I tried this $100 wireless charging stand and it made my USB-C cable obsolete

• Price, availability, and specs
• What I liked about the ESR Cryoboost 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station
• What I didn’t like about the ESR Cryoboost 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station
• Should you buy the ESR Cryoboost 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station

I have a love-hate relationship with my phone chargers because the USB-C cables break at the worst times, leaving me scrambling to find a working alternative in a cluttered drawer. I’ve tried connecting a standalone cable to my Windows PC, but it often goes missing when my daughter wants to charge her iPad.

That’s why I was thrilled to try ESR’s Cryoboost 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station, which provides a single point to charge my smartphone, smartwatch, and AirPods. The brand impressed me with its Omnilock Magnetic Car Charger, and I was expecting the same high quality from this device. I tried this wireless charging stand for a week and here’s how it went.

Price, availability, and specs

Practical design and features

The Cryoboost 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station consists of four parts: the stand, detachable Apple Watch charger, USB-C cable, and charging block. The stand features a sturdy square base with a USB-C charging port on the rear and a built-in AirPod charging pad on the front. It also has a button to turn off the lighting and cooling fan features. A vertical aluminum tube links it to the angled charging pad with a large magnetic surface to keep my phone in place while it’s getting juiced up.

The nifty square Apple Watch charger attaches to the charging stand via the USB-C port. It can work on most laptops and includes a magnetic lid to keep it protected when it’s in your pocket or bag. Everything’s powered by the 50W charging block paired with a USB-C cable.

The nifty Apple Watch charger has a square shape and attaches to the charging stand via the USB-C port.

The design’s overall 3.4 x 3.3 x 6.6-inch size and 11-ounce weight was just right for me, and I had no problem slotting it in between my laptop and monitor on my desk.

The Cryoboost 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station is currently available from Amazon and the ESR online store for between $80 and $100.

What I liked about the ESR Cryoboost 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station

Solid construction and fast speeds

I liked the Cryoboost 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station’s overall build quality, and it feels like a premium product because of how well everything fits together. I also appreciated the minimalist design with rounded edges that compliments MacBooks and other Apple products.

It only took a minute to assemble the charging station, then I was good to go. My phone started charging instantly when placed on the charging pad, and so did my Apple Watch.

I loved the convenience of an all-in-one solution to charge multiple devices simultaneously instead of requiring separate cables for each. The intuitive design extends to the detachable watch charger, which is easy to connect and detach and portable enough to carry anywhere.

I loved the convenience of an all-in-one solution to charge multiple devices simultaneously.

Wireless charging is known for generating heat and ESR solves this issue with its Cryoboost technology. It’s a cooling fan built into the charging pad, which the company claims can reduce heat by around ten degrees Fahrenheit.

I live in sunny South Africa and had no issues with my phone getting hot while using this charging station. I also appreciated that the fan was virtually silent, and I didn’t notice it despite the stand sitting close by on my desk the whole day.

This Qi 2.2-certified charging station provides up to 25W wireless charging, the maximum speed supported by current iPhones, and it includes a 5W Apple-certified module for fast-charging my watch. When I was in a hurry, I’d unplug the USB-C cable from the station and connect it directly into my phone for superfast wired charging.

What I didn’t like about the ESR Cryoboost 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station

Limited adjustability

As much as a like the Cryoboost 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station, I wish it had a degree of adjustability. What you see is what you get and there’s no way to change the height or move the charging pad to face another direction.

What you see is what you get and there’s no way to adjust the height or position of the charging pad to face another direction.

ESR provides a warning that the charging station will only work with magnetic cases less than 2mm thick which don’t have irregular shapes, or built-in wallets and stands. This was true in my testing and I couldn’t get the charger to work with a kickstand case, despite the magnet holding it in place.

Should you buy the ESR Cryoboost 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station

It’s a simple decision

It’s worth considering the Cryoboost 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station if you’d like a single charging solution for all your devices and don’t want to plug in cables every day. It offers fast-charging speeds in a durable package, but you’ll need a compatible case for it to work with your phone.