Wireless charging is inefficient on many levels. Wireless charging is inefficient. It takes longer to charge your phone than using a cord, consumes more energy and requires near-perfect alignment of the pad. It’s convenient, despite its inefficiencies. Apple’s iPhone 12 now has a magnetic ring around it, dubbed “MagSafe.” Things got more interesting when Apple introduced the ring. MagSafe chargers can charge your iPhone at 15W, which is double what you get from other wireless chargers. Magnets allow for other accessories like detachable wallets and car mounts.
The iPhone 14 is a third-generation MagSafe phone, but its ecosystem is still messy. Apple’s phrase “with MagSafe” means the real 15W MagSafe, but it can be difficult to tell if a charger has MagSafe or not. The options available today — both official and non-official — are generally pretty good. We’ve identified the best MagSafe wireless chargers and MagSafe compatible chargers that are suitable for your iPhone. Once you’ve gone magnetic, everything just feels more pragmatic.
What we are looking for
Charging Speed
Convenience
Portable
Design
Value
MagSafe chargers for the most people
Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro MagSafe costs around 10 dollars more but is superior to Apple’s MagSafe Charger in almost every aspect. The only other magnetic charging pad “with MagSafe” is the Belkin BoostCharge Pro with MagSafe. This means that it offers 15W wireless charging instead of the 7.5W limit on Apple’s charger. The BoostCharge Pro, however, has a 6.5 foot (two meter) braided cord — twice as long than Apple’s — as well as a fold out kickstand that allows you to place your iPhone in landscape orientation while it charges.
From left to right: Belkin BoostCharge pro with MagSafe, Belkin BoostCharge 7.5W, Courant Mag:1, Anker 313, and Apple MagSafe charger. Apple’s cable seems to be a prohibitively short length.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to understand why anyone would buy Apple’s MagSafe Charger. Apple’s charger may be 10mm thinner and slightly sleeker, but it is also cheaper. It’s also limited by an incredibly short cable. At just 3.28ft/1m, you feel like you are on a leash if you wish to use your phone while it charges. And it isn’t long enough to reach wall outlets from furniture taller that a small nightstand. Belkin BoostCharge Pro MagSafe solves the Apple puck’s main problem. If you need 15W charging it is worth spending the extra cash for the longer cable. If you do not require 15W charging, you can purchase a magnetic charger that has a longer cable at a much lower price.
Apple’s MagSafe Charger is sometimes on sale for $30 or less, which creates a larger price difference between it and the BoostCharge Pro. It would have to be significantly cheaper to make me recommend this Belkin over the Apple puck. You’ll also need a high-quality USB-C 20W power adapter, as neither Apple nor Belkin pucks include one.
The best overnight charger
Belkin’s BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Charging puck charges a MagSafe compatible iPhone at a respectable 7.5W rate. The USB-C cable is long enough to allow you to charge your phone and use it at the same time.
If you charge your phone mainly overnight, there’s no need to spend extra on a MagSafe charger. If you don’t get a lot of sleep, you won’t need to worry about your phone being fully charged in the morning. Even if you charge your iPhone overnight with a 15W MagSafe, it will slow down its charging speed so that the phone is fully charged before you need to use it.
If you don’t plan on using the same charger to charge your phone overnight and for quick charging, then you can save some money by purchasing either the Anker BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Charger. Both of these non-MagSafe chargers work perfectly. They charge iPhones with the same 7.5W as any other Qi Wireless charger. The Belkin cable is six feet long, while the Anker’s five-foot cord will suffice in most cases.
Save money by charging your phone primarily overnight.
Both pucks are exceptional for their price: You can get either one for less than $25 with a USB-C 20W power adapter, or around $15 without. You can get one or more of these pucks for under $25 with a 20W USB-C power adapter, or about $15 without.
Anker’s 313 basic charger is an affordable option for magnetic wireless overnight charging.
You’ll be grateful when you can use your phone to do your nightly doomscrolling from the bedside table without having to pull the cable out of your wall. You’re thinking of your guided breathing and meditation exercises in bed.
The 3-in-1 MagSafe Travel Charger from Mophie unfolds and wirelessly charges an iPhone compatible with MagSafe, an Apple Watch Charger, and two AirPods at the same. The charger comes with a USB-C to USB C cable and a 30W adapter.
It’s true that any charger can be used to travel, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will travel well. The Mophie 3 in 1 Travel Charger with MagSafe is a wallet-like charger that charges your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time. The MagSafe Apple 3-in-1 Travel Charger is priced at $149.95. It includes a folding multicharger, a 30W power adapter and a USB-C cable.
Mophie’s 3-in-1 travel charger is an all-in one package that’s perfect for frequent travelers.
This Mophie charger comes in handy if you are a frequent traveler. This little gray bag gave me a sense of calm when I was packing for my big trip. It’s like having an already packed toiletry bag.
This charger is great for quick recharges, especially when you are only staying at the hotel for a few days. In the case, you can fit a USB-C to Lightning short cable so that in an emergency, you have a slightly faster 20W wired charger on hand. Mophie’s 3-in-1 travel charger is thicker when folded than Apple’s MagSafe Duo. However, when it is unfolded, the device can be charged.
Apple’s MagSafe Dual charger is even smaller and takes up less space than the Mophie. However, it can only charge two devices simultaneously. It costs the same as the Mophie if you include the 20W USB-C adapter and carrying bag.
The MagSafe Duo is more expensive if you need to charge AirPods simultaneously. The Zens is an attractive folding charger with a 15W MagSafe that charges Apple Watches on one side and a full MagSafe charging on the other. It also functions as a kickstand for phones. The Zens is a much better option than the Apple Duo unless you prefer how the Duo places your watch and phone side-by-side.
The only thing I don’t like about the Mophie 3-in-1 or Zens 2-in-1 chargers is their price. They also lift up when you remove your phone, so you need to hold the device down with another hand as you try to pull it away from the magnets. It’s not a big deal, but if you are jet-lagged and trying to snooze your alarm before leaving for the day, it could cause your AirPods or Apple Watch to fall to the floor of a hotel.
