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The 6 best hybrid charging docks for Apple Watch, iPhone and iPad

Want to charge up your Apple Watch and iPhone - and maybe even an iPad too - at the same time? Here's our guide to the best hybrid charging docks capable of powering up your ever-growing collection of Apple kit simultaneously

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Best hybrid charging docks for Apple Watch, iPhone and iPad

There's a whole industry devoted to designing docks and chargers for Apple's iOS devices, and that industry got a boost last year when the Apple Watch arrived on the scene and created a demand for smart-looking docks for Apple's shiny wearable.

Read next: Apple Watch Series 2 review | Apple Watch & watchOS 3 tips

We looked at some of the best charging docks for the Apple Watch quite recently, but if you own an Apple Watch then you're sure to own an iPhone too, and quite possibly an iPad into the bargain. And, of course, other members of your family will have their own assortment of mobile devices that need charging.

That has given rise to yet another category of accessory: the hybrid charger, a brilliantly useful dock which charges multiple devices at once. We'll be looking at the best hybrid charging docks in this roundup.

Many of these hybrid docks focus on the iPhone and Apple Watch, but there are some weird and wonderful docks that can also charge an iPad - maybe even the 12.9-inch iPad Pro - at the same time. Some of these docks also have additional USB ports that you can use with non-Apple devices too. So here's our guide to the best docks and chargers for your ever-growing collection of Apple kit, complete with links to buy them right now if you get the urge.

See also: Best iPhone chargers and charging docks

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Next Prev apple watch 31

There's a whole industry devoted to designing docks and chargers for Apple's iOS devices, and that industry got a boost last year when the Apple Watch arrived on the scene and created a demand for smart-looking docks for Apple's shiny wearable.

Read next: Apple Watch Series 2 review | Apple Watch & watchOS 3 tips

We looked at some of the best charging docks for the Apple Watch quite recently, but if you own an Apple Watch then you're sure to own an iPhone too, and quite possibly an iPad into the bargain. And, of course, other members of your family will have their own assortment of mobile devices that need charging.

That has given rise to yet another category of accessory: the hybrid charger, a brilliantly useful dock which charges multiple devices at once. We'll be looking at the best hybrid charging docks in this roundup.

Many of these hybrid docks focus on the iPhone and Apple Watch, but there are some weird and wonderful docks that can also charge an iPad - maybe even the 12.9-inch iPad Pro - at the same time. Some of these docks also have additional USB ports that you can use with non-Apple devices too. So here's our guide to the best docks and chargers for your ever-growing collection of Apple kit, complete with links to buy them right now if you get the urge.

See also: Best iPhone chargers and charging docks

 

Best hybrid charging docks for Apple Watch, iPhone and iPad: Antsy Labs Duet

Price: $89
Buy now: Antsy Labs
Works with: Apple Watch, iPhone with Lightning connector

Launched on Kickstarter last year, the Duet is now available to buy from the Antsy Labs website. It costs $89 - roughly £61 for the UK - and there's an option to order in other currencies on the site, although that doesn't seem to work properly at the moment.

Fortunately, the Duet itself is better designed than its maker's website. It's constructed in two parts, starting with a smart little iPhone dock carved out of aluminium, and includes a Lightning connector for the iPhone 5 or later. The second part is a little arm that extends out at the side so that you can rest an Apple Watch on it as well.

You can buy the Duet with the arm on either side to suit left- or right-handed users, but you can't switch it from side to side later on: you'll need to make your mind up about that before buying.

 

Best hybrid charging docks for Apple Watch, iPhone and iPad: Belkin Valet Charge Dock for Apple Watch + iPhone

Price: £99.95
Buy now: Belkin
Works with: Apple Watch, iPhone 5 or later

There are two versions of Belkin's Valet available. The standard model just acts as a dock for the Apple Watch on its own. But we really like the second model, which lets you charge an Apple Watch and an iPhone at the same time. It's a bit pricey, at £99.95, but we like its smart, tidy design, which hides away those messy charging cables and leaves your Apple Watch just hanging in mid-air.

Most docks for the Apple Watch still rely on you having to use the standard charging cable provided by Apple. However, the Valet takes a different approach by having a special magnetic charger - certified for use with the Apple Watch - built right into the chrome arm that extends out to the side of the iPhone and supports the watch.

Tucked around the back of the Valet is a single cable for connecting to mains power, and this provides power to both the Lightning connector for the iPhone and the charger for the Watch. The Lightning connector is also adjustable, so you should be able to leave your iPhone in its case while charging.

 

Best hybrid charging docks for Apple Watch, iPhone and iPad: BlueFlame Power Station

Price: £69.95
Buy now: Apple Store
Works with: Any device with Lightning connector or USB charging cable

BlueFlame's Power Station isn't the most elegant charging device we've ever seen, but it is very practical and will come in handy for any home with a plethora of gadgets that need charging.

The main dock has two Lightning connectors on it, placed one in front of the other, and the sides of the dock are open so that you can place either an iPhone or iPad in each charging slot. The Power Station also has two USB ports on the side, which will allow you to plug in and charge any mobile devices that use USB, so you're not limited to Apple devices.

The Power Station costs £69.95 on the Apple Store in the UK - but for some reason Apple calls it a 'Four Device Charging Station' instead.

 

Best hybrid charging docks for Apple Watch, iPhone and iPad: EnBlue Premium One W3

Price: €139 (about £106)
Buy now: Enblue
Works with: Apple Watch, iPhone or iPad with Lightning connector

The German company Enblue makes a number of charging docks for the Apple Watch. There's the basic W1 that just charges the Watch on its own, while the €99 Premium One W2 lets you add an iPhone as well. Then there's the top-of-the-range W3, which lets you add a third device, which can be either an iPad or an iPhone.

The docks on the W3 both use Lightning connectors, so you'll obviously need to make sure your iPhone or iPad has a Lightning connector. The connector is adjustable, though, so you should be able to dock and charge your devices without having to remove them from any protective cases that you use.

The only minor drawback is that the W3 was released before the arrival of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro last year. However, Enblue recently released an upgrade kit for the W3 that adds a smart and sturdy glass base that can cope with the extra size and weight of the iPad Pro - albeit adding another £38 to the price.

 

Best hybrid charging docks for Apple Watch, iPhone and iPad: Griffin PowerDock 5

Price: £69.99
Buy now: Griffin | Amazon
Works with: Any tablet or smartphone with USB charging cable

Griffin makes a number of docks and charger, including its WatchStand for the Apple Watch, and the massive MultiDock that holds up to 30 iPhones and iPads.

Sitting somewhere between those two extremes is the PowerDock 5, which is a good option for an office or a family that has a stack of devices that need to be charged up every day.

As the name suggests, the PowerDock 5 provides five slots for tablets and smartphones. There are no Lightning connectors built into the PowerDock, but there's a USB port on the side of each slot to provide power for each device. The disadvantage of this approach is that you'll still have a mess of USB cables to deal with when charging all your devices. On the other hand, the USB ports will allow you to charge pretty much any type of tablet or smartphone that comes with a USB cable, so you're not limited to Apple devices alone.

 

Best hybrid charging docks for Apple Watch, iPhone and iPad: Native Union Dock Collection

Price: £72
Buy now: Native Union
Works with: Apple Watch, iPhone 5 or later

OK - this one is a little bit of a cheat, as the Dock Collection actually consists of two separate docks for the Apple Watch and iPhone, which are sold as a matching pair by Native Union.

However, we like their compact, minimalist design, which allows you to stand them side-by-side without taking up much space at all. The two docks are available in a variety of colours, and buying them together costs just £72.

Each of the Docks consists of a simple slab of aluminium and silicon, with a small slot that allows you to insert your Lightning cable for the iPhone, and the magnetic charging cable for the Watch. You can adjust the position of the Lightning cable in order to charge your iPhone while it's still in its case, and the Watch Dock can either stand upright or lie flat if you want to use Nightstand mode. Native Union also sells its own tough, braided cables that are up to 10ft long, so that you can move your devices around while they’re charging.

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