25W Qi2 Charger Shrinks Twelve South Valet's Luxe Tray

Twelve South cut the Valet charging tray almost in half, but raised its wireless output to 25W. The new Twelve South Valet keeps the leather-wrapped look of the original CES model while shrinking from 7.5 inches deep to 4.5 inches, according to The Verge.

That trade is the whole story. Twelve South is giving up catchall space for a smaller footprint and faster wireless charging, a sharper fit for nightstands and other tight surfaces where the original Valet may have been too deep.

“A new version of the Twelve South Valet can wirelessly charge smartphones or headphones at 25W.”

Twelve South Valet trades tray space for 25W wireless charging

The original Twelve South Valet debuted at CES earlier this year as a leather-lined tray with Qi2 wireless charging and room for a few everyday items. The new version keeps the same basic idea, but narrows its purpose.

The original model was large enough for items like a wallet and keys. The compact Valet is better suited to a single item, such as a pair of glasses, sitting beside the charging area.

Here’s the clean before-and-after:

That’s a meaningful split. Buyers who wanted Valet as a pocket-dump tray lose usable surface area. Buyers who mainly wanted a better-looking wireless charger get a smaller object with a stronger headline charging spec.

The compact model also changes the power balance. The wireless charger now tops out at 25W, up from 15W on the larger model, but the second-device USB-C output drops from 15W to 10W while the Qi2 charger is in use.

The smaller tray favors tight nightstands over wallet-and-keys storage

The original Valet’s appeal was partly that it didn’t look like a bare charging puck. It was a tray first, charger second, with a weighted zinc alloy base and Nappa leather wrapping that pushed it closer to home decor than a utility accessory.

The new model keeps that premium material story. The Verge reports that it uses a weighted zinc alloy base, with the tray wrapped in black, brown, or taupe Nappa leather.

That matters because the compact Valet is not competing purely on wattage. At $129.99, it’s cheaper than the original $179.99 Valet, but The Verge notes it remains considerably more expensive than other Qi2 wireless chargers because of its premium materials.

XOOMAR analysis: this is a design-led charging product, not a spec-only buy. If all someone wants is wireless power, the leather tray and metal frame are the cost drivers. If the charger will sit in plain view, those materials become the point.

The removable metal frame also carries over as part of the design pitch. Twelve South sells alternate colors for the frame, letting buyers swap the upper border without replacing the whole charger.

That does not restore the lost tray space. The compact Valet is simply less of a catchall than the original.

For readers tracking broader consumer-tech product choices, XOOMAR has covered very different trade-offs in Snapchat Now Playing Turns Spotify Into Snap Map Status and design pressure around Meta smart glasses in crisis. The Valet story is narrower, but the buying question is just as practical: what does the new version make easier, and what does it remove?

The 25W upgrade comes with a USB-C compromise

The headline improvement is clear: 25W wireless charging for smartphones or headphones. That puts the compact Twelve South Valet ahead of the original Valet’s 15W wireless ceiling.

The catch sits on the side power path. The original Valet could charge a second device through a USB-C port at 15W. The smaller model limits that delivery to 10W when the Qi2 charger is already in use.

That creates a more specific use case than the larger tray offered. The compact Valet looks better for someone who wants one wireless device charging quickly and perhaps a second accessory charging more slowly. It looks worse for someone who expected the tray to act as a small multi-device power station.

XOOMAR analysis: the product has shifted from “organized landing zone” toward “premium wireless charger with a small tray attached.” That isn’t a flaw, but it changes who should buy it.

The smaller size also makes the footprint argument stronger. At 4.5 inches deep, it should squeeze into spots where the 7.5-inch model might feel oversized, especially on a nightstand.

Pricing and compatibility details will decide how well the compact Valet lands

The compact Valet’s $129.99 price gives it a cleaner entry point than the original, but not a budget one. The price cut tracks the smaller size, while the charging upgrade gives Twelve South a stronger spec to justify keeping the product in premium territory.

Color choices are also part of that positioning. The tray comes wrapped in black, brown, or taupe Nappa leather, and the removable metal frame can be swapped with alternate colors sold by Twelve South.

Some practical details still matter for buyers. The source material says the new Valet can wirelessly charge smartphones or headphones at 25W, but it does not list specific supported models or spell out every real-world charging condition.

XOOMAR analysis: shoppers should check device compatibility and power-adapter details before treating 25W as the speed they’ll always see. Wireless charging performance can vary by device and setup, and the supplied source does not settle those edge cases.

The immediate choice is simple. Pick the original Valet if the tray function matters more and you want room for several small items. Pick the compact Twelve South Valet if the smaller footprint and faster wireless charging matter more than catchall capacity.

The next thing to watch is how Twelve South positions availability and device support around that 25W claim. If the compact Valet consistently delivers the faster wireless experience buyers expect, the smaller tray could make more sense than the original for cramped nightstands. If the USB-C trade-off or compatibility limits become the sticking point, the larger Valet still has the cleaner claim as the better catchall.

Key Takeaways

• The compact Valet delivers faster 25W wireless charging while taking up less space.
• The smaller tray is better for nightstands but less useful as a full pocket-dump catchall.
• The new model costs $129.99, making it $50 cheaper than the original Valet.