The Apple Watch was a bit late to the show as it was introduced after Android smartwatches were made available commercially. Still, like any Apple product, the Apple Watch became a top seller almost instantly and it is easy to understand why. It looks and feels premium and it fits well into the whole Apple ecosystem. As with any of their other products, accessories made by third party brands started to appear. One of the most useful accessories is the Apple Watch charging docks.
The vast majority of Apple charging docks are actually stands. They do not come with their own charger but they work with the charger that comes with the watch. This brings the question to why would anyone get a dock since it does not have a built-in charger. The reason is that the dock simply makes it much more convenient to just place the Apple Watch onto a stand. Most of these charging docks tend to focus a lot on design. They are meant to look like a cool gadget. This happens with the cheaper docks but there are a few expensive models that actually have a built-in dock.
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Best Apple Watch Charging Docks in 2024
Today we will have a quick look at some of the most popular and best-selling docks for the Apple Watch. Some of them are cheap while others are on the more expensive side depending on their features. With all these things said, let’s just get straight to our list of the top 10 best Apple Watch charging docks in 2021.
Simpeak 4 Port USB Charger Station for Apple Watch
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The Simpeak Apple Watch charger station looks a lot like a box. It has a practical design as the charger goes inside while the watch sits on top of the box to get charged. This makes it much easier to deal with cable management. It also has 3 USB ports that can be used to charge another 3 devices and it is very easy to setup. It is worth noting that the dock features a smart chip that can detect if the device plugged into the USB port supports fast charging.
The stand itself was not made to work with the 42mm. It still does but it was mainly designed for the smaller model. Just to make things clear the manufacturers did not include an actual charger in the kit. It only comes with the stand itself. It is still not very expensive and very easy to setup. From the pictures it might not look like much but the design and built quality are pretty good.
Pros
- Very easy to setup
- 3 extra USB ports
- Better cable management
Cons
- Not designed for the 42mm Apple Watch but it still works
Bestand 2-in-1 Apple Watch Charging Stand Holder
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Bestand 2-in-1 Apple Watch and iPhone charging stand holder is a great pick for the ones that are looking for something not too expensive and functional. It is a stylish stand made out of aluminum that has a special holder for the Apple Watch and another holder for the iPhone. On the back the dock features cutouts to enable better cable management while the iPhone holder can also hold a small tablet.
Even if the stand has holes cutout on the back for the cables, the cable management is not great. It does allow the user to arrange the cables a bit but it is still lacking from this point of view. Unfortunately the manufacturers do not offer a version just for the Apple Watch which would have been a bit smaller.
Pros
- Takes less than a minute to setup
- Robust aluminum construction
- Stylish design
- Can hold the Apple Watch and the iPhone
Cons
- Cable management is no great
Tranesca Watch Charger Stand Holder Dock
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Tranesca Watch Charger Stand Holder Dock is one of the few Apple MFi certified products in our list. This means that it is a bit more expensive but it is also of higher quality. It has great attention to detail and very minimalistic design that fits in line with regular Apple products. The dock works with both the 38mm and the 42mm model of the Apple Watch.
Usually, people go for aftermarket products because they are more affordable. This is not the case with the Poweradd. It is still a rather expensive accessory. As expected it does not come with a charger but it works with the standard one that comes with the Apple Watch. Cable management is decent and its compact size makes it quite friendly when it comes to space on a desk.
Pros
- Modern minimalistic design
- Works with both the 38mm and he 42mm Apple Watch
- Hides cables very well
Cons
- Price tag is a bit too high for an aftermarket product
Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock
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Apple Watch magnetic charging dock is one of the most interesting models in our list. It has a very minimalistic design and holds the watch properly into place. It is made out of aluminum which makes it more tolerant to drops. The model works with all Apple Watch versions and it is quite affordable especially since there is nothing complicated about it.
The dock was design more like support. The watch is simply placed on it without any means of securing it into place. If by accident, the cable is pulled, the watch will just come flying down. Also cable management is quite sleek as the cable of the charger is hidden inside the dock. Assembly is as straight forward as possible and no instructions are needed.
Pros
- Stylish and minimalistic design
- Works with all Apple Watch versions
- Very durable, made out of aluminum
Cons
- Does not hold the watch very secure in place
elago W2 Stand and Charging Dock
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elago W2 stand and charging dock is one of the smaller docks in our list. It was made to be as compact as possible and it does not look all that bad. It is covered with a special silicone coating that protects the watch from scratches and had some cable management. What recommends it the most is the low price tag.
The design of the dock is not bad. It is very minimalistic but it is not perfect. The Apple Watch needs to be placed perfectly in order to get charged. A small shock will cause it to slid off the charger.
Pros
- Very compact, takes almost no space on a desk
- One of the cheapest docks in our list
- Works with all Apple Watch versions
Cons
- Watch slides off the dock if it is not placed correctly
Mercase Apple Watch Charging Dock and Stand
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Mercase Apple Watch charging dock is a good pick for the ones that are looking for something practical. It is a 2-in-1 model that can be used as a dock for the iPhone and the Apple Watch. The stand is made out of aluminum. The finish of the product does make it look stylish. The Apple Watch fits perfectly into place and it works with the 38mm and the 42mm model.
As nice as the dock may look, it does not have any kind of cable management. It makes it very difficult to keep them hidden away in the back. The cables are kept out of the way but it is not ideal how the whole setup works. As for the dock, it is well made and for the price, it is surely worth putting it on the shortlist.
Pros
- Stylish design, made entirely out of alluminium
- Holds the Apple Watch properly into place
- Works with the 38mm and the 42mm version and it also can hold an iPhone
Cons
- No cable management at all
Press Play Charging Station and Dock For the Apple Watch and iPhone
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Press Play charging station for the Apple Watch is yet another Apple MFi certified product. It is one of the more expensive models but it is also one of the few that comes with a power adapter. The power adapter has an output of 8.2 amps which means that it is powerful enough to charge multiple devices at the same time. The dock can hold an Apple Watch and an iPhone at the same time. It also has two additional USB ports capable of fast charging.
The dock has a lot of features that sets it apart. The fact that it can fast-charge multiple devices is a bit plus but the price that one would have to pay for such a gadget is a bit high. Surely there are not that many docks that can do what the Press Play dock does and not everyone is willing to spend this much.
Pros
- Comes with a power adapter
- Supports fast charging on all the ports
- Works with all Apple Watch versions and newer iPhones
Cons
- The price tag is quite steep
Ziku Apple Watch and iPhone Charging Dock and Stand
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Ziku Apple Watch and iPhone charging dock is a great 2-in-1 combo. It has the design that all Apple products have even if it is made by a third party. The dock is made out of aluminum which adds to that premium look and works with all versions of the Apple Watch and iPhones. It does not require any kind of assemble and it managed to keep the cables out of sight.
As great as the dock might be, the price is a bit too steep. It does not a good value for money deal since there are similar docks for half the price. The dock does offer a rather decent cable management. The ones that are considering to get the model need to know that it does not include any charging cables or the charges themselves. The dock works with the standard chargers that come with the Apple Watch or the iPhone.
Pros
- Good cable management
- Premium build quality
- Works with all Apple Watch versions and with the iPhone
Cons
Tranesca Apple Watch Stand
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There is a lock of charging docks for the Apple Watch and most of them are 2-in-1 combos that also work for the iPhone. The ones that are looking for something basic and simple will like the Tranesca Apple Watch stand. It is a simple stand made out of aluminum with good cable management and a low price tag. The dock keeps the watch properly into place and does not require any kind of assembly.
Despite the fact that the watch sits nicely into place, the dock is not very secure. A simple shock or an accidental cable pull will cause the Apple Watch to just drop off the dock. The good news is that the dock is not very tall which means that even in the case of a drop, the watch should be safe. Cable management is a major plus since it can be hidden away since there are clamps on the dock to keep it out of sight.
Pros
- Works with all Apple Watch versions
- Very easy to setup
- Compact and stylish design
- Very inexpensive
Cons
- Not very secure
Orzly Compact Stand for Apple Watch
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Orzly Compact Stand for the Apple Watch is by far the most popular pick in our list. The reason why it is so popular is that it is very small, inexpensive and very easy to setup. It takes almost no desk space and works with the 38mm and 42mm Apple Watch. The design of the dock is very basic and it does not require any kind of assembly.
For the price, it is difficult to go wrong. It is a simple product that works as designed. It does not include a charger and a cable but that is to be expected form such a cheap product. Surprisingly the build quality is decent and it does not look or feel cheap in any way.
Pros
- Very compact and well made
- Works with the 38mm and 42mm Apple Watch
- One of the cheapest in our list
Cons
- Nothing worth mentioning
Which Apple Watch To Go For?
It can be a bit confusing to pick one dock for the Apple Watch. The vast majority of them are 2-in-1 combos and there are a lot of models that are simply overpriced. Some third party vendors sell basic pieces of plastic for ridiculously high prices. In order not to throw money away it is important to keep track of a few things:
- A simple dock or a 2-in-1? A 2-in-1 does offer a functional purpose but it is quite large for a dock. Odds are that getting two separate docks dedicated for the Apple Watch and the iPhone will save some desk space.
- With or without a charger included? This one should be simple as there are only a handful of Apple Watch docks that actually include a charger. The one that comes with the watch should work with all docks. It is worth mentioning that the ones that come with a charger are usually very expensive.
- Is it overpriced? It is always a good idea to make a shortlist of a few models. Everyone should look at as many models as possible because sometimes, manufacturers sell junk for ridiculously high prices. In some cases, we found the exact same product sold for double the price. Research is important and it should never be disregarded.