The 3-in-1 chargers worth putting on your nightstand

After years of testing more than 30 charging stations, here's what actually earns the outlet.

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Sep 29, 2022

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The 3-in-1 chargers worth putting on your nightstand

After years of testing more than 30 charging stations, here's what actually earns the outlet.

In brief

After years of testing more than 30 charging stations, here's what actually earns the outlet. Buy a Qi2-certified stand with an adjustable phone pad and a fast Apple Watch charger, and check whether a power adapter is in the box before you pay. Originally reported by WIRED.

Three gadgets, three cables

Three gadgets, three cables

An iPhone, AirPods, and an Apple Watch each come with their own proprietary charging setup. A single 3-in-1 station collapses all of that into one outlet.

Belkin wins overall

Image may contain Wood Plywood Electrical Device Microphone Furniture Table Hardwood Tabletop Person and Desk

The $90 Belkin 3-in-1 Qi2 Charging Stand suspends your phone and watch in midair with an AirPods spot on the base. 15W for the iPhone, fast charging for Series 7 and newer.

Flip it for StandBy

Turn the iPhone sideways on the Belkin and iOS 17's StandBy mode kicks in, turning it into a nightstand clock with weather. The pad tilts to whatever angle you like.

Nomad charges fastest

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The $169 Stand One Max does Qi2 25W for the iPhone plus fast Apple Watch charging, in glossy black. The base is heavy enough to lift your phone off one-handed.

“reminiscent of a Steinway grand piano”

No brick at $169

Nomad ships a 6.6-foot braided cable but no power adapter, and you need one rated at 40 watts. Budget another $25 for Nomad's slim adapter.

“Considering the relatively high price, it's a shame there's no power adapter included.”

ESR is the cheap pick

EST Qi2 3in1 Wireless Charging Station a black stand with circular pad to wireless charge a phone

At $77, this is the cheapest Qi2-certified 3-in-1 in the guide, and it includes a brick and cable. The watch charger detaches into its own USB-A unit you can pack for trips.

Skip the pricier ESR

There's a Qi2 25W version of the same stand, but it costs far more for very little gain. The 15W model does the same job.

Nimble lies flat

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The $130 Podium lets your phone and watch lie flat so no screen glows at you overnight, then pops up for StandBy or Nightstand mode when you want them.

Nimble's watch charging drags

The Podium supports Qi2 25W for the phone, but the Apple Watch pad runs at 3.5 watts. Leave it overnight rather than expecting a quick top-up.

Belkin's cooled upgrade

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The $130 UltraCharge Pro hits Qi2 25W and adds a fan to keep things cool at that rate. There's a switch to shut the fan off, because it makes a perceptible whine.

Mophie's telescoping pole

Mophie MagSafe 3in1 Extendable Wireless Charging Stand  a slender stand with square base circular pad on top to hold a...

This stand extends from 7.5 to 16 inches, so it works at a standing desk and doubles as a tripod for video calls. Twisting and pulling to extend it isn't smooth, but it stays put.

Two devices, less money

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If you skip AirPods charging, the $60 Belkin UltraCharge 2-in-1 folds for travel, does Qi2 25W, and throws in a 45W adapter and cable. The Zens Nightstand Pro 2 at $100 is the classier option.

Journey looks different

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The $140 Nova pairs black with walnut and adds a touch-sensitive night light. The fast watch pad pops up around back, though the front magnet felt a little weak.

Anker's $230 experiment

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The Prime 3-in-1 packs Qi2 25W, active cooling, an app, and a touch display. The display is flat so you have to sit up to read it, and your iPhone already does StandBy.

“I'm just not sure it's worth the premium.”

Watch tilt kills good stands

Watch tilt kills good stands

The Anker MagGo, OtterBox, and Noco X Grid all charge fine but let the Apple Watch slip or twist on its pad. Anker's fix is a sheet of stickers.

Go to four spots

Go to four spots

Mophie's $180 4-in-1 adds a retractable USB-C cable that delivers up to 60 watts, enough for a MacBook. Zens has an iPad version, and Scosche sells modules you bolt together.

The ones to avoid

Infinacore's T3 Pro runs warm and feels cheap, the Groov-e clock model slides around with weak magnets, and the Zike stand has a blinding LED that never turns off.

Your case matters

A normal iPhone case weakens the magnet pull and won't hold on a MagSafe accessory. Buy a case that says MagSafe, or the alignment that enables 15W charging disappears.

“I cannot stress this enough: If you buy a case, ensure it is a MagSafe case.”

What Qi2 actually means

Qi2 brings MagSafe-style magnets and faster rates to any phone, and Apple pushed it back to the iPhone 12. Qi2 25W doubles the ceiling but only works with iPhone 17 and the Pixel 10 Pro XL so far.

Buy for the small stuff

Nearly every stand here charges all three devices. What separates them is an adjustable pad, a watch cradle that holds still, and whether a brick comes in the box.

The big picture

Buy a Qi2-certified stand with an adjustable phone pad and a fast Apple Watch charger, and check whether a power adapter is in the box before you pay.

Read the original on WIRED

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