worth noting that the Chipolo Plus only offers a Bluetooth range of 200 feet, so if your dog takes off, you’ll need to be fairly close by to find her.

Finally, the Chipolo Plus isn’t just about finding the thing to which the tracker is attached. It goes the other way too. Thanks to a button on the Chipolo Plus, you can use the tracker to find the phone to which the tracker is paired. You simply double press the Chipolo Plus, and your phone will ring… even if it’s on silent. For me, someone who now leaves the house with just my phone, my car fob, and my wallet, that makes a lot of sense.

Finally, the Chipolo Plus is also available in seven different colors. Sure, I don’t think of a Bluetooth tracker as a fashion statement, but there are seven from which to choose if you care about color.

Here’s what the company has to say:

We are proud to announce that we have just released our brand new product, and it’s called Chipolo Plus. Meet the world’s loudest Bluetooth Tracker. It’s everything you can hope from a Bluetooth Tracker. You are probably dying to know the features of our new product, so let’s just jump to the point.

  • It’s loud. Very loud. Which means that finding your things will be even easier. The tune of Chipolo Plus can be heard rooms away.
  • It’s water-resistant. Up to IP5 standards. Which means that accidental splashes of water or rain will do no harm to your new best friend.
  • It’s maintenance free. It is designed to last 12 months, so no need for replacing the battery. After one year, you will have a chance to replace your old tag with a new one for $12 and the costs of returns and delivery will be taken care by us.
  • It is available in 7 trendy colors. The new colors are chosen with the latest trends in mind. They will complement your belongings perfectly. Three of the colors are exclusive to the online sales, meaning they won’t be available in retail stores.

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I pulled the Chipolo Plus out of the box and was pleased to find a key loop included with it. I downloaded the free iOS app and fooled the step-by-step instructions to set it up. It was easy, and I was ready to go within a minute.

Once I was up and running, I attached it to my key fob and was good to go. If I can’t find my fob, I can make the tracker ring. If it is within 200ft of me, it will sound, and I can go to where the noise is coming from. If, however, it is not within 200ft, I can still use the Chipolo Plus. Opening the app lets me see the last place it was in touch with the phone. And since one assumes it is not moving, I can simply go to where it was last and pick it up.

There’s one other option… I can Activate Crowd-search Party. This leverages the fact that more and more people are using Chipolo and have the app on their device. It is 100% private but allows other phones to help you find what you are looking for.

Expand your search using all Chipolo apps in our huge community. When you search for your Chipolo tracking device, you aren’t just searching with your phone, but with everyone’s phone running the app. This feature is 100% private, so no one knows you’re looking for a lost item but you.

But this only works if you are also willing to help other Chipolo users.

Become a force for good. Each Chipolo app user makes this world a better place with helping each other find lost items. Every app updates the location of each Chipolo device it detects.

The Chipolo Plus is a simple way to keep track of your things. It is inexpensive, water-resistant, runs for a year before you’ll need to replace it at a discount, and it works with and potentially helps other people using the Chipolo system. I’m a fan!

Chipolo sells for $25; it is available directly from the manufacturer.

You can check out the difference between the Chipolo Plus and the Chipolo Classic here.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Like: Small; Runs for a year and then can be replaced for 50% off; Available in seven colors; Water-resistant; LOUD!!!

What Needs Improvement: Needs to be replaced after a year

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.