Chipolo

What is the Chipolo?

Bluetooth tracking devices are hugely popular, with plenty available from which to make your choice, so why Chipolo? This range of products offers options for wallets, keys and beyond. Lightning-fast connection times, Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri integration make finding your lost items easy, and you can share trackers with other people, too.

A very loud alarm on the Chipolo Plus helps to make finding items even easier, providing a good reason to choose this system over the rival Tile products.

Chipolo – Design and features

There are three trackers in the Chipolo range. The Chipolo Plus (£23) and Chipolo Classic (£23) are similar in size; the Plus measures 37 x 37 x 5.9mm, while the Classic is 35 x 35 x 5mm.

Both are available in a range of colours to suit your style, with the main differences between them the battery and siren. With the Plus you get a 100dB melody and an integrated battery that should last a year. When the battery runs out, you can replace the model at a discount, returning the old model for recycling.

If you prefer to replace the battery yourself, opt for the Chipolo Classic, which accepts a CR2025 battery. The downside is that this model has a quieter 92dB melody.

There’s also the Chipolo Card (£31), which measures 37 x 68 x 2.15mm and is designed to slip into a wallet. This model also has a built-in battery that should last a year; when the battery starts to run flat, you can replace the tracker for a discount. The Chipolo Card offers a 95dB melody and is IPX5 rated to withstand water jets, so you could lose it outside in the rain without causing any damage.

All of the products feel well made, with the Plus and Classic sporting a handy hole for attaching a keyring. It’s a shame that none come with a sticky-fixing to attach them securely to devices such as a laptop.

Chipolo – How well does it work?

Chipolo devices need to be added to the app. It’s quick and easy to do, and you can name each product and give it an icon for easy reference. It’s nice to see that you can share trackers with other members of your family – handy if you share an item, such as a set of car keys.

From the app you can view a list of your trackers, and see if they’re connected to your phone. You can also switch to the Map view, which displays where your trackers are located or were last seen if they’re out of range.

If you lose one then there are a few ways to go about finding it. For trackers that are in range, you can tap the button in the app to set them ringing. Both the Card and Classic are quite loud, but it’s the Plus that really shines with its 100dB melody making it far easier to find, particularly at range.

You can add a Siri shortcut for each tracker, thereby using your voice to set it ringing, either from your phone or via an Apple HomePod. There are also Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant skills to do the same, plus you can ask either voice assistant for a tracker’s location and you’re given a street address.

Double-clicking the Plus or Classic, or double-clicking the Card’s button will start to ring your phone, even if it’s on silent mode. It’s a handy way of finding your handset.

If your trackers are out of range, then you can see where they were last located. Moving back to that location should see them reconnect quickly to your phone. I found that the second I was within range, they’d connect fast.

The range is quoted at 60 metres, although that depends on walls and other obstructions. I found that placing a “lost” tracker in my car, parked in front of my house, I could maintain a connection inside the living room, approximately 15 metres away. Outside with less obstruction, range is far greater, although Tile quotes a greater 90-metre range with its Tile Pro and Tile Mate.

If you can’t get your tracker to connect when you move back to the location where you lost it, you can mark it as lost. This then turns other Chipolo users into trackers, and you’ll be sent a notification should someone else find it.

The success rate depends on how many Chipolo users walk past your home. One tracker that I hid was found within 24 hours, placed on a fairly busy residential road.

Why buy the Chipolo?

The range of features on Chipolo’s trackers is equivalent to those of the excellent Tile system. The main advantage of Chipolo Plus is how loud it is, making it easier to find at distance or when your keys fall down the back of a sofa. It’s a shame that this model doesn’t have a replaceable battery, which only the Chipolo Classic has, though.

Verdict

With the Chipolo Plus delivering a very loud melody, you can find your lost items more easily than with some rival Bluetooth trackers.

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