7 Best Qi Wireless Chargers
So many phones are now coming with wireless charging. On top of this, it’s pretty clear which wireless standard is going to be the main one from now on: Qi wireless charging. So that means that now might be a good time to get on the wireless charging train for your Qi-enabled phone.
Question is what’s the best wireless charger? From ones that look great, to ones that are portable (set your phone down on this stone-like charger to have it charge is a cool feature, no?), to ones that can swivel to hold the phone upright, there are a lot of options to choose from.
Since, I myself, am looking for a Qi wireless charger for my own Galaxy S8 Plus, I figured I’d post the fruits of my research and nerdy over-testing of a few of the most popular models for anyone else in search of the best Qi wireless charger.
Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charger
First up, the one that I first though of for my Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus because it’s, well, made by the same company: Samsung. At first, I was worried it would be ridiculously expensive just based on Samsung name being stamped on there, but actually, it’s pretty reasonable compared to the others on the list.
There is a lay flat version that’s about $40 and a convertible version that can be adjusted to hold the phone upright instead of laying flat (designated by the word “pad” versus “stand”) that costs $10 more. Either model has fast charging, as opposed to just regular Qi charging–something to take note of whenever choosing one of these wireless chargers, by the way– and that means it can charge a capable phone in even less time, making it more convenient of course.
Check it out on B&H. (And the standing version I mentioned).
Check it out on Amazon.
iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless Qi Standard Charging Car and Desk Mount
The iOttie charger is on this list because of its unique design. Marketed as a car and desk mount it features a pretty strong arm and function that you might use to hold the phone while using it for navigation in the car but with the, oh so important, addition of also being able to charge that phone while it’s sitting there. Essentially making for some much better cable management compared to plugging in the USB to the bottom of the phone as well as the ease of just popping it in place and you’re good to go.
It also works on desks and has a suction cup design that’ll work well to hold the phone in place. Especially handy for those of us with a lot of ridiculous office traffic.
Check it out on B&H.
Check it out on Amazon.
Xuma Gi Wireless Charging Pad
This one wins for price vs aesthetic. Made out of metal and bi-cast leather it has a particular look that I think some people might like compared to the more metallic options out there.
It isn’t quick-charge compatible however and also requires a separate charger, but the fact it’s cheaper than a good portion of the Qi chargers out there, doesn’t hurt.
Check it out on B&H.
Check it out on Amazon.
Mophie Charge Force Powerstation
Now for a couple of more functional Qi solutions. The first of which is the Mophie Charge Force Powerstation. It has quick charging Qi wireless charging, an extra port for quick USB charging of a separate device at the same time, and one more trick up its sleeve.
It’s a 10,000mah battery pack. That means you can not only wirelessly charge your phone at your desk with it, but also do so basically anywhere. And with 10,000mah to work with, it can charge most phones two to three times.
Besides the extra benefit of portable charging, it also has pass-through charging (meaning it’ll charge the powerbank first and then the device sitting on it while plugged in), and looks pretty good to boot.
Only downside? It’s the most expensive charger on this list getting close to the $100 mark.
Check it out on B&H.
Check it out on Amazon.
JZBrain Qi Wireless Powerbank
If you want an albeit much less attractive option with a giant lightning bolt on the top of it, but will cost a fraction of the Mophie Charge Force, then the JZBrain might be a better buy.
Just like the Mophie, it features a 10,000mah power bank that can wirelessly charge a Qi compatible device on top while also charging another device simultaneously via USB but it is slightly inclined to provide the ability to see the screen better as it’s sitting.
It is missing a charge like the Xuma but for a third of the price of the Mophie, it won’t be hard to buy a quick charge charger to use with it and still not hurt your wallet as bad.
QiInfinity Qi Wireless Charging Powerbank
Now, if you don’t need a full 10,000mah for your portable Qi wireless charger, you might be better off with the QiInfinity powerbank.
This smooth rock shaped charger also features the ability to charge two devices simultaneously via the Qi charging pad on top and the USB port but won’t give you fast charging for the Qi device, just the USB.
But it’s smaller battery capacity makes it much more portable and frankly better looking than the JZBrain while still only being slightly more expensive than the JZBrain.
Anker Fast Charging Pad
And finally, if you don’t want all the bells and whistles and are just looking for a fast, simple Qi wireless charger for the least amount of money you can, the Anker Fast Charging Pad is probably the best option.
It looks good enough (there’s even some fun colored lights for anyone looking to match their LED configuration on the their desk), has 10W fast charging capabilities if you buy a Quick Charge 3.0 charger to go with it (not included), and is about the price you’d pay for a regular charger from any big box retailer.
FliCharge FliWay 40 (Honorable Mention)
This one I thought was interesting because it not only looks great, but it’s large enough and has enough power to charge multiple devices at once. It’s called the FliWay 40 (for 40 watts, the output power) and is made by FliCharge. It works with any Qi enabled device or case but also offers options to buy FliCubes and FliCoins to connect your non-wireless charging devices to it, as well.
Now, the reason it is an honorable mention is because it is a wireless charging system but it doesn’t use Qi so technically shouldn’t below on this list. You need to use cases from the company or the aforementioned cubes and coins to get devices to work with it unfortunately.
It’s not terribly expensive though, and the coins, cubes, etc. make me able to see it working well being used for communal places where everyone might need it in a conference room, for example. So for the niche factor and that use-case it’s something to check out.
Conclusion
So there you go, at least a good starting point for anyone looking to take advantage of all these devices with wireless charging in them. Check them out and let me know what you guys think and, of course, please let me (and others) know in the comments below if there are any other ones you guys might prefer.
Follow me on social and chat with me there and, as always, thanks for reading!
