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Sci-fi author Arthur C Clarke once said that "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" and it certainly feels like there's some advanced sorcery at work when it comes to the best wireless chargers. You simply place your phone down, and it just charges itself. In reality, it's magnets rather than wizardry, and nearly all of today's smartphones support this clever charging method. Look for this Qi icon when shopping for charging accessories to ensure compatibility with Qi-supported smartphones. (Image credit: Wireless Power Consortium) What is Qi certification? Pros: 33 per cent faster charging | Can charge a phone, watch and headphones at once | Can charge the phone in portrait or landscape
Broadly speaking, wireless chargers fall into two categories: wireless charging pads and wireless charging stands. Pads are circular discs with a magnetic charging coil that snaps onto your iPhone or Android phone to boost it up while the device lays flat on the desk. Pads are only really useful if you’ve got a single phone to charge, as there’s no room for anything else, though some top models are bigger so you can sit all your high-end tech next to each other for a one-stop recharge.
Type: Stand | Connections: Comes with a mains plug adapter | Charging speed: Maximum of 10W for Android and 7.5W for iPhones The charger’s large footprint allows for smartphones big and small to fit and work with the motorized coil, but you can charge just about any other compatible product with it. Pros: Charge three devices at once | Decent charge speed | Built-in LED light indicator | Takes up less desk space than some alternatives There are two small issues I found with this charger. First, the integrated USB-A cable, although braided for durability, looks cheap compared to the rest of the pad, and is only 90cm (3 feet) long, making the places where I could put the charger limited by how close my power outlets were. Plus, the charger is only capable of 10W output, which while available with any compatible device, is a bit slow. Which company's wireless charger is best?
You can charge at up to 15W on most iPhone 12, iPhone 13 or iPhone 14 models if you have a 20W charging plug at the other end, which fortunately I do. However, if you own an iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 13 mini, then that's limited to 12W. That's still faster than basic Qi wireless charging though, and it remains just as convenient no matter which model you own. Whichever charger you choose, keep a few things in mind if it doesn't immediately and perfectly match your expectations: All of this is thanks to the Qi wireless charging standard. It's maintained by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), which defines wireless charging as "energy that is transferred from one device to another without physically plugging in a cable." You'll also see the term "MagSafe", this is Apple's proprietary standard for wireless charging on iPhone 12 and 13 models. It works with the Qi-certified models and connects phones to chargers with magnets to get them aligned correctly every time, though this does mean older phones that don't have the magnet won't attach. Pad or stand? 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 a version with just the pad.This charger still works great with other smartphones, you just won't be able to access many of those Pixel features. The biggest downside? Charging only works in portrait orientation. Oh, and it's definitely overpriced. The good news is the first-gen Pixel Stand is still available for much less; you can recharge your phone in landscape and portrait orientation, and I daresay it looks more interesting. Type: Stand | Connections: USB-C cable, no adapter included | Charging speed: Maximum of 10W for Android and 7.5W for iPhones If you have Samsung's Galaxy Watch6, Watch5, Watch4, Galaxy Watch3, Active2, or Active, then this is an excellent triple wireless charger to add to your home. You place the watch on the circular dip; I used it near my front door for several months and it charged the Watch4 (and the older Watch3) with zero issues.
The most important thing to look for when shopping for the best wireless charger for your needs is whether it's compatible with your phone. If a wireless charger is Qi certified, it should support your iPhone, Samsung phone or other Android phone. But note that the wattage support will vary from charger to charger. Most chargers support 10W charging for Android phones and 7.5W charging for iPhones, although if they support Apple's MagSafe standard, then you can charge an iPhone 12, 13 or 14 at up to 15W instead. The two charging coils inside allow you to comfortably keep your eyes on the screen without changing the orientation, being able to use your device in both vertical and horizontal layouts. Smart foreign object detection: enhanced safetySmart metal foreign object detection prevents any metal objects, such as keys andcoins, that have been mistakenly placed on the wireless charger from drawing power and causing it to overheat. The charger also comes equipped with non-slip rubber pads, so you can rest assured that your device will always be safe while charging. Sleek, ultra slim design This wireless charger isn't so much a Tesla product but more a FreePower one, considering it's the company's technology inside. Its first-gen tech was inside a Nomad charger we liked, but this is the second generation, and it's much better. The idea is you can place your devices (up to three) anywhere on the surface and the 30 coils inside the charger will identify exactly where to deliver power (up to 15 watts each). No precise placement necessary! I've been using it to charge my wife's and my wireless earbuds cases for months, and it's great not having to place them exactly in a certain spot. Some wireless chargers will come with an included mains adapter, while others might require you to use your own. If they don't have an adapter, they'll probably connect to a USB-C wall charger, but may potentially require an older USB-A charger instead. We've explained the connections for each option in our roundup. Alignment 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 around your home. Both come with a 4-foot MicroUSB 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.
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