The number of devices we use on a daily basis keeps going up. For instance, I use a smartwatch, wireless earbuds, a tablet and a smartphone every day. And at the end of the day, all of those devices need to be recharged. Right now, my charging setup is somewhat helter-skelter, with some devices charging in my bedroom, other devices in the kitchen, and then another in my home office.
As a remedy for my lack of organization — and I’m sure I’m not alone in that — is a dedicated charging station. One that’s capable of charging several devices at the same time without looking like a giant ball of cords and cables coming out of an outlet.
Below are five charging stations, each one with a different approach to keeping your devices charged and organized.
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Best All-Around: Satechi Dock5 Multi-Device Charging StationIf you’re looking for a charging station that has enough room and ports to charge up to five different devices at the same time, the Satechi Dock5 is what you’re looking for. This charging station boasts dividers that are placed just above two USB-C ports and two faster USB-C (up to 20-watts) PD, and two USB-A ports. Each USB-C PD port can put out up to 20W of power, while the standard USB-A ports are capable of 12W charging, each. On the front of the Dock5 is a wireless charging pad that’s big enough to charge a pair of AirPods or a compatible smartphone.
And the main benefit of the Dock5 is that all of your devices are in a single place and organized in a way that makes it easy to pick up or put down a device. Make sure you buy the cables you’ll need based on the devices you’ll be charging from Satechi. Those cables are the right length and will help avoid the station looking like a spaghetti monster if you were to use the cables that came with your devices.
Satechi Dock5 Multi-Device Charging Station ($59.99; satechi.net or amazon.com)Best Looking: Nomad Goods Base Station Hub Edition The Base Station Hub Edition from Nomad Goods doesn’t look like a robust charging station at first glance, and that’s exactly why I like it. It looks like a basic wireless charging pad that you can put one, maybe two, devices on. However, this Base Station can wirelessly charge two devices at the same time.
There’s a total of three wireless charging coils under the leather pad, allowing you to put two devices next to each other or lay one across the entire pad. Additionally, via a USB-C and a USB-A port on the back of the hub, you can connect two more devices to the hub to provide power to them. The wireless charging pads can put out up to 10W each — aka enough to fast charge an iPhone or Android smartwatch —, while the USB-C PD port pumps out up to 18W of power, with 7.5W leftover for the standard USB-A port.
Nomad Goods Base Station Hub Edition ($119; nomadgoods.com)Most Versatile: Anker 524 Power StripThe 524 Power Strip from Anker isn’t a charging station per se, but it does offer plenty of charging and electrical options for anyone who has a lot of gadgets on hand. There’s a total of three power outlets, a 30W USB-C charger, and two USB-A ports, all powered by a five foot power cord.
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It’s unique cube-shaped makes it small enough to take with you while you travel, or leave it on a corner of your desk and plug random devices in when you need to top up. It even comes with an adhesive pad so you can attach it to the bottom of your desk or a countertop, keeping it out of sight. At just under $30, it’s a very affordable and capable charging station.
Anker 524 Power Strip ($29.99; anker.com)Best All-Around for Apple devices: Belkin Boost Up Charge Pro Belkin’s Boost Up Charge Pro is a wireless charging pad that’s for Apple fans and Apple fans only. It has three different charging pads, each one intended for a specific Apple device. There’s a MagSafe charging pad for the iPhone 12 or newer, another spot for wirelessly charging your AirPods (second-gen, third-gen, or Pro) and then a dedicated charging spot for the Apple Watch. If you have a Series 7, this charging pad is compatible with its fast charging technology as well.
Belkin Boost Up Charge Pro ($149; belkin.com)Honorable Mentions:Best for iPhone fans: Anker 637 Magnetic Charging Station ($99.99; anker.com)Anker’s 637 Magnetic Charging Station looks like an orb when it’s sitting on a counter, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The front of the orb has a flat surface that can wirelessly charge an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 using the MagSafe magnetic connection that is built into each.
And in addition to the wireless charging pad, there are several ports on the back of the station. More specifically, there are two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and three power outlets. The USB-C ports offer 65W of power, which is more than enough to charge most laptops. You can get it in white, blue or black.
Best for numerous devices: SIIG 90W 10-port USB Charging Station ($60.78, originally $120; amazon.com)The SIIG 90W charging station has a total of 10 USB-A ports that are capable of putting out 2.4A of power at a given time. You’ll find eight slots that can fit a phone or tablet, and at the end there is a rubber pad that looks like a wireless charger, but sadly it isn’t. Its only purpose is to allow you to place your phone or earbuds on it.
This isn’t the best-looking station out of the group, but it’s reasonably priced and it has enough space for 10 devices. Like the Satechi charging station, you’ll want to buy short charging cables so as to not add clutter.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is the best charging station for Apple devices?
Any charging station with multiple wireless charging pads or multiple USB ports will work with your (APPL) devices. Newer iPhone models come with a USB-C to Lightning cable, so make sure you look for a station with USB-C ports if you’ve upgraded recently. The iPhone and AirPods both work with Qi wireless chargers, while the Apple Watch will need to have a dedicated charging spot since it uses a proprietary charger.
How can I best organize my charging station?
The key to keeping any charging station organized is going to come down to cable management. For stations like the Satechi or SIIG, look for short cables that will fit in the charging port on the station and connect to your phone or tablet.
For example, you can get a pack of five 6-inch USB to Lightning cables for under $9 on Amazon. The same goes for a pack of USB to USB-C cables for $7.89.
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.