Chipolo One Spot Review
A key fob-style Bluetooth tracker with Find My integration, ideal for iPhone users.
Verdict
The One Spot is a new key tracker from Chipolo with one killer feature: Find My integration. While this makes it arguably useless for Android users, for iOS users, the One Spot is capable of incredibly precise tracking. But for the inclusion of some other colour options or UWB support, it would be an instant recommendation.
Pros
- IPX5 water resistance
- Apple Find My integration
- Replaceable battery
Cons
- No support for Android devices
- Limited colour options
- No UWB tech
Key Features
- Apple Find My supportWith support for Apple’s Find My network, the One Spot can be found within the Find My app, and it can be found by a much wider network of devices than the usual Chipolo network.
- Replaceable batteryIt might sound like a given, but there are plenty of Bluetooth trackers that you have to simply throw away once the battery dies. Not so with the Chipolo One Spot.
- Compact dimensionsWith such a pocketable design, the One Spot can be attached to keys, left in a rucksack and more while remaining inconspicuous.
Introduction
It’s a situation we’ve all been in: the keys have vanished and you’ve no idea where. Maybe it is down to forgetfulness, maybe an inquisitive toddler has picked them up and hidden them in their play chest, but the end result of abject terror is the same.
Luckily there are a swathe of options available to today’s serial losers of keys, of which the One Spot is the latest tracker available from Chipolo. Its major sell over the competition is its tight integration with Apple’s Find My tracking system, as well as a removable battery and IPX5 water resistance.
Without much direct competition on the market, the real ask is why you would buy the Chipolo One Spot over Apple’s own option, the AirTag. Read on to find out more in our full review.
Design
- Compact dimensions
- IPX5 water resistance
- Replaceable battery
When it comes to the design of a Bluetooth tracker, there’s one factor that takes importance over all else: pocketability. The ideal tracker will fit on a keyring without adding too much weight or getting in the way of fitting into a tight pocket.
On both counts, the Chipolo One Spot is a success. At 6.4mm thick and 37.9mm wide it is barely bigger than a standard key fob and fits easily onto a keyring. The small size means it can easily be used for other purposes too, such as keeping track of luggage or other precious items.
A slight against it is the lack of colour options. Compared to the standard Chipolo One which has a rainbow of selections, the standard black option is a little bland, and maybe a little too discreet.
Happily the Chipolo One Spot is IPX5 rated, which means it isn’t meant to be dunked in water, but that it is rainproof and splashproof. It feels sturdy enough to take the odd fall but nothing more substantial than that, though this is all that can be expected of a cheap Bluetooth tracker.
One particularly happy inclusion is the replaceable battery, which is far from a given – even other Chipolo trackers don’t offer that ability. Rated to last a year, the ability to swap in a new power cell when the time comes means that the Spot One doesn’t just become e-waste like so many others do.
Features
- Apple Find My integration
- Much wider network than competing devices
- No UWB support
There’s one big sell to the Spot One over everything else, one that will make it less useful to some and indispensable to others, and that is the integration with Apple’s ‘Find My’ network.
This, in theory, is created by any of the tens of millions of devices running iOS, pinging from iPhone to iPad and other products made by Cupertino, creating a network that can track lost items in potentially difficult locations, no matter how far away they may be.
Typically only devices made by Apple have access, so the Chipolo Spot One therefore has a major advantage over much of the third-party competition. It also means that anyone who has an Android phone will not get as much use out of the Spot One; it is explicitly meant to be compatible with iOS.
When it comes to actual tracking, there are mostly positives to report. As might be expected, the integration with Find My means finding the Spot One is as easy as firing open the app and tapping it on the list of tracked devices. Set up is similarly easy, just a case of pressing the Spot One with the Find My app active and set to ‘add’ mode.
Where it falls down a little is the lack of Ultra Wide Band support, which allows an iPhone user to track an AirTag with enhanced precision, using an on-screen arrow to literally point you towards it. It isn’t an essential inclusion, but it is something that AirTag has for around 10% extra on the price.
After activation, the sound produced by the Spot One is loud and clear, easy to hear in most situations, and it activates within seconds.
Compared to trackers that use Bluetooth, it doesn’t need extra time to be found before connecting. It’s always active and ready to go. It also detects when it has been away from a phone too long and starts to make a noise, which is a deterrent for any would-be stalkers.
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Should you buy it?
You want a tracker with Find My support
If you’ve got an iPhone, the Chipolo One Spot’s Find My integration is a huge bonus, vastly widening the trackers coverage.
You’re an Android user
The Find My integration means the Chipolo One Spot won’t work with Android devices. Fear not though; the regular Chipolo One works just fine with Android phones.
Final Thoughts
A good tracker should be able to do two things: be easy to find and not get in the way. More specifically, that means it should always be ready to go so if you need help in a pinch it is on, and it should be able to fit anywhere you need it.
The Chipolo One Spot manages both of these, and for that, it is a successful Bluetooth tracker. But for more colour options, a lower price point or UWB support it would be a recommendation over the AirTag.
As it is, it is a functional device that achieves everything it sets out to do, with the caveat this is only for iOS users. If you are in the market for a tracker, don’t want to get an AirTag but want Find My compatibility, this is the tracker for you.
How we test
We make sure to spend at least a week with each tracker, testing all of the advertised features. We’ll also test the range of the product, and how easy it is to set up.
We spend at least a week testing each tracker
We test the maximum range of each tracker
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FAQs
The Chipolo One works on the Chipolo network, while the One Spot takes advantage of Apple’s Find My network.
Full specs
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
