One thing I’m mindful about when I commute into work is being extra picky about what I’m carrying on with me, seeing that I never know if I have to cram my folding electric scooter inside of my backpack. That’s why I love compact wireless chargers, especially those that can simultaneously charge multiple gadgets — saving me time and space.
When I’m in the office, I usually throw my iPhone and AirPods onto any of the best MagSafe chargers I’m using that week. However, they’re meant to remain stationary on a tabletop, so they’re not practical for travel use. That’s why I’m in love with the Twelve South Butterfly, which has become one of my favorite travel accessories.
That’s because of its ingenious design, extra utility, and compact size. I already have several other gadgets and accessories in my backpack, so the less bulk I need to carry, the better. Here’s why it’s now become a part of my gear.
A design that Apple would come up with
Really, the Twelve South Butterfly is unlike any other MagSafe wireless charger I’ve used — mainly for its compact size that I can stow away in a small pocket in my backpack. It’s hard to realize that this is a travel accessory that can charge my iPhone and Apple Watch simultaneously just by looking at its circular design. In fact, Twelve South says that the Butterfly is the world’s smallest 2-in-1 USB-C MagSafe charger.
But what makes the Twelve South Butterfly stand out is how it looks like a product design by Apple, one that’s minimalist in nature and functional at the same time. When it’s stowed away, I love how the magnets keep the two chargers clasped together, while its aluminum shell gives it that premium construction that Apple products are known for.
Practically a 3-in-1 MagSafe charger too
When I open up the Twelve South Butterfly, one half is revealed as the 15W MagSafe charger for my iPhone, while the other seamlessly tucks away the Apple Watch charger. You have to flip up the Apple Watch charger to expose it if you intend on charging it upright, but it can still work when it’s flat.
This side-by-side charging works just as well as any other 2-in-1 MagSafe charger I use, even the ability to charge non-iPhones as well. I miss out on the snappy connection of MagSafe when I charge my Android phones with it, but it gets the job done. Furthermore, I can also use the MagSafe charger portion of the Twelve South Butterfly to charge my wireless earbuds too. And yes, the accessory also comes with a 30W power adapter to charge the entire thing. Other 2-in-1 wireless chargers I’ve tested don’t always include a power adapter, so having this included with the packaging is nice.
Morphing stand for any tabletop
Similar to how a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, the Twelve South Butterfly features a handful of ways it can be used on a tabletop. At the office, I usually leave it flat on the table, but at home, I flip it around to keep my iPhone 14 Pro Max to access iOS 17’s StandBy Mode to act as an alarm clock on my nightstand.
It can also morph into a standalone Apple Watch charger when you fold over the two chargers together, which acts much like an alarm clock as well because my Apple Watch Series 9 goes into its own StandBy Mode that shows me the time.
This ability to morph into several different kinds of charging stands for my Apple gadgets is rare and really exemplifies how Twelve South really takes design into consideration. Yes, it’s significantly more expensive than other MagSafe chargers I’ve tested, but the Twelve South Butterfly proves why it’s worth every penny.
