I've tested dozens of wireless chargers — this is the first one I actually want to keep using

I’ve tested dozens of wireless chargers and desk setups over the years, and most of them suffer from the same problem. They all try to shoehorn everything into a single hub. There’s little, if any, flexibility in placement, choice of charging options, or future upgradeability. Moreover, as a design enthusiast, I care a lot about how a particular piece of tech looks in my space, and most chargers just aren’t very pretty to look at. But looks are subjective.

Anyway, the fact is that most charging stations expect you to conform to a fixed layout for your phone, earbuds, and smartwatch. That’s fine for a functional product, but for one, the fixed layout has never really suited how I use my phone. Want to rearrange things? Tough luck.

But what if there was a way to do things differently? I recently got an opportunity to check out the DailyObjects Node. Building on the spirit of the never-materialized Apple AirPower, it’s a modular charging system that you can configure around your needs. More importantly, you can actually take the individual pieces with you. That last bit makes it a lot easier to stomach the steep price point.

A charging station that doesn’t define how your desk looks

I’ve been using the Node system for over a month, as this is not a system that you can really get a read on with a day or two of use. The one thing I’ve learned in my month with the charging dock is that not only does the flexibility make the Node an extremely interesting product, but it’s also convinced me that this is the direction I want all future desk docks to take.

Most wireless charging stations are essentially permanent fixtures. You plug them in, find a spot for them on your desk, and that’s where they stay. If you rearrange your desk or decide you’d rather have your phone on the other side, you’re usually stuck with the original layout. The Node gets around this with a modular base.

The main dock has multiple pogo-pin connectors, and the individual charging modules attach to them magnetically. You can put the modules wherever you want, depending on how you use your desk.

Want your phone charger on the right and your Apple Watch charger on the left? No problem. Prefer a different arrangement? Just move them. For that matter, you’re not even bound to specific modules. The company lets you pick and choose between a Qi2-based wireless charger, a Qi2 wireless charging puck that also doubles as a charger for earphones, an Apple Watch charger, and — wait for it — a desk lamp, with more to presumably follow.

Magnets hold the modules securely, while still making them easy to pull off when you need them, and I’ve got to say that the company has done an excellent job with the tactile feedback. Snapping the modules into place sounds incredibly satisfying.

The long and short of it is that the entire system is modular like nothing else on the market. Not only do you get a choice in placement, but you even get to decide what exactly you want on your desk. Want three wireless chargers? Go for it.

The modules don’t have to stay on the desk

Now, as good as that modularity is, it’s not something you’ll take advantage of on a daily basis. Once you’ve settled on a preferred layout, that’s probably what you’ll stick to, nor can modularity alone justify the dock’s rather expensive price point. But that’s where the Node has one more trick up its sleeve, and it might be my favorite part of the system.

The individual modules aren’t permanently tied to the base. You can simply pull them off and use them elsewhere, as each of them includes a dedicated USB slot on the back.

Take the MagSafe charging puck, for example. On the desk, it works as part of the Node setup. But if I’m heading to a coffee shop, I can pull it off, throw it into my bag, and use it as a standalone wireless charger. That means I don’t need to buy and carry a completely separate travel charger.

The same applies to the Apple Watch charger. It detaches from the base when you need it, which is considerably nicer than having to deal with Apple’s long charging cable every time you travel.

Meanwhile, the wireless charging phone stand is not just portable but even has a 7,800 mAh battery built into it. The unwieldy shape means I consider it a transportable power bank rather than a proper power bank replacement, but I’ve used it plenty of times to charge my phone at the coffee table instead of my desk. I like that flexibility.

There’s also a desk lamp module with a built-in battery. On the desk, it can sit on the Node base and charge while lighting up your workspace. Take it off the base, and you can move it to your bedside table or use it somewhere else when you need a portable light.

This is where the Node starts making more sense than a conventional charging station. The accessories aren’t locked into one job or one location. At risk of repeating myself, this flexibility goes a long way toward justifying the high price most charging docks command, as you’re not just getting a desk setup, but also a full set of chargers that you can carry with you.

You only buy what you actually need

That modular approach has an additional advantage. For one, you don’t have to buy hardware you’ll never use. Practically every charging station on the market includes a spot for charging an Apple Watch. However, if you’re an Android user or just don’t have an Apple Watch, that’s just wasted space.

With the Node’s modular approach, you can start with the modules you actually need. If all you want is a phone charger, you can buy that and skip the Apple Watch or other modules. Later, if you pick up a smartwatch or decide you want the lamp, you can add the relevant module to your existing setup.

That makes a lot more sense to me than replacing an entire charging station just because your hardware setup has changed.

It also means that you don’t have to buy the entire hardware setup on day one. You can go piecemeal and add in modules over time. It’s a great way to build a setup without having to plonk down hundreds of dollars on day one. I like it.

It’s worth noting that the charger doesn’t include the actual charging brick. DailyObjects recommends a 65W brick at a minimum to ensure that all the accessories work at optimal quality. The wireless charging modules themselves are just the medium. The charging port over at the back of the base dock is standard USB-C, so you’re free to use any charger you might have on hand. However, this does add to the cost and is a rather big miss in my books, as alternatives from Belkin and others do often include the charger — or steeply discount it.

It fits into how I actually use my desk

Honestly, pretty aesthetics aside, I wasn’t expecting too much from the system when I decided to test it out. After all, it’s just a charging dock, right? But I’ve discovered that having the option of moving things changes how you approach the system.

I’ve already mentioned how I’ll often grab the wireless charger and place it on my coffee table while I read a book. Earlier, I’d pull a cable from across the room to charge my phone. Now, the module that charges my phone on the desk tops off my phone with its built-in battery.

Similarly, the desk lamp does double duty as an ambient light when I’m working late at my desk, but also as a reading lamp by my bedside. The magnetic docking system means there’s no friction either, and the entire transition is surprisingly seamless.

Elsewhere, the Apple Watch charger is objectively a better design than Apple’s included charging puck. The fact that I can chuck it in my travel kit when I’m out and about just makes it better. If I were buying an Apple Watch charger today, this is what I’d pick up, irrespective of the fact that I was invested in the Node system or not.

Finally, both the build quality and design feel appropriately premium. The muted colors, quality of materials, and clean lines fit perfectly in my modern minimalist apartment. I know it’s not top priority for everyone, but if great design is important to you, this is definitely one of the more aesthetic and unique options on the market.

Who is the DailyObjects Node for?

As much as I like the DailyObjects Node, it’s not for everyone. The biggest hurdle is, obviously, the price. Once you start adding in all the different modules to the base, the cost adds up pretty quickly. And that’s before you factor in the cost of the 65W charger you’ll need to power it up. As configured with the triple module base, and modules for the wireless charging dock, Apple Watch charger, desk lamp, and wireless charging puck, the Node runs roughly $220. That’s far from affordable, and for someone looking just for a simple way to charge a phone, there are plenty of cheaper options that will do the job just fine.

Which brings me to my next point. Wireless chargers are, by definition, pretty boring. Most are designed to do one thing, and once installed, they don’t get moved around much. I’d know — the other wireless charger on my desk hasn’t moved from its spot in four years or more. If you’re not going to move things around and don’t care much about aesthetics, the Node probably won’t make much sense.

Where the Node does start making sense is if you have a bunch of different devices to charge, or if you keep changing your desk setup often enough. The latter gives you the flexibility to design a layout that’s perfectly suited to the organization of your own setup.

But more than that, I can see the appeal for someone who wants a charging system that can double-duty outside your home setup. The ability to just pull off the specific chargers you want and chuck them into your travel kit is what sold it to me. It goes a long way towards justifying the price of the setup, as it’s no longer just my desk charger but also my travel and remote-work setup.

The DailyObjects Node is a premium-priced product. Sure, perhaps it’s a touch more elaborate than what most people need, and its India-only availability for now is disappointing. But, as a concept, it works, and it works beautifully. Well enough that I hope the brand continues to expand on it with more modules and wider availability to boot. Fingers crossed.