Nomad Base Station Stand review: Easily the best-looking wireless charger I’ve used

Top to bottom, Nomad’s product line consists of high-quality accessories and devices. From its iPhone and Pixel cases to cables and wireless chargers, the common theme is premium. The Base Station Stand is no different. With an aluminum housing and leather pad, it’s clear the moment you unbox it that this wireless charger is a step above the competition when it comes to overall design. Of course, that premium design comes with a premium price tag. 

Note: This review is part of our roundup of wireless charging pads. Go there for details on competing products and our testing methods for both Android phones and iPhones.

At $99.95, the Base Station Stand costs the same as Nomad’s standard Base Station that’s capable of charging two devices at the same time, thanks to its flat design and quad Qi-compatible wireless charging coils. With the Base Station Stand, you can charge only one device at a time. Still, it features two coils, capable of 10 watts each, making it possible to charge your Android phone or iPhone in either a vertical or horizontal orientation.

You can even charge your AirPods on the Stand. If you have AirPods Pro, you’ll need to stand the case on its end, but it worked without any issues in my testing.

A small light on the front of the stand lets you know the current charging status, and it has an ambient sensor that will reduce its brightness at night if you opt to put the stand next to your bed.

Nomad

Included in the box are an 18W wall adapter and USB-C cable for powering the stand. If you’re in a hurry and need to top off your phone, you can use that 18W adapter to cut down on the charge time.

Speaking of charge time, the Base Station Stand is the second-fastest wireless charging pad I’ve tested for Android phones, and the fastest for the iPhone.

When charging a Galaxy S9 from empty to full, the Stand took an average of 158 minutes, or 2 hours and 38 minutes, over three different charge cycles. The only wireless charger that has beat that mark is Anker’s PowerWave Stand.

When charging an empty iPhone 11 for an hour, the Base Station Stand averaged a charge level of 42 percent. After taking into account the battery size of the previous iPhone models we’ve tested, that’s good enough for the top spot.

Not only does it look good, but it charges fast? It’s almost too good to be true. So, is the Base Station Stand worth its nearly $100 price tag? If stellar design and fast wireless charging are of utmost importance to you, then yes, it is.