Design Lover: Best Qi Wireless Charging Pads For Your Home
The wide variation between wireless charging products makes it almost impossible to pick one that stands above the rest. As with all things, personal preferences play a major role. For instance, us here at Nonstop tend to value design over anything else. Others value features or price the most. To help you narrow down your choices we singled out some of our favorite wireless chargers and rated them on those 3 factors.
What is Wireless Charging?
Before we get into the products let’s make sure we have an understanding of what wireless charging is and how it works. Simply put, wireless charging allows battery-powered devices such as your phone, to get charged up without having to plug a cable into your device.
It works by using a process called inductive wireless charging - when a compatible phone (receiver) is placed on a wireless charger (transmitter), electricity begins to flow around inside the transmitter, which causes electricity to also flow inside the receiver - making your phone charge.
Qi is the standard
For years there were multiple competing standards for Wireless Charging, which fragmented the market and made mass adoption difficult. But the industry has consolidated around one standard called Qi (Pronounced Chee) - which was introduced by the Wireless Power Consortium. (all of the products below use Qi)
This recent development has many industry leaders believing Wireless Charging will grow to dominate the charging product. And, as you’ll see from the products below, this technology offers plenty of new and cool designs that transcend traditional charging cables. Now that we’ve got our basics covered, let’s get into our favorite consumer wireless chargers.
Tips for Hotels: These are great for home and work, but for your hotel guest-rooms or common areas, you'll want to make sure it has the following features such as these hotel friendly options.
Qi Certification - 10W
Security Features
USB Ports
Disclaimer - We have no association with any of the following products.
Right off the bat we’re going with a wireless charger that does things a little differently - the Anker Power Wave Stand. Retailing for a reasonable $49.99, this charger is perfect for people who don’t want to lay their phone flat on a pad. You can even alternate between Portrait mode - good for face ID and sending messages - and Landscape mode - good for watching videos. Oh, and it has 10W fast wireless charging for phones that support it.
Design - 3/5
Features - 4/5
Cost - 4/5
In case you didn’t know, we’re design nerds at heart and this leather pad by Burkley is simply stunning. The way they put it is “When it’s time to charge your beautiful phone you want something as pretty and decorative to match.” Bingo! As mentioned earlier, one of the great things about wireless chargers is the flexibility in choosing designs that match your decor. And this one does just that. Plus it has fast wireless charging and a price that beats most of the competition.
Design - 5/5
Features - 4/5
Cost - 4/5
Apple lovers, this one's for you. Belkin designed a bold, modern form that they offer in a black and white look that screams “Apple Products go Here.” While many may be waiting for the release of Apple’s Powermat the Boost up is a good option for the time being. They didn’t forget about you Samsung owners. The Boost Up supports 10W fast wireless charging. At $69.99 it’s a premium to pay for the bold design
Design - 4/5
Features -3/5
Cost - 3/5
If practicality is what you’re after, look no further than the Ikea Riggard Work lamp. At first sight it look likes a common desk lamp, but a closer look reveals the base also doubles as a wireless charger. But that’s not all, a USB port is included for your bluetooth headphones or other devices that don’t yet support wireless charging. This is definitely one of the coolest options out there, and while the price tag is high it’s important to remember you’ll also be getting a lamp.
Design - 4/5
Features - 4/5
Cost - 3/5
Right behind is another Ikea product that may be the most unique wireless charger available. This baby lets you charge up to three wireless devices at a time. Oh, and there’s a USB port as well so you can keep every device under the sun charged. The caveat here is the wireless charging speed is capped at 5W. But the design is pretty cool and the price is reasonable if you think about the number of devices you can charge.
Design - 4/5
Features - 4/5
Cost - 3/5
Did we mention we love cool designs? This one of a kind option by Grovemade will take a chunk out of your wallet (Retails at $79.99) but wow will it look beautiful on your desk or nightstand. The heavy duty base and cork finish is a perfect fit for modern designed rooms that utilize natural materials like wood and stone. You will have to wait a little longer for your phone to charge, though, as it only supports up to 5W Wireless Charging.
Design - 5/5
Features - 3/5
Cost - 2/5
Rounding out our list is a wireless charger by Bezazel that is perfect for those who are constantly on the go. With a portable battery, simply place your phone on the pad to get a charge. No cable needed. Its sleek and minimalist design makes it ideal for tucking away in your suitcase or carry-on bag. You won’t be sacrificing performance for size, though, as it supports 10W fast wireless charging.
Design - 5/5
Features - 3/5
Cost - 2/5