Our 2014 International CES coverage has followed several themes, quite unintentionally but nevertheless. Two main themes dominate: hardware and power. Escargot and their first product, the Spixi jam-free retractable USB cable, fall into both categories. If yo are like me and spend an awful lot of time untangling various cords and wires, the Spixi may be the perfect charger.

I know what you are thinking, but the Spixi really is jam-free, we tried really hard to jam it. I have tried other retractable chargers, mostly the two-way retractable chargers, and have found them to be cheap and flimsy. By just holding the Spixi, it is quite evident that this is a quality device. The difference is in the quality of the materials that Escargot uses in the charger. Here is Escargot’s description of the Spixi:

Spixi features a unique, retracting 2-foot cable made from an eco-friendly thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) that is stronger and more durable than polyvinyl chloride, the commonly used material for cables. Because of TPE’s superior characteristics, we can design a thinner cable without sacrificing quality and performance. 

What’s even more, the Spixi is priced at $24.95 for both Android and iPhone 4/4S chargers and $34.95 for the iPhone 5 charger, making it only slightly more expensive than the janky 2-way chargers.

The Spixi was successfully funded on Kickstarter, raising just under $50,000 with nearly 1,400 backers. We had a chance to speak with Paul Yun, the CEO and Founder of Escargot, at CES. He gave us a demo of the Spixi in action: