Twelve South’s Valet fees two units and ships in January

For years, the accent maker Twelve South has offered intelligent equipment for charging devices. Its new machine, the Valet, is possibly its easiest thought ever: it’s a nice-looking tray designed to be the place you drop your keys, sun shades, and different pocket detritus and presents a few methods to cost no matter must be charged. It prices $179.99, and ships within the subsequent couple of weeks.

Most of the Valet tray is simply… tray. It’s lined in a gentle leather-based, which is available in a number of totally different colours. (You may also customise the outer metallic body to match.) On one facet, a raised sq. acts like a podium for wi-fi charging as much as 15 watts. You can plug in one other USB cable to a port on the facet and cost a second machine that approach — once more at 15 watts. The Valet itself plugs in through a 36-watt energy provide and comes with a 1.5-meter cable to take action.

The charging specs make the Valet’s function fairly clear: This shouldn’t be meant to be your laptop computer charger, or a charging hub of actually any sort. It’s not at the same time as straightforwardly purposeful as Twelve South’s personal HiRise, which may cost three units at a time. What it’s, as an alternative, is an try and make charging your most essential units — particularly your cellphone — really feel a bit extra seamless.

It’s the eternal dream of wi-fi charging, actually, to simply put your machine down wherever and have it full whenever you decide it up. Aligned on a podium isn’t precisely wherever, however I’ve been utilizing a Valet and I’ve in reality loved not looking for cables a lot. Mine’s sitting on my desk, however most Valets will doubtless find yourself on nightstands and in entryways.

Twelve South is certainly one of a variety of firms, together with massive names like Ikea, exploring devices that look extra like dwelling decor than excessive tech. This yr’s CES is crammed with devices attempting to cover their important gadget-ness, and whereas the Valet is probably not probably the most earth-shattering instance of the concept, it’s a reasonably helpful one.