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Best Apple Watch chargers, stands, power banks & docks
Wednesday January 1, 2025. 02:01 AM , from Macworld Reviews
Macworld
Apple ships a simple but effective charging cable with the Apple Watch that will fast-charge an Apple Watch Series 7 or later (Watch 8/9/10, Watch Ultra 1/2). You won’t find a faster charging accessory but you can also choose from a wide range of stylish and practical charging stands, docks and power banks for your Apple Watch—including some that can also charge other Apple devices such as your iPhone and AirPods. Here, we round up the best Apple Watch chargers, docks and charging stands—some of which can charge your other Apple devices at the same time. Most should be compatible with all generations of the Watch, but be sure to check compatibility before buying. There are simple charging cables, multi-device chargers that can power up your Apple Watch plus your iPhone and AirPods, chargers that are built for portability and travel, designer models that look great at home or in the office, and handy Apple Watch power banks. We’ve tested a lot and selected our favorites here. Best simple Apple Watch chargers Best 2-in-1 Apple Watch/iPhone chargers Best 3-in-1 Apple Watch/iPhone/AirPod chargers Best 3-in-1 Apple Watch travel chargers Best Apple Watch power banks Simple Apple Watch stands Best simple Apple Watch chargers Every Apple Watch comes with the company’s Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable. At $29 / £29 it’s not overly expensive to buy a spare or replacement, but there are more able multifunction Watch chargers available, as well as much cheaper simple cables that we would steer clear of but which we have investigated to see if we can find one we can recommend. First we start our best Apple Watch charger roundup with these simple models, and then we test the more functional and better-designed alternatives. Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable – Best Apple Watch charging cable Pros Fast charge Watch Simple Cons One use only Price When Reviewed: €39 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Coquedetelephone FR €17.99 View Deal €39 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: Yes Size: 1m cable Weight: 2.6oz (73g) Colors: White Requires USB-C charger: Yes (20W minimum) Apple ships its Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable with its Watch Series 7 and later models, including the Watch Series 8/9/10 and Watch Ultra. The Apple Watch SE (including the current model) and Series 6 and earlier Watch models shipped with the Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable that lacks the fast-charging function. Both cables are Apple white and a meter long. The latest version features an enhanced charging puck. The 7.5W Fast Charger Cable can charge 33% faster than the older 5W cable—charging a compatible Watch battery from 0-80% in just 45 minutes. An eight-minute charge will support eight hours of sleep tracking. Without fast charge, it takes about 1.5 hours to charge an Apple Watch to 80%, and about 2.5 hours to 100%. Fast charging requires at least a 20W USB-C charger, like you’d use to charge an iPhone; find our recommended best iPhone chargers for a wider choice that the plain Apple 20W charger. While you can still buy the older Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable, there’s little benefit as the newer Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable is backwards compatible with older Watch models, looks the same, and is the same price. You can use the old cable on a later Watch but obviously without fast charging. Third-party simple Apple Watch Chargers – Beware cheap imitations Pros Affordable Cons Pot luck on quality Slow charging No name brands Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: No Size: 1m cable Colors: White, Black Requires USB-C charger: Yes (20W minimum) Apple’s official Watch Charger is fast and reliable but expensive compared to the knock-off Watch chargers you can find online. This is a shame as having a spare in your bag or lying around at home is useful given the Watch’s pretty dreadful battery life. Usually there is a trusted third-party provider with an alternative to Apple’s simple charging cable but we could find none for the Apple Watch that were cheaper than the Apple version. We are sure that the Satechi USB-C Magnetic Charging Cable for Apple Watch is trustworthy but it’s actually pricier than the Apple and doesn’t support fast charging—so why bother? There are some great third-party Apple Watch charging stands and adapters—many of which we review below. But you are taking a chance (albeit a very affordable chance) by picking a cheapo simple Watch charger from Amazon, Temu or other online retailers. We bought one from Amazon that frayed its cable sitting in a bag for a few weeks. If you must, then scan the user reviews but we can’t vouch that the good ones are genuine and others often state problems with durability and extremely slow charging. You spent a bunch on your Apple Watch so why risk it going up in flames by saving a few bucks on a spare charger? Satechi USB-C Magnetic Apple Watch Charging Dock – Portable Apple Watch charger Pros Fast charge Watch Simple Portable Price When Reviewed: €44,99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: Yes Size: 2 x 1.73 x 0.45 inches (5.1 x 4.4 x 1.1cm) Weight: 1.1oz (31g) Colors: Space Gray Requires USB-C charger: Any USB-C charging port Small enough to fit in your pocket, this little 5W Watch charger from Satechi can plug straight into a USB-C charger or a USB-C charging port—for example, the Thunderbolt on your MacBook or iPad, a USB-C car charger, or USB-C output power bank. As we all know, it’s not only the Apple Watch with a weak battery. This portable Watch Charger can also be used to charge AirPods in a compatible case. When you get an alert telling you that your Watch battery is fading, you don’t always have your meter-long Apple charging cable with you but you are likely nearer a USB-C power point, and this little Watch charger can live at the bottom of your backpack for when you need it most. Belkin Boost Charge Pro Portable Fast Charger – Best simple Apple Watch charging stand Pros Fast charge Watch Nightstand Portable Cons Expensive for one use only Price When Reviewed: €69,95 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: Yes Size: 3.8 x 3.8 x 0.63 inches (9.7 x 9.7 x 1.6cm) Weight: 6.8oz (192g) Colors: White, Black Requires USB-C charger: Yes (20W minimum) The Belkin Boost Charge Pro Portable Fast Charger for Apple Watch is a long name for a fairly simple square, rubberized Apple Watch charging stand. It’s one of the few simple Apple Watch accessories that can fast-charge the Watch (Series 7 and later), and weighing just 6.8oz (192g) is portable, too. The magnetic charging module allows the Watch to be raised to work either lying flat or in Nightstand mode. Its built-in 4-foot (1.2m) USB-C cable wraps neatly around the underside of the dock, so keeping your space clutter-free. There’s a precision dial on the bottom of the dock to raise the puck height depending on the size of your Watch. It is available from Apple. Alternatively, you can save money by buying one of the simple Apple Watch stands that require you to connect your Watch charging cable into the basic stand. Best 2-in-1 Apple Watch/iPhone chargers If you own an Apple Watch there is a high possibility that you also own an iPhone, so why not have one versatile charger that can power up both Apple devices at the same time. Here are some of the favorites we have tested. 1. Twelve South ButterFly 2-in-1 MagSafe Charger – Best portable 2-in-1 Apple Watch charger Pros Charges Watch and iPhone Can swap Watch for AirPods Fast charge Watch 15W MagSafe for iPhone Portable Small footprint Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: Yes iPhone charge: 15W (MagSafe) Size: 2.8 x 2.4 x 0.9 inches (7.1 x 6.1 x 2.35cm) Weight: 4.2oz (119g) Colors: Aluminum Requires USB-C charger: 30W wall charger included Twelve South makes our favorite 3-in-1 iPhone/Watch/AirPods charger, the HiRise 3 Deluxe reviewed below, and it has triumphed again with this pocketable 2-in-1 charger that can handle iPhone and Apple Watch (or Watch and AirPods), charging the two devices simultaneously. Technically it can’t be beaten—it is fully Apple certified, so fast wirelessly charges the Watch at 5W and the iPhone at 15W. But its wonder is its clever, dinky foldable size and MacBook-like styling. Unfurl the charger and the two wireless charging pads are revealed. You can even fold 180 degrees and place the Watch in Nightstand mode. Flip it round, and you can set the iPhone in landscape StandBy mode. It chips with a super-compact 30W USB-C wall charger that comes with interchangeable international plug heads: US, UK, EU and AU/NZ. The ButterFly is also our favorite Apple Watch travel charger, but it works back at base just as well. Twelve South You can buy a different (also $99.99) version in six different colors—the Twelve South ButterFly SE uses Qi2 instead of MagSafe, so also charges at 15W, but doesn’t ship with a wall charger. Its not metal like the original Butterfly but at least with its color choices (Black, White, Pink, Coastal Blue, Iridescent, Midnight Plum) it resembles more a butterfly than a moth. Read our full Twelve South ButterFly 2-in-1 MagSafe Charger review 2. Native Union Voyage 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger – Excellent portable 2-in-1 Apple Watch charger Pros Charges Watch and iPhone Can swap Watch for AirPods Fast charge Watch 15W Qi2 for iPhone Portable Small footprint Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: Yes iPhone charge: 15W (Qi2) Size: 2.8 x 2.6 x 0.8 inches (7.1 x 6.6 x 2cm) Weight: 3.7oz (105g) Colors: Sandstone, Black Requires USB-C charger: Yes (27W minimum) Very similar to the Twelve South ButterFly, reviewed above, the Native Union Voyager is a touch larger but also a little lighter. In the same way, it’s a superb travel charger for iPhones after version 12 and Apple Watches. It can fast charge both as it uses 15W Qi2 for iPhone magnetic wireless charging (compared to the ButterFly’s 15W MagSafe but the same Qi2 standard as the ButterFly SE) and 5W for Apple Watch. AirPods can be charged on the Watch part depending on your charging needs. It is so compact that it will easily fit in your pocket or get lost at the bottom of your backpack—the included pouch is handy in this regard, and something we hoped would be included with the ButterFly. Like the ButterFly SE (but not the original ButterFly that ships with a 30W USB-C charger) it doesn’t come with a wall charger so you’ll need to add your own. And it is priced the same as the ButterFly SE. It seems a shame to just compare this very neat 2-in-1 charger to the similar chargers that came before it. It does beat the Twelve South chargers in two respects. We think the Voyager will likely show less wear than the others as its silicone cover looks more hardy. And we like the fact you can just push out the Watch charging module from the back rather than risking your fingernail on the ButterFly’s notch. Take a look at the Voyager and the ButterFly and ButterFly SE, and make your choice. You won’t be disappointed with any of these dinky and cleverly designed 2-in-1 chargers. 3. Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe 15W – Designer 2-in-1 Apple Watch charger Pros Designer looks 15W MagSafe Fast Apple Watch charging Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $129.95 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: Yes iPhone charge: 15W (MagSafe) Size: 4.1 x 3.1 x 2.75 inches (10.5 x 7.8 x 7cm) Weight: 15.9oz (540g) Colors: Gray Requires USB-C charger: 30W wall charger included The BoostCharge Pro looks rather like a paperweight and will delight interior designers. Compact and low-level in an elegant organic shape, the bulb-like charging stand is made from at least 60% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic and has pleasingly soft edges and a texture that makes you stroke it longingly. The chrome Watch-charging pad sticks out from the back of the stand, and can’t be folded in when not in use, as is possible with some compact multi-device chargers such as the Anker 3-in-1 Cube. It features fast wireless charging for both Watch and iPhone. While it lacks an AirPods charging module like the 3-in-1 charging stations reviewed here, you can charge the AirPods wireless charging case on the top when the charging pad is flat and not charging your iPhone. Read our full Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe 15W review Best 3-in-1 Apple Watch/iPhone/AirPod chargers As well as owning an Apple Watch and iPhone, a fair few of us have further swelled Apple’s coffers by buying AirPods. These are the 3-in-1 chargers that we have tested and approve for simultaneously charging Apple Watch, Apple iPhone and Apple AirPods (with a wireless charging case). 1. Belkin UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1 Dock – Best 3-in-1 Apple Watch charging stand Pros Charges Watch, iPhone, AirPods Fast charge Watch 25W MagSafe for iPhone Small footprint and tilts Cons 25W only for iPhone 16 and later Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: Yes (Qi2 25W) iPhone charge: 25W Size: 4.6 x 4.3 x 3.4 inches (11.7 x 10.9 x 8.6cm) Weight: 19.2oz (545g) Colors: Charcoal, Sand Requires USB-C charger: 45W wall charger included If you’ve got an Apple Watch, chances are you also own an iPhone and maybe a set of AirPods, too. Here’s where a charging station, which can power up all three devices simultaneously, becomes essential if you want to rid yourself of a snake’s nest of cables. Previously, 3-in-1 chargers were limited to 15W wireless charging either via Apple’s MagSafe or Qi2. Apple’s own iPhone MagSafe Charger has alone been able to charge iPhone 16 and later at 25W. The new Qi2 25W standard, however, means you can get the fastest magnetic charging in a stand without needing to rig it with Apple’s charging puck. In our real-world tests using the iOS 26 beta on our iPhone 16 Pro, we saw actual charging times from 0 to 50 percent of 30-35 minutes, measurably faster than 15W MagSafe. As with the 25W MagSafe, Qi2 25W requires at least an iPhone 16 running iOS 26 to hit the top wireless charging speed. It and this stand is backwards compatible with older iPhones going back to the iPhone 12 but is pegged back at Qi2’s older 15W limit for those iPhones. Here we are just as interested in the UltraCharge Pro’s Apple Watch-charging prowess and this is as fast as it gets at 5W. The base is wrapped in a beautifully soft-touch silicone, while the bar that holds the iPhone and Watch chargers look great in a shiny chrome finish. It’s not the highest stand, but the iPhone charging pad is highly adjustable— up to 70 degrees in portrait or landscape—so it can be angled as you desire. Read our full Belkin UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Dock review 2. Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe – Elegant 3-in-1 Apple Watch charging stand Pros Charges Watch, iPhone, AirPods Fast charge Watch 15W MagSafe for iPhone Small footprint and tilts Cons Only in black Price When Reviewed: €169,99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Twelve South €169.99 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: Yes (MagSafe) iPhone charge: 15W Size: 6.3 x 3.4 x 6 inches (15.9 x 8.5 x 15.4cm) Weight: 14oz (396g) Colors: Black Requires USB-C charger: 40W wall charger included The HiRise 3 Deluxe (available at Apple) can wirelessly charge three devices—iPhone 12/13/14/15/16/17 (but not SE), Apple Watch 7, 8, 9, SE and Ultra, and Apple AirPods (2nd and 3rd gen AirPods, and all AirPods Pro). The AirPods-charging Qi wireless pad can alternatively be used to charge any iPhone from iPhone 8 up. The iPhone 15W, Watch 5W and Qi pad 7.5W charging points allow for fast charging, but that 15W iPhone charger is now bested by Qi2 25W chargers as found on the Belkin UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1 stand reviewed above. The Watch can either lie flat or in Nightstand mode, and the iPhone in iOS 17’s StandBy mode. You can angle the iPhone by up to 35 degrees. Read our full Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe review 3. Journey Trio Ultra 3-in-1 Fast Wireless Charging Station – Best white 3-in-1 Apple Watch charging stand Pros Charges Watch, iPhone, AirPods Fast charge Watch 15W MagSafe for iPhone Small footprint Cons Only in white Expensive Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: Yes iPhone charge: 15W (MagSafe) Size: 6.7 x 5.3 x 3.4 inches (17 x 13.4 x 8.6cm) Weight: 11.5oz (325g) Colors: White Requires USB-C charger: 30W wall charger included If you own an Apple Watch it’s a fair bet that you also have an iPhone, and, go on admit it, some AirPods, too—you’re well invested into the Apple ecosystem. This 3-in-1 charging station from Journey has a tiltable MagSafe-certified pad (15W) for all iPhones 12/13/14/15, plus a Qi charger for AirPods that have a wireless charging case. Important to us here, though, is the Apple Watch charger at the back, which can fast-charge your Apple wearable. The Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe, reviewed above, is similar and features a tiltable Watch charger at the front rather than the back. If you want a 3-in-1 fast charging stand in white, then pick this Journey stand or the OtterBox 3-in-1 reviewed below; if you prefer black, go for the Charcoal Belkin UltraCharge Pro. There is a cheaper version, the Journey Trio 3-in-1 Charging Station, which features a handy detachable Watch charger that you can slip into your pocket and plug into a USB-C charger, including your MacBook, away from the base unit. While that is a neat feature (and might save you $40 on a standalone Watch adapter) the MagSafe pad is only compatible so charges the iPhone at 7.5W and the Watch charger is slower than the one featured on the Trio Ultra 3-in-1. 4. Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station (Foldable 3-in-1) – Best compact 3-in-1 Apple Watch charging stand Pros Charges Watch, iPhone, AirPods 15W Qi2 iPhone charging Fast charges Apple Watch Compact, light and portable Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: Yes iPhone charge: 15W (Qi2) Size: 3.5 x 2.4 x 1 inches (8.9 x 6 x 2.5cm) Weight: 6.9oz (195g) Color
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