GRIFFIN POWERDOCK 5

Resembling a Perspex toast rack, the PowerDock 5 aims to provide a smart, convenient home for an entire family’s gadgets. The rack also provides five powered USB ports, so you’ll need to locate it near a wall plug. On paper, it’s a great idea, but in practice, niggling problems prevent it from fulfilling its promise. There’s little concession to cable management, for instance, meaning the dock becomes a tangled mess far too easily, and the price is preposterous for what is essentially just a powered USB hub. Even the concept is questionable – we still want our gadgets near us while they’re charging, so leaving them all in one central place isn’t always convenient.