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.
After testing more than 80 products over the past few years, we’ve sorted the good from the bad (there are certainly bad ones) and have identified the best wireless chargers. There are so many styles, shapes, and build materials that you have a lot of options, including stands, pads, wireless battery packs, and models that even double as headphone stands.
Check out our other buying guides, including the Best Android Phones, Best 3-in-1 Apple Wireless Chargers, Best iPhones, Best Samsung Galaxy S23 Cases, and Best iPhone 14 Cases.
Updated August 2023: We added chargers from Belkin, OtterBox, Xiaomi, Courant, and Nomad, removed some discontinued chargers, and updated prices.
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A Note on Charging Speed and Compatibility
You’ll see “Compatible with iPhones and Android phones” under each slide, and that means the charger has a standard charging speed of 7.5 watts for iPhones or 10 watts for Android phones (including Samsung Galaxy phones). If it charges faster or slower, we’ll indicate it. We’ve tested these with multiple devices, but there’s always a chance your phone will charge slowly or won’t work because the case is too thick or its charging coil doesn’t align well with the charger.