How to pick a wireless charger?

Wireless charger is a greatly simple idea. You plop down your smartphone on top of a pad on your nightstand and electricity flows from the grid into your device so you can burn it up the next day scrolling through newsfeeds and watching social media stories. Smartphones have had wireless charging tech inside since 2015 (it was a Blackberry!), but last year, Apple shoved a wireless charging coil into its iPhone X and iPhone 8 devices, which dragged it from the realm of a “hey neat!” feature to a seemingly essential inclusion on the spec sheet of any high-end smartphone.
 
There are two main types of wireless chargers out there. The first is a pad that lays flat on your table or desk, while the second is a stand that holds the phone at a semi-upright angle so you can see the screen without having to hover your head over the device.
The style you pick depends on your preference, though the location of your charging station will likely guide your decision. I prefer the stand-style chargers most of the time because picking up your phone off the pad stops them from charging and using a device that’s laying flat on a desk is awkward. If you’re clumsy or putting it on a nightstand, however, where you probably won’t be using it much during its juice-up, then a lay flat charger might be a better call since it reduces the chance you’ll knock it onto the floor in a groggy morning haze.
Some companies like Belkin even sell pads you can install into a desk so they sit flush with the surface. It’s like having a special powered zone on your desk that can charge your phone.