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One of the biggest annoyances of daily life is charging your phone. You always have to have your charging cable and outlet adapter with you in case you need to juice up on the go, and finding an available outlet in public is a huge pain. Heck, it's annoying enough to struggle with all those wires at home where outlets are plentiful (hopefully). Wireless charging aims to solve your charging woes by eliminating all those cables.
Many Android phones have had wireless charging for years, but the technology still isn't as widespread as it should be. Tech geeks everywhere have been waiting for the moment when wireless charging becomes the norm, and that day is fast approaching now that Qi wireless charging has come to the iPhones.
Apple is generally regarded as a leader in the smartphone industry. When Apple adopts a new technology, many other companies follow suit. You're all but guaranteed to see wireless charging become more popular. Wireless charging stations could start popping up at cafes, hotels, airports, and other public venues.
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With that in mind, we've rounded up the very best wireless chargers you can buy that will juice up any smartphone that supports the Qi standard. This includes the new iPhones and many Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 9. You can also jump to our explainer on how wireless charging works and what devices support it here.
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Belkin makes great accessories for many tech products, and its wireless charging pads are no exception. The 15-Watt BoostUp Qi Wireless Charging Pad is optimized for Android phones that support fast wireless charging like the Samsung Galaxy S7, S8, S9, S10, and Note 9; while the new 7.5-Watt pad is optimized for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR.
Both pads work with the new iPhones and Android phones because they both support the Qi charging standard, so you can buy either one and be happy.
We tested the Belkin BoostUp charger with several iPhones and Android phones, and it worked perfectly. It looks great, has excellent traction so your phone won't slide off while charging, and it juices up any phone quickly.
Wireless charging is traditionally slower than wired charging, but the BoostUp pad with 15 Watts of power should charge your devices faster — so long as they support fast wireless charging. Most new Samsung phones do, which is great. The iPhone optimized pad has 7.5 Watts of power, so it will still be faster than older 5 Watt chargers.
The BoostUp charging pad is a simple circular disc that measures less than 5 inches across. It has a rubber ring in the middle to ensure that your shiny new phone doesn't go sliding straight off the pad and onto your hard floor to shatter in tiny pieces (along with your heart).
You simply plug the pad into the wall and pop your phone on it to charge. That's it! No wires and no fumbling to plug the charger into your phone.
Pros: Simple design, good grip, optimized for iPhone or Android, works with most slim cases, charges at 7.5 Watts (iPhone) or up to 15 Watts (Android)
The best wireless charger that works with thicker cases
Why you'll love them: The Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad and the PowerWave 7.5 Stand can charge your iPhone 8, X, XS, XS Max, XR, or compatible Android phone even in a thick case.
Anker is known for its excellent, affordable tech accessories. The company makes our favorite lightning and Micro USB cables, excellent battery packs, and really great wireless chargers. Our favorite is the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Watt Charging Pad, which can charge any Qi compatible device with up to 7.5 Watts of power.
For about $30, you get the charging pad, a Quick Charge 3.0 AC adapter, and Anker's great PowerLine Micro USB Cable to power the pad. The Anker pad is very simple with its white design and 4.33 by 4.33-inch charging space.
You can also get it as a stand if you prefer that style versus a flat pad. It also comes with the wall adapter and cable, but it does cost more at $49.99. I use the stand at my desk in the office every day to top off my phone before I head home.
Anker says that the charging pad and the stand have several safety features, including "over-charge protection, foreign object detection, and radiation shielding." The company also claims that its new technology allows you to charge your phone even when you have a thick case on.
In our testing, both the pad and the stand charged an iPhone XS wearing a case and a PopSocket with no problem, which is incredibly impressive. We haven't been able to charge through the case and PopSocket with any other charger we've tested.
Buyer reviews for both products are very positive on Amazon. The stand has a 4.5-star average, as does the pad.
Pros: Affordable, small, charges fast with right adapter, works with all Qi compatible devices
Cons: Outlet adapter not included, may not charge when case is on
If you set your phone down on the charger, it acts like a quick-charging, 10 watt wireless charger, but if you're on the move, you can also use it as a battery pack, thanks to the 6,700mAh battery inside the charger.
It's a smaller battery, though, so it only fully recharged my iPhone XS once before it needed to be juiced up again. Luckily, you can see how much battery life is left in the internal battery by pressing the power button. The percentage left will display in a tiny LED screen.
When it comes time to plug in the charger and rejuice the internal battery, you can plug it right into a regular wall outlet. If you're not in the US, and you happen to be traveling to the EU, UK, or Australia, Fuse Chicken has you covered with travel adapters for all those countries. A small bag comes with the charger so you have a place to safely store those adapters.
It also has a 2.4A USB Type-C port and a USB-A port, so you can plug your phone's charging cable and juice up your device that way if you prefer. You can use both ports at the same time to charge multiple devices at once, too. Sadly, it can't charge a USB-C laptop like the MacBook, but you can charge any phone, tablet, ereader, or accessories like headphones with it.
The main downside to this travel-friendly, all-in-one wireless charger is that it is very expensive. However, if you travel to those countries a lot, it's worth it.
Pros: Great for travel, all-in-one charger, compact design
Why you'll love it: The Mophie Wireless Charging Base will juice up your iPhone 8, 8 Plus, X, XS, XS Max, XR, or Android phone without wires.
Mophie makes great tech accessories, and Apple highlighted its charging base during the iPhone 8 and iPhone X announcement. The circular charging pad is optimized for the iPhone with 7.5 Watts of power for fast charging speeds. It has a rubbery grip to it, so your phone won't slip off while charging.
Mophie is known for its high-quality charging products, and Apple rarely gives its seal of approval for products, so you know the charging base is excellent quality. It also looks great and blends in with the other stuff on your desk, nightstand, or table.
Insider Picks' Brandt Ranj uses this wireless charger every day. In his full review, he says, "it's the best wireless charging pad I've used," and it's the only one he uses to charge his phone at work.
Of course, since it uses the Qi standard of wireless charging, the charging base will also work with Android phones.
Mophie also has a nice travel kit that comes with a mini wireless charger, a car adapter, wall adapter, Micro USB cable, and a handy traveling case. It's a nice way for frequent fliers to travel with a wireless charger without sacrificing too much space in their carry-on bags.
Pros: Sleek design, rubbery grip, optimized for iPhone
Why you'll love it: The RAVPower Fast Wireless Charger can juice up your iPhone 8, iPhone X, or Android phone fast for about $40.
The RAVPower Fast Wireless Charger is specially made to support the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, XS, XS Max, and XR. It also works with any Qi Compatible Android phone. The charger can output 7.5 Watts of power to charge your iPhone 50% faster than older 3.5 to 4 Watt wireless chargers.
We've used the RAVPower wireless charger to juice up a few different Android phones and the new iPhone 8. Fast charging works like a charm on supported devices.
The wireless charging pad comes also with a great Quick Charge 3.0 capable outlet adapter so you can funnel 10 Watts of power to Quick Charge compatible phones like Samsung Galaxy S10, S9, S8, and Galaxy Note 9. It's important to note that many cheaper fast charging pads don't include the correct outlet adapter, so the $40 price tag is actually really great.
In case you're worried about wireless charging not being totally safe, RAVPower paid special attention to safety. Its charger has built-in over-current, over-voltage, and over-temperature protection systems to ensure that your device gets the proper amount of power.
RAVPower's charger looks like most other wireless chargers. It's a simple round disc with a rubberized coating to ensure that your phone doesn't slide off while it's charging and go crash on the floor. The charging pad measures 3.5 by 3.5 inches, so it shouldn't take up too much space on your nightstand.
Pros: Fast wireless charging, includes outlet adapter, affordable, non-slip surface, works with iPhone or Android
Sometimes you just want a basic charger that does what it's supposed to do. If you don't care about design or your just want something simple, slim, and black, you should grab the TechMatte Wireless Charging Stand.
It's just a simple black stand with an LED in the front that lights up when you're charging your phone. The stand is tall enough to hold any phone and it has two coils to make it easier to charge your phone. You can even charge it horizontally or vertically.
TechMatte supports Quick Charge tech for Android phones and it will juice up the iPhone relatively quickly, too. I tried one out and I loved it so much I recommended it to several friends and co-workers as an affordable wireless charging option.
Insider Picks' senior reporter David Slotnick uses it to charge his iPhone X at the office. It blends right in with his desk and works seamlessly.
Pros: Quick Charge capable, affordable, double coil for easy charging, LED light
Cons: No AC adapter in the box, not the most beautiful thing
Samsung knows how to make pretty accessories. The Fast Charge Wireless Charging Convertible Stand has a slick faux leather finish that stands out from the crowd and looks great in your home on a nightstand or table. It can be propped up to hold your phone in a stand position while it charges or lay flat to act as a standard wireless charging pad.
The charger not only looks great, but it offers fast charging for most Galaxy S and Note phones, including the S7, S8, S9, S10, and Note 9. Samsung says fast charging doesn't work for other companies' phones, so your speeds may vary. The charger works with any Qi compatible Android phone or the new iPhones.
We tried it with the LG V30 and the iPhone X, and it worked immediately with no fuss. The faux leather texture offers good grip in both the pad and stand positions.
The stand comes with the outlet adapter and it has a built-in fan to dissipate heat during fast charging. It has multiple charging coils and a LED light that lets you know if your device is aligned properly.
Most buyers love Samsung's charging pad for its great design, ability to be a stand or a pad, and quick charging function. A handful of reviewers complained that it's hard to align, cases interfere with charging, it charges slowly, or costs too much, but those are common issues with all wireless chargers.
Pros: Slick faux leather design, converts to a stand or pad, charges some Galaxy phones fast, works with most Qi compatible phones
Why you'll love it: TaoTronics LED Desk Lamp has a fast wireless charger and a USB port built in so it can charge your phone and another device besides.
If you like products that serve multiple purposes, you'll love the TaoTronics LED Desk Lamp with its built-in wireless charger, USB charging port, and many adjustable settings. Since this is a guide for wireless chargers, we'll talk about that aspect first.
The wireless charging pad built into the lamp's base can charge your iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, X, 8, or 8 Plus with the optimal 7.5 Watts of power. If you have an Android phone, you get 10 Watts of power for quick wireless charging. There's a small rubbery ring on the wireless charger, so your phone won't slide off. I use it to charge my phone every night on my bedside table, and it works like a charm.
TaoTronics also added a USB port in the back of the lamp so you can charge your phone with a cable instead. You could also charge your phone wirelessly and charge another device via a cable at the same time, which is great for multi-device households and tech nerds like me.
As far as the lamp's lighting features go, it's great. You turn the lamp on and off with the tap of a finger on the touch-sensitive power button. There's also a ring that regulates the brightness of the lamp and a button that you can tap multiple times to get five different color temperatures for your light. That way, you can decide how bright and how blue you want your light.
Because I have the TaoTronics lamp next to my bed, I typically have it on the lowest brightness setting and the highest color temperature setting. But when I really need light, I can amp up the brightness with a swipe of my finger. And this lamp gets bright — very bright.
You can also adjust the direction of the light, thanks to the nifty blade-like design of the lamp head. The lamp's head tilts up to 135 degrees and rotates up to 180 degrees, and the arm can be tilted up to 150 degrees and it swivels 90 degrees. It's a very modern design, and it does take up space, but this lamp is incredibly functional.
Pros: Wireless charging, USB-A charging port for another device, varying light color/temperature and brightness, lamp's head is adjustable
Cons: Modern design may not appeal to all, takes up space
Ikea may be the king of wireless charging furniture, but Fonesalesman has a wireless charging table, too. The FurniQi is a cute bamboo side table that has a wireless charging pad built in to charge your phone, but it still has space to spare for a clock, your latest read, and a cup of tea.
The table is 18-inches high, so it'd be perfect as a nightstand next to your bed or an end table in your living room. The Qi charging pad is marked with by a small circle so you know where to place your phone for charging. A subtle cord peeks out of the table leg to provide power to charge your device.
The round table top is about 16-inches in diameter, so you can also have a clock or lamp on the table next to your charging phone and a drink. It works with any Qi compatible Android phone or teh new iPhones.
I love this charging table and highly recommend it. Not only is it a cute piece of furniture that's well made, it's also great for juicing up your phone without any wires. I use it every day. The only downside to this wireless charging table is that it frequently goes out of stock on Amazon.
Pros: Cute bamboo table, works as a nightstand, charges any Qi device
Samsung first supported wireless charging in 2013 with the Galaxy S4, so it has years on experience in wireless charging. Its wireless chargers are among the very best on the market. One of our favorites is the Fast Charge Wireless Charging Stand because it juices up your phone quickly without wires and it holds your phone up while it charges.
This charger looks simple and sleek on your nightstand or desk. It's a circular disc with a lip on the front to hold your phone up. It has a rubbery ring in the center to hold your slippery device in place while it charges. You can keep your phone case on while you charge, too, though you may run into problems if your case is super bulky.
I've used this charging pad in the past with Galaxy phones, and it works very well. Samsung says its charging stand only offers fast charging to compatible Galaxy phones, but your speeds may vary based on which phone you have. It comes with the outlet adapter, so you will get fast charging out of the box if you have a Galaxy that supports it.
Since it's Qi compatible, this pad works with any wireless charging Android phone or teh enw iPhones.
Pros: Attractive, holds phone up while charging, non-slip mat, fast charges some phones, comes with outlet adapter
Here's what you need to know about wireless charging
How does it work?
Wireless charging uses electromagnetic induction to send power from the charger to your phone. Wireless chargers have at least one induction coil inside, which creates an alternating electromagnetic field. Phones and other devices with wireless charging have a receiver coil inside that converts the power back into electricity, which in turn, charges the phone's battery.
How fast is it?
Wireless charging is slower than wired charging, but some wireless chargers and phones support fast wireless charging. If you have an Android phone like the Samsung Galaxy S7 or newer, you can get fast wireless charging. Chargers offer different levels of power in Wattage, which often corresponds to charging speeds. Normal wireless chargers have 5 Watts, so any charger with more Wattage may charge your phone faster, so long as the outlet adapter supports Quick Charge standards like this one from Anker.
What are the downsides?
Wireless charging is slower, it can heat up your device, some chargers don't work if your phone has a thick case, and wireless charging can't go through metal (hence the glass backs on so many phones). Sometimes it's hard to align your phone properly on the charger or certain chargers decide not to work with certain phones.
What devices support it?
Qi is the most popular wireless charging standard, and it seems to have won the war now that the iPhone supports the standard. You can search the Qi database to see if your phone is supported, but most high-end Android phones, the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone 8/8 Plus, and the iPhone X support Qi wireless charging. More than 140 devices supported the Qi standard as of 2016, and it's certainly increased since then. Some laptops even charge wirelessly now.
Now that you know, go forth and cut the cord already!
