HelixWhile I have long used the Twelve South Forté on my bedside table to dock my Apple Watch each night, I lacked a convenient alternative for on the go until last week. Enter the Standzout Helix Dock, a compact and convenient charging solution for the Apple Watch.

Helix is an Apple Watch dock made from injection molded polycarbonate plastic. It stores between a 0.3-meter and two-meter Apple Watch charging cable and Apple's official USB wall charger in a compact and convenient housing, available in clear, black, white, and a phosphorescent glow-in-the-dark color options.

I was sent all four colors for the purposes of this review, and the white one was my personal favorite; however, the glow-in-the-dark version is a unique concept for night use. If you purchase the glow-in-the-dark version, remember that phosphorescent materials require some exposure to bright light before they can glow.

Helix-1 copy
The housing consists of an outer piece that holds the Apple Watch charging puck on the top, and an inner piece that you tightly wrap the charging cord around. The wall charger then slides into the middle, with its prongs extending through cutouts in the plastic, and you plug the USB end of the Apple Watch charger into it.

The assembly process is simple and took me less than one minute, but the cord can get in the way unless it is wrapped very tightly around the inner piece -- the compact design leaves very little excess room. The snug fit can make sliding on the outer piece a bit of a challenge, and I also found that the charging cable comes unravelled when I remove the outer piece regardless of how careful I am.

Helix-4 copy
Helix comfortably fit into power outlets around my apartment, including those in tight spaces, and most importantly it worked properly. I have a stainless steel Apple Watch, but the dock works with any models. However, its usage is limited to the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and elsewhere Type A plugs/sockets are used.

Helix Dock retails for $19.99, which is somewhat expensive for what is essentially two small pieces of plastic -- nothing else is included in the box. But what you are truly paying for is an innovative idea for charging your Apple Watch at home, work, or on the go. The product is also designed and manufactured in the United States.

Helix-2 copy
Several options exist for Apple Watch chargers and docks by now, and the Helix competes well in terms of price, size, and grab-and-go simplicity. It is particularly useful to throw into a backpack before heading out somewhere like the gym or airport, and having one less cable to untangle is always a plus.

How to Buy

Helix Dock retails for $19.99 on Amazon and the Standzout website in clear, black, white, and glow-in-the-dark. Free standard shipping within the U.S. is included, while international shipping to other countries is available.

Note: Standzout provided four Helix Docks to MacRumors free of charge for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 9
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Top Rated Comments

44267547 Avatar
100 months ago
I am not entirely sure I would want my Stainless Steel Watch docked this close to an electrical outlet, it just makes me uncomfortable looking at it. No thanks.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jeaz Avatar
100 months ago
Is it just me that's a wee bit worried about the extra heat that will be generated by the cords wired around the charger and then encapsulated in that little plastic box.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Recognition Avatar
100 months ago
I am not entirely sure I would want my Stainless Steel Watch docked this close to an electrical outlet, it just makes me uncomfortable looking at it. No thanks.
I don't blame you, what with the lack of an Earth pin on the US plugs!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Carmenia83 Avatar
100 months ago
This would be great if there somehow was a pass-through usb to plug in an iPhone cord simultaneously. Between my iPhone, MacBook, and Apple Watch, I'm carrying around a lot of cords when I'm traveling.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
riverfreak Avatar
100 months ago
Clever.

And this would be very handy for traveling.

However, I still stay in lots of hotels that have not been retrofitted. End up having to pull out the nightstand and unplug the useless clock radio. I have visions of plugging this in and forgetting the watch in the morning -- out of sight, out of mind, especially when jetlagged or with early morning departure.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CrAkD Avatar
100 months ago
$20 for this thing and it doesn't come with an AC adapter or cable? No thanks.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone is Imminent

Monday March 18, 2024 5:27 am PDT by
iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 should be released within the next few days, with a build number of 21E235, according to a source with a proven track record. MacRumors previously reported that Apple was internally testing iOS 17.4.1. As a minor update for the iPhone, it will likely address software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear if the update will include any other changes. ...
M3 iPad Feature 3

New iPads Likely to Begin Shipping in April

Monday March 18, 2024 9:52 am PDT by
Apple's new iPad Pro models with OLED displays will likely begin shipping to customers in April, according to information shared today by Ross Young, CEO of display industry research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said the new iPad Pro models might not ship until "deeper" into April in his Power On newsletter on Sunday:I've repeatedly said that new...
iOS 17 Passkey With Apple ACCOUNT Feature

'Apple ID' Expected to Change to 'Apple Account' Starting With iOS 18

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:13 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this...