A charging cable still moves power more efficiently than any pad, but on a desk, a bedside table or a kitchen worktop it is usually the more awkward option. A wireless charger removes the hunt for the right lead, the fumble at the socket and the wear on the connector: the phone goes down, and it charges. This guide draws on a test of 91 wireless chargers, of which 32 are still on sale, measuring what each one actually delivers to an Android handset and an iPhone, what it draws when nothing is on it, and whether the build and handling stand up.
What follows is recorded testing, translated. Nobody at Truthful Reviews has used any of these chargers.
Qi, Qi2 and Qi2 25W
The underlying standard is Qi, which lets phone and charger negotiate with each other. Plain Qi chargers are everywhere and charge most iPhones and Android handsets reliably, but not always quickly — on iPhones classic Qi is often capped at lower outputs, while some Android makers layer their own fast-charge schemes on top.
Qi2 modernised it. The headline is not only more power but magnetic alignment, so the coils sit cleanly over one another and charging starts more consistently. Qi2 runs to 15 W; Qi2 25W lifts the ceiling to 25 W, which brings a pad much closer to what people expect from a cable.
Qi2 is not automatically Qi2 25W, and the wording on the box matters. "Magnetic" and "MagSafe-compatible" sound similar but do not mean the same thing as a genuine Qi2 or Qi2 25W certification. A simple magnetic charger can be markedly slower on an iPhone than a Qi2 device. Android is less tidy still: some handsets take Qi, some Qi2, and some rely on the manufacturer's own fast-charging method.
Ratings on the box are not results on the desk
Many chargers advertise 15 W or 25 W. That figure only describes the maximum possible under favourable conditions. Phone, charger, mains adapter, case, battery level, temperature and the exact position on the pad all have to line up, so a charger can be noticeably slower in daily use than the number suggests.
Most current models now ship with a cable but no mains adapter, which is not necessarily a problem given how many suitable USB-C adapters are already in circulation — but a weak adapter will throttle even the best pad. Metal phone backs are effectively incompatible with induction, which is why makers use glass or plastic. Ordinary cases are usually fine; very thick ones, metal plates, card holders and finger loops can interfere. With magnetic chargers the case should itself support MagSafe or Qi2 magnet rings, otherwise the phone sits imprecisely — which matters most on stands, where the handset is held rather than laid flat.
The picks
Top pick — Laut Power Charger Riser+
Not a conventional desk pad at all, but a combination of magnetic charger, phone stand and power bank, and the strongest overall package in the test. The magnetic charging face is MagSafe-compatible, yet it charged the Android test handset without fuss too.
The measurements are among the best in the field: 19.0 W with the Android phone and 18.5 W with the iPhone. That breadth is the point — a top pick has to serve both systems, whereas an iPhone-only device can be recommended more narrowly. The built-in 10,000 mAh power bank makes it useful away from the desk, and the fold-out foot props the phone up while it charges, with the bank's own charge level shown on a display and the charging position clearly defined.
It gets slightly warm in use, which is unsurprising for a power bank with wireless charging, but never uncomfortably hot. No conventional standby figure is quoted for it, because that measurement is not meaningfully comparable on a power bank: plugged in, the internal cell is charging too, so the meter reads appetite rather than idle. The plastic does not quite reach the tactile level of the most polished premium stations, which shows in a direct comparison but is not a deal-breaker.
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Also good — Samsung EP-P2400T
A superb all-round pad and one of the best inductive chargers in the test. It sits stably on a desk, the design is unobtrusive, and although the shell is plastic it neither looks nor feels cheap — it has a pleasant weight and sits well in the hand. Operation could hardly be simpler: plug in the supplied cable, put the phone down, and a small LED confirms charging has begun. Air cooling on the underside keeps the phone from heating up, and it stayed quiet enough never to make itself noticed.
With a Samsung handset it measured 11 W, putting it among the better devices tested. What earns it a recommendation is that other makers' phones charge too — measurement gave 7 W on an LG handset and a creditable 10 W on an iPhone, only slightly below the Galaxy figure, though the reduced output on non-Samsung phones is worth knowing before buying. A mains adapter is included. Standby draw is high at 1.4 W.
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For iPhones — Ugreen 55960
A tidier answer than two separate charging spots for anyone who charges an iPhone and AirPods in the same place. The station is Qi2-certified and MagSafe-compatible: the iPhone holds magnetically on the upper face, with a second zone beneath it for AirPods or other compatible earphones. It does not try to be anything more, and that is what makes it so easy to live with.
Measurement on the iPhone gave 18.4 W, comfortably ahead of Apple's own MagSafe charger, and standby draw stayed low at 0.4 W with no notable heat. The build is clean, it stands properly and it looks the part on a desk. The one reservation is the magnet, which could grip a little harder — barely an issue day to day, and not a real weak point.
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Luxury class — Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station (3-in-1 stand)
The premium device in the current field, and it makes that clear from the unboxing: charger, mains adapter, fabric-sheathed cable and even the packaging feel expensive. Build quality is very good and the specification goes well beyond what ordinary wireless chargers offer.
It is aimed squarely at Apple users — the iPhone charges magnetically at the main point, with further spots for an Apple Watch and earphones — but the earphone pad also took an Android phone in testing, at 8.6 W. On the iPhone it produced 26.4 W, the highest iPhone figure in the test. The magnetic iPhone point is actively cooled, with a fan that can spin up to cool the surface; a small display shows which spots are occupied, and Bluetooth and an app give access to charge state and settings. Standby draw is 2.0 W, higher than a simple pad, which is understandable given the display, active cooling and extra electronics.
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Also tested
Lotta Power Wireless Charging Pad — an aluminium-rimmed pad about a centimetre high and 8.5 cm across with a 120 cm cable, measuring 11.5 W on iPhone and 9.3 W on Android with an outstandingly low 0.03 W standby, let down only by an LED the phone tends to cover. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Anker 3-in-1 charging cube with MagSafe — a 730 g cube whose lid folds up into a stand and reveals an AirPods pad, with a sprung watch arm and travel plug adapters; it measured 11.5 W on an iPhone, 4.2 W for watch and earphones and 19.6 W with all three charging. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Apple MagSafe charger — the original magnetic puck, superbly finished with a rubberised docking face, measuring 9.2 W on an iPhone 12 Pro and 0.26 W in standby. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Apple MagSafe Charger (2025) — very good build and a fabric-sheathed USB-C cable, quoted as Qi2 25W and Qi, but measurement gave 7.2 W on the iPhone with 0.4 W standby, and it charges only the phone. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Ugreen 55965 — a well-made iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch station with a pull-out watch holder and a fingerprint-prone metal rim, measuring 18.5 W on iPhone with 0.9 W standby. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Anker MagGo (3-in-1 folding pad) — Qi2-certified and very compact folded, opening into a full three-device pad; 16.0 W on iPhone and 0.4 W standby make it a strong travel option rather than a desk fixture. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Anker Zolo magnetic pad (15 W, Qi2) — clean, solid and uncomplicated, reaching 17.3 W on iPhone with a low 0.3 W standby, but Android phones are not catered for and it adds nothing beyond charging. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Anker 313 wireless stand — a plain Qi stand at 9.5 W on Android and 7.6 W on iPhone with just 0.2 W standby, held back by a Micro-USB input. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Verbatim WCS-02 Universale Nero — a well-built 3-in-1 with a generous pad, watch spot and spare USB output, measuring 12.7 W on Android and 7.4 W on iPhone with 1.2 W standby; nudging the phone briefly interrupts charging. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Vinnic OWL Peak2 — the showiest device here, with a touch-rotating main face, motorised watch and earphone arms and active cooling, measuring 19.4 W on Android and 17.3 W on iPhone at 1.4 W standby, though non-magnetic phones slide out of the tilted position. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Vinnic Aello Peak 3-in-1 — a station with a pull-out 5,000 mAh power bank, fold-in stand and side watch holder, strong at 20.9 W on Android and 18.9 W on iPhone, but a 6.9 W standby draw and a fussy plinth LED count against it. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Klihd CW120 — an inexpensive magnetic iPhone pad with unremarkable build and no heat trouble, measuring 7.4 W with a low 0.2 W standby, and it adds a USB-A adapter to its USB-C lead. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
ESR wireless car charger with CryoBoost (HaloLock) — a vent-clip car charger that mounts easily and grips phones quickly, measuring 9.3 W on an LG handset but a disappointing 6.8 W on an iPhone 12 Pro against an advertised 15 W. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Belkin Auto-Tracking Stand Pro with DockKit — primarily a motorised stand that tracks faultlessly, with charging as a bonus; it drew 17 W with an iPhone 12 Pro attached but a heavy 7.6 W in standby. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Canyon foldable 3-in-1 station — three fold-out faces, decently executed, but weak at 6.9 W for an iPhone 12 Pro and 9 W charging phone, watch and AirPods together, and the phone can only sit horizontally in 2-in-1 mode. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Xlayer MagFix Pro 2-in-1 — functional rather than pretty, with fabric covers and a slightly wobbly stand, charging an LG handset at 12 W and an iPhone 12 Pro at 9.7 W, or 12 W with AirPods alongside. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Zagg 3-in-1 extendable stand with MagSafe — stable even fully extended to 40.6 cm, though the foot moves jerkily; measurement gave 8.5 W on an LG G7 and 11.9 W on an iPhone 12 Pro, short of the claimed 15 W, with 1.2 W standby. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Belkin BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 with MagSafe — faultless build and a stable footprint, very strong at 16.1 W on an iPhone 12, but standby is high at 1.8 W. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Zens Liberty — a striking glass-topped pad with its 16 induction coils on show and a generous surface, charging an LG G7 at 13 W and an iPhone at 12 W, but it is thick, heavy and produced clearly audible hiss and clicking on the test sample. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Iniu Wireless Charger Stand — a poorly finished, unstable stand that rocks when the phone is used, with low output at 5.7 W on an LG G7 and 5.5 W on an iPhone X despite a modest 0.15 W standby. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Belkin Wireless Charging Stand 10W + Speaker — a charger with a built-in speaker that took several attempts to pair and sounds thin, though it managed 11.9 W on an LG G7 and 12.5 W on an iPhone, with 1.3 W standby and no USB port. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Belkin Boost Up 10W stand — well made and thoughtfully designed, with good charging figures and the option to lay the phone across for video, but high standby draw and no USB port. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad — a large-surfaced pad with a very low 0.1 W standby, charging Android at 9.8 W and iPhone at 6.4 W, using a Micro-USB lead and no adapter. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Agptek DW01 — a light, high-gloss pad that looks like the back of an iPhone 12 and shows no build flaws, though it attracts fingerprints; it measured 9.6 W on iPhone and 9.4 W on an LG handset. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Xiaomi WPC02ZM — a well-finished stand with a permanently lit green LED, charging Android at 9.8 W but only 3.9 W on an iPhone X, and then only with the case removed; standby is 0.5 W. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Belkin Boost Up 10W — a rounded white puck with good iPhone figures and excellent ones on an LG G7, but 0.7 W standby is too high and the tiny LED is again covered by the phone. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Yootech F500 — a tidy plastic pad with a surrounding light ring that glows green for about 15 seconds at the start of charging, measuring 6.2 W on iPhone, 6 W on an LG G7 and 0.42 W standby. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Nanami M220 — cheap-looking silver plastic with a permanently blue LED, 0.65 W standby and poor output at 5.9 W on an LG and 5.1 W on an iPhone, nowhere near the claimed 10 W. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
How they were assessed
Charging output was recorded under conditions kept as comparable as possible. New models are tested with a current iPhone and a current Qi-compatible Android handset — in the August 2026 round an iPhone 16 and an Oppo Find X5 Pro. The phones lie on the charger with the screen off at a comparable battery level; after a short stabilisation period the power draw is logged over a brief window and averaged.
No full 0 to 100% charge is run, because wireless charging depends heavily on the handset and the exact conditions — battery level, the age of phone and cell, temperature, the precise position on the pad, the case and its construction, and the attached mains adapter. The figures therefore show the charger's power draw in practice rather than the net energy reaching the battery. Because the test has grown across several updates, older figures come from earlier rounds run with an LG G7 ThinQ, an iPhone X and an iPhone 12, so readings are most directly comparable within the same round.
Cases are part of the test. Earlier rounds used an iPhone held 7 mm clear of the pad by a rear finger loop, and since the November 2021 update that worked on virtually every charger, so new models are now tested more realistically with an ordinary standard case. On magnetic chargers, alignment and grip are checked as well. Where a mains adapter is supplied, measurement uses it; where none is included, a sufficiently powerful USB-C Power Delivery adapter is used so the charger rather than the adapter sets the limit. Standby draw with no phone on the pad is measured separately, because many chargers stay plugged in permanently. Beyond the numbers, construction, connector, contents, finish, stability, grip and — on magnetic models — phone positioning are assessed, along with the standards and certifications the maker states.
The short answers
Which wireless charger is best? The Laut Power Charger Riser+. It charges Android phones and iPhones very quickly, is MagSafe-compatible, and its built-in 10,000 mAh bank and fold-out stand make it unusually flexible.
Which phones can charge wirelessly? Only handsets with a charging coil supporting Qi or a standard built on it, such as Qi2. On iPhones that means the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X onwards; many Android flagships have offered it for several years. Check the specification sheet before buying.
Do wireless chargers beat a cable? Generally a cable charges more efficiently and often faster, since wireless transfer loses more energy as heat, and high figures are only reached when phone, charger and adapter suit one another. In practice a good Qi or Qi2 charger is straightforward and far more convenient, because charging means simply putting the phone down.
