Updated on 20 March 2023
This comparison is certified 100% impartial and follows our selection process.
Belkin Boost Up Stand
The only Apple certified model in our selection, it was originally created for Apple devices. This does not prevent it from being usable for any device and from offering quite interesting performances.
The Boost Up Stand is without doubt the most practical charger in our selection. During our tests, we particularly appreciated its ergonomics. It is indeed possible to place your smartphone in portrait or landscape mode and the inclination, although fixed, is quite comfortable to consult your screen while charging. The full charge of our test smartphone took just under 2 hours, which corresponds to the 10W power announced by the manufacturer (7.5W for the iPhone). To use the device, it is still necessary to use the mains adapter supplied in the packaging. The only fault we found was a slight heating of the smartphone due to the lack of fans on the stand.
Wireless charging is spreading across price ranges... so are chargers. There are different types of chargers for different purposes. An LED is usually present to indicate that the charger is in use. The ergonomics also take into account the positioning possibilities of the smartphone. Some chargers include additional ports to charge other devices by wire.
Ikea Livboj
The simplest and most affordable charger in our selection, it does what it was designed to do, nothing more, nothing less. Its design, typical of the brand, is particularly discreet.
The Ikea Livboj charger is a particularly affordable solution for users who do not care about fast charging. It delivers 5W of power which allowed our test smartphone to be fully charged in about 4 hours. Although it is not the fastest, we appreciated the moderate power output, which limits the impact on battery life. Indeed, when we picked up the smartphone, there was no trace of heating. Its design is minimalist and only a rubberised cross is present on the pad to indicate the location of the smartphone.
Anker PowerWave Stand
A little more affordable than its competitor, this model offers a very good performance while being quite practical to use. It is both Qi charging and iPhone compatible.
Whether it is the Pad or Stand version, the Powerwave is a great solution if you are looking to upgrade to fast wireless charging without ruining yourself. When we placed our test smartphone on it, we enjoyed a power of 10W allowing a full charge in just 2 hours. The iPhone and other Qi-compatible smartphones have a power of 7.5 and 5 W respectively. In terms of ergonomics, the stand convinced us thanks to the possibility of placing the phone in portrait or landscape position. However, the stability of the smartphone seemed to us to be inferior to that of its direct competitor, hence its alternative position. Note that the PowerWave 10 adds 2 USB ports, with an included power adapter.
Eono C1
This pad charger has the particularity of offering a fast charge of up to 15 W with compatible devices. It is compatible with all smartphones on the market (Qi and Apple charging).
The Eono C1 is offered by an Amazon brand. It is a well assembled pad charger capable of delivering high power. However, reaching this maximum value is only possible with a QuickCharge 2.0 or 3.0 (12 V/2 A) standard power adapter. So you will need to spend a few extra pounds to get the most out of this device. During our tests, we only got 10W of power because we did not have a suitable power adapter (ours was QC 3.0 9V/2A compatible). This makes it less attractive financially than its direct competitor, but if you need high power, it is the cheaper option.
Our selection
| Our choice, Best high-end | Best budget | Best mid-range | Mid-range alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |
| Belkin Boost Up Stand | Ikea Livboj | Anker PowerWave Stand | Eono C1 |
| The only Apple certified model in our selection, it was originally created for Apple devices. This does not prevent it from being usable for any device and from offering quite interesting performances. | The simplest and most affordable charger in our selection, it does what it was designed to do, nothing more, nothing less. Its design, typical of the brand, is particularly discreet. | A little more affordable than its competitor, this model offers a very good performance while being quite practical to use. It is both Qi charging and iPhone compatible. | This pad charger has the particularity of offering a fast charge of up to 15 W with compatible devices. It is compatible with all smartphones on the market (Qi and Apple charging). |
| £ 38.90 on Amazon | £ 10.49 on Amazon | £ 17.99 on Amazon | See the price on Amazon |
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How do we test?
A wireless charger is, as the name suggests, intended for charging a device that supports inductive charging. To put the different products to the test, we used our test smartphone, a Galaxy S20 FE, in a real-life situation.
Therefore, we connected the different chargers via the manufacturer’s recommended power supply (when available) and placed the phone on the dedicated area to evaluate the performance provided by the different products. At the same time, we of course tested the ergonomics by trying different positions while using the phone during charging.
How to choose your induction charger?
For several years, wireless charging has been on the market. It has now been democratised and it is not uncommon to find it on many devices ranging from mid-range to high-end. It is therefore logical to look for a charger adapted to this new system.
To help you in your choice, we have identified some criteria to pay attention to:
- The type: for this criterion, your choice depends on your needs. The pad is the most basic system and is placed flat under your smartphone. The stand allows you to position your phone so that you can easily check your notifications. The last one is the dual charger, which has two charging zones to, for example, charge your smartwatch and your phone in parallel. Some manufacturers, such as Samsung, have made sure that the pad can be used as a stand as well.
- Charging capacity and performance: the standard power is limited to 5W but iPhones can go up to 7.5W and Samsung devices can go up to 10W. This of course impacts the compatibility of the charger. However, power is not everything and two models with equivalent power can offer different charging times. The result depends mainly on the heating management. The more expensive models stand out in this respect thanks to the integration of a dedicated fan.
- Ergonomics: this is related to the physical elements present on the charger, i.e. the shape, materials and the presence of a potential display. The first influences the stability of the whole: the phone must be well supported to minimise the risk of falling. The choice of materials improves the result with, for example, the use of rubber or leatherette. The display, which is often equipped with an LED, makes the whole thing more secure and prevents the charge from being activated when the phone is not present.
- Connections: these are used to power the charger itself, but also to charge other devices. For the power supply, it is preferable to opt for a micro USB or USB-C system, whose cable is more easily replaceable. As far as connections are concerned, the presence of one or more additional USB ports is always a bonus.
Other models we recommend
Apple MagSafe (£38.90 upon publication): specific to Apple. This Apple charger is specific to Apple products. It allows the latest models to benefit from a maximum fast charge (15 W) while guaranteeing good alignment thanks to the integrated magnetic system. We have excluded it from our selection because of its unique compatibility.
Mophie Powerstation Hub (£39.00 upon publication): a rather special model with several very relevant functions. It is a power adapter that doubles as an external battery (6100 mAh capacity) and is compatible with Qi wireless charging (5 W). It comes with a variety of tips so you can take it with you wherever you go. As a bonus, it comes with two USB A ports (15W) and a USB-C Power Delivery port (18W). Its more specific orientation led us to leave it out of our main selection.
Belkin BoostCharge Pro (£135.46 upon publication): a charging station dedicated to Apple. Just like the original MagSafe charger, this Belkin model is designed for Apple products and allows you to charge all your Apple equipment. It features three charging points for your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods. The available power reaches the maximum authorised by the brand, namely 15W. Its simple and uncluttered design also allows it to blend in easily with your home. It is mentioned for the same reason as the original MagSafe charger.
Translated by Selectos
