CableCreation, Monba, Kupx and Juiced Systems were among the vendors named by Google engineer Benson Leung in a PCWorld report published on November 5, 2015, about non-compliant USB-C-to-USB-A or USB-C-to-USB-B adapter cables. That is the defensible meaning of “worst” here: specific early adapter models that failed USB-C requirements, not proof that every cable those brands sell today is dangerous. No comprehensive current laboratory ranking establishes a brand-wide failure rate for these four names.
Which four brands were identified?
Leung’s 2015 reviews focused on an important transition problem: USB-C devices being connected to older USB-A or USB-B sources through inexpensive adapter cables. Those cables need a correctly selected pull-up resistor so the USB-C device recognizes that it is attached to a lower-power legacy USB source. PCWorld reported Leung’s findings as he examined products being sold at the time.
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| Vendor named in the 2015 report | Evidence date and source | Connector situation | Technical issue described | Possible consequence | What the evidence does not establish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CableCreation | PCWorld, November 5, 2015 | USB-C to USB-A or USB-B adapter cable | Required resistor implementation did not comply with the USB-C specification | Excessive current draw, charging problems or port damage in the wrong conditions | Not a current audit of every CableCreation product |
| Monba | PCWorld, November 5, 2015 | USB-C to legacy USB adapter cable | Early cable(s) were listed as non-compliant | The connected device could negotiate power incorrectly | Not a finding about all products sold today |
| Kupx | PCWorld, November 5, 2015 | USB-C to legacy USB adapter cable | Did not follow the required resistor and power-signaling rules | Potential over-current stress, failed charging or hardware damage | Not a brand-wide failure rate |
| Juiced Systems | PCWorld, November 5, 2015 | USB-C to legacy USB adapter cable | Specific early adapter cable(s) were included in Leung’s list | Unsafe power assumptions could harm a port or connected device | Not a current laboratory assessment of the entire catalog |
Leung explained his motivation at the time: “I have started reviewing USB cables on Amazon because I have gotten fed up with the early cables from 3rd party vendors that so blatantly flaunt the specification and I want to hold them to task.” The quotation describes the early USB-C market, when specifications and product quality were still uneven.
Why the wrong USB-C-to-USB-A cable can damage hardware
The 56kΩ identification resistor
A compliant USB-C-to-USB-A cable uses a 56kΩ pull-up resistor on the USB-A side. It tells the USB-C device that the source is an older, lower-power USB connection. If that resistor is missing or has the wrong value, a phone, tablet or laptop may interpret the connection as a higher-power USB-C source and draw more current than the legacy port is designed to provide.
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PCWorld’s 2022 examination of older USB-C-to-USB-A cables found 10 improperly or dangerously constructed cables out of 43 tested. Five had no 56kΩ resistor and were classified as dangerous to use. Those figures concern the tested samples, not every cable made by a particular manufacturer.
Why USB Power Delivery raises the stakes
UL Solutions notes that USB Power Delivery can reach 20 volts and 5.0 amperes—100 watts. A cable or connector that misrepresents its capabilities can expose a port, charger or device to conditions it was not designed to handle. UL also cites an evaluation of more than 100 USB-C-to-USB-A adapters in which more than half failed applicable USB specifications. In separate random open-market USB-cable flame tests cited on the same 2017 guidance page, less than 28% passed the relevant safety assessment. These are market evaluations, not a measurement of the four historical vendors above.
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Possible symptoms include a device that will not charge, a USB port that stops working, excessive heat, intermittent data transfer or damage to the source port. A cable defect does not guarantee damage every time; the outcome depends on the charger, device protections, current draw and the particular wiring fault.
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1. Identify the exact cable and connectors
Record whether you need USB-C-to-USB-C, USB-C-to-USB-A, USB-C-to-USB-B or an adapter attached to another cable. Do not treat a brand name, packaging photograph or a generic listing title as proof that every model uses the same internal wiring.
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2. Check markings appropriate to the job
For USB-C-to-USB-C cables, USB-IF says compliant products should carry the applicable 60W or 240W power marking. Cables claiming higher data rates should show the corresponding data-rate marking. These marks help match a cable to a laptop charger, monitor or storage device, although they do not replace checking the exact model and seller.
3. Be cautious with old or unidentified adapters
Give extra scrutiny to loose cables from “free cable” boxes, mixed household drawers and old accessory bundles. The 2022 PCWorld test found dangerous examples even among recognizable manufacturers, so familiarity with a logo is not a substitute for checking the cable’s construction and provenance.
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4. Test a cable before trusting it with expensive hardware
A dedicated USB-C cable tester can check wiring, resistance and whether the 56kΩ resistor is present. PCWorld identified the ADUSBCIM Cable Checker 2 for this type of inspection. A tester can reveal a missing resistor or an open/shorted connection; it cannot certify every aspect of power-delivery behavior, insulation, connector durability or counterfeit labeling.
Recommended Free Tools
- Disconnect the cable from chargers, computers and devices.
- Plug each end into the tester according to its instructions.
- Confirm that the tester reports the expected wiring and a 56kΩ identification resistor for a USB-C-to-USB-A cable.
- Reject the cable if the resistor is absent, the wiring is abnormal, or the tester reports a short or open connection.
- For high-power or high-speed USB-C-to-USB-C use, verify the power and data markings as well as the test result.
Cable safety is not the same as charger safety
A defective cable and a counterfeit mains power adapter create different risks. In July 2025, the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards reported a counterfeit Apple-branded USB-C power adapter whose plug pins failed to meet BS 1363 requirements, creating a serious fire and electric-shock hazard. That notice concerns a counterfeit wall adapter and its mains construction; it is not evidence that genuine Apple cables, or any of the four historical USB-C cable examples, share that defect.
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When evaluating a charging setup, inspect the wall adapter, detachable cable and any USB hub separately. A standards-compliant cable cannot make a counterfeit or damaged mains adapter safe.
Do you need USB-IF certification?
USB-IF describes its certification program as a way to give end users a list of cables that meet quality standards needed to operate in a USB environment. Certification is especially useful when you need a known power level, a specified data rate or dependable interoperability. For a basic low-speed connection, a non-certified cable may work, but the absence of certification leaves you with less independently verifiable information. Match the marked wattage and data rate to your equipment instead of paying for a label that does not meet your actual requirement.
What “worst” means—and what it does not
The four names in this article are historical examples from a 2015 report about particular non-compliant adapter cables. They should not be read as a current blacklist or as a claim that every cable from CableCreation, Monba, Kupx or Juiced Systems is unsafe. Product lines, suppliers and manufacturing controls can change over time, while an old cable can remain in circulation for years. The practical question is whether the exact cable in your hand has the right wiring, resistor, markings and traceable source.
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