You're making a huge mistake using cheap smartphone chargers

iphone charging
r. nial bradshaw/Flickr

If you're using a cheap, third-party charger or battery for your smartphone, stop using it now and buy an official model from the same company that makes your smartphone or an accessory that's officially licensed.

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Cheap chargers and batteries aren't properly built, nor are they certified by any reputable organization. And they can explode, catch fire, destroy your smartphone, and even injure you.

Still, some third-party accessories are well made, so make sure to read the reviews to see if anyone else has experienced any, you know, explosions.

Not convinced?

Check out these horror stories and we guarantee you'll change your mind.

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Someone who bought this charger on Amazon left a review with telling pictures of its build quality.

amazon charger exploded
DL&P/Amazon review

Source: DL&P/Amazon user review.

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This Reddit user's "cheap iPhone charger" exploded.

 Source: Drifty_Canadian/Reddit.

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This person bought a cheap charger than made a rattling noise. It popped and burned when he plugged it in.

cheap charger pop
Ramsey B/YouTube

Source: RamseyB/YouTube.

Another Redditor was using a third-party battery with their Galaxy Nexus phone when it exploded.

exploded phone battery
cosmick/imgur

Source: cosmick/Imgur.

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Someone from Alberta, Canada bought a cheap third-party charger from a gas station, which is made with cheap parts, which he believes led to his iPhone 5c catching fire.

burnt iphone 5c
Screenshot/Courtesy of Robin Schultz for GlobalNews

Source: GlobalNews.

It also caused burns and nearly destroyed his home.

exploded iphone 5c burns
Screenshot/Courtesy of Rob Schultz for GlobalNews

Source: GlobalNews.

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In China, a girl bought a cheap charger after forgetting the original at home. The phone exploded in her face when she picked it up for a phone call.

phone explode cheap charger
TomoNews US/YouTube

Source: TomoNews US/YouTube.

People sell fake accessories that look just like the real thing. A swiss woman's Samsung Galaxy S III caught fire when a fake Samsung battery exploded.

burnt phone
Le Matin

Source: Le Matin.

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This guy bought a cheap Chinese iPhone charger knock-off, and it exploded.

cheap chinese iphone charger knockoff popped
Izzy/YouTube

Source: Izzy/YouTube.

 

Same with this guy who bought a cheap charger off eBay.

cheap iphone charger ebay
Raymus Munt/YouTube

Source: RaymusMunt/YouTube.

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It exploded "clear across the room," according to the video's maker because of flimsy cheap wiring.

ecploded iphone charger cheap
Raymus Munt/YouTube

Source: RaymusMunt/YouTube.

And caused a burn mark on his power outlet.

burnt charger power outlet
Raymus Munt/YouTube

Source: RaymusMunt/YouTube.

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Although rare, authentic phone batteries made of lithium can still malfunction and explode. This iPhone 4's battery is expanding after being stored for a year.

iphone battery balloon
amirnasher/YouTube

Source: amirnasher/YouTube.

But you can minimize any risk by using either authentic accessories, or officially licensed accessories from third parties. When in doubt, just use accessories made by the same manufacturer as your phone.

chargers
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
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