Karlston Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 The Best Wireless Chargers Stop fumbling for cables in the dark. These WIRED-tested stands and pads will make recharging your iPhone or Android phone hassle-free. Wireless charging isn't nearly as cool as it sounds. It's not exactly wireless—a cord runs from an outlet to the charging pad—and it won't charge your smartphone faster than plugging it in with a good ol' cord. Despite this, I'm always disappointed when I test a phone that doesn't support it. I've gotten used to simply plopping my phone down on a pad every night, and fishing for a cable in the dark feels like a chore. It's pure convenience more than anything else. After testing more than 40 different charging products in the past few months, we've sorted the good from the bad (and there are certainly bad ones) and have identified the very best ones for you. We have a varied pool ranging from stands to pads to wireless battery packs and one that even doubles as a headphone stand. A Note on Charging Speed and Compatibility Unless marked, all of the chargers below have a standard charging speed of 7.5 watts for iPhones or 10 watts for Android phones (including Samsung Galaxy). We've tested these with multiple phones, but there's always a chance your phone will charge slow or won’t work because the case is too thick or its charging coil doesn't align well with the charger. If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED Photograph: Native Union The Best Stand Native Union Dock Wireless Charger This is one of the prettiest wireless chargers I've tested, especially in the rose color. The large circular fabric looks nice (and won't scratch your phone), plus the steel base and silicone grips prevent it from wobbling or sliding around. I really like that the LED is on the back of the charger. In a dark room, it emits a very faint glow, enough to make sure it's charging, but not so distracting I had trouble sleeping. That's something I can't say for the many other wireless chargers with blaring lights on the front. You can charge in landscape or portrait orientation. The only downside? No power adapter is included, but you do get a 6.5-foot-long USB-A to USB-C cable. I also tested and like Native Union's wireless charging pad ($50) in case you don't want a stand. Compatible with iPhones and Android phones $70 at Amazon $70 at Native Union Photograph: Kerf The Best Pad Kerf Wireless Charging Block Wireless chargers are usually plastic and rarely blend in with their surroundings, but Kerf’s chargers are covered with 100 percent natural and locally sourced wood. Choose from 15 different wood finishes, from walnut to Canary wood, and each will come with a cork base to prevents slips. Starting from $39, these chargers can get expensive if you opt for rarer woods, and you also have the option of engraving it. Kerf also makes phone cases, and you can ask for the charger to come from the same cut of wood. You can choose whether or not you want a cable and power supply (adds $20 if you do), which is a nice way to prevent electronic waste in case you already have some lying around. Compatible with iPhones and Android phones $39 at Kerf Photograph: Anker Best Cheap Wireless Charger Anker PowerWave Pad and Stand Anker's pad and stand prove you don't need to spend much for wireless charging. They're both made from plastic with a rubbery finish on the bottom to prevent slips and slides, though it's not too grippy. A tiny LED lights up blue when it’s charging and flashes to indicate there’s a problem. We prefer stands over pads, because you can easily see your phone notifications, but Anker's pad is so cheap you could grab a few to scatter in various spots around the home. Both come with a 4-foot Micro USB cable, but you have to supply your own power adapter. That’s not a big surprise at this price. Most importantly, they'll charge your phone every bit as capably as the other options in our guide. Compatible with iPhones and Android phones $13 at Amazon (Pad) $20 at Amazon (Stand) Photograph: Google Best for the Nightstand Google Pixel Stand Google's Pixel Stand might look like a straightforward wireless charger, but it's our favorite for the nightstand. It doesn't take up much room, the soft-touch finish keeps it still, and the corrugated ridge means the phone stays put. There's a tiny LED on the front, but it illuminates from underneath the silicone, so it's barely visible. (It lights up white when it's charging and orange when there's an issue.) Our main gripe is that it's too expensive, but the price drops to $50 or less a few times a year, so try to snag it on sale. It's best paired with a Google Pixel, because it'll immediately turn into a smart display of sorts. You can have it show photos from Google Photos albums on the lock screen, get speedy access to Google Assistant, have it trigger a bedtime mode that toggles on Do Not Disturb, and even have the screen light up bright orange to mimic the sunrise just before your alarm. Compatible with iPhones and Android phones $80 $65 at Walmart $80 at Amazon Photograph: Apple Best for iPhone 12 Owners Apple MagSafe Charger Apple's new iPhone 12 phones are outfitted with magnets so that you can slap new MagSafe accessories on the back, like this MagSafe Wireless Charger. Since the charger magnetically stays attached, you don't have to worry about accidental misalignments causing you to wake up to a dead device. Plus, it will recharge your iPhone faster than any other wireless charger, thanks to the coils being perfectly aligned, and the magnets let you keep using your phone while it's charging. (That's tough with most wireless chargers.) Unfortunately, the cable isn't very long, and the puck itself will be rendered useless if you don't use a MagSafe-compatible case (we've tested a variety of these cases here). No power adapter is included. Expect more MagSafe wireless chargers on the market soon, but until then, companies have started making accessories to house this charger in, like Grovemade's stand and dock and Kerf's dock. It's a way to get some additional utility out of the charger. Compatible with iPhones (fast 15-W charging for iPhone 12 or newer) and Android phones $39 at Apple $39 at Amazon Photograph: Roav Best Car Charger iOttie Wireless Car Charger Don't fiddle with cables again, even in the car. This versatile car mount from iOttie comes in two flavors, a suction cup for dashboard or windshield, or a CD or vent mount that clips into place. Adjust the height of the feet so your phone is always in the sweet spot for charging. The arms close around your phone automatically when it hits the trigger on the back of the mount, so you can place your phone one-handed, and a release bar extends on either side, so you can take your phone out again. The mount has a Micro USB port to plug the supplied cable into; just stick the other end in your car’s power socket. It handily includes a second USB-A port you can use to charge another phone. While iOttie also offers a car mount with a sensor that automatically detects your phone and closes the arms. I don’t recommend it. I found that the battery failed after a while, and the car had to be running for it to work. So sometimes I’d turn the car off and it wouldn’t release, meaning I’d have to start the car again to open the arms and release my phone. Compatible with iPhones and Android phones $50 at Amazon $50 at Target Photograph: Aukey Portable Wireless Power Aukey Wireless Portable Charger If you really want to rid yourself of cables, get a battery pack with built-in wireless charging. This one from Aukey is my favorite, because you don't need to rely on vague LED lights to see how much battery is left in the tank. There's a tiny LED screen so I know my battery has exactly 36 percent left; now that's peace of mind. It has a tiny kickstand on the back so you can prop it up, and a latch pops out so you can lean your phone on the battery. If you do bring a cord, you can recharge another device via the USB-C or USB-A ports. The 20,000-mAh capacity means it can charge your phone several times over before the battery needs a refill. Compatible with iPhones and Android phones $46 at Amazon Photograph: iOttie A Double Charger iOttie iON Wireless Duo This is what's currently on my desk. It looks nice—I like the fabric-wrapped stand—and you can charge another device on the rubberized charging pad next to it. The stand can be used in portrait or landscape, though in the latter orientation it'll block the pad. But I like using the pad to top up my wireless earbuds. I just wouldn't use this iOttie on a nightstand, because the LED on the front can be distracting and kept me awake once. A cable and adapter are included in the box, which makes it good value. Compatible with iPhones and Android phones $49 at Amazon $60 at iOttie Photograph: Apple A 3-in-1 Stand for Apple Fans Mophie 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand Ah, the holy Apple trinity. This dock can wirelessly recharge an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods with the wireless charging case or AirPods Pro simultaneously. It's a godsend, and it hasn't given me any trouble. The upright magnetic puck for the Apple Watch means your watch can take advantage of Nightstand mode (basically, a digital clock), and the center stand allows you to place your iPhone vertically or horizontally. I like the indented spot for earbuds cases; they won't slide off easily. The whole thing looks snazzy too, thanks to an elegant glass finish. ★ For iPhone 12 owners: I also tested Belkin's Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 ($150), which can fast-charge at up to 15 W. It's a better charger, but it only works if you have the MagSafe-compatible iPhone 12 and an Apple Watch and AirPods. Made for iPhones and Apple products $140 at Apple $110 at Amazon Photograph: Satechi A 3-in-1 Pad for Apple Fans Satechi Trio Wireless Charging Pad Don't care for the stand on the Mophie 3-in-1 above? WIRED senior writer Adrienne So likes this pad from Satechi. She says it takes a little more than an hour to recharge the Apple Watch Series 6, which is close to the recommended time, and you can flip the puck up to enable Nightstand mode. That might be handy if you put this pad by your bedside. It has a relatively small footprint, and like the Mophie above, it has an indent for your AirPods wireless charging case so it won't slide around. Made for iPhones and Apple products $110 at Amazon $120 at Walmart Photograph: Ugne Pouwell/Kew Labs Look Ma, No Charger Kew Labs UTS-1 This wireless charger (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of the few on this list that blew me away. You affix it to the underside of a table (avoid metal tables), and it'll charge your phone through it! It's truly an invisible wireless charging system, and especially handy if you're limited on desk space. The installation does require some effort on your part, and you need to make sure your table is the right thickness—too thin and you shouldn't use this charger, as it may overheat your phone; too thick and it won't be able to send enough power through. It also means you'll have a (clear) sticker on your table indicating where to place your phone, but it's a small price to pay for the amount of space you save. Just know that if you switch phones, you may need to recalibrate it and apply a new sticker. Standard iPhone charging speed, slow 5-W charging for Android phones, normal 9-W speeds for Samsung phones. $105 at Kew Labs Photograph: Samsung For Samsung Galaxy Farers Samsung Wireless Charger Duo Pad There are a lot of wireless chargers with attachments to charge an Apple Watch, but the same can't be said for Samsung's smartwatches. If you own a Galaxy Watch, this dual charger is more convenient than its tiny puck. Samsung's Galaxy Watches are Qi-enabled, but they require a much smaller coil, so not all charging pads work. The watch recharges on the right side, and your phone on the left. It can juice up select Samsung phones slightly faster than other phones. I wouldn't put this in a bedroom if you're a light sleeper, as it has a fan inside to keep temperatures low, but it's audible. Samsung has released new chargers alongside its Galaxy S21 range, and we'll test them soon. Slower 5-W charging for iPhones and Android phones, fast 12-W charging for Samsung phones $100 $77 at Amazon $100 $50 at Microsoft Photograph: Oakeywood A Charger and Headphone Stand Oakywood Headphone Stand with Wireless Charger Want to kit out your work-from-home setup? Conserve space and use a headphone stand that can also wirelessly charge your phone. Oakywood's 2-in-1 has a base made from your choice of solid walnut or oak, and it looks gorgeous. Place your phone on it and it'll recharge just as well as any other charger on this list. The steel stand makes for a nice place to hang up your cans when you're done for the day. If you don't care for the stand but like the look of the charger, the company sells it separately. Compatible with iPhones and Android phones $99 at Amazon $109 at Oakywood Photograph: Nomad For Carefree Placement Nomad Base Station Pro Most wireless chargers force you to place your phone in a very specific spot. Move it too much to the right or left and it won't charge. The Base Station Pro avoids that. It uses new tech from a company called Aira that lets you drop your phone or earbuds anywhere on the pad, and the 18 coils underneath will smartly identify placement and deliver power where needed. You can fit up to three gadgets on the smooth leather surface. (Read more here.) It's not perfect. There have been issues, and I've had to update its firmware a few times (the first time I've updated firmware for a wireless charger!). It still has trouble fully recharging my Google Pixel 5, but I've had no issues with the heaps of other phones I've placed on it. It just won't charge anything quickly. If you have an Apple Watch, Nomad sells a version with an Apple Watch puck attached. Compatible with iPhones, slow 5-W charging for Android phones $200 at Nomad $200 at Moment Photograph: Razer For PC Gamers Razer Charging Pad Chroma There's a tendency to add RGB LEDs to every single component that goes into building a gaming PC. You can then customize all the shiny lights into any color imaginable, or just stick with a rotation of rainbow unicorn vomit. Whatever you opt for, this wireless charger is the next natural addition to your battle station. It has a nice soft-touch finish (though it picks up dust and lint easily). The best part is the ring of LEDs around the base. Install Razer's Chroma software and you'll be able to customize the pattern and color, and sync it to any other Razer Chroma peripheral you own for all the RGB glory. Compatible with iPhones and Android phones $60 at Amazon $60 at Razer Photograph: STM Goods A Wireless Battery … With Suction STM Goods PowerKick This is easily the best-looking portable battery pack I've seen. It's made of plastic and silicone, with a fun grey, beige, and orange color scheme. There's a kickstand on the back, four LEDs to check power level, as well as a USB-A and USB-C port to charge your devices via a wire. But turn it around and you'll see two dozen suction cups! You can wirelessly charge your phone here; just push it on the suction cups and it'll stay put. The caveat is that the suction cups might not work with your case. But I've slapped plastic and glass phones on it, and they haven't fallen off, even after jiggling the whole thing around. It's ideal if you want to leave your power bank and a phone charging on top of it in your bag instead of carrying both around. Just know that prying your phone off can be … loud. Compatible with iPhones and Android phones $60 at Amazon $70 at STM Goods Photograph: Moshi A Fabric Slider Moshi Lounge Q Here's another good-looking stand that's great for the bedroom. It's wrapped in a fabric material that looks lovely, and the metal base has a silicone grip at the bottom so it hardly slides around. What makes it special is that the charging pad can slide down the metal stand when you want to switch to charging in landscape orientation—the phone sits at a nice viewing angle. Better yet, the LED light is on the back of the right side of the pad, so it's nearly invisible from the front, which might help easily distracted sleepers. No power adapter is included. Compatible with iPhones, fast 15-W charging supported for Android phones $70 at Amazon Photograph: Ampere Best for Travel Ampere Hypercube We're not going anywhere at the moment, but when we're back to flying around the globe, try this charger. It packs small, but you can construct it into a cube, and each side has a unique function. The top can charge your earbuds; you can pull out latches on two sides to wirelessly charge two phones; and then there's a night light on the back and an alarm clock on the front. The alarm clock side also has a speaker to play soothing sleep sounds. Oh, and there's a USB-C port in case you want to charge another gadget, and you can choose to get an Apple Watch charger included as well. The downside is that the touch controls for the sounds, lights, and alarms can be confusing. If you don't care for those features, Ampere's Unravel 3-in-1 might be more your speed. Compatible with iPhones and Android phones $170 at Ampere $200 at Adorama Photograph: Anker Honorable Mentions Other Good Wireless Chargers There are a lot of wireless chargers. Here are a few more we like, but not enough to warrant a place above for one reason or another. Anker PowerWave Dual Pad for $44: If you want a roomy dual wireless charger, I like this one from Anker. It's plasticky and doesn't try to blend in your home at all, and the circular blue LEDs stick out like a sore thumb, but it does the job well. Bezalel Altair Stand for $65: Crafted from a single piece of 10-mm-thick aluminum, this stand is sturdy and stylish. Two rubber knobs provide a perch for your phone to sit in portrait or landscape orientation, making it ideal for video calls or watching movies. The back is padded with gray microsuede to cushion your phone. There’s a flat, tangle-free USB-C cable that plugs into the back, but you do have to provide your own power adapter. OnePlus Wireless Charger for $70: This is one of the ugliest wireless chargers I've used, but it's what you'll want to get if you own the OnePlus 8 Pro (as of publishing, the only OnePlus phone with wireless charging). It can bring it from 0 to 50 percent in around 30 minutes. Just know that there's a fan, so it might not be suitable in bedrooms for light sleepers. Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank for $100: This is only a good option for Apple Watch owners that often deal with a dead watch on the go. The magnetic charger is integrated, so you just have to place the Apple Watch on and it sits securely. You can also wirelessly charge your iPhone on the right side, but you need to be very precise with placement (or use the USB-C port). It's very plasticky, which is not something I expected at this price. Ampere Full Circle Wireless Charging Battery Pack for $100: This wedge-shaped portable battery pack has a 13,400-mAh capacity, which is enough to charge up most phones several times. There’s a rubber circle to aid grip and clearly mark the sweet spot for wireless charging, and there are USB-A and USB-C ports for wired charging. Bands at each corner let you fix your phone securely in place, so you can sling it in a bag and it will keep juicing up. Mophie Powerstation Hub for $100: This is a weird one. It's a power adapter you plug in directly to an outlet, with two USB-A ports and one USB-C. But it's also a 6,000-mAh battery pack. Rest your phone on the side to wirelessly recharge it. This is nearly impossible when it's plugged into an outlet, as most will have the device sitting vertically, but if you're not plugging in yet, it eliminates the need to carry an adapter and a battery pack. Unfortunately, it's only an 18-W adapter, so it's not powerful enough to recharge most laptops—just your phone or a tablet. Photograph: Nomad Your Charging Questions, Answered Why Use a Wireless Charger? Not all phones support wireless charging, so look up your phone model first. You'll usually see "Qi wireless charging" (the default standard) or simply "wireless charging" if it does. Wireless chargers can work with cases Most wireless chargers can charge through cases, unless it's a particularly thick case. Check the product listing—there's usually a case thickness limit in millimeters. Phones can get hot when charging wirelessly, so don't worry if your phone is really warm when you pick it up. Most smartphones have limits to stop accepting a charge if they get too hot. Cords will charge your phone faster Some manufacturers like Apple and OnePlus make wireless chargers that recharge their respective phones faster than others, but if you're looking for speed, you're better off sticking with a cord. Wireless charging is best for desks or nightstands when you're not really using your phone or in a rush to recharge it. There's no evidence wireless charging is harmful You may have concerns about safety or worry the phone's battery might degrade faster with wireless charging, but there’s no evidence to that effect. Manufacturers set safe limits for phone batteries, stipulating how much a battery can be charged and how far it can discharge. Regardless of the charging source you use, whether you plug into a wall adapter or use a wireless charging pad, these limits can’t be overridden. There’s no risk of overcharging your phone by leaving it on a wireless charger all night. However, try to keep your battery between 50 and 80 percent for optimum battery health. Keeping your phone fully charged or fully discharging the battery will degrade it slightly faster, and regularly swinging between full and empty will shorten its life span. Battery technology has improved in recent years, and phone batteries are more reliable than ever. If you switch phones every two to three years or don’t mind paying a modest fee for a battery replacement on that timescale, it’s not worth worrying too much about how often or when you charge your phone. The Best Wireless Chargers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3175x175(CURRENT).thumb.jpg.b05acc060982b36f5891ba728e6d953c.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.