Wires are being removed from just about every product on the market. It's becoming the norm for everything from earbuds to gaming headsets, so why are we still fiddling around with wires in our cars?
There is nothing more annoying than trying to change gears or indicate with a charging cable in the way. It’s frustrating, but it’s also dangerous. The more you can do hands-free in a car, the better.
We've rounded up our picks for wireless chargers to ensure your drive is as stress-free as possible. All of the below products are Qi enabled – the name given to a phone that meets the global standard for wireless charging.
A helpful tip: the maximum power may drop in relation to the model or brand of phone. Usually, an iPhone will drop a 15W charger down to a maximum of 7.5W. For a Samsung, most wireless chargers will hit a maximum of around 10W. It's always good to check for your specific device.
Still getting your head around going wireless? Check out our article on how wireless charging works.
Best wireless car chargers
Auckly Wireless Car Charger
This wireless car charger from Auckly features automatic closing and opening, so you don’t need to worry about fiddling with the handles to secure your phone in place. There is Auckley's supercapacitor fitted, which allows the clamping arms to continue to work electrically, even when the car is powered off, so you can still get your phone once you've parked.
This charger can be attached to a ventilation grill, using a clip made from aluminium for durability to ensure it doesn’t break or let your phone slip when attached to a ventilation grill. There are also dissipation holes in the surface touching the back of your phone, which aims to keep it from overheating – often an issue with car phone holders.
SONRU Qi Wireless Car Charger
SONRU’s wireless charger is fitted with a built-in smart chip which can auto-identify the charging power of the device and charge at the fastest speed possible while keeping the phone safe. It features an industry-standard 15W maximum power.
There is a handy automatic opening and clamping system for easy operation, which can be operated 2-3 times after your car is powered off. It features both a clip and a suction attachment, meaning it can be attached to a ventilation grill or dashboard. Once the phone is fully charged, the indicator light turns blue and it automatically stops charging your device.
ESR HaloLock Magnetic Wireless Car Charger
ESR’s HaloLock charger is a sleek, simplistic option. Instead of a lock-in button system, this charger uses magnetic lock strong enough to hold the phone in place simply through contact with the surface.
It can be used in landscape or portrait mode, attached to the car dashboard by a ventilation grill. It’s an appealing, smart looking machine, requiring the least effort to use and aiming to provide an entirely hands-free experience. It also offers an impressive 18W power for iPhone, but you will need an 18W QC adapter to reach the full power.
It should be noted that if you spend a lot of time driving over particularly rough terrain, this might not be the best option for you. It's also only suitable for iPhone 14, 13 and 12, so Android users, beware.
Romdink Car Charger Pad
This charging pad is made of non-slip rubber, designed to rest on the dashboard and keep your phone in place while driving, even on uneven surfaces or up/down hills. Romdink offer up to 10W of fast charging and an automatic cut off to keep your phone from overheating.
It doesn’t feature the same lock-in arm attachments as other chargers, so if you often use your phone for directions, this might not be the best option for you.
KKM Wireless Car Charger
KKM’s wireless creation is fitted with an auto-clamping button system, able to be used when the car is powered off. It's able to provide 15W max power and features a numbered dial on the front of the charger that allows you to measure the input voltage. There's also a QC3.0 adapter included, so there's no need to worry about finding a USB adaptor.
Beeasy 15W Wireless Car Charger
This option from Beeasy features a clip-in design, using two clips with a non-slip surface for the phone to rest inside. It’s stated to keep the phone safe on rough roads and over speed bumps.It sticks anywhere across the dashboard of the car and can facilitate a maximum power of 15W.
This clip-in design means the charger can only facilitate landscape mode though, so if you're using your phone for directions and prefer portrait, perhaps bear that in mind. Also, this design can support phones up to 5mm in thickness, so you may need to check your device or case thickness first.