Lightning Docking Station for iPhone and iPad mini - a selection of the best docks

The fact that Apple has in the meantime taken the obligatory docking station out of its range and thought that something is not used anyway was obviously a misjudgment. The responsible product managers also had to admit that and with the introduction of the iPhone 5s they put a docking station on the market again. We now have the iPhone Xs and there are plenty of manufacturers besides Apple who offer docks with a Lightning connector. I took a close look at some of them and put the best models together here.

What to consider when choosing a docking station

There are a few things to look out for when choosing an iPhone dock:

• Models without a “back” or stable slot that holds the iPhone are not recommended if you intend to use the iPhone in the dock as well. Frequent pressure on the display stresses the Lightning connector and frequent pressure in one direction can also lead to a loose connection in the iPhone's Lightning socket. The Apple dock is a good example of this.
• If the dock ends close to the home button or partially covers it, it is difficult to unlock the iPhone with Touch ID.
  
• If you use a case on your iPhone permanently, you should Buy a charging dock that can be used with a protective cover on the iPhone. Some docking stations can only be used with a “naked” iPhone.
• Some docks come with a Lightning cable - others don't: so that you don't stand there without cables after unpacking the dock, you should remember to add a iPhone charging cable to be ordered if the loading dock does not have one in the scope of delivery. A USB charging plug is definitely not included - if you want to charge the iPhone with the USB plug-in power supply and not on the Mac, then you should this Put it in the shopping cart at the same time.

But now to my list of dock recommendations. I limited the selection to docking stations that have no audio function and only “specialize” in plugging in the iPhone and charging. All docks are designed for iPhone models with a Lightning connector - i.e. iPhone 5 and up.

Apple Lightning Dock - the original

The original Apple Dock is what you would expect it to be: high quality, minimalist, functional and expensive. :-)

Despite the high price of over EUR 50, the reviews are positive. In addition to the iPhone 5/5s or 6/6s/plus, the docking station from Apple can also hold an iPad mini. Unfortunately, the construction is such that there is no "backrest" for the device. It may look nice, but personally I would be concerned that I would bump into the device and break the plug or socket. If you are fearless in this respect and like expensive elegance, you can strike here without hesitation.

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Twelve South 12-1307 Hirise Desktop Stand

The manufacturer Twelve South is already known from other Mac or iPhone/iPad accessories, which are usually well thought out and evaluated. The material aluminum is used for this iPhone stand. And here, too, the Lightning cable is adjustable in height so that it can be adapted to cases. In addition, the "backrest" can be adjusted to fit the thickness of the inserted device. According to the manufacturer, the Twelve South stand can be used for iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 6, 6 Plus, 5, 5s, 5c, iPad mini and iPod touch 5. A Lightning cable is not included (which is a bit of a shame at almost 40 EUR). Twelve South recommends using the original Apple Lightning cable, as the stand was developed for this and other cables may not fit into the holder (a small file can work wonders here, however).

The product has a lot of good reviews, but also some bad ones. If you take the trouble and read the bad reviews, you will find that customers may have received plagiarism, which was by no means as well made as you are used to from Twelve South; or they complain about the missing Lightning charging cable (which is also not promised in the product description). From my point of view, the iPhone stand is also a recommendation, as it is very adaptable and is very stable due to its high weight.

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More interesting posts in the blog:

• Battery for the Samsung Galaxy S3
• 18650 chargers
• AirPods 2 - my review
• Wireless keyboards with a mouse - the best for Mac and Windows
• LAN cable

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SolidDock Silvery iPhone Docking Station - 900 g aluminum

Like the iPhone, this aluminum docking station is also available in rose gold and space gray, but the dock is also available in gold and silver. At around 60 EUR this dock is in the upper range of the price range, but you also get a massive, timeless dock that fits the iPhone models 6/6 Plus and 6s / 6s Plus as well as the iPhone 5 / 5s / 5c. The enormous weight of almost one kilogram (solid aluminum! Jony Ive would get wet eyes!) And special suction cups on the underside enable one-hand operation when pulling out the iPhone. The necessary Lightning cable from Apple is not included, but the customer reviews are still very positive:

The block basically consists of aluminum and some foam parts, which ensure that you can plug the (own) charging cable into the block in such a way that it no longer slips and you can now simply put the iPhone into the block. This is not only practical, but also simply pretty.
The block - in my case in gold, which looks noble, but definitely also attracts attention when it is on the desk - is so heavy that it cannot move even if you touch it, for which there are also small fastening strips on the underside ensure that they are easily sucked onto the surface.

The iPhone can also be inserted into the block with thin sleeves, but thin here also means really thin. Unfortunately, there is not much leeway.

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Conclusion: Large selection of good iPhone charging stations

The list is now quite long, although I have already sorted out many docks that look good, but then had so many technical defects that I could not recommend them here with a clear conscience. Due to the large number of docking stations, there should be something for both small and large budgets.

In any case, I would be happy if you would write your experience here in the comment field if you have one of the docks!

Jen Kleinholz( Founder & Sir Apfelot )

Jens has been running the blog since 2012. He acts as Sir Apfelot for his readers and helps them with technical problems. In his spare time he rides electric unicycles, takes photos (preferably with the iPhone, of course), climbs around in the Hessian mountains or hikes with the family. His articles deal with Apple products, news from the world of drones or solutions to current bugs.