You can do better than the charging cable included with your Apple Watch. If you want to keep your watch from sliding off the charger, prefer to prop the face up to use it in Nightstand mode, or just need a replacement cable or charger for your desk or luggage, Apple is no longer the only company that makes cables, stands, and docks for the Apple Watch. We spent 20 hours testing 12 of the latest Apple-certified Apple Watch charging accessories to find the best options.
The research
The four types of Apple Watch charging accessories
The best replacement for an Apple Watch charging cable: Ugreen Magnetic Charging Cable for Apple Watch
The best Apple Watch charging dock with built-in cable: Dodocool Foldable Magnetic Charging Dock for Apple Watch
The best Apple Watch power bank for travel: Choetech Portable Charger for Apple Watch
Great bring-your-own-cable Apple Watch stands: Spigen S350 and Elago W3
The best way to charge an iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time: Zens Dual+Watch Aluminum Wireless Charger
What makes a good charging accessory, and how we picked and tested
The competition
The four types of Apple Watch charging accessories
These chargers get called all sorts of things. To make them easier to compare, we’ve grouped them into four categories for consistency:
A charging cable has a USB plug on one end and a magnetic charging “puck” on the other that attaches to the underside of the Apple Watch. This is the type of charger that comes in the box when you buy an Apple Watch from Apple.
A stand is something that holds your Apple Watch upright or at an angle while the watch is charging but doesn’t have any electronics inside—it requires you to use a separate charging cable and to insert the puck into the stand.
A portable charger is a USB power bank that has a battery and a built-in charging puck so you can charge an Apple Watch without any cables.
A charging dock is like a stand but has a built-in charging puck and an attached power cable that plugs into the wall or a USB port.
If you need to replace your original charging cable or just want a spare for your laptop bag or carry-on, Ugreen’s cable can charge your watch just as fast as the Apple original, with a slightly larger puck at the end.
If you need a replacement Apple Watch charging cable or an extra for travel, go with Ugreen’s Magnetic Charging Cable for Apple Watch. It works just as well as the one from Apple, it’s Apple certified, and it’s relatively inexpensive. The only real difference is the slightly larger magnetic charging face, which won’t matter most of the time.
In our tests, the Ugreen cable charged a drained Apple Watch Series 4 just as quickly as an Apple cable. In half an hour, the Apple Watch went from zero to 36 percent, a result that was actually a couple of percentage points higher than what we got from the Apple and Insignia cables we tried. Though an Apple Watch can’t charge as fast as an iPhone, any decent cable will fully charge an Apple Watch within a few hours while you’re asleep.
The Ugreen cable measures 43 inches end to end (about a meter, while Apple’s come in 0.3-meter, 1-meter, and 2-meter lengths) and has a traditional USB-A plug that will work with most phone chargers you probably already have. The biggest difference between Ugreen’s charger and those from Apple is the size of the charging puck: While it works just the same, the puck on Ugreen’s charger is about a third of an inch bigger in diameter and 0.14 inch thicker. These differences really matter only if you plan on using the cable with a stand, since stands are specifically designed to work with the size and shape of Apple’s chargers.
The best Apple Watch charging dock with built-in cable: Dodocool Foldable Magnetic Charging Dock for Apple Watch
This solid dock can hold your watch flat or at an angle, which makes it easy to see the watch face on a desk or nightstand. It folds down, so it’s a better choice for travel than a normal stand, and it doesn’t require an extra cable.
Although a cable will get the job done, you may prefer a dock that props up your Apple Watch while it’s charging and allows it to serve as a clock in Nightstand mode. The best all-in-one option for this scenario is Dodocool’s Foldable Magnetic Charging Dock for Apple Watch. This simple model costs less than a standard Apple Watch charging cable made by Apple yet adds important functionality. The folding design also makes the stand suitable for travel since it can slide into small gadget pockets on laptop bags or carry-on luggage. And Dodocool has had this dock tested and certified by Apple under the MFi Program, so it’s known to be safe and compatible with every generation of the Apple Watch.
The Dodocool Foldable Magnetic Charging Dock can charge your watch flat or prop it up at a 45-degree angle to make it easier to see in Nightstand mode. Photo: Sarah Kobos
Dodocool’s charging dock allows you to either lay your watch parallel to your nightstand or prop it up at a 45-degree angle, in landscape or portrait orientation. It’s roughly the size of a credit card and a little over half an inch thick. A rubber pad on the underside helps keep the stand in place, but you need to remove the regulatory sticker to take full advantage of the grippiness. The 41-inch, permanently attached USB-A cable should be long enough to reach wherever you need it to go. Although the matte-black plastic body doesn’t scream “premium,” it’s functional.
We measured the Apple Watch Series 4 at a charge of 27 percent after charging it on the Dodocool dock for half an hour—an admittedly lower result than the charge we got from the Ugreen and Apple cables in the same amount of time. But the only docks that charged the watch faster—the Ugreen Portable Charger Stand (33 percent) and the Choetech Apple Watch Charging Dock (41 percent)—had more limiting designs that we don’t think are worth tolerating in exchange for such a small increase in charging speed.
The best Apple Watch power bank for travel: Choetech Portable Charger for Apple Watch
You can do better than the charging cable included with your Apple Watch. If you want to keep your watch from sliding off the charger, prefer to prop the face up to use it in Nightstand mode, or just need a replacement cable or charger for your desk or luggage, Apple is no longer the only company that makes cables, stands, and docks for the Apple Watch. We spent 20 hours testing 12 of the latest Apple-certified Apple Watch charging accessories to find the best options.
If you need to replace your original charging cable or just want a spare for your laptop bag or carry-on, Ugreen’s cable can charge your watch just as fast as the Apple original, with a slightly larger puck at the end.
If you need a replacement Apple Watch charging cable or an extra for travel, go with Ugreen’s Magnetic Charging Cable for Apple Watch. It works just as well as the one from Apple, it’s Apple certified, and it’s relatively inexpensive. The only real difference is the slightly larger magnetic charging face, which won’t matter most of the time.
In our tests, the Ugreen cable charged a drained Apple Watch Series 4 just as quickly as an Apple cable. In half an hour, the Apple Watch went from zero to 36 percent, a result that was actually a couple of percentage points higher than what we got from the Apple and Insignia cables we tried. Though an Apple Watch can’t charge as fast as an iPhone, any decent cable will fully charge an Apple Watch within a few hours while you’re asleep.
The Ugreen cable measures 43 inches end to end (about a meter, while Apple’s come in 0.3-meter, 1-meter, and 2-meter lengths) and has a traditional USB-A plug that will work with most phone chargers you probably already have. The biggest difference between Ugreen’s charger and those from Apple is the size of the charging puck: While it works just the same, the puck on Ugreen’s charger is about a third of an inch bigger in diameter and 0.14 inch thicker. These differences really matter only if you plan on using the cable with a stand, since stands are specifically designed to work with the size and shape of Apple’s chargers.
The best Apple Watch charging dock with built-in cable: Dodocool Foldable Magnetic Charging Dock for Apple Watch
This solid dock can hold your watch flat or at an angle, which makes it easy to see the watch face on a desk or nightstand. It folds down, so it’s a better choice for travel than a normal stand, and it doesn’t require an extra cable.
Although a cable will get the job done, you may prefer a dock that props up your Apple Watch while it’s charging and allows it to serve as a clock in Nightstand mode. The best all-in-one option for this scenario is Dodocool’s Foldable Magnetic Charging Dock for Apple Watch. This simple model costs less than a standard Apple Watch charging cable made by Apple yet adds important functionality. The folding design also makes the stand suitable for travel since it can slide into small gadget pockets on laptop bags or carry-on luggage. And Dodocool has had this dock tested and certified by Apple under the MFi Program, so it’s known to be safe and compatible with every generation of the Apple Watch.
The Dodocool Foldable Magnetic Charging Dock can charge your watch flat or prop it up at a 45-degree angle to make it easier to see in Nightstand mode. Photo: Sarah Kobos
Dodocool’s charging dock allows you to either lay your watch parallel to your nightstand or prop it up at a 45-degree angle, in landscape or portrait orientation. It’s roughly the size of a credit card and a little over half an inch thick. A rubber pad on the underside helps keep the stand in place, but you need to remove the regulatory sticker to take full advantage of the grippiness. The 41-inch, permanently attached USB-A cable should be long enough to reach wherever you need it to go. Although the matte-black plastic body doesn’t scream “premium,” it’s functional.
We measured the Apple Watch Series 4 at a charge of 27 percent after charging it on the Dodocool dock for half an hour—an admittedly lower result than the charge we got from the Ugreen and Apple cables in the same amount of time. But the only docks that charged the watch faster—the Ugreen Portable Charger Stand (33 percent) and the Choetech Apple Watch Charging Dock (41 percent)—had more limiting designs that we don’t think are worth tolerating in exchange for such a small increase in charging speed.
The best Apple Watch power bank for travel: Choetech Portable Charger for Apple Watch
If you need to charge your watch away from an outlet and don’t want to carry a charging cable, this power bank can charge an Apple Watch around seven times on the integrated charging pad. The included dock holds the power bank up, so it doubles as a stand.
If you want a power bank with an integrated spot to charge your watch, we recommend Choetech’s Portable Charger for Apple Watch. The candy-bar-sized power bank stores enough energy to recharge a 44 mm Apple Watch Series 4 every day for a week. For the price, no other power bank offers as much battery capacity; smaller power banks don’t save you much money, and the only ones with slightly higher capacity can cost twice as much. It also has a USB-A port for charging your phone or other accessories. The included docking stand is what sets this model apart from the few other options available, as it provides an easy way to recharge the power bank itself and holds your Apple Watch at a viewable angle if you charge the watch while the power bank is docked. But you can get far more power for the same price if you instead buy a regular power bank and use an Apple Watch cable for charging; as with any Apple Watch power bank, you’re paying more for the convenience of the integrated Apple Watch charger on this Choetech battery. Our favorite feature of the Choetech power bank is the included plastic dock, which serves dual purposes: It’s a convenient place to hold and charge the power bank, and it props up your Apple Watch for Nightstand mode. You can simply fit the power bank into the dock when it’s time to charge, as it has an integrated cable for power. You can also charge the battery on a standard Micro-USB cable.
The power bank has a 2.1-amp USB-A output port and a Micro-USB input.
With a long, narrow design measuring 4.9 by 1.7 by 0.9 inches, the Choetech looks like many candy-bar-style power banks. It’s easy to pop into a laptop bag or purse and comfortable enough in larger pockets, but it’s too bulky to fit—or fit comfortably—in the smaller pockets on most clothing designed for women. Unlike standard USB-only battery packs, though, this power bank has an integrated, MFi-certified charging puck on its largest face. In our tests, the battery had enough capacity (5,000 mAh or about 18 Wh) to charge our Apple Watch a little more than seven times before running dry, which means it should last you for at least a week of watch charging, if not longer.
The USB-A port is as fast as any of the USB-A wall chargers you might use plugged into the wall at home, which makes it handy for powering phones, wireless headphones, and e-readers using the same charging cables. Even though the USB-A port is labeled for 2.1-amp (10.5 W) charging, it was capable of 2.4 amps (12 W) in our tests.
Great bring-your-own-cable Apple Watch stands: Spigen S350 and Elago W3
Our pick
If you have a charging cable but want your watch to charge upright and not slide around, we like the Spigen S350. Most stands look pretty similar and don’t cost much, but we like this one because it has a lip on the front that keeps your watch from sliding off when charging.
An inexpensive charging stand pairs with your Apple Watch’s charging puck so you can charge without your watch sliding off the pad, plus it makes the screen easily visible so you can check the time and know it’s safe to hit the snooze button. We’ve used about a dozen models, and our overall favorites are the Spigen S350 Apple Watch Stand and the Elago W3 Stand, which met all of our criteria and had no significant annoyances. Stands are simple accessories, and some models we liked just as much, such as the Moko Apple Watch TPU Stand, failed to earn our recommendation simply because they tended to go out of stock often or had fluctuating prices.
The S350 accommodates any Apple Watch band, closed or open, and has a nanosuction pad on the bottom to keep the stand from sliding around. Plop your watch onto the stand, and the S350 holds it in landscape orientation just above the surface of your bedside table or desk. A small ledge on the front supports the bottom of the watch while it’s docked. The ledge makes centering the watch on the magnetic charger easy and keeps it from falling off the charger or moving when you press the watch’s buttons—especially useful in Nightstand mode, where the watch’s side button doubles as a snooze control.
The Spigen S350 works perfectly but is about as plain and unobtrusive as a stand can get. If you want something with a bit more personality, Elago’s W3 Stand turns your charging puck into a cute-as-a-button miniature classic Macintosh, yet it’s still functional, quite stable, and affordable.
The Elago W3 Stand turns your Apple Watch into a tiny retro Macintosh. External floppy disk drive not included. Photo: Kyle Fitzgerald
The W3 Stand is made entirely of flexible silicone, in black or classic-Mac beige. (Go with beige for the best retro effect.) Once you’ve installed your watch’s charging puck in the stand, the cable routes out the back of the stand at the bottom so it looks like the tiny computer’s power cord. You just slide your Apple Watch in between the “screen bezel” and the body of the Mac, where it rests perfectly in landscape orientation, turning the watch into the mini computer’s screen. In this position, Nightstand mode makes the little Mac a great alarm clock; the open top edge leaves the watch’s side button accessible, so you can still hit the snooze button if you must.
The W3’s silicone body generally stays in place on a desk or nightstand—it doesn’t have a sticky pad on the bottom, so it’s not as stationary as the Spigen stand—and the W3 works with both open and closed watch bands. One nitpick: With the 38 mm Apple Watch, if you’re looking up at the “computer screen” from below, you can see a tiny bit of daylight along the top edge of the watch’s body. In normal viewing positions—looking down at it on your desk, or at eye level on your nightstand—you probably won’t notice this.
The best way to charge an iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time: Zens Dual+Watch Aluminum Wireless Charger
Zens’s Dual+Watch Aluminum Wireless Charger is the best dock capable of wirelessly charging your phone and Apple Watch, with room for a third device. That third charging spot means it can handle more devices than similar charging stations we tested, and it performs well while costing less.
This Zens charger is perfect for charging all your gear overnight. In our tests, it charged the empty battery on an Apple Watch to 40 percent after half an hour and brought an iPhone XR to 22 percent in that same period. That latter figure is somewhat low, but again, if you’re charging overnight, your devices will be fully charged by morning.
The charger has a basic but handsome design. It’s a 7.5-by-3.5-inch rounded rectangle with a metal base and a grippy top surface. The two charging coils, which you need to center under your devices, are indicated by glossy logos, and each activates a tiny white status light when your device is on the right spot and receiving power. Plus, this Zens model’s Apple Watch charging puck is MFi-certified, so it should work trouble-free with any series Apple Watch.
Instead of a standard Micro-USB or USB-C port on the back that would let you plug this model into any USB charger, it has a round barrel-style port and a special power cord—which means this cable is not as easy to replace as a USB cable would be if something goes wrong. But the company offers a two-year warranty, extendable to three years with registration, and multiple customer reviews on Amazon point out that Zens has been responsive to requests for support or replacement.
What makes a good charging accessory, and how we picked and tested
Depending on which Apple Watch features you use, you need to charge the smartwatch at least every couple of days, but more likely, you charge it daily. In most cases that means putting it on the nightstand while you’re asleep, on the vanity while you’re getting ready in the morning, or on the desk while you’re working. A cable’s charging puck can slide around your desk or nightstand (or, worse, fall behind it), and the watch can accidentally disconnect, leaving you with a drained watch battery. A stand or dock gives you a stable and reliable location to charge.
Our main requirements for a good charger:
It makes “docking” the watch—putting the watch on the charger or stand and taking it off—quick and easy.
It holds the watch securely: The watch won’t fall off if you bump the charger or stand, tap the watch’s screen, or press the watch’s buttons.
It works with any watch band, closed or open.
It stays where you put it.
It looks nice. Anything that’s going to be sitting on your nightstand or desk shouldn’t be an eyesore.
Beyond those criteria, we preferred stands that could hold the watch in landscape orientation for Nightstand mode (which turns your Apple Watch into an alarm clock while it’s docked) since that makes the time easier to read. But because Nightstand mode works in either orientation, we didn’t make this a requirement.
When considering docks, we looked for options that had MFi-certified charging pads to ensure that they would charge any Apple Watch correctly.
We tested each charging accessory by attaching a fully drained 44 mm Apple Watch Series 4 and measuring the charge level after half an hour. Any charger will fully power an Apple Watch in a few hours, and definitely overnight, but these results showed us what to expect in a shorter period and verified whether the chargers worked as well as Apple’s included charging cable.
For portable chargers, we considered those that included a built-in battery and an MFi-certified charging pad. We didn’t consider standard power banks that required you to use Apple’s charging cable; that approach adds clutter, and it’s a less expensive option only if you already have an extra Apple Watch charging cable. We tested portable chargers with the same 44 mm Apple Watch, pulling it off the charging pad when the battery hit 100 percent, draining the watch battery, and then repeating until the portable charger stopped providing power.
The Kanex DuraBraid Magnetic Charger USB Cable 3M For Apple Watch is the longest cable out there at 9 feet, but considering that it was more than double the price of the Ugreen cable and much more expensive than Apple’s own cable at the time of our research, we decided not to test it.
The Ugreen Portable Wireless Charger for Apple Watch is less of a stand and more of a charging puck with a USB-A connector attached. It may be useful for travel, but we think most people would be better off buying a cable for half the price.
Choetech’s Apple Watch Charging Dock has some features that are appealing on paper but not so much in practice. Two USB-A ports reside on the back, for example, but the combined output is only 2.1 amps. (The Amazon listing suggests not charging three devices at once because it will be “very slow.”) The dock also has a 600 mAh battery inside, but that’s rather superfluous for something that’s meant to be plugged in and is too large to travel with.
Power banks
Although Oittm’s 5000mAh Portable Charger performed almost identically to the Choetech power bank, we found the latter’s charging dock more valuable since it could double as a stand.
Griffin’s Travel Power Bank is a good choice if you need a dedicated backup for your Apple Watch, as it offers a charge and a half in a compact design. But it has no USB-A output, a feature we think is useful enough to pay extra for.
The Belkin Boost Up Charge Power Bank typically costs more than the Choetech model we recommend but provides less than half the charging power and doesn’t offer USB-A output.
Basic stands
We really liked the Moko Apple Watch TPU Stand, which looks very similar to the Spigen S350 but adds two nifty cable-management grooves—instead of sticking out the side, as on the S350, the charging cable routes neatly out the back. The Moko stand was a contender to be our top pick, but we decided against it because of inconsistent availability. If it’s available when you’re shopping and you prefer its aesthetics, the Moko stand is a very good alternative to the Spigen stand.
The ElevationLab NightStand is similar to the Spigen S350 but has no support ledge, so your watch can fall off the stand if you press the snooze button too firmly when the watch is in Nightstand mode. Typically it’s also quite a bit more expensive than the Spigen.
Orzly’s Compact Stand for Apple Watch looks like a nice combination of the best features of the Spigen and ElevationLab stands, though it’s a bit larger than each. Unfortunately, instead of a nanosuction bottom or silicone feet, it uses a 3M adhesive base that’s essentially permanent. We don’t think most people want an adhesive base, making this model difficult to recommend.
The Elago W2 Stand is made of a material similar to that of the W3 Stand but has a very different design. Although it puts the watch in landscape orientation for Nightstand mode, the front ledge on which the watch rests is curved, so in our tests the watch sometimes slipped off the charger when we pressed the side buttons too firmly.
Moko’s Charging Stand for Apple Watch and iPhone looks nice for an inexpensive stand and has a ledge on the front to set your iPhone (though you’ll then have the iPhone’s cable also sticking out the side). But it holds an Apple Watch with the screen facing the ceiling, making it difficult to see the screen while the watch is charging. In addition, the design of the cable groove makes it too easy for the charger cable to slip out, and if you have a closed watch band and you use the ledge for your iPhone, you have to move your phone out of the way to take your watch off the stand.
Premium models
Apple’s own Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock is a heavy and expensive option, but it’s a good choice if you want something more premium.
Twelve South’s Forté for Apple Watch is attractive and stable thanks to a heavy, leather-covered base and chrome-covered hardware. Its curved arm lets your watch sit in either portrait or landscape orientation. However, despite its high price, it requires you to use your watch’s own charging cable and puck, and because the cable isn’t firmly attached to the stand—you just press it into a groove in the back of the arm—the cable works its way loose over time.
Twelve South’s HiRise for Apple Watch is one of the nicer-looking models that use the watch’s own charger, and it’s very stable thanks to its wide base. However, the watchband slot in the HiRise’s pedestal looks somewhat unsightly without a band threaded through it. We’d rather spend a bit more for something like Belkin’s Watch Valet, which looks even nicer and includes its own charger.
Like the HiRise, Nomad’s Stand for Apple Watch is an attractive metal stand that uses the watch’s own charger. And like the HiRise, it costs too much for a stand that doesn’t include a charger.
The Griffin Technology WatchStand for Apple Watch costs less than many premium stands, but its plastic body looks less expensive, the stand requires you to use your own charging cable and puck, and we didn’t like how high (nearly 6 inches) it lifts the Apple Watch off the stand’s base.
The Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Dock for iPhone + Apple Watch looks great and is as fast as any other watch-and-phone combo charger. It features a 7.5-watt wireless charging pad for an iPhone, a 5-watt charging pad for an Apple Watch, and a USB-A port for charging other devices. But itʼs just too darn expensive for us to recommend.
Twelve South’s HiRise Duet takes Twelve South’s HiRise 2 Deluxe (our pick for the best iPhone dock) and raises the iPhone dock an inch or two to make room for a built-in Apple Watch charger at the base of the pedestal; the base also has a nice padded-leather covering to protect your watch. The Duet worked well in our testing, and it has all the features we like in the HiRise 2 Deluxe. However, the iPhone sits especially high due to the taller pedestal, and if you have a closed watch band, you can’t put your watch on the charger—or remove it—without first undocking your phone.
The Belkin PowerHouse Charge Dock for Apple Watch + iPhone is similar to our top phone-and-watch pick, as it uses the same MFi-licensed phone and watch chargers, but we like the look of the Zens model better. If you prefer the Belkin PowerHouse’s white-plastic design, it’s a solid option that costs a bit less.
and the Elago W3 Stand, which met all of our criteria and had no significant annoyances. Stands are simple accessories, and some models we liked just as much, such as the Moko Apple Watch TPU 
Stand, failed to earn our recommendation simply because they tended to go out of stock often or had fluctuating prices.
turns your charging puck into a cute-as-a-button miniature classic Macintosh, yet it’s still functional, quite stable, and affordable.
, the Apple Watch Magnetic Charger to USB-C Cable
is your only option.
, from one of Best Buy’s in-house brands, works well but is a bit more expensive than the Ugreen cable and offers no extra benefits or improvements.
looks similar to the Dodocool model we recommend but is more expensive without being faster or having any other material benefits.
is less of a stand and more of a charging puck with a USB-A connector attached. It may be useful for travel, but we think most people would be better off buying a cable for half the price.
has some features that are appealing on paper but not so much in practice. Two USB-A ports reside on the back, for example, but the combined output is only 2.1 amps. (The Amazon listing suggests not charging three devices at once because it will be “very slow.”) The dock also has a 600 mAh battery inside, but that’s rather superfluous for something that’s meant to be plugged in and is too large to travel with.
performed almost identically to the Choetech power bank, we found the latter’s charging dock more valuable since it could double as a stand.
is a good choice if you need a dedicated backup for your Apple Watch, as it offers a charge and a half in a compact design. But it has no USB-A output, a feature we think is useful enough to pay extra for.
typically costs more than the Choetech model we recommend but provides less than half the charging power and doesn’t offer USB-A output.
, which looks very similar to the Spigen S350 but adds two nifty cable-management grooves—instead of sticking out the side, as on the S350, the charging cable routes neatly out the back. The Moko stand was a contender to be our top pick, but we decided against it because of inconsistent availability. If it’s available when you’re shopping and you prefer its aesthetics, the Moko stand is a very good alternative to the Spigen stand.
is similar to the Spigen S350 but has no support ledge, so your watch can fall off the stand if you press the snooze button too firmly when the watch is in Nightstand mode. Typically it’s also quite a bit more expensive than the Spigen.
looks like a nice combination of the best features of the Spigen and ElevationLab stands, though it’s a bit larger than each. Unfortunately, instead of a nanosuction bottom or silicone feet, it uses a 3M adhesive base that’s essentially permanent. We don’t think most people want an adhesive base, making this model difficult to recommend.
is made of a material similar to that of the W3 Stand but has a very different design. Although it puts the watch in landscape orientation for Nightstand mode, the front ledge on which the watch rests is curved, so in our tests the watch sometimes slipped off the charger when we pressed the side buttons too firmly.
looks nice for an inexpensive stand and has a ledge on the front to set your iPhone (though you’ll then have the iPhone’s cable also sticking out the side). But it holds an Apple Watch with the screen facing the ceiling, making it difficult to see the screen while the watch is charging. In addition, the design of the cable groove makes it too easy for the charger cable to slip out, and if you have a closed watch band and you use the ledge for your iPhone, you have to move your phone out of the way to take your watch off the stand.
is a heavy and expensive option, but it’s a good choice if you want something more premium.
is attractive and stable thanks to a heavy, leather-covered base and chrome-covered hardware. Its curved arm lets your watch sit in either portrait or landscape orientation. However, despite its high price, it requires you to use your watch’s own charging cable and puck, and because the cable isn’t firmly attached to the stand—you just press it into a groove in the back of the arm—the cable works its way loose over time.
is one of the nicer-looking models that use the watch’s own charger, and it’s very stable thanks to its wide base. However, the watchband slot in the HiRise’s pedestal looks somewhat unsightly without a band threaded through it. We’d rather spend a bit more for something like Belkin’s Watch Valet, which looks even nicer and includes its own charger.
is an attractive metal stand that uses the watch’s own charger. And like the HiRise, it costs too much for a stand that doesn’t include a charger.
costs less than many premium stands, but its plastic body looks less expensive, the stand requires you to use your own charging cable and puck, and we didn’t like how high (nearly 6 inches) it lifts the Apple Watch off the stand’s base.
is handsome but lacks any sort of alignment indicator.
doesn’t work with iPhones from 2018, including the iPhone XS.
requires you to provide your own cables for both the iPhone and the Apple Watch.
looks great and is as fast as any other watch-and-phone combo charger. It features a 7.5-watt wireless charging pad for an iPhone, a 5-watt charging pad for an Apple Watch, and a USB-A port for charging other devices. But itʼs just too darn expensive for us to recommend.
takes Twelve South’s HiRise 2 Deluxe (our pick for the best iPhone dock) and raises the iPhone dock an inch or two to make room for a built-in Apple Watch charger at the base of the pedestal; the base also has a nice padded-leather covering to protect your watch. The Duet worked well in our testing, and it has all the features we like in the HiRise 2 Deluxe. However, the iPhone sits especially high due to the taller pedestal, and if you have a closed watch band, you can’t put your watch on the charger—or remove it—without first undocking your phone.
is similar to our top phone-and-watch pick, as it uses the same MFi-licensed phone and watch chargers, but we like the look of the Zens model better. If you prefer the Belkin PowerHouse’s white-plastic design, it’s a solid option that costs a bit less.
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