I upgraded my desk with a power-charging grommet. It was worth every penny

Permanent USB charging on demand

I have so many USB chargers and cables in my house, but I still find myself trying to find one or the other at least once or twice a week. Maybe my wife’s taken one for something, or maybe I’ve nicked my usual cable to connect my phone to my PC.

With this power grommet embedded in my desk, it’s always there and always within reach. It comes with a pair of 18W USB-A charging ports and a slightly faster 20W USB-C charging port, so it has plenty of options for juicing up multiple devices at once (phones, tablets, etc.).

Jon Martindale / Foundry

And since it’s directly connected to a power outlet, there’s no divvying up the juice between devices—I get the full charging speed whether I’m charging one device or several. Would it be nice if one of the ports went up to 100W for charging laptops and heavier devices? Obviously! But for daily needs, when I’m chained to my desk all day anyway, it’s enough.

Hidden power outlets, also on demand

So far, nothing special. You can find plenty of USB charging grommets out there. But what I really love about this one by Uplift is that it also has a built-in cube of AC power outlets—and it pops up only when I need it.

A firm press reveals the four hidden, full-sized, grounded 120V outlets that provide all the energy I need to power my PC, laptop charger, desk lamp, and pretty much any other device or accessory that needs dedicated power (or additional charging beyond the USB ports).

Jon Martindale / Foundry

Uplift seems well aware of how ugly it looks to have full-sized power outlets on your desk, so the pop-up mechanism is great if you’re into minimalist or sleek designs. It hides away when you don’t need any of the power outlets, yet access is quick and easy when you do. It maintains the flat aesthetic of a tidy desk, but gives you power at your fingertips.

It’s easy to install and it works well

This power grommet, like the other ones sold by Uplift, is designed for the cutouts in Uplift’s desks—but those cutouts are nearly the same as the standard across most office desks: 3.15 inches (80mm) in diameter. What that means is, you don’t need an Uplift desk to take advantage of this awesome pop-up power grommet.

To install, I just slip the top portion down through the hole, then use the locking ring to secure it from the underside of the desk. It doesn’t get easier than that! It also fits most desk thicknesses, too, being compatible with desks between 0.5 and 3 inches deep. That’s perfect for the thick butcher block surface of my own desk, yet versatile enough to fit most home office desks—even the thinner and leaner ones.

Jon Martindale / Foundry

Once it’s through the grommet hole, all you need to do is plug it into the nearest wall outlet. It has a single long 10-foot grounded power cable, providing enough length to reach any power socket while having additional slack in case you’re using a standing desk.

It’s all fully protected, too. The reason this power grommet is so big is because of all the surge protection packed inside. Now, instead of having a standalone surge protector or fitting a bulky power strip under my desk or having it lie untidily on the floor, I have just the one cable running down from my power grommet to the wall.

Yep, I’m excited by a power grommet

It’s probably a sign of my age that this power grommet has gotten me so excited that I’ve convinced my editor to let me write about it and spent a hot afternoon typing up why I love it so much.

But I kid you not, this is a really handy little accessory. It cuts back on cable mess, it means I’m not constantly searching around for a USB charger when I need it, and I can’t tell you how convenient it is to have power outlets that pop up at chest height (with a standing desk).

Uplift

I’m always testing new monitors, gaming PCs, and other equipment that needs direct power from a full-sized outlet. Usually that means bending over—there’s that age thing again—and rooting around with the power strips I’ve tucked away behind my desk. With this power grommet, none of that’s necessary. I can just reach over, pop it up, and plug in the device straight away, no fiddling or fussing required.

Is this about serious laziness on my part? Maybe. But isn’t this kind of convenience what we all want from eccentric, niche accessories like this? I know I do! This is the best desk accessory I’ve bought in a long time, and I absolutely plan to get more of these in the future.