The Best Wireless Chargers of 2020
The Anker PowerWave is simple, quick, and efficient. This model delivered one of the best performances in our charge time test, fully charging a Samsung S8 30-60 minutes faster than some of the other options. It can charge a phone in both portrait and landscape orientations, which means the PowerWave also effectively double as a phone stand. It has a very minimalist aesthetic and comes with a discreet LED charging status light.
On the downside, we did find that it can be a little unstable - particularly if you bump it from behind. There also isn't any non-slip material on the stand, making it very easy for your phone to slide out if you don't have it in a rubberized or otherwise grippy case. It also can be harder to use to charge wireless earbuds. The Anker PowerWave is a great choice if you want a charging stand with a simple look that works quickly.
We highly recommend the Yootech Fast Wireless Pad for those looking for a wireless charging pad instead of a stand. This is one of the fastest wireless charging pads we have tested to date and can accommodate all but the thickest phone cases, continuing to charge our test phone with a 7mm spacer between the phone and the pad. It has an LED status light that encompasses the entire charger as a visual accent and is stable enough to keep your devices in place (including wireless earbuds) while charging.
However, the LED ring light might not be for everyone, especially if you want a charger that blends into the background instead of making a statement. Luckily, this light turns off after a short amount of time, so you aren't bothered by a charging light all night if you put this on your nightstand. It's one of our all-around favorites if you are looking for a wireless charging pad instead of a stand — usually, a better option if you are hoping to charge both a phone and accessory devices, like wireless earbuds.
It is hard to beat the LETSCOM Wireless Pad if you are shopping on a budget. Though the majority of these chargers aren't all that expensive, they can start to add up if you are buying a few for around the house or for work. Luckily, the LETSCOM costs about half as much, making it a great bargain buy. It doesn't slide around once it has the weight of a smartphone on it and is fairly nondescript when it comes to appearance.
However, it isn't the most stylish charger out there, and it only has a small ring of non-slip material on top so it doesn't do the best job of holding your phone in place. The small charging light stays on all the time and the device didn't deliver the best results in our charge time tests either. Despite the flaws, it is one of the best options if you are shopping for a new wireless charger on a tight budget.
If you want a top-notch wireless charger that not only charges your phone but looks great as well, then you are going to want to check out the Tozo W1. This sleek and stylish aluminum charger not only has some of the most striking looks of any of these products, but it also has one of the lowest profiles — just barely thicker than its USB-C input cable. The Tozo W1 can also charge most phones at their peak charging capacity.
While the Tozo W1 is quite the looker out of the box, we found its looks degraded over time unless cleaned regularly. Its mirrored finish picks up visible fingerprints quickly. The smooth metallic top is also a very low friction surface, making it easy to knock your phone off with only a light touch. This is a great charger if you like its glossy metallic look but otherwise, you might be better served by one of the less flashy options.
If you routinely need to wirelessly charge multiple phones or other devices simultaneously, then the CHOETECH Dual Wireless Charger is a great option. This larger charging pad has 5 coils and is plenty big enough to fit a pair of smartphones side-by-side. Its non-slip feet and size keep it from sliding around on a desk or table. It has a unique textured feature that sets it apart from other chargers in the style department and it includes a power brick.
Unfortunately, the top texture isn't the grippiest and it is easy to accidentally knock a phone out of position. This can be exacerbated by the fact that it is temperamental when it comes to the placement of your phone. It also didn't charge the fastest in our charge time test. However, this isn't a huge issue if you charge your phone overnight and is a great option if you want one wireless charger for two people or if you need to charge your smartphone and another wireless charging device at the same time.
If you have the full complement of Apple devices — iPhone, Airpods, and Apple Watch — then the Seneo 3-in-1 is a great choice. This model can charge all three at once, giving you a convenient stand for your phone while it's charging as well. It includes a USB power adapter, making the Seneo 3-in-1 one of the most versatile options out there. You can split this charger in half and add an additional power brick if you want to charge your accessories separately from your phone or keep it together for an all-in-one charging station.
Unfortunately, you do need to supply your own Apple Watch charging cable and this product is one of the largest products of the entire group. It isn't particularly stylish and the connection method between the two halves of the charger can be a little finicky. The Airpods holder on the Seneo has a Lightning connector and doesn't charge wirelessly, so it's a little bit less convenient than just setting them on a wireless charging pad. This is a fantastic choice if you need an integrated charging solution for your collection of Apple products but you might want to consider a smaller and less expensive model if you don't need to charge three things at once.
It is hard to beat the Yootech Wireless Charging Stand if you are looking for a wireless charger that can double as a phone stand. It charges phones quickly, capable of charging both Samsung and Apple devices at their maximum charging rates, as well as any other Qi-compatible device. It can charge your phone in both portrait and landscape orientation, all while being hard to tip over. It doesn't slide around easily and has a green LED status light on the bottom which turns off after a short amount of time, making it a good option if you want to keep the Yootech Charging Stand on your nightstand.
On the downside, it doesn't have the most striking appearance and might not be for everyone, especially if you prefer a more angular design or a slightly more nondescript appearance. This charger also doesn't include a charging brick and you will need to make sure you have a high-quality, QC 3.0 power brick to get the fastest charging rate. It's one of our favorite wireless charging products, particularly if you want a stand for your phone as well.
The RAVPower Turbo 10W Max did offer up one of the faster charge times in our tests. It is a very stable charger that doesn't easily move around on a table or desk, even without the additional weight of a device on it. This wireless charger comes with both a cable and a USB power adapter. It has plenty of non-slip material to keep your phone in place, and also does a solid job of holding onto wireless charging earbuds.
However, the RAVPower is visually a bit more intrusive compared to some of the other options. It is considerably thicker with a higher profile than most of the other charging pads and we feel that the micro-USB connector is a bit archaic. It is a decent option if you want a charger that won't slide around but not the best if you prefer a discreet charging solution.
The Seneo 2-in-1 is another option if you have multiple Apple devices to charge at once. This product has one wireless charger pad and a stand for an Apple Watch, so you can charge either your AirPods (with wireless charging case) or iPhone at the same time as your smartwatch. It's large enough and comes with non-slip feet that keep it in place if it gets bumped.
You do need to provide your own Apple Watch charging cable and it can be a little difficult to wind up the cable neatly inside the Seneo 2-in-1 if you have a longer charging cable. Overall, we aren't enamored with the looks of this charger and it feels a little cheap to us, with some sharper edges on its underside. It can be a decent option if you want a more compact charging station for your Apple products.
The Anker PowerWave Pad is a fairly simple, bare-bones wireless charging pad that gets the job done. We like its plain, unobtrusive look and the fact that the entire top surface is covered with a grippy material to keep devices right where you want them. The PowerWave Pad also doesn't slide around on most surfaces easily, as long as there is the weight of a device on it.
Unfortunately, this model took considerably longer to charge our test phone than the others did, even though it should be able to charge most devices at their maximum rate. We also found that the rubber material on the top and bottom of this charger is prone to collecting dust and dirt, requiring frequent cleaning. It's a decent option as a basic charger but we think there are better ones on the market.
The Mophie stands out from the other charging pads when it comes to looks, offering a bit more of a sleek and stylish appearance. It is covered in a rubberized material, ensuring your phone doesn't get scratched and it stays firmly in position while charging, even if it's bumped.
Unfortunately, this charger can't charge some devices at their maximum rate, as it doesn't have 10-watt charging capabilities. Additionally, the Mophie is usually a bit more expensive than other options and you can't swap the cable or power adapter for other options.
The Seneo is a fairly run-of-the-mill wireless charging stand. It can charge most phones in portrait or landscape orientation and can fast wireless charge certain phones. It looks alright and has a small piece of non-slip rubber to help keep your phone from sliding around.
Unfortunately, it seems like it isn't put together as well as some of the other products. It just doesn't feel as high-quality, with a sharp lip on the protrusion where you rest your phone. The Seneo also doesn't state that it can charge iPhones at their maximum 7.5-watt rate. It gets the job done but we found that we liked other products quite a bit more — many of which cost less.
The Nanami is potentially a better phone stand than a charger. It is the tallest of the charging stands, holding your phone up the highest. It has some non-slip material that helps prevent devices from sliding to the side as well. The Nanami can also charge a phone in both landscape and portrait orientations.
We found this extra height has some drawbacks, as it is easier to knock over than many of the other stands. It can slide around fairly easily and doesn't look particularly good. It will charge your phone and doesn't cost all that much but we generally preferred other options.
Why You Should Trust Us
Here at GearLab, David Wise leads the charge when it comes to wireless chargers. David has rated and reviewed hundreds of tech and consumer products for GearLab over the last few years, covering categories like portable chargers, digital multimeters, 3D printers, and all sorts of cordless tools. He also has formal schooling as a mechanical engineer with a particular focus on lithium battery-powered systems, including a wireless recharging autonomous underwater robot.
We charged myriad devices with these products, not only looking at how well each one did with smartphones but also with things like truly wireless earbuds and smartwatches. We objectively compared charging performance side-by-side by timing how long it took each product to recharge the same phone and used a set of spacers to see just how large of a gap there could be before charging didn't work. We also checked to see if these chargers could sustain your battery while watching a movie, as well as rating and scoring the aesthetics, ergonomics, and stability of each product. Finally, we tested and compared any other particularly noteworthy features that come with each model.
Analysis and Test Results
We grouped our side-by-side comparisons into four separate metrics — charging performance, ergonomics/stability, aesthetics, and other features — with our wireless charger results discussed below.
Charging Performance
Two of the charging stands, the Yootech Wireless Stand and the Anker PowerWave Stand, stood out in our charging time test. We used a Samsung S8 as our test phone, which is capable of charging at a maximum of 10 watts. The PowerWave Stand took 2 hours and 18 minutes to completely charge the phone, turning it on once it reached 5% battery with minimal use while charging. The Yootech took just a bit longer, needing about 15 more minutes to completely charge the phone.
In our experience, the wireless charging pads generally took longer than the charging stands to charge our test phones. The RAVPower Fast Wireless Charger and the Yootech Wireless Charger Pad both did very well, with the Yootech Wireless Charger Pad taking just under 3 hours to complete the task. The RAVPower took around 20 minutes longer to charge the S8 to 100%.
We also looked at the maximum effective charging gap of each charger. Using a series of spacers we wanted to emulate case thickness to determine whether or not that factor would potentially inhibit a model's ability to charge. It is worth noting that a metallic case or mount will immediately stop wireless charging no matter which model you are using. The Seneo Charging Stand and the PowerWave Stand were able to keep charging the phone with an 8mm and 7mm spacer between the phone and charger in portrait orientations, respectively.
For the charging pads, the Yootech Charger Pad and the LETSCOM impressed us. The phone kept charging with a 7mm spacer separating it from the Yootech and a 6mm spacer separating it from the LETSCOM, so even the thickest and most heavy-duty cases should still allow them to work.
Ergonomics/Stability
Wireless charging requires your phone to be precisely placed, so we looked for products that made it easy to align your phone and held it securely, as well as chargers that didn't easily tip over or slide around. Consequently, our next round of tests focused on how well each charger holds phones and other devices.
When it comes to the charging stands, the Yootech Charging Stand is the clear winner. While the other stands have a small protrusion where your phone sits and a gap underneath, the front of the Yootech is completely solid. This means that it can't tip forward in the way that the other stands can. The Yootech Charging Stand and the Anker PowerWave Stand also have their entire bases covered in a non-slip rubber that keeps them from getting pulled around.
We also liked that the Yootech Charging Stand, the Seneo, and the NANAMI have a small amount of rubber to both cushion your phone and keep it in place. This is particularly handy if you don't have your phone in a rubber case. It makes the most difference when using these chargers with your phone in landscape mode since phones in portrait mode tend to tip over rather than slide out (meaning that the non-slip material doesn't really help).
When it comes to the charging pads, the mophie, the LETSCOM and the RAVPower all impressed us with how well they resist getting tugged around. All of the charging stands also have some grippy material to keep your phone from sliding around on top but the LETSCOM, mophie, Yootech, and the RAVPower are just slightly better at keeping your phone in place. The mophie, Yootech, and RAVPower also do a great job at keeping earbud cases in position.
The CHOETECH doesn't have the grippiest top surface but its larger size means it isn't sliding anywhere easily. It's the same story with both of the Seneo multiple device charging stations — they are plenty large enough to stay in one spot on your desk. They don't tip over easily either and do a decent job of holding your Apple Watch while it's charging. The Seneo 3-in-1 has a cradle for your AirPods but neither were our favorites at holding a phone.
Aesthetics
These devices most often end up on a nightstand or desk as a fairly prominent feature so it is worth considering their appearance before you make your final selection. Admittedly, these products all have a fairly generic appearance, but there are a few standout products that are worth mentioning in the aesthetics department.
While the vast majority of wireless charging pads seem to have their design largely inspired by a hockey puck, the Tozo W1 breaks that mold considerably. This sleek and stylish pad has one of the lowest profiles — just barely thick enough for the USB-C connector — and has a glossy mirror-like finish. The charging indicator lights on the side are nice accents to the overall look as well. However, this glossy finish is a bit more prone to showing fingerprints.
The remainder of the charging pads all are fairly similar in looks. The Anker PowerWave Pad and the Mophie Wireless Charge Pad are just a tiny bit thicker, with a matte black finish that does a good job of concealing dust, dirt, and fingerprints. The RAVPower Fast Wireless charging pad and the Yootech Wireless Charger Pad have the highest profile and a concentric ring of non-slip materials that make them a bit more visually interesting, with the solid illuminated ring on the Yootech providing another nice accent feature.
The CHOETECH Dual Fast Wireless Charger has a matte black top surface with a fairly interesting and unique texture but this charger is much more visually intrusive — understandable, since it needs to be large enough to charge two phones at once. The LETSCOM charging pad also stands out from the pack a bit, as it has a very low-profile that is comparable to the TOZO W1.
Moving on to the charging stands, those products also look quite similar to each other and aren't particularly striking. However, our judges did appreciate the design of both the Yootech Wireless Charger Stand and the Anker Wireless PowerWave Stand. The Yootech Charger Stand is a good option if you prefer a more rounded look, while there is something to be said about the Anker PowerWave Stand's minimalistic square design if you are a fan of a more angular look and want your charger to blend into the background a bit more.
Finally, the Seneo Wireless 3-in-1 Charging Station and the Seneo 2-in-1 are fairly run-of-the-mill when it comes to looks. They do a good job of putting the visual focus on your Apple devices while charging, with both making it easy to see your Apple Watch in nightstand mode.
Other Features
While these products are all primarily designed to charge a smartphone, a few of them are a bit more versatile and have some bonus features. The most common bonus feature is the ability to charge multiple devices at once. Of the chargers we looked at, the CHOETECH stands out as it can charge dual smartphones or other devices at once.
The Seneo 2-in-1 and Seneo Wireless 3-in-1 also can charge multiple devices at once — hence their names — but can't charge multiple phones. The Seneo 2-in-1 has a single wireless charging pad that can be used for either a phone or a set of compatible earbuds and a stand for an Apple Watch. The Seneo 3-in-1 — as the name suggests — is set up to charge a phone, Apple Watch, and Airpods all at once. It has one wireless charging stand for the phone — presumably an iPhone — and a Lightning cable to plug your Airpods in. This charger also can split in two, so you can use the phone charging half and the accessory charging half separately. However, it's important to realize that you need to add your own Apple Watch charging cable to either of these if you want to use them to charge your watch since it isn't included.
None of the other products can charge more than one device at a time but all of the charging pads can charge any Qi-compatible devices, so they not only can charge phones but also earbuds with wireless charging cases. The charging stands can do this as well but it can be much more work to get earbuds or other devices aligned in the right spot to successfully charge.
Aside from charging multiple devices, there aren't many other special features present in these products. All of the charging stands can double as a phone stand when disconnected and some of the charging pads — like the Yootech Wireless Charging Pad — thoughtfully turn off any charging status lights after a certain amount of time to make them a little nicer if you have them on your nightstand at night but that about sums up any extra features.
Conclusion
Regardless of whether you are looking for the best-looking charger, the fastest, or one that can handle multiple devices, we hope that this has been a helpful review in your search for a new wireless charger.
— David Wise