If you constantly lose charging cables or live in a household where Android phones and iPhones peacefully coexist, consider investing in a wireless charging pad. In addition to serving as universal charging options for compatible iPhones and Android devices, wireless chargers help reduce cable clutter and are much more difficult to break or lose.
We gathered some of our favorite chargers that work well with any phone that supports wireless charging. Some don't cost much more than a replacement cable, so pricing shouldn’t be a barrier to making the switch to wireless no matter how much you want to spend.
What Type of Wireless Charger Should You Buy?
If your new iPhone didn't come with a charger or you also want to charge your AirPods or Apple Watch, check out our roundup of the best wireless chargers for your Apple devices. The chargers we list in that story use the Qi (pronounced "chee") standard, which works at speeds of up to 15W. Just keep in mind that older iPhones top out at wireless speeds of 7.5W, regardless of what the charger theoretically supports.
If you have a more recent Apple device, you can use MagSafe charging. MagSafe chargers power your device at the same maximum rate as Qi, but feature a built-in magnetometer that keeps your device in place and a compass that prevents interference.
Although Android phones also support Qi charging, they don't support MagSafe. But the next version of the Qi standard, Qi2, employs a new Magnetic Power Profile that ensures more efficient and sustainable charging. Phones and chargers with Qi2 support haven't started to appear yet, however.
Also keep in mind that some Android phones can charge much more quickly than others. The OnePlus 10 Pro, for instance, supports 50W wireless charging via the company's $69.99 Warp Charge 50 dock. If your phone supports a proprietary charging standard and dock, that's the one you should get if you want the best speeds.
Dave LeClair and Steven Winkelman contributed to this article.
