Best UV Light
BEST UV-C PHONE SANITIZERS (MAY 2020)
BEST OVERALL
CASETIFY UV SANITIZER
$120 FROM CASETIFY
High quality brand
Kills bacteria and viruses
Wireless charger
3-minute cleaning
$120 from Casetify
ALSO GOOD
VERICLEAN PORTABLE UV-C WAND
$79.97 FROM OAK AND HEARTH
Versatile
Kills bacteria and viruses
Does not state mercury-free
Not fully enclosed
$79.97 FROM OAK AND HEARTH
Casetify’s UV Phone Sanitizer Best Overall
UV lights are all the rage right now.
For good reason.
UV light has been shown to effectively kill bacteria, viruses, and superbugs, which have been gaining an edge in their fight against antibiotics.
The current pandemic has rapidly expedited interest in products that use UV light to disinfect.
But given safety concerns and the claims made about UV’s effectiveness, it’s important to go with a trusted brand.
There are no shortage of pop-up products of unknown origin, meaning that the current market for UV sanitizers is flooded with potentially fake or even dangerous products.
Casetify is a well-known case and accessory maker, and so they immediately gain an edge in trustworthiness and reliability.
And at $120, which is not cheap, the price point remains reasonable.
Casetify’s rapid, 3-minute cleaning process and wireless charging are added bonuses.
Our Runner Up: VeriClean Portable UV-C Wand
VeriClean’s wand is certainly more versatile than Casetify’s offering, which can only clean items that fit inside of it.
A wand allows for a broader range of uses.
However, there are two major drawbacks to VeriClean’s wand that prevent us from recommending it overall: it isn’t enclosed and doesn’t state the product contains no mercury.
Some UV products can contain mercury, which is dangerous if the glass breaks.
Second, while used responsibly the VeriClean wand is safe, UV-C light is dangerous for skin and if pointed towards arms, eyes, or faces, it can lead to harm.
What Is UV-C Light?
UV-C, which is defined as UV light between 200-280nm, is used in many anti-bacterial and sterilization efforts. It has been shown to kill bacteria and viruses.
It’s used in hospitals to disinfect rooms and prevent superbugs, or drug-resistant bacteria.
While UV-C has not been adequately tested on the current coronavirus, it does kill other coronaviruses and flu strains. Researchers are working to determine how well it fares right now.
From the National Academy of Sciences:
UVC light has been found to destroy viruses and other microbes on surfaces in hospitals. But it is not widely used in hospitals or other health care settings. The U.S. government and the UV technology industry are working to define standards for UV disinfection technologies in healthcare settings.
Most UV sanitizers have not been tested against the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. But UVC light been shown to destroy related coronaviruses, including the one that causes the disease MERS.
In short, UV-C light will clean your phone and protect against most common germs.
What About Far UV-C?
The problem with UV-C light is that it’s not safe for skin or eyes. It contains carcinogens, not unlike sun light, which can lead to cancer.
Current UV-C applications are restricted to lights that are used in empty rooms or boxes like phone sanitizers that can be closed when they’re on.
A narrow spectrum of UV-C light, Far UV-C, defined as light between 207-222nm, kills pathogens without harming human skin cells.
Current trials are ongoing, but if far UV-C is found to be safe on humans, we may see its application across a wide-range of public, private, and residential uses.
For now, the best we can do is clean empty rooms, or small household and personal products… like our phones.