4 Anker Accessories That Can Upgrade Your Nightstand

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Emptying your pockets at the end of a long workday can be quite a surprising visual. You might be wondering how you were ever able to fit that much tech into a single pair of Levi's; you may also be wondering how you managed to fit an entire power bank in your pocket. These are your everyday carry gadgets — we're talking devices like phones, tablets, wireless earbuds, smartwatches, and so on. We're willing to bet all of this tech needs a good recharge, but there are only two AC outlets behind your nightstand. Not to worry: The talented folks at Anker are on the job.

A brand perhaps best known for chargers and charging accessories, Anker makes a number of useful nightstand companions that are perfect for charging several devices. They're also great at removing cord clutter, and all products are protected by at least one of Anker's multi-point failsafe systems. We know how tedious it can be to scroll through page after page of "charger" results, so we hand-picked the four best Anker accessories that can upgrade your nightstand. Less reading, less stress, but more value? It's all here, friends, and our first selection also happens to be our favorite.

Your nightstand may look pretty minimalist, but the same probably can't be said if you're a person who's always using your tech devices. Even if they're tossed haphazardly on your nightstand at the end of the day, the $40 Anker 9-in-1 Power Strip won't take up much more space; you also won't need to worry about your phone being dead in the morning. This Anker station requires AC power, and its compact size is rather misleading; there's actually enough chassis space to accommodate three AC outlets, four USB-C ports (two of which are 100-watt-rated), and two USB-A ports.

You'll get up to 1,000 watts combined across all three AC outlets, making the Anker 9-in-1 ideal for plugging in a lamp, alarm clock, or smart speaker. The entire unit features surge protection up to 300 joules, and Anker also provides an eight-point defense system to cover you against voltage spikes, short-circuiting, and other faults. One of the only things the power strip is missing is a wireless charging pad for topping off your MagSafe gadgets.

On Amazon, the Anker 9-in-1 scored 4.7 out of 5 stars, based on over 3,000 user reviews. Most feedback was at the 5-star level; that said, this one review (3 stars) mentioned defective USB-C ports after only a few days. On the whole, though, reviews don't seem to indicate a widespread issue with quality control, and Anker does provide an 18-month limited warranty.

If you're looking for a reliable nightstand charger that's tailor-made for your iOS arsenal, look no further than the $90 Anker MagGo 3-in-1 Charging Station. What the device lacks in actual ports, it makes up for in wireless charging capabilities. This is a Qi2-certified charger, and the main phone dock outputs up to 15 watts. Both the earbuds and Apple Watch charging surfaces deliver up to 5 watts, and Anker was kind enough to provide a 40-watt power adapter and a USB-C cable; a lesser brand would force you to use your own AC brick.

Measuring 3.46 inches from front to back and 4.88 inches tall, the MagGo 3-in-1 doesn't take up much space. We like that you can rotate your mounted phone up to 360 degrees and that it has 45 degrees of tilt built in, making it easy to flip between portrait and landscape orientations. There's also an 18-month warranty, and Anker's ActiveShield 3.0 is constantly monitoring the charger to ensure it won't overheat. And because this is a MagSafe-friendly charger, you should be able to charge an Android phone that has built-in magnets or a magnetized case — though your mileage with the latter will vary based on actual case design.

The Amazon crowd gave the MagGo 3-in-1 a 4.6-out-of-5-star score, based on over 2,600 user reviews. 82% of feedback was at the highest level, but one complaint caught our eye: There's no alignment guide on the earbuds pad. It's not the end of the world, but the 3-star review said that this caused heat to build up.

The smallest charging station on our list also happens to be the most powerful and packed with features. The $80 Anker Nano Charging Station is the device we're referring to, which may not look like much at first. But behind the curtain, you'll find a wide variety of connections, including three USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and three AC outlets. The charger has a built-in LCD display that monitors USB wattage, and the whole unit is shielded by 300-joule surge protection.

We like it when a manufacturer decides to build cables directly into the charger, which is exactly what Anker did with the Nano; you'll have two tethered USB-C leads to choose from, both of which are just over two feet long. You'll only need access to a single wall outlet to power the Nano, and to that end, it comes with a five-foot AC cord. Anker outfitted the charger with intelligent power distribution, too, so devices requiring the most charge receive more wattage.

When only one USB-C connection is used, the port will output up to 100 watts. When all four USB ports are in use, delivered wattage breaks down to 30 watts for the first and second USB-C ports, 28 watts for the third, and 12 watts for the USB-A port. More than 900 Amazon shoppers wrote in about the Anker Nano, collectively rating it 4.6 out of 5 stars. Most customers like the charger's performance and reliability, but if you're planning on using USB-C for fast charging, make sure your cables are Power Delivery-certified.

A standalone wireless charger may not sound very exciting — especially after we've talked about charging stations with built-in LCD displays and multiple USB ports — but the $40 Anker MagGo 360-Degree Wireless Charger isn't a device to ignore. This version of the charger doesn't come with an adapter, but it does include a USB-C cable; that said, you can always spend an extra five dollars for the one that comes with a power adapter.

Once plugged in, the MagGo delivers up to 15 watts to a docked device. The charging itself is protected by Anker's ActiveShield 2.0 tech, which takes a temperature reading 3 million times per day, according to the manufacturer. The defense system also protects against voltage spikes and current surges. You'll even be able to rotate your phone up to 360 degrees, and swapping between portrait and landscape viewing is a breeze, too.

On Amazon, the MagGo scored 4.5 out of 5 stars, a rating based on over 2,500 user reviews. Most folks like how easy it is to use, but a few customers noticed that the docking pad started to lose its magnetism after a few months; a few other users also reported that the magnet wasn't as strong as previous Anker MagSafe chargers.

Chargers and charging accessories are a dime a dozen, but Anker is typically a cut above the rest. The company puts a lot of time and effort into making some of the most reliable and versatile charging tech, and our goal was to home in on what works best for a nightstand. That meant we didn't want to include anything too big, but we also didn't want to sacrifice all the features and settings that Anker builds into its best charging stations.

In usual fashion, we referenced user feedback on Amazon to help pinpoint pros and cons, and we didn't bother selecting any item that scored less than 4 stars.