Lipper International 812 Bamboo Wood Charging Station for Cell Phones, iPads, Tablets

As others have said, the wood is attractive -- a little darker than in the pictures, but that actually enhances the look. Most of the 'quality' charging stations seem to be cherry or walnut veneer over MDF: looks great, but MDF has very little long-term strength, especially around the hinges. (I have one that is about a year old with a rear door that falls off, even though it's seen limited changes since the day I got it.) This one is clearly made of 100% natural bamboo. Mine arrived in great shape with no loose parts or broken corners. The factory packaging is minimal (shrink wrap and a cardboard info card around the middle), so I can see how it might get damaged, but if packed well in the box it should be OK.As mentioned in other reviews, it's not all that large; I think of it as 'compact' vs. the typical designs. I just want a space to put a couple of phones and maybe my Logitech Harmony remote; I already have lots of furniture. So fo me at least, this compact size is a good thing, once all of the adapters are plugged in and the whole thing is buttoned up. That can be a little tricky: the secret is to put it together in reverse order. The obvious thing would be to find room for the outlet strip (not included), then plug in the AC adapters, then wire it up. Instead, start by fitting the wires through the holes, then wrapping off any extra cord with twist ties or Velcro straps. Bury the excess cables under the wedge part. Now, add the AC adapters. Unless you need huge power, I found that the Motorola travel adapters (also sold on Amazon) work well: their connectors are oriented so that the plugs can also go under the wedge, and they're nice and small. I have three of them attached to a power strip on its side, fitting like a glove. (See attached picture.) Plugging them in is tedious, but once they are in, they fit like they were made for the space!The only reason that I give it four stars is the lack of a power strip as delivered -- although given the price, maybe it's to be expected. So, 4.5 stars.

Unfortunately, I found during my search for one of these things that there really aren't a lot of decent choices. What sold me on it was the little tray on top. I wanted somewhere to put my keys and other small things. It was the only one that I could find that had the space, and the wood nicely matches the wood in the location that I'd put it. First thing, this thing is cheaply made. I saw the many other complaints about it, but I figured that it was worth a try for only $18.99. Like many others here, the one that I got came in pieces. The two dividers were sitting at the bottom of the package. I'm not sure if there was even an effort made to actually glue the pieces in place at the factory. That was the only damage that it had, so I suppose that makes me luckier than some of the others that have ordered it.All that said, I am actually thinking of keeping it. The one thing that I didn't realize when buying it was how small the left and right spots are. I have two Galaxy SIII phones in cases, and they do not fit. With the dividers gone, they fit just fine. So though it annoys me to willingly pay for a broken item, in this case the break actually benefits me, and $18.99 is really not that much.Pros1. The little spot on the top to put keys and the like is quite useful. It was one of the main reasons why I was willing to give it a try.2. Though some have truthfully stated that it is a bit boxy, IMO, it's actually not a bad looking item.3. There is more than enough room in the back for a small desktop USB hub and cords. As that's how I'm using it, I'm not sure if it would fit a powerstrip. My feeling is that if it would take a powerstrip, it would just be a small one.Cons1. Cheaply made. It seems difficult to get one that is not broken in some way. Be prepared to pull out the glue to put some pieces back on it. You may get a perfect unit, but more than likely, you won't.2. The holes are located poorly. I'd prefer them to be in the bottom. That way the devices being charged would sit well in the station. Because of the location of the holes, my phones sit on top of the cord, and I'd imagine that over time, the cords might not like being bent at an angle all the time.3. Anything wider than an iPhone will not fit in the left and right spots. This information may have been available somewhere in the description, but I did not see it.I'm open to suggestions, if anyone knows of a different charging station that would fit the bill.

The best way to use this is to have a power strip hidden behind this or behind/underneath a cabinet - and simply route all your cords behind this bamboo structure. That said, you can put a power strip in it (if you find one that fits), and (contrary to another reviewer who posted pictures) you can route 30 pin iPhone/iPad connectors through it - just disconnect them from the charger and route the small USB end through the openings.I decided to put the power strip right into the bamboo piece. The difficult part in that was finding a power strip that fits. It seems that almost every one was just a hair too large. I even ordered one from Amazon that looked like it would work based on the measurements - it didn't so it found a new spot in my home. The best fit so far has been one I picked up at Ikea. Paired with the original charging bases for smart phones is a very tight squeeze for many devices - so don't expect to move devices easily/frequently once they are plugged in. The best charging base so far has been the basic iPhone/iPod type and some aftermarket ones that are on the smaller side for Android devices.Pros:* Looks great while keeping everything contained neatly* Really does keep everything neatly contained after some initial squeezing and moving charging bases (kind of like Tetris)* Not any bigger than it needs to be.* The various spots are just big enough for your average sized devices. The top tray is great for tablets, or larger phones. The two front side spots are great for MP3 players, headsets or even some of the slightly smaller smartphones. The middle tray in the front is good for the large smartphones, smaller tablets or 'phablets'.Cons:* Some Power strips won't fit (too wide, to deep or too long)* Some Android chargers simply wouldn't fit on a power strip inside the unit - no matter how I tried (though I found some aftermarket chargers that fit quite well)

Too small to fit iPads, or phones.Maybe without any case or an iPad mini?

very poor quality and completely overpriced.