The Best Charging Stations

Just Buy This (All Around Best)

Ugreen Nexode Pro 160W USB C Charger

$120 at Amazon $96 at Walmart View on B&H Photo Video

TL;DR: The Nexode Pro 160 from Ugreen provides the right balance of quality, price, and performance with plenty of headroom to charge most devices.

Why We Recommend It

Ugreen is a reliable player in the charger and accessory space, and the Nexode Pro 160 was an easy selection.

This simple, four-port wall charger offers three separate USB-C ports and one powerful USB-A. The C1 port, when used alone, can deliver a whopping 160 watts of power-delivery-certified juice.

This capacity is plentiful enough to charge devices with heavier needs, like larger-format laptops and even MacBook Pros. The power is also quite reliable and consistent.

Some devices—especially those with internal smart charging tech—won’t always play nicely with Apple devices. In this case, the Nexode Pro 160W was reliably the only charger I needed in my backpack.

That reliability is, in large part, thanks to its Gallium Nitride (GaN) charger technology, which is more efficient than the more traditional, cheaper silicone-based chip architecture.

The Nexode Pro's GaNInfinity Chip is a truly rock-solid charging platform in testing. It offered predictable performance on my M2 Max MacBook Pro, iPhone 13, Apple Watch Series 7, and Bose QC Ultra Headphones.

I never returned to these devices after they had been on the charger only to find they hadn’t charged—and that isn’t something I can say for every wall charger I’ve used.

This device is pretty pricey—though that money clearly shows in the build quality—and some may not like the bulkiness hanging off their wall outlets.

I’d also like to see one or two more USB-A ports available in the larger format Nexode Pros. But overall, this charging station is an excellent pick for most users.

• Who else recommends it? XDA, How-To Geek, and Cult of Mac are all impressed by the Nexode Pro line’s performance in everyday, multi-platform testing.
• What do buyers say? Over 370 buyers on Amazon rate the Nexode Pro 160W an average 4.4 stars for its portability and performance.

Best Wireless Station

Aukey MagFusion 3-in-1 Pro

View on Aukey.com

TL;DR: For the dedicated Apple user who worries about overheating and space, this Aukey pick is worth a look.

Why We Recommend It

We spent some time with the Aukey, MagFusion 3-in-1 Pro, a new contender in the Apple-oriented charging station space, and were impressed overall with its thoughtful design and performance.

Though it doesn't fold, this 3-in-1 charger is perfectly compact for nightstands or smaller desks. It uses vertical space for neatly accommodating an iPhone, AirPods, and an Apple Watch, rather than sprawling horizontally.

It delivers speedy 15-watt and certified 5-watt charging for iPhones and Apple Watches, respectively, and offers the defining feature of a built-in fan to keep devices cool while powering up.

We saw the cooling performance in action during our time with this station. The iPhone we use was always cool to the touch, and the fan noise was pleasantly minimal.

While the color is limited to the basic grey and silver, the MagFusion 3-in-1 Pro feels well made.

It might be slightly pricier than competitors, but the cooling feature is distinct to this unit, and could tip the scales.

• Who else recommends it? The Aukey MagFusion 3-in-1 Pro is new to the market, but various outlets covered the buzz about this station, originally announced at CES 2025. It also received the 2024 RedDot Design Award.

Easiest on the Budget

Acefast Z4 Charger Block

$90 at Amazon $80 at Walmart

TL;DR: If you’ve never heard of the brand Acefast, you should give it a look. With a cool design and excellent performance for the price, the Z4 is a great choice.

Why We Recommend It

The AceFast Z4 GaN charger is an impressive table-top model with three USB-C ports and one USB-A port to charge different devices.

What’s nifty about the Z4 is that you can change the mode of these ports to send the 218 watts to the ports in various configurations.

For example, the "A" mode assigns 100 watts to the first USB-C port, 65 watts to the second, 30 to the third, and 18 to the USB-A port.

This approach isn’t unique because many GaN chargers automatically shift wattages based on what’s plugged in. However, thanks to the 1.3-inch LCD screen, the visibility of these configurations was clear and helpful on the Z4.

In practice, I like the Z4 as my primary desktop charging interface because it takes pressure off my main USB dock—so I’m not clogging up ports to charge devices.

Its see-through panel on the front and bright color display make it a beautiful device aesthetically. Anecdotally, it provided plenty of charge for even my main MacBook Pro—though, for some reason, it didn’t charge as fast as the standard Apple charger.

You can usually find the Z4 for about $80, though I recommend looking around for a sale on Amazon because it’s often available for less.

This price isn’t the cheapest for a charger, but I’m giving the Z4 the budget nod because, for its wattage and its GaN technology, the price point is a steal.

• Who else recommends it? Many gaming—and tech-oriented publications echoed my positive remarks on the Z4, with Android Central, MakeUseOf, and Pocket Gamer all finding notable success in their tests.
• What do buyers say? Amazon reviews are limited since this is a new device, but this Z4 has earned an impressive 4.9-star average based on its build quality and performance.