The best wireless phone chargers for your iPhone or Android

You know what’s missing from all our visions of a futuristic utopia? Wires. You never see anyone fumbling with a cable to plug in an Android phone or iPhone. Everything just magically works. We’re not there yet, but wireless charging technology is improving all the time. Leading the way toward this brave new world are wireless phone chargers. They’re not entirely wireless, because they still have to be plugged into a wall outlet, but they do free you from your nightly plug-in. You can just pop your smartphone on a pad, and know that in the morning it will be good to go.

Before you splurge on a wireless charger, though, make sure that your phone supports it. Loads of phones do now, from the iPhone XS and Galaxy S9 to the Pixel 3. For smartphones that don’t, like the Google Pixel 2, you need to buy a special replacement back or a case that enables wireless charging. There used to be a couple of competing standards, but choosing a wireless phone charger is relatively straightforward now that Qi, backed by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), has won out over rival Powermat. Here’s a list of the best wireless phone chargers for Android devices and iPhones.

Moshi Otto Q Wireless Charging Pad ($40)

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We like the style of this wireless charging pad from Moshi. It has a practical, gray fabric finish with a silicone ring in the middle that ensures your phone won’t slip off the sweet spot. Functionally it can put out up to 10W, so it will fast charge a Samsung Galaxy or an Apple iPhone at their top speeds of 9W and 7.5W, respectively. It comes with a 3-foot, gray, plastic USB-C to USB-A cable, but sadly there’s no wall charger in the box, so you’ll need to pair it with one rated at 12W for best performance.

Although small and light, the bottom of the charging pad is silicone and it grips well on most surfaces. The finish on the top is ideal if you don’t like to cover the glass back of your phone with a case, as it both pads and grips the back of your phone. It can also charge through most cases without issue. There is a small, white LED on the front which pulses gently when charging and stays lit when your phone is fully charged. It’s not too bright compared to some others, but you might want to make sure it faces away from you if you’re placing it on your nightstand.

Amazon

Mikol Wireless Charging Pad ($69)

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If you’re horrified by the prospect of an ugly plastic puck or stand cramping your home’s style, then Mikol’s marble wireless charging pad could be right for you. This wireless charging pad features black, white, or green marble, with unique, contrasting vein patterns for an opulent look. The solid casing is a metal alloy. It’s capable of fast charging a Samsung Galaxy phone, but you will need to pair it with a fast wall charger as you only get a Micro USB to USB-A cable in the box.

There are four rubber feet on the bottom of the Mikol pad, which help to prevent it from sliding around, however, the marble surface is a bit slippery, so if you don’t use a case with your phone to give it some grip, then this pad isn’t recommended. The color LED which indicates when it’s charging, shines through the marble, but also out the front and we found it a bit bright for the nightstand. At the very least you’ll want to angle the light away from you. While it does boast a luxurious look, this pad is very expensive — $69 is a sale price from the normal $104.

Mikol

Google Pixel Stand ($80)

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The Google Pixel Stand is capable of charging smartphones that support Qi wireless charging, including the latest iPhones, at top speed, thanks to the included USB-C to USB-C cable and 18W USB PD power adapter. It’s made of polycarbonate and soft silicone with a base that grips on any surface, so it won’t slide around on the nightstand. The white finish is unobtrusive, so it should blend into any environment. You can prop your phone up on this stand in landscape or portrait view and it will charge because there are two coils inside.

If you’re the lucky owner of a Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL, then the Pixel Stand offers some tempting extra features. There’s a microprocessor inside that recognizes your Pixel phone, and you can configure the stand through your phone’s settings, ensuring it automatically goes into Do Not Disturb mode or acts as a digital photo frame when you place it on the stand. If you play music, the music controls and album art will appear on screen (you can also use Google Assistant), and there’s a special Sunrise Alarm that uses light from your Pixel phone’s screen to wake you more gently than a traditional alarm. If you don’t have a new Pixel phone to take advantage of the special feature here, then you’re probably better off snagging something cheaper.

Google

Choetech Air Vent In-Car Wireless Charger ($35)

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Not all wireless chargers have to be used at home. We like this in-car alternative because it does two jobs — we have somewhere to put our phone so we can see Google Maps, and it charges the device at the same time. The Choetech mount is not too large or heavy, and the air vent grip is strong enough to support a heavy phone. We have been using it with an iPhone XS Max, and it has been held securely in place, plus it operated with the phone in a regular case too. The wireless holder costs $41, and we paid $14 for the charging adapter.

To enable the wireless charging, you have to plug a Micro USB cable into the holder and then into a cigarette lighter adapter. Choetech recommends its own Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 adapter, which has two outlets for convenience, but if you already have one there’s a good chance you won’t have to buy another. For us, the system worked every time, and kept the phone topped up even when using GPS. The lighter adapter did get warm, as did the back of the charging unit, but neither dangerously so and no more than we’d expect for a charger in the car. The mount has all the expected safety features to prevent overcharging and overheating. The only question is where to stuff the excess amount of cable, an issue not unique to this product.

Choetech

Case Mate Power Pad Wireless Charger ($60)

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It’s not the most stylish wireless charger we’ve ever used, but Case Mate’s Power Pad is extremely versatile. This rectangular pad comes in black or white and offers Qi wireless charging, including fast charging at 9W for Samsung smartphones or 7.5W for Apple’s iPhones — we tested both and it works as expected. The cable is attached to the pad and plugs into the 18W Quick Charge wall adapter that comes in the box. We got the version with the stand which allows you to prop your phone in portrait or landscape while it charges.

The pad has a nonslip, rectangular, TPU strip to hold your phone securely in place and there’s a simple white LED on the side to indicate that it’s charging correctly. There’s a wee insert so you can adjust the stand position for your phone. Both the pad and stand have feet and seem to be sturdy enough that they won’t slide around. The Power Pad will still charge your phone if it has a slim case on, but thick cases are going to cause a problem — as they do for all wireless chargers. It’s quite an expensive option, but if you want the ability to switch between pad and stand it may suit you. The option to charge in landscape is rare.

Case-Mate

Native Union Drop Wireless Charger ($60)

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Native Union brings its unique sense of style and design to the world of wireless chargers, and we love how the eye-catching look isn’t just for show, as the ridges are grippy rubber, making them perfect for keeping your phone securely in place. The aluminum body has a circular rubber foot underneath too, along with a small LED indicator on the side to show charging status. The cable supplied is one of Native Union’s excellent braided versions with a USB Type-C connector, and at 6.5 feet long it’s easy to move the charger around if you’re not close to an electrical socket.

The charger sends up to 10w of energy through the phone — around three hours from zero to full capacity on an iPhone, according to Native Union — and has happily worked with all but the most rugged cases we’ve tried. It also promises excellent temperature management to maintain fast charging and to keep things safe. It’s not cheap, but we like the design and appreciate the simplicity. However, it’s the fast charge system that makes us recommend the Drop Wireless Charger.

Anker PowerWave Pad ($46)

The Anker PowerWave Pad can output up to 10W for fast wireless charging of phones like the Samsung Galaxy S9, but it can also charge the iPhone X at 7.5W, so you should get top speed out of this pad regardless of your phone. The white disc design is fairly unobtrusive and there’s a decent weight, so it shouldn’t slide around on your desktop. There are an LED indicator and a fan inside, which is great for keeping your phone cool, but is definitely audible at times, so we wouldn’t recommend this pad for the nightstand.

We’re pleased to find that Anker has included, not just a decent 3-foot PowerLine Micro USB cable in the box, but also a Quick Charge 3.0 adapter. That means you have everything you need out of the box. Anker’s build quality is always excellent and this pad is no exception. If you prefer to be able to prop your phone up while it charges Anker does also offer the PowerWave Stand at $50, which is identical in terms of functionality.

iOttie iON Wireless Fast Charging Pad Plus ($50+)

This is another versatile wireless charging pad that can output 10W or 7.5W ensuring that you get the top charging speed possible, whether you have an Apple iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, or something else. With an unusual shape and fabric covering that comes in red, gray, or white, this is an attractive device that really stands out from the crowd. There’s an unobtrusive light in the recessed front and plenty of ventilation to keep the temperature down.

There’s a USB-C input and we’re glad to find that iOttie includes a 4-foot USB-C to USB-A cable and a power adapter in the box. Interestingly, there’s also a USB-A port on the back that you can use for wired charging if you have another cable handy. If you charge two phones (wirelessly and wired) at the same time then the speeds will be a bit slower as the capacity is split between them, but the USB-A port can go all the way up to 12W when used alone.

Aukey Graphite 10W Wireless Fast Charger ($27)

If portability and power are your two primary considerations when choosing a wireless charging pad than Aukey may have the perfect solution. The Aukey Graphite 10W Wireless Fast Charger is one of the most portable pads on our list that packs in 10W of power. At just 3.4 x 3.4 x 0.5 inches the Aukey Graphite 10W Wireless fast charger is easy to fit into a bag, or even your pocket. And since it packs 10W of charging power, it can quickly charge both Samsung Galaxy handsets or the Pixel 3 or 3 XL at 10W and iPhones at 7.5W.

In the box, you’ll find the wireless charging pad and a Micro USB charging cable along with the user manual and warranty card. On the front of the charging pad, you’ll find a small LED light to let you know when your device is charging. The top of the charger has a rubberized coating to prevent slips, while the bottom is constructed out of surprisingly heavy aluminum. You’ll also find four rubber feet on the bottom of the charger to prevent slipping and furniture scratches.