Satechi Smart Charging Stand for Apple Watch, Fitbit Blaze, and smartphones: Hands-on

The Apple Watch and Fitbit Blaze both come with USB cables that have a unique charging dock on one end. Setting these down on a table or desk often results in the wearable sliding around or falling off the desk. Satechi has a reasonably priced solution in the Smart Charging Stand.

Design and setup

The Satechi Smart Charging Stand retails for $34.99 and is available now. The package contents include the stand, A/C adapter, blank port cover, and adapters for the Apple Watch, Fitbit Blaze, and smartphone. You can purchase the stand in space gray, silver, and gold. It measures 3.5 x 3.5 x 3 inches and weighs about 8 ounces.

After removing the stand from the box, decide which device you will be charging on top and select the adapter. The Fitbit Blaze adapter includes an integrated USB cable so you can keep your other Fitbit Blaze charger for travel or charging at another location. You need your own cable/charging dock for the Apple Watch and your smartphone.

Remove the top plate of the Smart Charging Stand and then pass the cable through the top opening. Coil the extra cable under the top plate and then plug the USB cable into the port found in the base. Press the adapter into the opening and then secure the top plate to the base.

Satechi Smart Charging Stand for Apple Watch, Fitbit Blaze, and smartphones: In pictures

Plug the Satechi Smart Charging Stand into an outlet, and it will now be powered up. You can place your Apple Watch, Fitbit Blaze, or smartphone onto the top of the stand to charge it up. There are also three USB ports on the front of the stand so you can charge up three more devices from one convenient location.

Usage experiences

I was most excited about charging up the Fitbit Blaze because the default included charger flops around, is quite loose in securing the Blaze, and is anything but elegant. The Blaze module fits into the Satechi adapter, and there are rubber feet in four areas that help hold the Fitbit Blaze in place. However, when you first start using the Satechi stand, you have to make sure you press the Blaze back into the adapter so that the connection with the four pins is made properly. It took a couple attempts to get it right, but now the stand charges up the Blaze just fine.

For the Apple Watch, you use your own charging dock and insert it into the adapter. You can then charge up your Apple Watch with the top of the Satechi Stand proving to be large enough to rest the Apple Watch and band on top of securely.

There is also a smartphone adapter that you can use to run the necessary USB cable and charge up your smartphone as it is propped in portrait orientation on top of the stand.

I also tried running my Samsung Gear S3 USB cable through the opening and set the Samsung wireless dock stand on top of the Satechi Stand. This worked well, too, and the Satechi Smart Charging Stand is proving to be a convenient platform for charging up four devices without worrying about all of the A/C adapters.