The best charging stations and USB charging hubs
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 â 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.
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.Â
Pros:Â 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
$79.95 from Nomad