Best Hard Drive and SSD Readers 2023

Getting data off of your hard drive or SSD doesn't have to be a painstaking process. Pop your storage disk into a reader and reclaim your data.

Ready to take a look at that old hard drive or SSD you've had sitting around? Perhaps you're not tech-savvy, or simply don't want to crack open your computer and plug it in.

Hard drive and SSD readers are a quick and easy way to access the files on your old drives, letting you see what treasure trove of files lies within, without needing to waste any time or watch YouTube videos to learn how to install a storage disk.

No matter what type of drive you have, a standard HDD, SSD, or even the newer NVMe, there are hard drive and SSD readers designed for all kinds of form factors. In fact, some even fit multiple types of drives.

Here are some of the best hard drive and SSD readers available today.

Perfect for reading multiple drives

The ikuai SATA to USB 3.0 Dual Bay Hard Drive Dock is perfect for those that need to read both 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drives.

The ikuai SATA to USB 3.0 Dual Bay Hard Drive Dock supports two hard drives (as indicated by its name). So, when you plug the dock into your PC, you'll be able to see the drives labeled separately. Placing them in the dock is a simple process, and thanks to the design, you can load HDDs and SSDs.

Built-in cloning software makes it possible to use the ikuai SATA to USB 3.0 Dual Bay Hard Drive Dock to clone from drive one to drive two, for instance. This requires no drivers and can be done easily.

In addition, there are two USB 3.0 ports and a microSD port. Transferring files has never been easier, especially when you don't want to install your hard drive directly into your desktop PC or laptop.

Transfer files easily and quickly

Easily transfer data from your 2.5-inch hard drive or M.2 NVMe without needing to install the drives directly on your PC.

Do you need to transfer files from your M.2 NVMe or store files on your drive? If you want to do this without installing the M.2 into your PC, you can easily do this with the AOKO M.2 to USB Docking Station.

Compatible with M.2 NVMe and 2.5-inch HDDs, you can simply plug and play with no additional drivers or effort needed. Just connect the drive to the device and plug the USB cable into your PC.

Affordable and effortless, the AOKO M.2 to USB Docking Station is one of the most versatile hard drive readers around.

Affordable docking station for 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drives

Turn any hard drive into an external HDD or SSD with this docking station. And with speeds of up to 5Gbps, the process is smooth and fast.

Despite not feeling as durable as other hard drive readers or adapters, the Sabrent External Lay-Flat Docking Station is a budget-friendly option that does the job well. You can add any 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives as additional storage to your PC, externally, thanks to the USB 3.0 plug.

With speeds of up to 5Gbps, it's easy to transfer files to and from your PC, as well as store them on your hard drive. When you're done, you can use the power switch to easily turn off the device.

Thanks to the plug-and-play nature of the Sabrent External Lay-Flat Docking Station, no software is required. It's also compatible with Windows and macOS, so it's a great option for various uses.

Stylish RGB dock with twin docking

The Inateck RGB SATA to USB 3.0 Hard Drive Docking Station is a stylish RGB hard drive dock that can read two hard drives at once.

The Inateck RGB SATA to USB 3.0 Hard Drive Docking Station is a stylish, and feature-rich external hard drive reader designed to support up to two hard drives. While it doesn't support the M.2 form factor, it is able to hold up to two hard drives at the same time.

Supporting either two HDDs, two SSDs, or one of each, the Inateck RGB SATA to USB 3.0 Hard Drive Docking Station is perfect for those with multiple hard drives. It also comes with a built-in offline cloning function, which can clone up to 1TB in just over an hour. With percentage LED indicators, you can easily see the cloning progress, helping to make sure you don't interrupt it.

If you're a fan of RGB hardware, the Inateck RGB SATA to USB 3.0 Hard Drive Docking Station comes with two lighting modes, a fast flash, and breathing.

The perfect tool for reading NVMe drives on the go

The SABREN M.2 PCIe NVMe Enclosure makes it easy for you to transfer your files at lightning speed, even on the go.

If you're looking for a drive reader for your NVMe SSD, the SABRENT M.2 PCIe NVMe Enclosure is a great choice. Not only is it quick and easy to insert your NVMe SSD, without needing any tools, but it's also portable, thanks to the slim design.

With data transfer speeds up to 10Gbps, the SABRENT M.2 PCIe NVMe Enclosure is able to transfer files in no time. No external power is needed, simply hook it up to your drive, and plug it in.

While it doesn't have SATA connectivity, it has been designed to house M.2 NVMe 2242/2260/2280 size drives.

Hard drive and SSD readers are really handy devices if you need to transfer data or use your HDD, SSD, or M.2 hard drives as external drives. You may want to load movies from your PC to your hard drive to play on your TV or store photos and music from your laptop that you don't want to take up room on your internal drives. Whatever the reason, there are various hard drive readers you can choose from.

Depending on the type of storage drive (or storage drives) you have, you could invest in a hard drive reader like the AOKO M.2 to USB Docking Station. This versatile device supports M.2 NVMe drives and 2.5-inch hard drives.

Alternatively, the Sabrent External Lay-Flat Docking Station is compatible with 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drives and is extremely budget-friendly, yet doesn't compromise on speed.

But, if you want to load multiple drives at once and clearly see the distinction between them (and even clone them), the ikuai SATA to USB 3.0 Dual Bay Hard Drive Dock is one of the best options around.

Perfect for reading multiple drives

The ikuai SATA to USB 3.0 Dual Bay Hard Drive Dock is perfect for those that need to read both 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drives.

Kegan is an avid gamer across multiple platforms and has had a keen interest in computing from a young age, building his own rigs to expand his knowledge of technology. Although he graduated from university with a mental health nursing degree, he has followed his passion for tech and has been freelancing for 5+ years.