Best wireless chargers 2024: Android, iPhone

Slowly but surely, wireless charging technology has gained popularity within the smartphone industry. A wireless charger allows you to ditch the cables and charge your cell phone by simply placing it on the charging base. In order to use a wireless charger, you need to make sure that your mobile is compatible with this technology (check your device specifications). Here is our selection of the five best wireless chargers and where to buy them.

How does wireless charging technology work?

This type of technology is also referred to as induction charging, where electromagnetic induction is used to provide charge to your mobile device. Both the charger and receiving device contain wireless charging coils. The transmitting coil is located in the charging pad, which produces an alternating electromagnetic field. When the phone, which contains a receiving coil connected to the battery, enters this field an electrical charge is transmitted to the battery.

You can find everything that you need to know about wireless charging and its development in this in depth guide by Moshi.

What to consider when choosing a wireless charger?

Compatibility

Although more and more cell phones are compatible with this technology, some low to mid range models do not have this feature, which for the moment tends to be on high-end devices. However, even if your device is not compatible you can buy a wireless charging receiver from Amazon with a suitable USB connector for your smartphone model for as little as $13.

Universal Standards

The universal Qi (pronounced Chee) standard by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) is used by most manufacturers such as Apple, Google and Samsung for wireless phone, headphone and smart watch charging. To learn more about the standards patented by other brands, follow this link.

Charging Speed or Power

It depends on the charger, the mobile device and also the type of adapter that you use. Wireless charging speeds normally vary between 5W and 15W. With this website you can find information about the devices that incorporate fast charging technology and their respective performance.

More info

You can also read more about Qi-certified wireless charging protocols and their maximum power output here.

Note: If your wireless charger has more than 5W of output, it may be limited by a lower power adapter. To achieve a 10W or 18W output, you will need a compatible USB-C.

Now it is time to leave all the cables in the past and discover our selection of wireless chargers and choose the one that is best suited to your needs. Remember to take advantage of the approaching Black Friday to hopefully get your preferred choice at a discount.

Anker 622 Magnetic Battery Wireless Portable Charger for iPhone

The Anker 622 is a two-in-one gadget: a power bank and charger for the latest iPhones with MagSafe, starting with the iPhone 13.

You simply attach the battery to the back of your smartphone when you carry it with you, but you can also install it for convenience on the stand. This battery is very compact: it is only 0.5 inch (12.8 mm) thin, so you can single-handedly take calls and make photos. The capacity of 5000 mAh is not large, but quite sufficient to recharge your phone while you are on the road. It supports both USB-C and wireless charging.

You can get yourself an Anker 622 for $69.99 on the official Anker website.

Apple MagSafe Charger

As a loyal iPhone user you undoubtedly know that official Apple accessories are the way to go if you have quality in high esteem. The Apple MagSafe Charger is a must cop for everyone looking for seamless functionality and top-notch performance.

The MagSafe Charger is a minimalist looking device that allows for super fast wireless charging through magnetic ring alignment. You can wirelessly attach your iPhone to the device and enjoy lightning-fast charging up to 15W.

By default, the MagSafe Charger is compatible with iPhone 12 and 12 Pro, iPhone 13 and 13 Pro, and iPhone 14 and 14 Pro. However, there is also support for Qi wireless charging, which means that MagSafe Charger can be hooked up with older iPhones as well (iPhone 8 or later).

Find the MagSafe Charger on Apple for $39.00.

Belkin BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad

This is the ultimate charging solution for people who own multiple devices that support wireless charging. Simplistic, yet beautifully designed, the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 pad is an excellent way to charge your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch at the same time.

One of the best things about this device is that it is perfectly portable. You can easily slip the pad into your backpack for travel and enjoy fast wireless charging everywhere you go.

This top-of-the-line charging device delivers the fastest possible charging experience (up to 15W) for iPhone 12 and Apple Watch Series 8 or newer. Nevertheless, older wirelessly chargeable Apple devices are also supported, although they'll charge at lower speeds.

The Belkin BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad is available in black and white. You can purchase the it on Apple for $149.95.

Samsung 15W Wireless Charger Duo

As you might expect, Samsung also sells its very own line of wireless charging products. Our favorite of the bunch is the Samsung 15W Wireless Charger Duo. Boasting a simple, yet sleek black or white design, the charger unmistakably looks like a Samsung product.

As the name of the device already says, the 15W Wireless Charger Duo has placeholders for two devices. Thus, you will be able to simultaneously charge your phone, and your Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Buds. Furthermore, the charger is super slim and portable, so you can easily place it anywhere in your house or office when your Samsung device needs a little extra juice. That said, the charger comes equipped with a Type-C USB cable, but you do need an additional wall charger to hook it up.

Other interesting features of the charger pad include a built-in cooling system that keeps your device's temperature low while charging, as well as a LED light that tells you the charging status of your device with three different colors.

The 15W Wireless Charger Duo is compatible with all Samsung Galaxy devices that support wireless charging. If you own a 25W Samsung wall charger, some recent Galaxy phones allow for super fast wireless charging (25W). Charging speeds for other smartphones, watches, and earphones may vary by device.

The charging device is available on Samsung for $69.99.

Moshi Otto Q Wireless Charging Pad

The last wireless charging device in this article also happens to be the most stylish one. The Otto Q Wireless Charging Pad is a handsome looking device with a premium design and a soft material finish. At first glance, the Otto Q reminds us of a high-end audio speaker.

Thanks to a textured fabric and a silicon surface ring, you won't have to worry about your phone or watch slipping off the charger. The powerful Q-coil module allows for efficient charging, even through cases up to 5mm thick. Charging speeds vary between 15W (for recent Fast-Charging devices) and 10W or 7.5W (for Qi enabled devices).

The Otto Q also boasts a few interesting additional features, such as a smart LED charging status indicator, and Foreign Object Detecion, which automatically shuts of the charger when unknown metal objects are placed on its surface.

Inside the box we find a USB-C to USB-C charging cable. Like with most other recent wireless charging devices, a wall charger is unfortunately not provided.