Stop for a second and think about how many hours you spend each day using some sort of tech device that needs to be regularly charged. Between laptops, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, wireless earbuds, fitness trackers, and handheld gaming devices, most people’s answer would probably be “every waking hour” — and we say that with very little exaggeration.
It’s just the nature of the world we live in, though! Work takes place on our laptops, socializing on our smartphones, entertainment on our tablets, and workouts go hand-in-hand with our fitness trackers and wireless earbuds. With each one of those devices comes a big, unsightly cord that needs to be plugged in so we can use ’em all again tomorrow. And when all of those cables gather near our electrical outlets — twisting, turning, and twirling around each other day after day — we’re eventually left with a grotesque, un-detangleable jumble that rivals nature’s worst rat kings.
While those nightmarish rodent collections are actually quite rare, the mess of charging cables and endless wall chargers in your corner is very, very real. Fortunately, a charging station for multiple devices can completely transform your space. In the past, device charging stations or hubs have looked, well, really really ugly. But lately, enough products have come out to solve this issue that are also stylish to match your home.
What’s a device charging station?
A device charging station is a hub where you can organize all of your mobile devices while they charge. There are different types, but each one provides some form of cord management to prevent your cables from getting tangled or, possibly even worse, falling out of your reach when you need them the most. These charging stations keep your charging cables close (or eliminate them altogether) so you can enjoy a clutter-free home or workspace.
What types of charging stations are there?
There are three main types of charging stations: wired, wireless, and non-tech hubs designed purely for organization and cord management. Each of these types comes in various shapes and sizes that cater to a range of devices. Some may have a special spot to charge small devices, like a smartwatch or earbuds; others will have ample space to accommodate larger tech like laptops and tablets, or a whole household’s worth of smartphones.
Wired charging stations plug into a wall outlet for their power delivery. They typically feature a number of USB ports along one side — usually a mix of USB A and USB C ports — to accommodate multiple charging cables. These USB charging stations also typically have a series of dividers along the top where devices can be slotted in between like books on a bookshelf, and plugged into their corresponding cables.
Wireless charging stations also plug into a wall outlet for power delivery, but that’s the only cable they’re concerned with. Just place your device down on the station and it will charge (as long as it’s compatible, of course).
Non-tech charging stations do not plug into the wall like their wired and wireless counterparts. In fact, they have no power running through them at all. Instead, these charging stations act as an aesthetically pleasing place to hide a power strip or surge protector inside their base. On top, there are slots to place your devices (much like the average wired charging station), and they have small cutouts so you can feed your charging cables up from the base to give your devices some juice whenever needed. They’re the most flexible of charging stations because they can accommodate so many different device types.
What are the benefits of a wireless charging station?
Wireless charging stations tend to be really aesthetically pleasing. Not only are they typically the most stylish type of charging station, but they’re also the best option for cord management as there are virtually no cords involved in their use (other than the one that plugs it into the wall, of course). They’re also very easy to use since you just place your device down on them and they begin charging.
On the flip side, wireless charging stations only work with certain products, like smartphones, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds. Furthermore, you may be even more limited when it comes to the maker of your tech devices. For example, Android devices are not compatible with some Apple charging stations and vice versa. (This is especially true when it comes to smartwatches and wireless earbuds.) For this reason, it’s crucial to check the compatibility specifications before you make your purchase to ensure that they will actually charge the devices you own.
What are the benefits of a wired charging station?
Wired charging stations are a lot more flexible than wireless charging stations when it comes to the types of devices you can charge. If your device fits in the slot and you have a USB cable to plug it in, you’re good to go. They often provide the ability to charge a higher number of devices too.
Unfortunately, these stations are usually a lot less attractive than their wireless counterparts. And, if you don’t have mini charging cables to plug all your devices into the charging base, you can still wind up with a mess of cords.
Some wired charging stations include a set of these mini cables with your purchase, which is great because they’re just a few inches long — enough to reach from the USB port to your device, reducing cord clutter. However, you’ll have to make sure those cords are compatible with your devices. If they’re not (or if they’re not provided at all), you’ll have to buy a pack for yourself, such as these mini lightning cables for Apple, these micro USB cords for Android, or these mini cables for USB C ports.
What are the benefits of a non-tech charging station?
Like wired charging stations, these non-tech hubs or docks allow you lots of freedom in terms of the devices that you charge on them, primarily because they’re just a box that hides a power strip. Unlike most wired charging stations, however, their dividers are removable so you can customize their arrangement. You could even leave some free space on top of the box — next to your charging devices — to accommodate something like an Echo Dot or a clock to maximize the use of your desktop or nightstand.
Many non-tech charging stations are made from bamboo, which is highly durable, attractive, easy to clean, and sustainably made. This type of charging hub is also the best at accommodating larger tech devices, like laptops and tablets.
The downside to these non-tech charging stations, however, is that you need to provide your own power strip, USB hub (like an Anker PowerPort), or surge protector to put inside the box — and you need to keep an eye on measurements to ensure that it will fit. There’s typically enough space inside the base of the charging station to keep lots of longer cords wrapped up neatly, though, so you don’t need to go out of your way to get a whole new set of mini-length cables like you might with a wired charging station. And each of the holes can feed out many cords, so you’re really only limited by your power strips.
