Multi-Slot Charging Cradles

Buying fifty terminals is the easy part. The question that decides whether the rollout works is what happens at the end of the shift: where do the devices go, how do they charge overnight, and how does the next shift pick up a full battery instead of a flat one. This page collects the multi-slot charging and communication cradles we stock — the hardware that turns a pile of devices into a managed fleet.

How many slots do you need?

Fleet size	Typical setup
Up to 10 devices	One or two 4- or 5-slot cradles at the point where devices are handed over
10–50 devices	Several 5-slot cradles at each shift-change point, plus a 4-slot spare battery charger
50+ devices	A dedicated charging room: 5- and 10-slot device cradles plus 16-, 20- or 30-slot battery chargers

The practical rule is to have a slot for every device, plus spare capacity. A cradle that is always full means someone leaves a device on a bench overnight — which is how devices get lost and shifts start with flat batteries.

Device cradle or battery charger?

These solve different problems and most fleets need both:

Device cradles charge the terminal with the battery inside. Simple, and the device is stored safely. But the device is out of use while it charges.
Spare battery chargers charge batteries on their own, so a worker swaps a flat battery for a full one in seconds and keeps working. This is what makes multi-shift and 24/7 operations possible without buying extra devices.

A common setup: one cradle slot per device for overnight charging, plus a 4- or 20-slot battery charger holding a rotating pool of spare batteries for mid-shift swaps.

Charge only, or Ethernet too?

Type	What it does	Choose when
Charge only	Power to the device, nothing else	Devices are managed over Wi-Fi — the most common case, and the cheaper option
Charge + communication (Ethernet)	Power plus a wired network connection while docked	You push software updates, configuration or large data sets overnight, or Wi-Fi coverage in the charging area is poor

Ethernet cradles cost more per slot, so a practical compromise is one Ethernet cradle for staging and updates alongside charge-only cradles for the rest of the fleet.

Before you order

Cradles are model-specific. A cradle is designed around the exact shape and contact position of one device family — an MC9300 cradle does not fit an MC9400. Check the model your cradle is listed for before ordering.

Booted or unbooted. If your devices wear protective boots, confirm the cradle accepts a booted device; some require the boot to be removed every time, which staff will stop doing within a week.

Plan power and space. A 20-slot battery charger needs a dedicated socket and ventilation. Charging rooms fill up faster than expected — leave room for fleet growth.

All cradles below are CE certified and supplied with EU power supply where applicable.

Looking for the terminals themselves? Browse all handheld terminals → or see the long range models →