Mobile devices and electronic gadgets have become our lifelines. Most of us now rely on mobile devices daily to check emails, make important calls and even discuss events with colleagues, friends or family. Because we use our devices so much, that means we need to charge them consantly. Let’s be honest though, charging can be a real pain. Not to mention, when you have multiple devices plugged into an outlet charging at once, thing can get ugly real fast. It doesn’t help that chargers are generally boring and ugly, looking like a block of, well who knows what. Wouldn’t it be great if we could finally have some smart chargers, or power adapters that are purportedly as advanced as our devices?
That’s why we spent some time seeking out a few unique ways to juice up our devices in style, namely our smartwatches. Keep in mind, all of these smart chargers offer a USB hub which means whatever gadget it is you want to charge, you’ll need a USB cable to do so. Unless, of course, you want to stick with your traditional, boring wall-charger?
10 Amazing Smart Chargers for Your Smartphone, Smartwatch or Wearable
You’ll have to juice up your device at some point, why not do it with style?
Powermat
This handy little accessory allows you to enable wireless charging for any device, even those that don’t come with it right out of the box. Of course, you’ll also need to have a certified Powermat location nearby where you can juice up your device. In select cities, places like Starbucks, McDonald’s and the Delta Sky Club all have powermats handy for users.
To take advantage of the system, you’ll need to purchase a power ring that plugs into the USB port of your device and enables the wireless charging support. Head on over to Powermat’s official site for more info.
Accel Powramid
If you’re looking to get a little more mileage out of a regular wall socket, the Accel Powramid might interest you. It’s essentially a round — and quite unique — surge protector designed to keep your devices safe from power surges, and juice them up.
It’s on this list because it also includes several conveniently placed USB ports, capable of outputting 2.1 amps of power to mobile and USB devices. To be honest, this one is a hit or miss. Some folks are going to love the overall design, while others are going to hate it. Don’t worry if you’re one of the latter, we’ve got plenty more on this list to choose from.
If you want one, it’s going to set you back $34.99. Not too bad, all things considering.
Converge Desktop USB Charger
If you just want something a little more appropriate for your desk, then you can’t go wrong with the Converge Desktop USB charger. It allows you to charge four devices simultaneously, all while hiding the unsightly wires.
The cool thing about the Converge is that it’s available in several different colors including black, white, blue and pink. This one is suitable for any home or work office, especially if you have a bunch of devices and their not-so smart chargers lying around.
You can pick up this bad boy for $69.99.
MyCharge Energy Shot
Portable battery smart chargers are becoming pretty popular these days, and it makes a lot of sense. They’re designed to be used in a pinch, when you need just a bit more juice in your device yet can’t get to a charger. The MyCharge Energy Shot is one such portable charger, of which it’s biggest benefit is that it’s pretty small — about the size of a AA battery.
While using it, you can shake the device to display how much juice is left but that’s not really needed because the Energy Shot only carries enough power for one full charge. It even comes packaged in a container that looks a hell of a lot like those energy shots you can buy at convenience stores.
It doesn’t hurt that it’s only going to set you back $24.99 should you decide you want one.
American Red Cross Hand Crank Charger
Ever wonder what life would be like if the power suddenly went out and you could no longer use your smartphone, smartwatch or tablet? The good news is, you won’t ever have to know so long as you have the American Red Cross Hand crank charger — boy, that’s a mouthful! It goes without saying, the biggest feature is that you can charge any USB device by cranking up the handle.
The charger also includes an AM/FM radio so you can keep up to date with the zombie apocalypse, and an LED flashlight and emergency beacon combo. Better yet, the whole thing can be powered one of several different ways including with AAA batteries, rechargeable batteries, the hand crank and solar power. Talk about emergency preparedness!
You can pick up one of these for about $40.
myFC PowerTrekk 2.0
Want one of those super nifty portable battery smart chargers? How about one that runs on hydroelectricity? Yep, that means all you need is some water (better hope you’re not stranded in the middle of a desert).
The PowerTrekk includes a power cell and a charger to get your devices up and running within 2 hours or so. You don’t need sunlight, and it can be used in complete darkness since it’s not solar powered. All you need to do is install the puck or power cell and put salt water in the reservoir and you’re good to go.
The PowerTrekk is 149 €, which is roughly $170 USD.
XD Design Window Solar Charger
If you have plenty of window space in your home or office and don’t mind mounting a solar charger, this one’s for you. The XD Design window based solar charger sticks right to a window and includes a 1,400mAh rechargeable battery inside. The solar energy coming in through the window keeps your charger and your device juiced up.
It’s available in several colors including black, silver and green.
This one might be a little more difficult to track down in the US since it’s from the Nederlands, but you can likely find it on Amazon or similar e-tailer sites.
BikeCharge Dynamo
If you’re a cyclist who’s frequently on the road, 
pedaling a bicycle, then this charger might be the ideal fit for you. The BikeCharge Dynamo is pretty much exactly what the name implies, a portable battery charger that juices up your gadgets as you ride. It includes an integrated 1,000 mAh battery that charges your devices directly as soon as they’re plugged in. The integrated battery is then juiced up thanks to a unique system that turns your spokes into an energy efficient machine. It even features three separate lighting modes to indicate what the charger is doing, whether that be juicing up a device or charging itself.
You can also purchase a power converter (to boost the charging capacity) and an additional 2,600 mAh power pack which holds more juice.
Everything is included with the base kit to mount this smart chargers hull to your bike. You can pick up one of these for $129.99.
Band by Tylt
This next one is really just a cable unlike some of the other smart chargers here, but that’s okay — because it’s an awesome cable! It’s a simple yet stylish charger cable for cars that will never get tangled. That means you won’t have to worry about it falling on the floor underneath your feet or dangling by the pedals.
In addition, it includes an extra USB port on the adapter side of the plug so if you have an extra cable handy you can charge multiple devices at once. It’s available in several colors including black, blue, red and yellow.
Worried about the price? Don’t be, it’s only $29.99.
Qimini
The Qimini is a really cool looking wireless charger that uses Qi (pronounced “chee”) wireless charging. Of course, to take advantage of Qi wireless smart chargers you’ll either need a device that supports it, or an adapter that adds the functionality to your device. The biggest difference between the Qimini and other Qi-enabled chargers like the Tylt Vu, is that it’s powered via USB. You don’t have to worry about carrying around a pesky power adapter or power cord. The necessary USB cable is wrapped up inside the Qimini and goes along with it.
It’s available in a variety of colors including red, black, green and white. Plus, the price tag is pretty reasonable at $59.95.
Do You Know More Smart Chargers?
Know another smart charger that’s not on this list? Feel free to share!
If you’re wondering, the photo used in the featured image for this article is simply a concept. You can see the original YoYo charger concept here at the designer’s site.