Yahoo News The best wireless chargers to power up your phone's battery
Wireless charging might be one of the most underrated technological marvels of our age. Simply pop your phone on a wireless charger, and then through the mystical powers of electromagnetic induction, it’ll begin to charge. No strings attached.
And yet, despite the cool factor of wireless chargers, they’ve still waiting to really take off. Major phone manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, Google and Sony have only included wireless charging on their flagship models, while other manufacturers like OnePlus and Oppo have omitted the feature entirely. Still, that may well change in the future, as wireless charging becomes more commonplace.
The important thing to say is that, on a technical level, most wireless chargers are exactly the same. Of the batch I tested for review, all bar one were 10W chargers – that means they're strong enough to juice up a smartphone in about three hours. Cables do it quicker, of course – but what you lose in speed with wireless chargers, you gain in convenience. You don’t have to fiddle around with cables; and you don’t have to worry about not having the right charger for the right phone. Just pop the phone on the pad and it’ll charge.
If you’re the type of person who only really charges their phone on their bedside table overnight, or on your desk at work during the day, a wireless charger might be just right for you. So without further ado, here are the best wireless chargers for you to buy right now, starting with my favourite...
1. Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad
What we like about it: The fastest wireless charging pad, with nice added features
Here's a little-known secret among tech nerds: the charger that comes with your phone probably isn’t very good. If you buy a better charger than the one you get in the box, you’ll find your phone charges faster and the battery is better protected.
The manufacturer to go to for those better chargers is Anker. Top quality charging equipment is this Chinese brand’s bread and butter, and nowhere is that clearer than with the PowerWave.
First, let's talk power. The PowerWave charged my Google Pixel 3 from empty to full in about two and a half hours, which was about 45 minutes faster than the standard charge speed with devices on this list. There's no arguing with performance like that: it just appears to be stronger than other wireless charging pads, winning it serious points in my esteem.
Anker have also built some thoughtful features into the product. There’s an internal fan to combat overheating (a big problem with wireless charging), radiation shielding, and overcharge protection which stops charging when your battery is full, helping your battery last longer.
It can also charge through cases up to 5mm thick, which should cover some of the tougher cases you can find for your iPhone or Android.
I did have a couple of minor gripes. I didn't love the design: the PowerWave 7.5 looks a bit dated, and it's big, bulky, not quite as ruberised and grippy as other devices on this list. And very occasionally, I found it difficult to find the right spot to place it for optimum charging, which may be a result of the larger-than-the-other.
Still, considering the price, you’re getting a lot of charge for your buck here.
2. IKEA Nordmӓrke
What we like about it: The price
When IKEA jumped into the wireless charging game, experts predicted a revolution. If IKEA built wireless chargers into all their furniture, we’d never need to plug our phones into a wall socket ever again.
The Swedish furniture giant released a bedside table with built-in charging and the Nordmӓrke, a wireless charger which, with the help of a standard hole saw, could be fit into any pre-existing furniture you like.
Four years later, we're still waiting for the revolution. The table has disappeared from IKEA's product line – but the Nordmӓrke is still here and still a neat little piece of kit. You can either use it straight out of the box, where it sits in a nice little cork stand, or you can grab a hole saw and pop it in a table or chest of drawers. You get a set of attachments to help the fit.
In terms of design, it is of the classic minimalist IKEA standard. A white pad with a little grey X on it, about 9cm across. There’s a tiny little white light on the top which activates when your phone is charging. Realistically, most phones are going to obscure the light immediately, thus rendering it a bit pointless, but that should also prevent you being disturbed by the light if you’re sleeping. Swings and roundabouts.
In terms of charging speed, it’s worth noting that this is a bit of a step down from the other options on this list. It’s a 5W charger so it charges about half the speed. It took me about seven hours to charge my Pixel 3 from 0pc. Let's call it an overnight option.
Wireless charging has always been less about speed and more about convenience, and for this price, it sure is convenient.
3. Marie Wolt Wireless Charger
What we like about it: The ultra-sleek looking design
Considering wireless charging pads are always an accessory, rather than a staple bit of gadgetry, it’s surprising how few manufacturers have embraced the aesthetic value of these devices. If you’re going to spend money you want something a nicer looking than a plain white circle.
Marie Wolt have embraced the idea with panache, creating some of the most beautiful wireless chargers (and most beautiful gadgets in general) that I’ve ever tested.
In terms of functionality, Marie Wolt chargers are the same as most others, offering 10W charging for Android phones and 7.5W for Apple (Apple limit their phone batteries, for reasons that are ultimately too boring to go into here).
But really you’re buying this for the looks. Slimmer and flatter than most, Marie Wolt’s chargers could be coasters if you squinted. Each comes a USB-C cable (no wall plug though, disappointingly, which slows down the charging speed compared to those which plug into the wall socket directly) in a colour to match the pad. The pads themselves are luxuriously designed with options including marble, art deco, and monochrome.
I tested the white marble, which is the best-seller. At the end of the day, it’s only a bit of coloured plastic, but the design elevates this charger above it’s distinctly similar-looking peers. All wireless chargers should look at Marie Wolt and follow suit.
4. Revive 2 Drawer Bedside Table
When I first heard of wireless charging, I imagined furniture with the technology built in. Being able to put your phone down on a desk, table or chair while you watched TV and then come back later to find it magically fully charged.
Sadly that utopian vision didn't really ever quite come true, but at least we have the Revive 2 Drawer Bedside Table. As it says on the tin, this is a bedside table with drawers. And what nice drawers they are. Give them a tap and they spring open. Lovely stuff.
But we're here to talk about wireless charging, which this bedside table does as well. Beneath the glass top there's a little wireless charger built in. Just pop your phone on the top in a certain spot (marked with a wireless charging symbol so you don't forget where) and it'll start charging. I found it a neat, simple solution, easy to set up, and it looks much better than having a physical charging plate. The glass even helps dissipate the heat which wireless charging generates which solves one of the major problems.
To be honest, this would be higher up the list but for one thing. The wireless charging signal isn't very strong at all. I had to take the case off my Google Pixel 3 to get it to charge, something I didn't have to do with any of the other chargers. Obviously this is because the electricity also has to be passed through a glass surface that's about half an inch thick already, but it's annoying nonetheless.
5. Mophie Charge Stream Pad+
Sticking firmly on the basic side of things, the Mophie Charge Stream Pad+ is a fairly simple-looking wireless charging pad; a plain black rubberised circle which your phone won’t be able to slide off. It’s got a nice heft to it too, making it feel pretty premium, despite the wallet-friendly price.
As with most of the other charging pads on this list, you’ve got a 10W charger here so it’ll support fast charging on both Samsung and Apple phones. It’s also got a fair bit of oomph so it’ll power through most phone cases and comes with a fancy wall adaptor that should help boost speeds.
When it launched, the common criticism of this one was the price but as that has now dropped, the viability of this one has increased.
Another thing worth noting is that there’s no charging light. Some people like to be able to make sure their phone is actually charging, but I tend to find them a bit annoying to have by my bedside in the night.
6. iOttie iON Wireless Stand
Another looker. Plenty of tech brands have fully embraced the fabric revolution so if you’ve already got an Amazon Echo or Google Home on your nightstand, this one will definitely fit in. I particularly like the red version which looks premium.
Unlike some of the other chargers here this one is more like a charging stand than a charging pad, so if you fancy turning your phone into a desk clock or you just like watching videos in bed without wanting to hold it, it could be the one for you.
There is a light on the side of the device to let you know that your phone is charging, but it’s very dim compared to the other products on this list.
Charging is 10W, and you’ll get an even faster charge if you use a USB rather than the one which comes in the box. The iOttie isn’t available in the UK just yet, so you’ll have to buy an adaptor or a high quality wall plug anyway.
7. Belkin BOOSTUP Wireless Charging Pad
Potentially my favourite thing about Belkin’s wireless charger is the section of the infographic instruction manual which shows a pair of keys placed on the pad with a big red cross through them.
What happens if you put your keys on the charger? The manual doesn’t say. Would it unlock some sort of super key abilities hitherto unknown to science? There's only one way to find out (not recommended by the manufacturer – obviously).
As a wireless charging pad for phones, I found little to reason to fault it. The small circular device comes in white or black and feels nicely rubbery so your phone shouldn’t slide off. As per usual, there’s a small LED, but this is on the side, rather than the top, so your phone won’t obscure it. It’s an unobtrusive design which I rather like, actually.
In terms of charging speed, it’s a bit of a weird one. Belkin are making very clear that this thing is designed for iPhone, which it can charge up to 7.5W – that’ll give you about 50pc of power in just over an hour. However, the charger itself can do up to 10W on other devices like Samsung phones, which will charge even faster. Honestly though, despite Belkin’s various claims about how their tech makes wireless charging faster, I didn’t encounter any demonstrable difference between this and the much cheaper IKEA charger. Given the price difference, you can see why I've placed the Belkin this far down the list.
I’d also note that while I didn’t experience any major problems, a lot of user reviews I’ve read have had some problems with their devices after several months of use. You get a two year warranty in the box which you can boost by another year by registering your device online. I’d recommend doing so, just to be on the safe side.
8. CHOETECH 5-Coil Dual Fast Wireless Charger
Usually when a tech product comes with spelling and grammar mistakes on the box, it’s a sign of an inferior product, so I didn’t approach Choetech’s offering with much enthusiasm, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised.
It should be immediately obvious from the accompanying image that the Choetech 5-Coil Dual is a different shape to everything else on this list. The clue’s in the name: a dual wireless charger which can power up two devices at once.
The whole thing is pleasantly weighty with a nice grip to both the phone and the desk. No need to worry about anything slipping off the rounded edges.
While it does technically do up to 10W charging on compatible devices, I did note that this charger seemed to take a little more time than others. Only an extra half an hour to fully charge my phone, but those who are particularly time conscious might want to bear that in mind.
I also wouldn’t recommend using this one on your bedside table on account of the blazingly bright green light which shines out of the bottom when you place anything on it. It makes devices very hot, which can cause damage over long periods, so bear that in mind.
Frequently asked questions about wireless chargers
How does wireless charging work?
It’s the same thing that electric toothbrushes have been doing for ages. The wireless charging pad contains an induction coil which creates an electromagnetic field. The phone has a receiver coil which interacts with this field to turn it back into electricity and uses it to power up your phone.
Basically, by combining the induction coil in the pad and the receiver coil on the phone, you have two halves of a transformer.
Is wireless charging as fast as wired?
Usually no, especially compared to the fast charging standard seen on a lot of modern flagship phones.
Generally wireless charging is 15pc slower than plugging your phone in, but the difference is a lot more significant when compared with fast chargers.
For example, OnePlus’s latest flagship device, the OnePlus 7Pro is capable of Warp Charge 30, which is named because it charges at 30 watts. This can zap the phone up to 50pc of battery life in just twenty minutes or 100pc in an hour.
By comparison, Qi, the industry standard for wireless chargers is 5W by default, with the vast majority of wireless chargers capable of 10W (or 7.5W on an Apple device, because Apple limits the charging speed of their phone batteries.) If OnePlus 7Pro supported wireless charging (which it doesn’t), it’d take three hours on a 10W wireless charger and six hours on a 5W one.
Is wireless charging efficient?
Again, the answer is ‘not especially’. Wireless charging often generates a lot of heat, especially with cheaper devices. Heat is just wasted energy which is being dissipated instead of being used to power your phone. Continued exposure to heat can lead to battery damage, but generally manufacturers compensate for this in their battery design to prevent it becoming too much of an issue.
