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Wireless charging is the future, but it’s also a blast from the past.
The technology first appeared in the 1890s to power electric vehicles, and is now making a major resurgence to fuel up all our wireless devices. It’s less wear-and-tear on your phone’s charging port, and much more convenient than having to use a cable each time.
Here’s what to look for when choosing the right pad for charging multiple devices at once.
Charge Speed: Each and every charging pad has a maximum wattage, and can only provide that much power to the devices on it. Typically an iPhone Qi charger uses about 7.5 watts, while smaller devices like AirPods and smartwatches only need about five watts. Even if there’s enough wattage to go around, this can still slow down the charging process overall. Be aware that some pads still require you to provide the device’s charging dock, specifically watches, and just acts as a more of a holder for them than actually charging.
Size: A multi-device wireless charging pad can get bulky and big, so if you’re only fueling up two or three items, it’s not necessary to get one that’s designed to hold eight. But if you’re going for one with lots of surface area, it should have a larger amount of coils inside to cover it all and avoid annoying dead-zones.
Design: They may all look pretty similar at first glance, but some are more efficient than others and include hidden features, like ports and pull-out drawers for cables and accessories. For those who’ll be charging up a smartwatch along with multiple other items, having the watch charging pad pop up or jut out helps keep the band out of the way of the other things. If you’ll be traveling with your pad, having one that’s flat or where everything can fold down makes fitting it into a backpack a whole lot easier. A phone’s wireless charging coil tends to be somewhere in the middle, so if a charging pad is too short or awkward to accommodate your device, it can be frustrating getting the charging to kick in each time. Same goes for the pad itself, where more coils means not having to worry about getting your device just-right.
Extras: Some other nice-to-haves are things like an LED light that lets you know when it’s actively charging, a stand to keep devices upright, and the material on the pad (some prefer soft fabric, others traction).
We’ve selected some of our top picks here to refuel your devices whether you’re at home, at the office, or on the go.
Einova’s sleek little white brick packs some serious charging power, and its 10,000mAh of power are ready to refuel your devices when there’s no outlets around. This has an output of 53 watts that can charge up three devices at the same time wirelessly, or even a laptop when connected through cables.
There’s a USB-C slot for easy wired charging, and LED lights on the side clearly show which Qi chargers are in use and how much power is left in the unit. This can handle Android phones, but was made with Apple devices in mind too.
Amazon
Buy: Einova by Eggtronic Power Bar at $119.99
You won’t even need to open up this massive Mundus up to activate it. Two big and spacious 10-watt spots are designated right on the lid for charging multiple devices wirelessly, with a USB port in back for an extra wired charge too..
Inside, there’s a lot of space, which is great for storage but also for sanitizing. A blazing UV-C LED lamp zaps nasty germs, providing four layers of microbe-killing power in an eight-minute cycle that alerts you when it’s done. It’s also EPA-certified too.
Designed in Italy, the Mundus has a look that’s smooth, clean and minimal, with enough room inside for things like glasses, watches, face-masks, even wallets and books.
Amazon
Buy: Mundus Pro Charging Dock at $99.99
Moshi’s efficiently-designed pad is big enough for two full smartphones, and fuels up each with 15W for a speedy charge thanks to the high-density ferrite sheet inside. It’s Qi-certified, and even phones with cases up to 5mm thick are no problem.
A USB-A port lets you charge up a third device, like an extra battery or smartwatch, and aesthetically this looks professional in an office setting with its fabric finish on top and ring of silicon to hold devices in place.
Amazon
Buy: Moshi Sette Wireless Charging Pad at $99.95
ZealSound’s super-slim pad is made with a leather casing and a copper coil lining the inside for better and more efficient heat distribution. It’s long enough to hold three full phones, and is ideal for placement in a house’s busy central spot, like a kitchen or coffee table, so everyone with a dying device can have quick access.
There are built-in precautions like temperature control, short circuit prevention, and it’s nicely lightweight at 7.5oz. There are also no lights anywhere on it, making it perfect for a bedroom you want to keep in the dark.
A 24-watt adapter is included, but if you’ve got a thick (or metal) phone case over 4-6mm, you may need to remove it in order for the charging to kick in.
Amazon
Buy: ZealSound Ultra-Slim Charging Pad at $37.98
No more trying to get the alignment just right and waiting to see if the wireless charge is working. With six coils inside, this Samsung is ready to take on up to three of your devices easily – think two phones and a smartwatch or earbuds.
The LED lights on the surface give you a clear and instant reading on if charging is complete, or if it needs more time.
While this is made by Samsung, you don’t need to have one of their phones to benefit, as Apple devices are supported here too.
Amazon
Buy: Samsung Trio Wireless Charger at $79.99
In This Article: chargers, RS Recommends
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