Wireless charging is possibly one of the greatest inventions ever made. The ability to just plop down your smartphone onto a surface and have it recharge without having to plug in a cable can never be oversold.There is a bevy of charging mats, stands, and other gadgets that can juice up your phone with wireless wizardry. Whether you have an iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, or another Qi-enabled device, here are the best Qi wireless chargers you can buy.TL;DR These are the Best Wireless Chargers:
1. RAVPower Fast Wireless Charger
Best Wireless Charger
Max Charging Rate: 10W Min Charging Rate: 5W Quick Charging: QC 3.0 Connector Type: Micro USB Size: 3.54″ x 0.63″ x 3.54″
If youre looking for an affordable and fast wireless charger, look no further than RAVPower. At $27, the RAVPower Fast Wireless Charger is a little more expensive than all the other 10W Qi-certified wireless charging pads that typically cost $20 or less, but this one actually comes with an included power brick so you don’t have to go scavenging for one.Now that’s up to 10W with Android phones since Apple unfortunately limited iPhones to only draw up to 7.5W of power from Qi chargers. Still, no matter what device you have from the latest iPhone XS to the Samsung Galaxy S10 or the new Airpods, the Graphite Lite Q promises to be compatible.
2. Yootech Wireless Charger
Best Budget Wireless Charger
Max Charging Rate: 10W Min Charging Rate: 5W Quick Charging: QC 3.0 Connector Type: USB Type-C Size:4.55″ x 3.18″ x 2.68″
The Yootech Wireless Charger is a great wireless charger that costs only $13, half as much as our top pick if you don’t mind it’s few drawbacks. This wireless charger is much cheaper, but it can only supply a maximum of 7.5Wwhich again will only bother Android phoneand it doesn’t come with an AC adapter.If you already have a few power bricks lying around, or just plan to use the one that came with your phone, so this wont be a big deal. All you need is something a plug that’s rated for five volts and 2 amps.
3. Aukey Graphite Wireless Charger
Best Ultra Cheap Wireless Charger
Max Charging Rate: 5W Connector Type: USB Type-C Size:3.43 x 3.43 x 0.47The Aukey Graphite Wireless Charger is one helluva bargain for only $10. Be aware that it only pushes a measly 5W of power over the air, so if you get this you should plan to do most of your wireless charging overnight, otherwise you’ll be sorely disappointed with a mobile device that’s barely alive.
You should also be aware that this wireless charger doesn’t come with an included AC adapter, so that’s another thing you’ll have to provide. Despite its shortcomings, Anker’s build quality is top-notch as the Graphite Wireless Charger features a soft surface wrapped around a zinc alloy base.
4. Samsung Wireless Charging Stand 15W
Fastest Wireless Charger
Max Charging Rate: 15W Min Charging Rate: 12W Quick Charging: Fast Charge 2.0 Connector Type: USB Type-C Size: 5.8″ x 4.1″ x 3.2″Youd be forgiven for ignoring a Samsung wireless charger at first if you dont have a Samsung phone. But for absolute fast charging, you can get from Qi technology, there’s nothing better than the Samsung Wireless Charging Stand 15W.
As its name suggests, the Samsung Wireless Charging Stand 15W will deliver up to 15W of wireless charging power. That’s certainly more than most other wireless chargers that max out at 10W. It’s so much power that Samsung saw fit to include a built-in fan just to keep your device cool as it’s soaking up all that juice.
5. Anker PowerWave Stand
Best Wireless Charging Stand
Max Charging Rate: 10W Min Charging Rate: 5W Quick Charging: QC 3.0 Connector Type: Micro USB Size: 3.9″ x 3.9″ x 0.4″If you arent satisfied with flat pads and want to see your phone while it’s charging, you should get the Anker PowerWave Stand. While charging pads have your phone lying on its back, this charging stand props your phone at a 45-degree angle, so you watch notifications scroll by as it charges.
The Anker PowerWave Stand also features two induction coils, so you can recharge your phone on the stand whether it’s sitting vertically, or horizontally if you want to watch a video as well. The only thing it doesn’t have is an included AC adapter.
6. Mophie Charge Stream Powerstation Wireless
Wireless Qi Charger Plus Power Bank
Capacity: 6,040mAh Max Charging Rate: 10W Min Charging Rate: 5W Connector Type: Micro USB Size: 2.72″ x 0.69″ x 4.49″The problem with wireless charging pads is that theyre still tethered to the wall, keeping them from being truly wireless. The Mophie Charge Stream Powerstation Wireless changes that. It’s a $60 portable charger and wireless charger all in one package.
You can charge up the battery’s 6,040mAh battery through the wall, then charge your phone wirelessly by placing it on top of the power bank. With that capacity, Mophie claims it can extend the battery life of your smartphone by 48 hours and your tablet by 17 hours.
You can, of course, charge your devices with a USB cable for faster and more efficient charging. Alternatively, can even charge two devices at onceone wireless, one wired.
7. RAVPower Wireless Car Charger
Best Wireless Charger For Your Car
Max Charging Rate: 10W Min Charging Rate: 5W Quick Charging: QC 3.0 Connector Type: Micro USB Size: 4.61″ x 3.27″ x 1.85″Nothing drains your phone’s battery quite like turn-by-turn navigation, so charging while you drive is absolutely essential. Instead of fiddling with a cable, you can grab the RAVPower Wireless Car Charger, which acts as a car mount and wireless charger all in one for $40.
Like any good car mount, it attaches onto your AC vent and it has a movable neck so you can find the perfect position. Its adjustable arms can stretch to fit just about any phone up to 3.6-inches wide. On top of that, it supports up to 10W quick wireless charging, so your phone will never lose much battery, if any at all, while providing directions on the road.
8. IKEA NORDMÄRKE
Best Wireless Charger for Multiple Devices
Max Charging Rate: 5W Connector Type: USB-A Size: 12″ x 5″ x 1″If you have more than one phone in your household, you dont want to fight over the living room charging pad. If you want to juice up multiple devices at once, your best bet is surprisingly this triple pad from IKEA ($60). Itll charge up to 3 devices wirelessly at 5W, plus a fourth device through its wired USB port on the side. It doesnt have 7.5W or 10W quick charging, but if youre charging multiple devices, its well worth the tradeoff, and it looks pretty stylish. If you like the style of IKEAs charger but only have one phone, its RIGGAD lamp ($70) comes with a wireless charging pad built-in, too.
What to look for in a Wireless Charger
Technically, Qi isnt the only wireless charging standard on the market, but with other standards like PMA and A4WP dwindling in influence, your phone most likely supports Qi charging, so thats what we’ve focused in on with this guide.In addition, its important to mention that wireless charging is hardly the fastest way to recharge your phone. Sure, its awfully convenient to just plop your phone down on a pad at the end of the day. But wireless charging is just plain slower than the wired fast charging options.
Some folks also have problems with needing to find the right sweet spot for their phone on the mat (hence lots of Amazon reviews claiming a given charger is unreliable). I personally love wireless charging, but you may find the speed and reliability of wired charging preferable to the convenience of wirelessits all about personal preference.
Whitson Gordon is a writer, gamer, and tech nerd who has been building PCs for 10 years. He eats potato chips with chopsticks so he doesn’t get grease on his mechanical keyboard.
Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam