alt Hacker News> The only slight snag is some cheaper itema refuse to use PD and insist on plain 5V/2A - buy most decent travel chargers have NON-PD ports.
Every PD port will handle non-PD USB-C consumers correctly, so not sure why would you care about non-PD ports. There is no "plain 5V/2A" in USB-C though, it's either plain USB (100/150/500/900mA depending on enumeration state), 1.5A or 3A. If you want to advertise exactly 5V/2A, you need PD.
I think what they mean is not PD related at all, but the fact some cheap junk has a broken USB-C setup where it's missing the resistor that signals a device has been plugged in and to turn on the 5v power. While USB-A just have 5v live at all times.
If you use a USB-A to C cable the device works because it results in a USB-C cable with an always active 5V.