Wireless charging isn't nearly as cool as it sounds. It's not exactly wireless—a cord runs from an outlet to the charging pad—and it won't charge your smartphone faster than plugging it in with a good ol’ cord. Still, I'm always disappointed when I test a smartphone that doesn't support it. I've gotten used to simply plopping my phone down on a pad every night, and fishing for a cable in the dark feels like a chore. It's pure convenience more than anything else. The truth about wireless charging speeds is that, for most people, 10W or 15W is more than enough charging power. Your phone won't charge as fast as if plugged into a cable direct (unless you're charging just off a USB cable), but you won't find yourself waiting half a day for good charge. We think for most people anything faster, while obviously nice to have, isn't essential by any means. Still, if you have a MagSafe-compatible phone and want fast wireless charging, it’s worth getting a MagSafe charger. If you’re interested in the magnetic part but don’t mind a slower charge, you can also consider a magnetic Qi charger like the one we recommend below. This bar-shaped pad couldn’t deliver full power to any of the four phones we tried it with, and at 5.8 inches by 2.8 inches by .47 inches, it’s as large as many smartphones, which Anker claims helps with phone alignment. It doesn’t include an AC adapter; by the time you add one, it costs as much as more powerful, better-looking options. Oh, and the iPhone 12 Mini and 13 Mini are capped at 12W charging via MagSafe, rather than 15W, for heat dissipation reasons.

The Anker PowerWave 3-in-1 has a 10W Qi charging stand, a 5W Qi pad for wireless AirPod cases and a stand with a slot for an Apple Watch charger. The Apple Watch charger isn’t included. Instead, Anker provides an internal USB port under the bottom cover, along with a clever routing system for the 3-foot charging cable the Apple Watch comes with. Your eyes don't deceive you, this really is a wireless charger made of marble. You can also get it in six other colors of travertine, sandstone, or lava stone if you want a different look for this simple but handsome charging pad. It's incredible that you get something that will easily sit in a living room or kitchen without looking out of place for this price. The most important thing to look for when shopping for the best wireless charger for your needs is whether it's compatible with your phone. If a wireless charger is Qi certified, it should support your iPhone, Samsung phone or other Android phone. But note that the wattage support will vary from charger to charger. Most chargers support 10W charging for Android phones and 7.5W charging for iPhones, although if they support Apple's MagSafe standard, then you can charge an iPhone 12, 13 or 14 at up to 15W instead. If you already have an 18W USB-A charger, the Anker PowerWave Base Stand can save you some money. It comes with a 4-foot Micro USB cable but no wall adapter. Like most stands we tested, it can’t charge an iPhone 12 Mini, and the blue charging indicator ring may not be to everyone’s tastes, but it charges other iPhones and Androids at up to 10W, and its design is better than many other budget stands. Anker makes some of the best mobile accessories, and its PowerWave II Stand is no exception. As its name suggests, it's a stand-type charger, which will allow you to watch movies or attend video calls while the phone is still charging.

The best wireless chargers

There are a lot of wireless chargers. Here are a few more we like, but for one reason or another don't warrant a place above.

Premium & Safe Design:Designed with anti-slip pads on the bottom help keep your pad in place, heat dissipation holes at the bottom to keep your phone cool while charging. integrated smart chip inside provides better temperature control, surge protection, short-circuit prevention, overheating, overvoltage prevention and more Though we love the design of the Logitech Powered 3-in-1, it costs more than most people should pay for a non-MagSafe 3-in-1 charging station, unless you have enough other Qi charging devices to justify it, or you love the design enough.Best magnetic Qi charger for iPhone 12 and 13: Anker 313 Magnetic Wireless Charger Pad With USB-C Charger The highlight of the iOttie Auto Sense is its auto-clamping arms that automatically open when you reach to put the phone in. Once the phone is placed, the arms close automatically. These tension arms are very reliable and keep the phone securely in place. You also get a pair of buttons on each side of the mount for manual release. However, just because a cable is still involved doesn't mean the best wireless chargers aren't a great smartphone charging upgrade in 2022, as they make charging phones more convenient and aesthetically attractive. That LED is one of the Otto Q’s few downsides. Its pattern — two fast blinks, then one slow — reads to us more as “there’s a problem” than “I’m charging normally.” Fortunately, it’s not very bright, but the blink could be distracting in a dark bedroom.

If you want a charger you can show off (or at least one that complements your decor), consider the Moshi Otto Q. With its heathered gray fabric top and metal-look case, it resembles Scandinavian hi-fi equipment and doesn’t look out of place on a nightstand, dresser or console table. It can deliver up to 15W to the (vanishingly few) Android phones that support it, 9W to Samsung phones and 7.5W to iPhones. If you have any phone in the iPhone 12 or 13 families — including the Mini, Pro or Pro Max — you should consider a MagSafe charger. Rings of magnets on the charger and the phone ensure perfect alignment, and iPhones can charge at up to 15W on a MagSafe charger, compared to 7.5W on a Qi charger. And unlike with a regular wireless charger, you don’t have to leave your phone sitting around while it’s charging; you can use it normally. It even leaves the Lightning port free for wired headphones. (Whether that’s a good thing depends on your relationship with screen time and is outside the scope of this article). Not all phones are compatible with the Qi technology standard. Most of the current 5G phones and the following earlier phones can be charged wirelessly:If you have a Samsung phone that supports 15W wireless charging, like the Galaxy S10, S20, S21, Note 10, Note 20 or various Folds and Flips, you should get a 15W Samsung Fast Charge charging stand. Other 15W Qi chargers won’t charge Samsung phones at 15W, and the Samsung charger won’t charge other phones at 15W. Sometimes life is like that.