The Best Charging Station

Buying Guide for Charging Stations

Why buy a charging station?

Charging station organizers are designed to hold and charge your handheld electronic devices simultaneously, with a slot and a charging port for each. They keep all your electronics and charging cords in the same space so that you don’t lose track of any of them. And some of the organizers even come with shorter charging cords included, so you’ll surely have enough to go around, and you won’t have as much of a cord mess. They’re also small and easily portable, making them great for home use and travel.

What should you look for in a charging station?

• Compatibility: Not all charging station organizers are universally compatible across the board. While it’s possible to find a station that works with more than one electronics brand, some will work only for Apple products or only for Samsung products, etc. Be sure that an organizer is compatible with your devices before you buy it.
• Ports: On average, most charging station organizers have at least three charging ports. There are options with more or fewer ports as well. You should be able to find a charging station organizer that suits your needs, whether you’re buying one for the whole family, the office team, or just for yourself.
• Organizational Space: Do you plan to keep your charging station organizer on your desk at work, on the counter at home, or on your nightstand? Think about where you’ll place it to get the right design for that space. Plenty of organizers offer extra alcoves or even drawers for storing your keys, eyeglasses, pens, scissors, and other similar items. A charging station organizer can help you keep more than just your electronics organized if you so choose.

Should you check out wireless charging options?

There are wireless station organizer options if you want to go cordless or prefer wireless charging for your devices. However, these tend to have fewer charging slots or pads, so they may not be as efficient as their more standard cousins, depending on the number of electronics you own. You’ll have to decide if wireless charging is worth charging fewer devices at once. Additionally, not all your devices’ cases may be compatible with wireless charging.

Our Picks for the Best Charging Stations

Pros: This charging station is an excellent choice for the Apple device lover in your life (although it will charge some Androids too). This three-in-one charger can help you organize and charge your phone, Apple Watch, and AirPods through simultaneous wireless charging. The dual charging coil allows you to charge in portrait and landscape mode, providing a comfortable viewing angle to watch videos, FaceTime, send messages, and unlock your phone with Face ID while charging.

Cons: The original watch cord is not included with this charging station. When charging your watch and phone, you may need to take off the case to charge it. Some reviewers mentioned this station is slower to charge your devices, so if you’re in a rush, it may not power up your devices quickly enough.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking to keep your nightstand or desk free of cables, this charging station is ideal. It’ll charge your everyday essential devices all in one accessible spot.

 

Pros: This compact charging station might be small, but it’s vastly efficient. With 10 USB charging ports and a 96-watt output that allows it to hold and charge eight iPads at once, there is plenty of room and power for all the electronic devices in your home. The certified safety system keeps your devices safe from overheating, over-voltage, surges, and short-circuiting. The 11 dividers come in two sizes, taller ones to hold tablets and smaller ones to hold phones and Kindles, and are removable and adjustable for your convenience. The LED display light lets you know when the station is turned on and at work. The power adapter and user manual come included as well.

Cons: On occasion, when removing devices, it’s possible the dividers may fall out and need to be put back in, but this doesn’t impact the charging functionality. Some of the included wires may be too short for all of your devices.

Bottom Line: This charging station is great for families, larger households, or even offices that supply iPads. It clears off counter space and makes an efficient charging setup.

 

Pros: This charging station is ideal for those who don’t want to bother with cords and prefer to charge their phones wirelessly. You won’t have to worry about your devices failing to charge because the cable came loose without you noticing or any other cable disconnection error. The attractive black leather body is durable, high-quality, and easy to clean. The additional cubbies can be filled with pens, post-it notes, and other office supplies.

Cons: This charging station only charges your phone, not your other devices. If your phone case is not wireless charging compatible, you will have to remove it to charge.

Bottom Line: This charging station is perfect for anyone who needs extra organization and who doesn’t like fussing with charging cords.

 

Pros: This wooden bamboo charging station is elegant, and is compatible with Apple, Android, Samsung, and Nexus phones and products alike. The five charging ports and charging slots for AirPods and an Apple Watch allow you to charge seven devices simultaneously (including more than one phone) in different directions. There’s also a slot to charge your AirPods, Apple Watch, and even a Fitbit with the accompanying Fitbit charging stand (sold separately). The anti-skid silicone gel at the corners holds the station firmly in place, while the pegs for your electronics can be adjusted to fit each device best. The built-in surge protection keeps the charging station from overheating, overcharging, or short-circuiting, so you can safely charge seven devices at once worry-free.

Cons: While this charging station does include wires, it may not work with all your devices. Some reviewers mentioned hooking up the cables was a bit difficult and required some organizational skills to get everything to fit just right.

Bottom Line: Even if all the charging slots are full, you should still have room to store another small item, like your keys or loose change. Besides the bamboo charging station, Apple Watch, and AirPod stand, you also get a 5-foot power cord, two iPhone/iPad cables, two Android cables, and one type-C cable.

 

Pros: Turn any desk or table into a professional home office with the Great Useful Stuff multi-charging station dock and organizer. This dock charges up to five devices simultaneously, so you’re always ready to go with any of your devices. Put your heavy laptops (up to 1.25 inches thick), tablets, e-Readers, and smartphones in this professional organizer that tucks away all your cables from view. The addition of this station will keep your house organized and looks excellent in corporate offices or conference rooms, too.

Cons: Unlike some of the other charging stations on the market, this device does not have surge protection for your devices. It also requires a separate USB hub purchase.

Bottom Line: This charging station is available in three different finishes to match your preference. You’ll be powering up like a professional in no time and saying goodbye to tangled cords.

 

Pros: The Hercules Tuff universal charging station is made to fit most devices, including smartphones, smartwatches, headphones, and tablets. The six-port multi-charger station provides a quick charge, giving your smartphone a battery boost up to 58% faster than other 2-amp devices. A significant advantage of this great station is that it has clear, moveable dividers designed to provide enough space and support for most devices.

Cons: The dividers of this device require gentle handling to keep them snapped into place. The cords that come with this station are iOS compatible, so if you have Android devices, you’ll need to purchase those cords separately.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a convenient, multi-slot charging station that prevents harmful overvoltage and damage common with other chargers, this is an excellent pick.

Final Thoughts

With so many devices to charge, there are more cords to keep track of and a higher risk of getting them tangled together. It can be overwhelming and easy to forget where you left this tablet or that cord. You also might need to charge three different electronics at once, but you only have two cords available. Or maybe the outlets in your home are hard to reach or inconveniently placed. These charging station organizers can solve each of these problems.