iPhone & Watch charging stands
Griffin WatchStand Powered Charging Station
£34.99 FROM Griffin Technology, griffintechnology.com DIMENSIONS 8x13.8x20cm
Design
With its matt black finish and grey textile iPhone pad, the WatchStand is a pretty good looking addition to your nightstand. It doesn’t take up too much space, though the Watch-stand tower is taller than you might think.
Features
Looks trump features here. It connects to the mains for power, and has two USB ports. There’s no dock for the phone, just a nice pad, or you can prop it against the Watch tower. The Watch tower holds the charging disc at the top.
Ease of setup
Flip the unit over to plug in your cables, and you’ll see places to hide excess iPhone cables. The Watch tower is more elaborate – it has a spiral insert to tidy away the longer Watch cable. It’s smart, but it’s awkward to wind it tight enough to slot in without it wedging into the tower.
Value
The WatchStand is well made for its price, but it’s ultimately quite a simple unit. It’s a shame there’s no way for it to hold your iPhone in portrait mode at all while plugged in – the only option is to lay it flat.
EnBlue Evolus 3 Dock
€ 159 (£139) FROM EnBlue, eu.enbluetec.com DIMENSIONS 21x15x2cm
Design
This is a dinner tray of aluminium – it’s got a big footprint (since it has three charging spots, including for iPad), and is all squared silver and black silicone. It’s built well, but is thoroughly utilitarian (the leather-lined option is nicer).
Features
The Evolus 3 is packed with useful stuff. MFi-certified Lightning connectors are in place for iPhone and iPad, and can be adjusted for accommodating a case. You’ll need to provide a Watch cable, but the whole Watch area cleverly comes out of the main unit, for easy travel use.
Ease of setup
Plug this into the mains and it’s nearly ready to go! You just slot in the back support pads for the iPhone and iPad. Little dials adjust the height of the Lightning connectors. Winding the Watch cable in its section is easy enough, though plugging in is a tad fiddly.
Value
The Evolus 3 is extremely expensive for a charging station, but it works very hard for the money, charging just about everything, and without using up your Lightning cables.