Former tech executive and VC Sriram Krishnan is leaving the Trump administration at the end of June.

“It is hard to express how big a privilege it has been to serve the American people and how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to do so,” Krishnan said in a post on X. “First and foremost, it has been an honor to serve under President [Donald Trump]. Without his leadership, we would not be leading in the AI race.”

Krishnan, who’s been serving as a senior policy advisor on artificial intelligence at the White House, was one of a number of tech industry figures to take roles in the second Trump administration. Krishnan has led product teams at Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo, Facebook, and Snap, and he was most recently a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, a firm whose founders threw their support behind Trump during the 2024 election. 

In his post, Krishnan highlighted some “key public accomplishments,” starting with the administration’s AI Action Plan, which prioritized data center construction over regulation and safety. Since then, Trump has signed several executive orders around AI, including one that seeks to challenge state-level AI regulations and another focused on oversight that was delayed and narrowed after industry pushback.

Trump has also endorsed the idea that the government could take an equity stake in major AI companies.

Krishnan noted that the person he “worked [most] closely with over the last 18 months” was David Sacks, the investor and podcaster who stepped down as AI and crypto czar earlier this year and became co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

“[Sacks’] continuing advocacy for America winning on AI has been and continues to be crucial,” Krishnan said.

Next, Krishnan said he will be “building institutions” that tackle big challenges for “America and its allies.” According to The Washington Post, he’s planning to start an outside institution that will still give him a role in influencing Trump’s AI policy.

“Whether it is energy, data centers or a clear path for Americans to experience the benefits of AI, there are many tough issues we all need to navigate together,” Krishnan said.

science

DoE wants to keep 13 coal-fired power generators going at the same time as funding nuclear research

The Trump Administration is using Cold War-era rules to authorize up to $500 million in funding to keep 13 coal-fired power plants going and build a coal export terminal in California.

America’s Department of Energy (DoE) says it is securing the funding via the Defense Production Act (DPA), which grants the president authority to use federal financial incentives to stimulate private domestic industry deemed critical to national defense.

At the same time, the DoE announced that one of the advanced nuclear reactor projects it has been sponsoring has achieved criticality ahead of a July 4 deadline set by President Trump.

That DPA funding includes up to $425 million for 12 projects to “expand and reinvigorate” the aging US coal power fleet, plus up to $75 million for the West Gateway Terminal Project in Oakland, California.

This will be an export terminal reached by rail, capable of handling more than 10 million tons annually, which the government hopes to export to nations such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

The pretext for authorizing funding via the DPA is that the DoE is ensuring the US maintains the industrial capacity and energy resources it needs to strengthen national security.

Those projects chosen are intended to keep domestic coal mining alive and support reliable baseload power generation to boost the resilience of critical energy infrastructure, the DoE said.

The coal industry in America has been declining for decades. It delivered 578 million tons in 2023, less than half the amount produced in 2008 when coal production peaked, according to figures from the US Energy Information Administration.

And according to a report from the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), it was largely due to natural gas becoming cheaper, rather than green energy rules or clean air legislation, while solar and wind have also proved a competitive threat to coal.

But the recent AI-driven datacenter build boom has pushed electricity demand upwards after years of stagnation, prompting coal-fired plants to stay online rather than retire.

A group of environmental nonprofit organizations warned earlier this year that coal plants in America emit pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), both threatening human health, in addition to the greenhouse gases belched out.

The DoE is at least pushing ahead with new nuclear reactor technology. One of its advanced reactor designs, the Mark-0 from Antares Nuclear, has successfully completed what the agency calls a zero-power fueled criticality demonstration at the Idaho National Laboratory.

This is basically a test running a controlled, self-sustaining chain reaction, but with no electricity generation involved, simply to show that the reactor can operate safely.

Perhaps the reason for the announcement is that Energy Secretary Chris Wright promised in an interview with Bloomberg last year that at least one small nuclear reactor project would be online by July 2026.

Sustaining a test chain reaction doesn’t really count as online in our book, but we’ll let that pass.

The DoE said the Mark-0 is the first of multiple advanced reactors anticipated to go critical by July 4, the 250^th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence.

“It is fitting that on the eve of our nation’s 250th anniversary, we are witnessing a historic moment for American energy,” Secretary Wright commented. “For the first time in more than four decades, a new privately developed non-light-water reactor has reached criticality in the United States.”

The DoE announced the Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program last June, and in August disclosed a list of ten companies it has accepted to take part, including Antares Nuclear.

In other news, the department also trumpeted that Japan is officially joining the Trump Administration’s Genesis Mission, billed as a national effort to use AI to drive scientific discoveries.

Japan’s RIKEN scientific research institute and Fujitsu began working with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Nvidia to build the compute infrastructure for Genesis back in January, but now the DoE says that Japan and the US are both contributing $500 million each to the project.

The move makes Japan the first, and so far only, international partner on Genesis. ®

As a crowd of 60 anti-vaxxers squeezed into the upstairs dining area of Jonathan’s Grille in Nashville on a recent Monday night, a moment of pride washed over Scott Armstrong.

Years ago, he had been let go from his job as a drug and alcohol counselor for refusing to get vaccinated. Now, unvaccinated people from all over the country were piling into the sports bar to meet others like them. There was a woman who flew in from New Jersey and another from Philadelphia. One group drove up from Florida.

They were there to attend a mixer hosted by Unjected, an anti-vaccination dating app that, according to its website, is “built on creating health-conscious relationships.” It was the second stop on Unjected’s four-city “Summer of Love” tour meant for singles who oppose the Covid-19 vaccine.

“We’re still some of the most persecuted people in society right now,” Armstrong, who now owns a video production company and helped organize the event, tells WIRED. “People still express this absolute hatred for us and for our beliefs in natural health. It just continues to encourage us to host these meetups.”

The reorientation around in-person events to cure app fatigue is a major trend among dating apps struggling for signs of new life. According to ticketing platform Eventbrite, IRL dating events have been on the rise since 2025. Tinder, as part of its rebrand this year, announced it was investing in member meet-ups. But singles in the anti-vax community say for them the events are about connecting with people—potentially future partners—who, above all, believe in bodily autonomy.

Other platforms include the app Unjabbed, NoVax.Singles, Unjuiced.Date, and the Reddit-style dating and community site also named Unjabbed.net, whose members are spread across the US and Europe. PureBlood.Dating, which operates like a social club, launched earlier this year with a street marketing campaign, posting flyers around San Francisco to attract members that urged people to sign up for notifications on its website if they wanted to join a “community for unvaccinated singles to connect at real, in-person events.”

“This is really a pro-freedom movement. It’s not just an anti-vaccination movement,” says Shelby Hosana, the 32-year-old founder of Unjected. “Whatever goes in your body and whatever you do with your body is 100 percent your choice.”

Unjected was designed specifically for people against the Covid vaccine but, according to its site, it is against all vaccinations. Members operate on an honor system, though the app does offer a premium tier—“Unjected Verfied”—where they attest to their unvaccinated status by affidavit. In 2021, the same year it launched, Unjected was removed from the Apple App Store for violating Covid misinformation policies. The app was reaccepted into the App Store, in addition to being uploaded onto Google Play, in fall 2024, which Hosana attributes to “the timing in the world.” Donald Trump, who in the past promoted the myth that childhood vaccines were linked to autism, won reelection that November.

Covid and other vaccines have been proven safe through rigorous trials and years of research, and prior to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine skeptic, taking over the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reflected those realities. Recommendations, according to the agency, are updated when warranted by new scientific research and are also monitored by the Food and Drug Administration, which collaborates with government and non-government partners to guarantee vaccine safety.

With the Trump administration weakening vaccine policies and more Americans opting out, the US is seeing a rise in the incidence of diseases that were largely stamped out. According to multiple recent reports, fatal illnesses that many vaccines are known to protect against are again on the rise in the US, including measles, whooping cough, tuberculosis, and various bacterial infections.

security

Totally different attack from the break-in last month. Oh so that’s OK then 

Oxford University students seeking work will be dismayed to learn that crooks have breached a second external platform provider for the university in as many months.

The institution’s CareerConnect platform, provided by Group GTI, was the target of the intrusion, which exposed users’ full names and email addresses. Those who don’t use single sign-on (SSO) had their encrypted passwords leaked, too.

CareerConnect forms part of Oxford University’s career services department, supporting students and alumni to find work opportunities. It is available to students, alumni, research staff, and recruiters.

The same underlying technology powering the platform, which GTI markets as TargetConnect, is used by other universities in the UK and overseas, according to its website.

OxfordUni said the May 28 attack was enabled by a “security vulnerability,” which has since been fixed.

GTI has not publicly disclosed the security snafu itself, and did not respond to our requests for more information. The London-based tech company has not confirmed how many individuals were affected by the break-in, nor whether any data was stolen.

It has also not explicitly stated which types of individuals were affected, although Oxford’s announcement listed “alumni, research staff, and employer users” as those who had their passwords forcibly reset following the attack.

“There is no evidence that course information, uploaded files, appointment information, or financial information were involved in this incident,” the announcement went on to say. 

“GTI has stated this breach appeared to be focused on gathering credentials which may lead to phishing attempts.”

The university did not list current students as among those affected, but told student newspaper Cherwell that names and email addresses might be compromised, and said the attack was entirely separate from the one which hit Instructure’s Canvas last month.

Twice bitten

Oxford University was just one of the circa 8,800 educational institutions affected by the mega breach at Canvas, a separate platform that’s also relied upon by schools, colleges, and universities.

Seemingly timed by ShinyHunters to coincide with exam season, students across multiple countries were left without access to learning materials, tests, and grades at a pivotal time of the year.

The scale of the attack was vast, affecting the usernames, email addresses, course names, enrollment information, and messages of up to 275 million students, teachers, and staff.

The severity of the situation, coupled with the inopportune timing, led to Instructure “reaching an agreement” with ShinyHunters to prevent the criminal gang from leaking all the data online.

In cyberese, this implies Instructure paid the criminals an extortion fee in exchange for their word that they would delete the stolen data. 

“We received digital confirmation of data destruction (shred logs),” Instructure said, adding “We have been informed that no Instructure customers will be extorted as a result of this incident, publicly or otherwise.” ®

President Donald Trump said on Friday that he’s spoken to AI companies about striking deals “where the American people can benefit from the success of AI.”

Trump does not seem to have mentioned specific companies in his comments, but OpenAI is a likely candidate, especially after CNBC reported that the Trump administration has indeed been discussing an equity stake with the AI company.

CNBC said some of that equity could be used to seed a “Public Wealth Fund” recently proposed by OpenAI. As outlined by the company, proceeds from the fund “could be distributed directly to citizens, allowing more people to participate directly in the upside of AI-driven growth, regardless of their starting wealth or access to capital.”

According to Bloomberg, when reporters on Air Force One asked Trump about the idea, he replied that he’s been talking to AI executives about “concepts where pieces could be given to the American public, where the American public essentially becomes a partner with the companies.”

Bloomberg also reports that CEO Sam Altman has been discussing the idea of a government stake in major AI companies since early 2025.

This seems to align with Trump’s broader interest in government ownership of for-profit companies — most notably, with the government taking a 10% stake in struggling chipmaker Intel last year.

The idea has also found some traction on the left, with Senator Bernie Sanders this week proposing a one-time, 50% tax that companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI (which is part of SpaceX) would pay in the form of stock.

With all of those businesses potentially going public this year, Sanders argued this tax would “give the public a direct role in determining the future of this technology” and “guarantee that the trillions of dollars potentially generated by A.I. are used to improve the lives of all of us.”

David Sacks, an investor who recently stepped down from his role as Trump’s AI and crypto czar, posted that he can see why Sanders’ idea resonates, “including with many on the right,” but warned it would actually “accelerate the corporate-government fusion we’re already sliding toward.”

Elsewhere on social media, former Microsoft employee Dare Obasanjo suggested, “The groundwork is already being laid for a government bailout of OpenAI.”

Chinese electric vehicles face 125% cumulative tariffs, a proposed Senate ban, and fierce opposition from lawmakers and the US auto industry. But there is a growing possibility that Chinese EVs will be sold in the US within the next few years. The routes in are multiplying: through Canada, Mexico, and partnerships with the very automakers that publicly oppose them.

China captured nearly 75% of global EV manufacturing and 40% of global EV trade in 2025, according to the International Energy Agency. Production of 16 million electric cars outstripped domestic demand by 20%, pushing exports to a record 2.5 million. “The only market in the world they have not yet penetrated is the United States,” said Michael Dunne, CEO of Dunne Insights.

The Big Three are in an awkward position. Ford, GM, and Stellantis have retreated from aggressive EV plans while most experts agree electrification is the future. “U.S. companies have stepped back from a lot of their electric vehicle campaigns, because they haven’t been able to develop, in an inexpensive way, a compelling value proposition,” said Stephen Dyer of AlixPartners. “You can’t be competitive if you’re not in the game.”

Yet all three are quietly deepening ties with Chinese automakers. Ford is in talks with Geely to create a European partnership and, according to The Wall Street Journal, “appears to be opening the door to allowing Chinese cars in the U.S. at some point.” GM imports CATL battery cells for its Chevy Bolt. Stellantis owns 21% of Leapmotor and a 51% majority of a joint venture that its CEO said could expand into Mexico and Canada.

Geely is already using Volvo’s plants rather than building new factories, giving it manufacturing bases in both Europe and the US without greenfield investment. The Volvo factory near Charleston, South Carolina, could be adapted for other Geely platforms, including Zeekr, the brand Waymo uses for its robotaxi fleet.

Chinese EVs are already arriving in Canada, where Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a deal in January permitting up to 49,000 Chinese-built EVs annually at a 6.1% tariff rate. In Mexico, Chinese vehicles account for a quarter of total sales. BYD and Geely are among finalists vying to purchase a Nissan-Mercedes plant there. GAC announced plans to begin assembly in Mexico this year.

Trump expressed support in January for letting Chinese companies manufacture in the US, provided they employ American workers. But hurdles remain. A Senate bill to permanently ban Chinese automakers has bipartisan backing. Regulations restrict Chinese-developed software in connected vehicles. And the USMCA trade deal is up for renewal, with the Trump administration pushing for a new US-content requirement in vehicles.

Even the border is becoming porous. Chinese EVs from BYD, Geely, and Xpeng are showing up along the US-Mexico border, purchased at Mexican dealerships for under $20,000 by citizens who commute to US border cities. Registration in the US is nearly impossible, but the demand signal is clear. According to Kelley Blue Book, 38% of Americans would consider buying a Chinese vehicle.

China’s domestic market is also pushing companies outward. EV and hybrid sales in China fell 6.8% year-over-year in April. Overall vehicle sales dropped 21.5%. Overcapacity and intensifying competition mean Chinese automakers must export to survive.

“By 2030, we will see some form of Chinese cars on American roads,” Dunne said. “One way or another, they’ll find their way in.” The question is whether Detroit will be a partner or a bystander when they do.

Electricity has split water into hydrogen and oxygen for generations in classrooms and labs. Bubbles form at two electrodes, gases rise, and the show ends there for most observers. A closer look at what actually happens during the process, combined with one key addition, changes the outcome entirely.

A pH indicator dye produces an unexpected reaction in a basic water cell containing water and a trace of sodium sulfate. The solution at the + electrode turns bright red because acid begins to form, but it is the wrong sort, whereas the solution around the electrode turns a beautiful blue as a base forms. Oxygen begins to bubble from one side, while hydrogen does the same on the other. When the two sides are blended, the colors fade, the solution returns to neutral, and the process must be repeated. The reactions do not just split water molecules in two, as one might expect; rather, they create two distinct chemical environments that generally balance each other out and sit there doing nothing.

It simply required a thin barrier to transform everything. Makers are increasingly creating their own ion-exchange membranes from components widely available at hardware stores and water-treatment companies. You can grind up the resin beads from the water softeners, mix them half and half with some PVC cement, and place the mixture on a sheet of fabric or silicone. Once dried, the sheet allows only positive or negative ions through, depending on the resin you use. The two sides of the cell are cleanly segregated, so acid stays acid and base stays base, because each compartment can just go off and do its own thing without interruption.

The separation of iron is one of the most evident examples of this. Take a load of crushed magnetite ore, a type of iron oxide that can be found everywhere, and place it on the acid side of the cell. The acid dissolves the ore and begins to transfer iron ions into the solution. The liquid then moves to the cathode compartment. Next thing you know, electricity is zapping those iron ions out of solution and depositing them as solid metal on the electrode surface, resulting in a clean layer of pure iron. At the same time, chloride ions or whatever carrier you’re using start filtering back through the membrane, regenerating fresh acid on the original side. The acid simply cycles, so you only need to add new ore. If the iron coating becomes too thick, the electrodes may need to be replaced. A tiny cell, on the other hand, may produce useable metal using just about a third of a watt and does not require an oven or high-temperature carbon reduction.

The same concept can be used to produce a far more practical energy storage system. A flow battery consists of an iron sulfate solution in water that has been stabilized with citric acid. Its main components are carbon felt electrodes, which are simply cut from normal welding blankets that have been burnt and cleaned to a nearly pure state before having their surface area blown up with microwaves. These electrodes are on either side of a single membrane. During charging, electricity is used to boost the chemistry’s energy level. When discharged, the ions penetrate the membrane and the cell generates electricity, approximately 1.2 volts and up to half an amp in a simple design using a bucket as the container. Because the active chemicals are floating in liquid tanks rather than fixed inside solid plates, the capacity simply grows with tank size, allowing you to add more solution or larger reservoirs as needed. To increase voltage, simply stack many cells, and because the liquids are in a movable solution, pumps may be employed to move them around and keep the system running longer. Crucially, the architecture allows for extension in ways that standard batteries cannot.

When you employ this simple method, hydrogen generation improves dramatically. With the membrane in place, hydrogen forms at the cathode in a sodium hydroxide solution and simply escapes via a tube via its own steam. The oxygen remains on the other side of the cell. There is no need for an additional compressor, and the gases do not mix within the cell. You can even increase the pressure to a suitable level simply by stiffening the vessel. The efficiency also improves because the reactions are no longer competing for a common place.
[Source]

Best 2-in-1 Chargers

With a weighty base, an adjustable Qi2/MagSafe charging pad, and a fold-out Apple Watch charger around the back, this Zens 2-in-1 is ideal for folks with an iPhone and Apple Watch. The Apple Watch pad folds out of the back, tucking your watch out of sight and allowing room for the strap to droop. The pad works great with StandBy mode. You can also fold the pad flat and charge AirPods or other phones if you need to, just not at the same time as your iPhone. Sadly, this has a barrel port for the provided cable and charger (USB-C would be better), the Apple Watch charger can be a little stiff and tricky to fold out, and it’s pricey, but I love the quality, look, and feel.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Belkin

Advertisement

UltraCharge 2-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Wireless Charger (Qi2 25W)

Belkin’s UltraCharge 2-in-1 unseats our previous favorite, the BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1, which is still a great option. However, the latest model features Qi2 25W charging support to charge compatible devices even faster. It also has a folding design, allowing you to take it with you on the go, but it also works great as a permanent charger for your desk or nightstand. Over on the back, there’s a spot to place AirPods or any wireless earbuds with wireless charging. What’s also great is the spare USB-C port—you can pop in a cable to charge your Apple Watch at 5 watts (or another device); it just won’t charge very fast. (Belkin also has a 3-in-1 version of this model if you want a dedicated spot for the Apple Watch.) Best of all, Belkin includes a very compact 45-watt power adapter and a USB-C to USB-C cable, which is better than many other wireless chargers that cost more. It’s a nifty little thing, and looks great in blue. —Julian Chokkattu

iOttie Velox Duo for $33: This was our 2-in-1 pick for a while. The black-and-gold combo looks great, the magnet is strong, and there’s a weighted base. On the downside, it only charges iPhones at up to 7.5 watts. The permanently attached USB-C cable is a good length, but you do have to provide a wall adapter.

More 3-in-1 Chargers to Consider

We have tested several other 3-in-1 Apple charging stations. Here are a few we liked:

Photograph: Simon Hill

Noco X Grid XDS3 for $130: Well-made, with an eye-catching design, this 3-in-1 charger has a wide base that’s great for stability. It’s easy to remove your iPhone one-handed too, though it does have a relatively large footprint. It’s a bit bulky to travel with. You can stick your Qi2 phone to the pad in portrait or landscape, and the large bottom 5W pad is suitable for AirPods or even a second phone. It supports Apple Watch fast charging, but I didn’t like the way my Apple Watch tended to tilt to one side, and the charging pad positions are fixed (you can’t change the angle). You get the adapter, generous 6.5-foot braided USB-C cable, though, and plug adapters for different countries in the box.

Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe for $100: Twelve South’s 3-in-1 is an elegant wireless charger for the nightstand and gives the iPhone plenty of breathing room to rotate it to landscape mode and take advantage of StandBy. I like that the iPhone charger can swivel up and down. On the base is a fast charger for the Apple Watch that you can flip up, and the back has a spot for the AirPods or another wireless earbuds case. It’s nice and weighty and doesn’t slide around easily. It comes with a proprietary, removable charging cable, along with a charging brick, and international plug adapters for the US, UK, EU, and AU.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Anker Prime 3-in-1 Charging Station for $150: Sporting a tree design similar to our top pick from Belkin, the very latest Qi2 25W charging, fast Apple Watch charging, active cooling, and an interactive display, this is perhaps the most feature-packed 3-in-1 charger on the market. You can connect via Bluetooth and configure in the app to set wallpapers for the clock, schedule night mode to dim the display and turn off the cooling, and track your charging stats in a table. I’m just not sure it’s worth the premium. The finicky touch display is flat, so you have to sit up to see it, and it looks a bit cheap to me. It also feels superfluous when your iPhone already offers Standby mode.

Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe for $112: This was our old 2-in-1 pick for iPhone and Apple Watch. I like the soft-touch finish, the pad on top can move through 70 degrees, and the shelf for your Apple Watch works with any strap. The braided USB-C cable is permanently attached, but you get a 30-watt wall charger in the box. I don’t remember having issues when I first tested, but using it again, I found the weight of the camera end of my iPhone 14 Pro caused it to slowly droop when in StandBy mode. It’s also kinda pricey.

Zens Office Charger Pro 3

Photograph: Simon Hill

Zens Office Charger Pro 3 for $85: I’m a fan of some of the interesting, out-of-the-box designs that Zens turns out, but this 3-in-1, while well-made and perfectly functional, doesn’t really stand out. It’s Qi2 certified (15W for iPhone, 5W for Apple Watch, 5W for AirPods), looks nice, and comes with the cable and charger, though it has a barrel port.

Lululook 3-in-1 Charging Station for $60: This is a perfectly competent 3-in-1 with Qi2 certification (15W for iPhone, 5W for Apple Watch, 5W for AirPods). It’s compact, you can angle the iPhone pad, and I like the gold finish of my review unit, but I prefer the Twelve South above, or the ESR if you don’t want to spend as much.

Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Wireless Charging Pad for $80: Qi2 support provides magnetic alignment for your iPhone and delivers 15 watts of charging, and there’s a spot for AirPods on this compact dual pad. A USB-C port allows you to charge something else, such as an Apple Watch, and you get a 5-foot USB-C cable and 30W power supply in the box. There is also a 3-in-1 pad ($110) that adds an Apple Watch charger on the right side.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Nomad Base One Max for $150: This was our 3-in-1 pad pick, but stock is running low, and it is being discontinued. The MagSafe charger keeps your iPhone out of sight and supports 15-watt charging, the Apple Watch charging puck sticks up for Nightstand mode, but it’s not a fast charger. I tried it with a loop band and a normal strap, and I could fit the AirPods Pro case in the spot behind the Apple Watch puck to recharge it just fine. The metal chassis is heavy and, paired with the anti-slip rubber base, this thing stays put. It comes with a 2-meter USB-C to USB-C cable, which is great if you want to plug it into your new iPhone 16 to juice it up faster, but I wish it came with a 30-watt charging adapter. Nomad sells this one that we’ve tested and like.

QDOS SnapStand 3-in-1 for £80: This clever design feels sturdy and comes flat, and you can fold out and angle a magnetic pad for charging your iPhone (StandBy mode works fine). There’s a pop-out Apple Watch charger around the back, and the base has a pad for your AirPods. You get a black USB-C cable, but you’ll need a charger (at least 25W). I like that it’s partly made from recycled materials, and it folds away very neatly, but the charging speeds are relatively slow (7.5 watts for the iPhone and 2.5 watts for the Apple Watch).

Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station Stand for $90: This good-looking 3-in-1 charging tree is more affordable than our top pick, boasts Qi2 certification for 15-watt charging, and comes with a charger and cable. It just misses out on a place above because of the offset pad for the Apple Watch. It is slippery, so your Apple Watch may tilt, though I never had an issue with it not charging. Anker included stickers to combat this, but they are a fiddly and inelegant solution. It’s also a shame that the main pad for your iPhone is fixed, so you can’t adjust the angle. But these are minor gripes.

Anker 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe for $90: This dinky, dense, 2.5-inch cube from Anker was our previous compact pick. It has a MagSafe pad on top (15 watts), and the top section hinges to a 60-degree angle, revealing a charging surface for your AirPods. The wee pop-out shelf on the side has a built-in Apple Watch fast charger. You get a 5-foot cable and a 30-watt charger in the box.

Satechi 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand for $130: This compact, attractive 3-in-1 is a little smaller than the Belkin, so it doesn’t take up too much room, and it folds down compactly for travel. The aluminum build is attractive and sturdy (the iPhone mount is made of stainless steel). This is on reviews editor Adrienne So’s bedside table, and it recharges her Apple Watch Ultra 2 from 70 percent to full in around 30 minutes.

Case-Mate Fuel 3-in-1 Foldable for $50: Finished in a classy gray material, this 3-in-1 charges an iPhone in a case or any Qi smartphone, and it’s easy to fold flat and pack in a bag. It also has a built-in Apple Watch charger and a spot for AirPods. A cable and a 45-watt charger are included. I also tested the solid Case-Mate Fuel 4-in-1 ($150), which is quite good, but the unnecessary LEDs and Fuel logo put me off.

Best 4-in-1 Chargers

Zens 4-in-1 Modular Wireless Charger with iPad Charging Stand for $78: If you also own an iPad, why not a 4-in-1 charging station? Zens’ modular design has a main stand for your iPad, a MagSafe pad in front to float your iPhone, and a slight indentation to charge AirPods below. The Apple Watch charger is a separate section that attaches magnetically (on either side) and holds your Watch in horizontal Nightstand mode. It feels durable with a grippy, rubbery, flecked black finish made from recycled plastic. You get a 65-watt power adapter, power cable, and adapter plugs for the US, UK, and EU, which is quite handy. The main drawback with this is the large size, and you have to connect a cable to the USB-C port on the side to charge your iPad.

Journey Glyde 4-in-1 Portable Charger for $170: Former reviews editor Adrienne So almost voted for this multidevice MagSafe power bank to get a separate recommendation until she noticed the price. It’s a 10,000-mAh-capacity power bank that can charge up to four devices at a time and uses the Qi2 charging standard. However, our pick for this spot is so much cheaper, and the Glyde does not have a kickstand.

Scosche Baselynx 2.0 Modular Charging Station for $90: What if three spots are not enough? Scosche has you covered with this modular charging station. The basic stand is a 2-in-1 for your iPhone and AirPods, but you can add an Apple Watch charger, a toast rack-style vertical station with USB-C ports, or even an AC outlet with USB-C port, for a big combined charger ($220). The trouble is, it gets quite big and expensive as you add modules, and I don’t love the way it looks, but it’s a neat idea.

Avoid These Chargers

Photograph: Simon Hill

Not every charger will be a winner. Here are the ones we didn’t like.

Infinacore T3 Pro: The T3 Pro is a 3-in-1 stand that looks and feels very cheap, and it got warm when charging my iPhone. Its saving grace is that it is cheap. It also has Qi2 certification and works with StandBy mode. I also tried the fold-out triple pad Infinacore T3 Wireless Charging Station. Aside from the ugly plastic design, the weak magnets meant it did not work well when folded into the triangular configuration (this also blocks a pad).

Groov-e Asteria Wireless Charging Station with Alarm Clock: There’s a wee clock on the front of this charging station, which can accommodate an iPhone, AirPods on a pad around back, and an Apple Watch up top. It feels and looks very cheap, slides around a little too easily, the magnet is weak, and the clock seems redundant when you can set your iPhone in StandBy mode. I also tried the Triton 3-in-1 folding pad, and it was okay. They are very affordable, but you must provide your own power adapter.

Zike 3-in-1 Z557C Stand: This 3-in-1 charger works perfectly well, but there are several better options above. The iPhone pad allows for StandBy mode but is not adjustable. The Apple Watch pad flips up or can be laid flat, and there’s a spot for AirPods on the gray felt pad. It has a barrel port, so you must use the supplied power adapter. What I really dislike about this charger is the ridiculously bright, utterly pointless white LED on the front that stays on the entire time.

Alogic Matrix Ultimate: This 3-in-1 charger has a folding design, supports fast charging, includes a detachable 5,000-mAh power bank, and comes with a nice pouch, but it is kinda bulky, and the white finish picks up dust and smudges very easily. I have also had issues with other Alogic batteries failing and not supplying the stated capacity.

STM Goods ChargeTree Go: This charging tree station folds flat and can charge a trio of Apple gadgets. But there’s no quick-charge support, my Apple Watch kept sliding out of place during the night, and there’s no adapter included. It’s not cheap either.

Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.