Yes, there is a charging dock for your AirPods case

The ecosystem of third-party accessories has always been vast. You can find nearly anything you’d need for almost any Apple product. One thing I didn’t expect to see a lot of accessories for? AirPods.

There isn’t a limit to what accessory makers will come up with, because as it turns out, you can by an Apple MFi-certified charging dock for your AirPods: the Oittm Charging Station for AirPods.

Hands on with the Oittm Charging Station for AirPods

The dock is simple, like a dock should be, I guess. It is also surprisingly robust. There is a bit of weight to it, and a silicone foot affixed to the metal bottom. The top is all molded plastic, but even the silicone and aluminum were surprisingly nice on such a niche product.

Many docks that I have seen out there require you to provide your own Lightning cable. This dock, actually has its own. The USB cable protruding from the back is permanently attached, and on the inside of dock you can see the Lightning cable used to charge the AirPods.

In use

While the dock has some weight, it isn’t enough to hold the dock down when trying to remove the AirPods. The Lightning cable has quite a grip on the AirPods, which lends itself better to being attached on the end of a cord, then in a dock.

You can easily open the top and insert/remove your AirPods while the case is charging. Surprisingly, I’ve found it kind of nice to have a dedicated spot for my AirPods. It’s caused me to charge them more frequently. Since the battery lasts so long, I’ve had a habit of not charging until I get the warning that the case is low. Since I’ve had the dock on my desk, I pull them out of my pocket and slide them in the dock, charging them for the day.

I’ll admit, I find the idea of a specialized dock just for my AirPods is a bit ridiculous. It’s extremely niche, and fairly unnecessary. It’s dead simple just to plug a cord into the bottom of the case to charge. It’s something we all do each day with our phones. That, and the fact it gives you something else to plug in. It’s not like a standard Lightning cable where you can use it for any number of other items you have around, such as headphones, iPad, or iPhone. You can only use it with the AirPods.

That said, I do kind of like the convenience, but maybe I’m just lazy? I think it does one thing for me, but almost by accident. I have a habit of leaving my AirPods in my pocket or my bag. Since I started keeping them in the dock, I haven’t forgotten them once. It’s like now that they have a little home, I know just to grab them before walking away. It’s a subconscious change, but one that has been very helpful. At $22, the Oittm charging dock for AirPods is fairly affordable, so if you are looking for a convenient way to store and charge your AirPods, you can find it over on Amazon.

I’m very interested in what you guys think, so let me know down below. Are we at a new low? Has the Apple accessory market gone too far? Or this this a handy device that helps you keep track of your AirPods and always ensures they are charged?