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Don’t fight over outlets — get a charging station to juice up all your devices at once. Of all the charging stations and USB hubs out there, the Satechi Charging Station is the best one for most people with its ability to quickly charge seven devices.
If you have a lot of devices or a big family, charging everything up each day can get out of hand real quick. You end up with tangled cords, arguments over who’s been hogging all the outlets, and worse, devices that remain uncharged because someone unplugged them. There’s only one way to end the pain, and it’s not chucking your gadgets out the window. You need a charging station or a USB charging hub.
Charging stations and hubs come in all shapes and sizes. While most of them look like a mini power strip or battery pack with multiple USB charging ports, others take the shape of attractive docks, storage units, or device organizers. We’ve included different options to suit different needs and device charging specifications, so whether you have an iPhone and an Apple Watch, a Quick Charge Android phone, or a USB-C Android phone; we’ve got you covered.
As someone who reviewed mobile devices for five years, I’ve used a lot of different charging solutions to juice up all the gadgets that land on my desk. Some of them are invariably better than others, but these are the best ones. In addition to personal experience, these picks are based on expert and buyer reviews across the web. Read on to check out the best charging stations and USB hubs you can buy.
Updated on 01/25/18 by Malarie Gokey: Added the Nomad Wireless Charging Hub as the best charging station with wireless charging. Updated prices and removed one station that was out of stock.
Read on in the slides below to learn why the Satechi 7-Port USB Charging Station Dock is our top pick and why you should also consider the Nomad Wireless Charging Hub, the Belkin PowerHouse Charge Dock, the Anker Quick Charge 3.0 63W 5-Port USB Wall Charger, and the Vogek 6-Port USB Charger Desktop Charging Station.
The best charging station overall
Satechi
Why you’ll love it: The Satechi 7-Port USB Charging Station Dock charges seven devices at once and holds them in place while they juice up.
Anyone who lives in a crowded household needs a charging station with a lot of ports, and the Satechi 7-Port USB Charging Station Dock fits the bill perfectly.
You get seven USB Ports, three of which are Quick Charge compatible, charging at rates of 2.4A and four of which charge at the standard 1A. Each port has surge protection, so you don’t have to worry about your device getting fried by too much electricity.
The cables are not included, contrary to what you see in the product images on Amazon, so you have to buy your own cables. We recommend buying short 6-inch cords, so you don’t have to wrap up the excess cordage. You should always get Apple MFI certified lightning cables and safe USB- C and micro USB cables (<— click on the links to get the best ones). If you already have cables and they’re long ones, you can use the velcro straps Satechi includes with the charging station for cable management.
The charging station itself is sturdy and simple. It has seven slots with anti-scratch silicone pads that hold your devices in an upright position while they charge. Satechi’s charging station measures just 7.4 x 5.5-inches, so it shouldn’t take up too much space on your desk, shelf, or countertop.
To use it, you simply plug the USB end of the cords into the side of the charging station, set your device on its side with the charging port facing the cable, and plug it in to charge. It’s a brilliant, simple solution that prevents tangled cables and clogged outlets. The charging station plugs right into the wall, taking up only one outlet to charge up to seven devices at a time.
Buyers on Amazon generally love the Satechi charging station, but some say that the spacing between dividers is too narrow for devices wearing thicker cases. Others point out that it’s not the most beautiful thing to have on the counter, especially is you have long cords. However, most buyers still say it gets the job done and works very well.
Pros: Charges seven devices at once, holds gadgets in place, includes short cords for charging without tangled wires, affordable
Cons: Basic design, cables not included
Buy the Satechi 7-Port USB Charging Station Dock on Amazon for $ 49.99 (originally $ 59.99)
The best charging station with wireless charging
Nomad
Why you’ll love it: Nomad’s Wireless Charging Hub has four USB ports and a wireless charging pad, so you can juice up five devices at once.
Anyone who has a phone with wireless charging (like the new iPhones and many Android phones) will love this charging station from Nomad. The black, circular puck has a wireless charging pad on top with a maximum output of 7.5W. Underneath, you’ll find three USB-A ports and one USB-C port for charging up any other devices you have in your home.
I use this charging station in my home to charge my iPhone X wirelessly every day. When I need to charge it up a bit more quickly, I plug it into the lightning cable I’ve plugged into one of the USB ports. I also charge my Kindle and wireless headphones with a couple of Micro USB cables. Finally, I have a USB-C cable set up for new Android devices. It fits my needs perfectly.
The entire charging station has a maximum output of 30W to charge five devices at once — four with wires and one without. The USB-C port has a high-speed 3A output, two of the USB-A ports have a 1A output, and one USB-A port has a higher 2.1A output.
Essentially, that means devices that charge with the USB-C cable will charge the fastest, the one 2.1A USB-A port will charge the next fastest, and the other two USB-A ports will charge the slowest. Because of this, you’ll want to plug your largest device (your phone or tablet) into the fastest charging port available and your smallest devices (AirPods, Bluetooth headphones, etc.) into the slower ones.
Subtle LED lights on the top of the puck indicate the charging status of your devices. Orange lights mean your devices are still charging, while a soft white light means they’re all juiced up.
In the box, you get a 1.2-meter charging cable that supplies power to the entire charging station. You have to supply your own charging cables for your devices. You should always get Apple MFI certified lightning cables and safe USB- C and micro USB cables (<— click on the links to get the best ones).
Mid-length cables are perfect for this charging station because you can easily wrap them around the puck when they’re not in use. The puck’s cable management is very effective in keeping your cords untangled and out of the way.
The wireless charging top is a great bonus and it makes the entire charging station more practical. You no longer have wasted space on the top.
Pros: Charges five devices, wireless charger on top, USB-C and USB-A ports included, LED indicator lights are subtle, good cable management
Cons: Expensive, wireless charging puck needs more grip to prevent slippage
Buy the Nomad Wireless Charging Hub from Nomad for $ 79.95
The best charging station for iPhone and Apple Watch
Belkin/Facebook
Why you’ll love it: The Belkin PowerHouse Charge Dock juices up both your Apple Watch and iPhone at the same time.
The Belkin PowerHouse Charge Dock for Apple Watch and iPhone sat on my nightstand for several months while I was using an iPhone and Apple Watch every day. It looked gorgeous and got the job done without cluttering up my bedroom with wires and ugly chargers.
If you have an iPhone and an Apple Watch, this is the dock you want. It’s less pricey than most dual iPhone and Apple Watch docks, but it has a lightning connector and an Apple Watch charging disc built into the design so you don’t have any extra wires. you simply plug the Belkin dock in and pop your phone and watch in the dock to charge both up simultaneously.
The only real downside to the dock is that you can only charge one iPhone and Apple Watch at a time, so if the rest of your family wants to juice up, they’ll have to go elsewhere. It’s also expensive in comparison with the other charging stations in our guide, but that’s the price you pay for good looks and concealed cords.
Pros: Great for iPhone and Apple Watch, attractive design, sturdy, built-in lightning and Apple Watch charging connectors eliminate wires
Cons: Only charges one iPhone and one Apple Watch at a time, expensive
Buy the Belkin PowerHouse Charge Dock for Apple Watch and iPhone on Amazon for $ 99.95 (originally $ 99.99)
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