Charging Station Living Room

Charging Station Living Room

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A charging station puts all your devices in one, easy to access place for charging.

Most people should just buy the SIIG 90W Smart Charging Station. Why get this one? It can charge 10 devices simultaneously and that's enough for most people and families.

Some things to look for in a charging station including the number of charging ports available, the types of ports, and the number of slots to hold your devices. All those cables can get messy, so a built-in storage area for cable length is also a good-to-have, lest you end up with a plate of spaghetti at the end. Also, pay attention to the finishes that are available, so the charging station can match your decor. So, read on and check out our best picks!

The Rundown

This is our favorite pick because of the number of ports available and the organization involved.

You can charge up to six devices on this one power station, which means the PowerHub very much earns its name.

This is a nice overall charging solution for up to five devices at a time.

This is a small device that lets you work with your phone while it's charging, and we dig that.

If you have an iPhone 12 or 13, and you need a wireless charger for it, this is a good pickup

What We Like

• Lots of ports

• Streamlined look

• Non-slip deck

What We Don't Like

• No Qi charging

• No cables included

• Narrow slots

SIIG 90W Smart Charging Station Review

The reason this got our top pick is people simply have more than one device nowadays. And if you have a family of three or more, you already know how many devices need to be charged at any given time. Now, there's no wireless charger in here, which is a real miss, and the slots are a bit narrow, so if you have a fat case around your phone there's a chance it won't fit (and any AirPods case won't fit, either).

It's also quite large, and our tester Jeremy pointed out it is too big to fit on most desks. He also advises buying some short USB cables so you don't have wires trailing everywhere.

But overall, this is our favorite pick because of the number of ports available and the organization involved - it'll help tame the tangle of cords.

_{Number of Ports: 10 | Power Output: 5V/2.4A | Type of Ports: USB-A}

"The blue LED light that surrounds the non-slip deck is a nice touch, especially for anyone who wants to use this charger on a bedside table." — Jeremy Laukkonen, Product Tester

Lifewire

What We Like

• Charges anything

• PD and Quickcharge

• Wireless charger

What We Don't Like

• Large

• Power cable is not detachable

• Ports on all sides

Intelli PowerHub Wireless Charging Station Review

We can't think of anything that can't be charged with the intelliARMOR PowerHub Wireless Charging Station. This seems like the perfect solution for when you come home from work and need to charge everything before you sit down and wonder why you have so much to charge.

It's got a qi wireless charger, two USB-A ports (the rectangle kind), one USB-C port (the oval kind that you can plug in either way), and two good ol' AC outlets. The intelliARMOR PowerHub Wireless Charging Station isn't super pretty, but handy as heck and you'll be glad you have it.

_{Number of Ports: 5 | Power Output: 5V/2A, PD18W, AC110V | Type of Ports: USB-A, USB-C, A/C}

"This is billed as a universal charging station and fits that bill pretty well, so you get a whole range of charging speeds from this device." — Jeremy Laukkonen, Product Tester

Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen

What we like

• Small footprint

• Smart charging chipset

• Built in Qi charger

What we don't like

• No included cables

• Pricey

The Satechi Dock5 Charging station is one of our favorites on this list. There aren't a lot of ports, but the ports it has are powerful. You'll get 10W of wireless charging on the Qi pad in front. Each USB-A port outputs 12W of power each and the USB-C port's output is 20W each of power delivery. That's a lot of juice for this small station. It also has a small footprint so it doesn't take up a lot of room. This charging station does not include cables, which is something we'd like to see considering how expensive it is.

_{Number of Ports: 4 | Power Output: 10W/12W/20W | Type of Ports: USB-A, USB-C, Qi wireless charging}

What We Like

• Very small

• Qi and USB-A Charging

• Fast charging

What We Don't Like

• Wireless charging is hit and miss

Anker has long been a leader in charging technology including wireless changing. The PowerWave 10 charging stand offers you the ability to charge up to three devices simultaneously. The wireless charger is rated for up to 10W of wireless charging, You can charge wirelessly with your phone either in the horizontal or vertical orientation, though some reviewers noted that a thick case can make charging a little hit and miss.

On the back, you have two additional USB-A ports so you can charge two other devices as well. The smart chip also protects against overcharging and over-current while charging. All this charging capability keeps things in a small footprint so it doesn't take up too much space at all. We'd like to see a USB-C port here in 2021, and the power brick on the cable is a little larger than we'd usually like. This is a small device that lets you work with your phone while it's charging, and we dig that.

_{Number of Ports: 2 | Power Output: 12W | Type of Ports: USB-A}

What We Like

• Secure connection

• Qi charging works on any wireless accessory

• Support 15W Fast charging

What We Don't Like

• Does not come with a charging brick

• Some cases affect Magsafe

• Expensive for what it is

Apple MagSafe Charger Review

When the iPhone 12 debuted in the Fall of 2020, it came with a new charging concept called Magsafe. Simply snap the MagSafe charger onto the back of the iPhone and it charges. The magnets secure the MagSafe charger to the back of the phone so you can accidentally knock the phone off the stand. Plus, the MagSafe charge uses Qi, so you could use it on any phone that accepts wireless charging (though there would be no magnets to align the coils).

That's pretty cool, but the MagSafe charger is really just a normal Qi charger with magnets. At $40, it's pretty expensive for what it is. We love the idea of attaching a wireless charger to the phone, but it's just a bit too rich for our blood, especially considering that the MagSafe charger doesn't even come with the power brick you need to attain the 15W of charging it's capable of. If you have an iPhone 12 or 13, and you need a wireless charger for it, this is a good pickup.

_{Number of Ports: 0 | Power Output: 15W | Type of Ports: Qi}

"The MagSafe Charger provides faster charging speeds than a traditional Qi wireless charger on the iPhone 12." — Andrew Hayward, Product Tester

Andrew Hayward / Lifewire

FAQ

• What cables can you use with a wireless charger?

  While USB-A (the rectangle) is the most common, more charging stations are adopting the faster and more versatile USB-C connector (the flattened oval).

• Is wireless charging harmful?

  You do have to wonder how all that power gets sent to your phone without a cable, but rest assured that wireless charging is completely harmless to humans and other electronic devices. Yes, wireless charging uses electromagnetic radiation, but the fact of the matter is virtually all modern electronics, even sensitive ones like pacemakers are shielded against the relatively low levels of electromagnetic radiation that wireless chargers give off.

• How quickly can your device charge with a charging station?

  This depends on the type of connection you use as well as the device you're charging, a phone typically won't take as long to top off as a tablet (smaller battery, faster charge). And micro-USB won't charge a device as fast as USB-C or Lightning connections.

"Looks and aesthetics have their place, but users shouldn't value design over function when it comes to their charging station. Battery technology today has allowed industry leaders to dramatically alter the size of power stations, but at the end of the day, the larger the battery, the more power it provides." — Jason Wong, Founder and CEO of omnicharge

What to Look For in a Charging Station

Specialty vs. Generic

If you only expect to charge a few devices at a time—like an iPhone and an Apple Watch—it's worth checking out options that look great, too. If you want more versatility, opt for a more generic model that's capable of holding several differently-sized devices and comes equipped with a bunch of charging ports.

Quick Charge

Look for a charging station that supports Quick Charge if you have an Android phone that's capable of taking advantage of the extra power. If you have an iPhone that supports fast charging via USB-PD, a lot of great options also support that standard. Before you buy, check to see if a unit's capabilities fit your needs.

Wireless Charging

Even if none of your devices support wireless charging just yet, it could pay off to invest in a charging station that does. If this seems like an interesting feature, choose a model that has a variety of traditional charging ports in addition to a wireless charging pad.

About Our Trusted Experts

Jeremy Laukkonen has been writing for Lifewire since 2019. He has a background in trade publications and auto mechanics, and he's reviewed a wide range of devices for Lifewire including phones, laptops, speakers, TVs, and more. He liked the SIIG charging dock for its numerous ports and even distribution of power, but he did wish it offered wireless charging.

A former editor of Lifewire product round-ups, Emmeline Kaser has years of experience researching and writing about the best consumer products out there. She specializes in consumer tech, including charging stations like the ones featured on this list.

Andrew Hayward is a Chicago-based writer who has been covering technology and video games since 2006.His areas of expertise include smartphones, and he reviewed the Apple MagSafe Charger on this list.

Adam Doud has been writing in the technology space for almost a decade. When he's not hosting the Benefit of the Doud podcast, he's playing with the latest phones, tablets, and laptops. When not working, he's a cyclist, geocacher, and spends as much time outside as he can.

Thanks for letting us know!

Charging Station Living Room

Source: https://www.lifewire.com/best-charging-stations-4155740