Wesley Hilliard
The NYTSTND Quad Tray MagSafe is an expensive four-way charger made from leather and Amish-sourced wood that declutters your bedside table while remaining stylish.
NYTSTND offers a variety of chargers made of premium materials. We tested the Quad Tray MagSafe with an oak finish, black leather, and USB-C iPad connector, but there are other configurations to suit individual needs.
The Quad Tray MagSafe can wirelessly charge two devices on its five-coil wireless charger, an Apple Watch on its genuine Apple Watch charger, and an iPad on its built-in USB-C connector. It aims to be the one-stop charging solution for your bedside table.
Design and materials
Many modern charging solutions seek to capture a futuristic finish or mimic Apple's aluminum and steel design. However, NYTSTND chose leather for the base padding and Amish-sourced wood for the frame.
The design feels more like a piece of furniture than a piece of technology. The five wood finishes and two leather colors make it easy to customize a NYTSTND that fits your bedroom suite.
The leather is soft to the touch and molds to the shape of the charger well. An additional piece of leather is included to help keep the iPad balanced when placed on the charging connector.
One small complaint is the underside of the stand. The wood finish wraps underneath, and is beautiful, but will never be seen during use. There are four small padded feet in the corners to keep the stand elevated slightly and off the table itself. However, we'd have preferred some kind of rubber grip to hold the stand in place, since the padded feet tend to slide easily on a smooth surface.
Depending on your furniture, you may want to use some kind of Command Strip adhesive or rubber grip underneath the NYTSTND. Otherwise, the stand slides around with any touch, which isn't ideal.
Construction
The construction feels sturdy, but the handmade nature of the device shows in some aspects. For example, the leather padding in the tray in our model wasn't glued down entirely, so it was able to move around a bit until it settled properly.
Further examination shows the device consists of standard parts pieced together with screws and glue. We only note this because it makes repairing or replacing certain parts of the charger simple, as long as NYTSTND is able to send you replacement pieces.
The Apple Watch Charger is indeed Apple's genuine charger set into a piece of plastic — the wire attaches via USB-C behind a panel on the rear. The USB-C plug appears to be connected similarly, with a cable running to a port rather than a hard-line connection.
This means a crafty user can change out the charging puck for Apple's new fast charger introduced with the Apple Watch Series 7. Removing the charger is simple, but the actual charging puck is difficult to wiggle free from the plastic mold it is set in. NYTSTND says some pressure is needed to remove the puck.
Using the NYTSTND Quad Tray MagSafe
Small design nitpicks aside, actually using the NYTSTND is a delight. We were able to greatly simplify the charging situation at our bedside table thanks to this stand.
Rather than use four separate cables and adapters to charge your essential Apple products, we were able to charge everything from this stand with a single incoming cable. Previously we used the Belkin 3-in-1 wireless MagSafe charger and a USB-C charger to achieve the same result, but in a more clunky way.
Now, instead, we have a single elegant solution that charges everything while displaying it nicely too. We especially like that the iPad is propped up vertically to show notifications or for easy use as a bedside alarm.
Our iPad mini usually occupies the USB-C charger, but even the 12.9-inch iPad Pro was able to use this charger without issue. The included leather slip was able to provide enough support to keep the devices from rocking back too much.
The USB-C port is a bit awkward to use, however, since you have to angle the iPad just right to set it into the charger. We'd have appreciated some sort of indent or groove to help align this, but it isn't a deal-breaker.
The five-coil charging pad is a wireless charger capable of charging an iPhone at 7.5W. While this isn't technically MagSafe, it is magnetic, so the iPhone stays in place and won't slide off after a random notification vibrates the phone.
The pad can charge two devices at once at 5W each, so we were able to charge our iPhone 13 Pro Max and AirPods Pro simultaneously. This isn't the fastest charge, especially since the iPhone can charge at 15W on actual MagSafe, but it's enough to get a full battery overnight.
LEDs turn on to indicate charging has begun, so no need to guess if you've aligned the devices correctly. The LEDs also flash if any foreign objects are detected that could be dangerous to the charger.
Configurations
There isn't some catchy marketing name attached to these bedside chargers. Instead, the name describes the exact configuration. Customers can order the Quad, a four-device charger, the Trio, a three-device charger, and the Duo, a two-device charger. There is also the option of adding a tray for storing other small items.
Each of the configurations is made of the same materials and uses the main two-device wireless charging coils. The Trio adds an Apple Watch charger, and the Quad adds the USB-C or Lightning charger for an iPad.
Should you Buy a NYTSTND?
Anyone in the market for a good multi-device charger won't be disappointed in the NYTSTND lineup. However, the high price may deter many potential buyers.
The price is well worth it, however, if you want a piece of technology that can blend easily into your home design. Most other chargers will look like a piece of technology and don't always mix well with home aesthetics.
The high price reflects the use of Amish-sourced wood, quality leather, and hand-made construction. The Quad Tray MagSafe we tested costs $234 and prices range all the way down to $129 for the Duo MagSafe model.
Pros
- Sturdy construction
- Four-device charging
- Quality materials
Cons
- Slides on smooth surfaces
- Not actually MagSafe
- Difficult to replace Apple Watch charger
Score: 4 out of 5
Where to buy NYTSTND
Customers interested in a NYTSTND can visit the main website to configure their own. To purchase the one we reviewed, it is the Quad Tray MagSafe for $234.
Chip Loder
Christine McKee
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
AppleInsider Staff
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
5 Comments
Mmmm. Classy Amish-sourced ply wood.
That looks like a jumbled mess.
As ericesque notes, the "beautiful" wood is cabinet grade birch plywood, not something you'd present as a facade. The finish is both mottled and muted. I'd never let something like that out of my shop.