The Quad Lock Wireless Charging Pad.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

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I've resisted making the switch to wireless charging for the iPhone for several years. 

Partly, this has been because wireless chargers get overly hot, partly because they're unreliable, and partly because they're badly designed for bedside use.I've been using aQuad Lock Mag case and in-car wireless charger, and have been really happy with this setup.

Buoyed by the quality of this hardware, I took a look atQuad Lock's Wireless Charging Pad .

I've finally found a system that works, and it works well. 

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Quad Lock Wireless Charging Pad

$69.99 at Quad Lock

Tech specs

• Output: 5W / 7.5W / 10W / 15W fast-charging (iPhone up to 7.5W)
• Input: 10W or above Power Adapter
• Input rating: DC 5V/3A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A
• Construction: Anodized black aluminum base, glass-filled nylon base plate cover, TPE/polycarbonate charging pad cover
• Fixture: Reusable nano suction base
• Compatibility: Smartphones and accessories that offer wireless charging 5W and above

This is a well-made, well-engineered charging pad.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

There are three things that I look for in a wireless charging pad.

First, it needs to run cool. I really don't want to have a heating pad next to my head at night, not only because of the (low) risk of fire, but also because having your smartphone on a hot pad for several hours a night is not good for the life of the battery.

I've had no such problems with Quad Lock's Wireless Charging Pad. The charging pad runs cool, thanks to the aluminum construction and smart charging features. The cooling is passive, so there's no fan noise to have to deal with.  

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Next, I want reliability.

I need the pad to be easy to use. The last thing I want to be doing is fumbling with the charger to get things aligned and charging.

Thanks to Quad Lock's use of magnets in the wireless charging pad, I can literally drop my iPhone on the pad, and it will self-align to the optimal position and start charging.

This works, and it works really well.

And thanks to the reusable nano suction pad on the base of the charging pad, you can pick the smartphone up from the charger without the charger lifting with it.

This is a clever design.

A protective film covers the reusable nano suction pad before first use.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

To make use of the magnetic alignment, you'll either need an iPhone with MagSafe wireless charging, or to have your smartphone encased in one of Quad Lock's Mag cases.

In my case (pardon the pun!), my iPhone spends its time in aQuad Lock Mag case . The case works perfectly and doesn't cause the charging pad to overheat.

Finally, I hate glowing lights on a charging pad, especially one that lives next to my bed. I understand that they were once useful because aligning the smartphone with the charger was a pain, but MagSafe makes this a snap, making the lights unnecessary.

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There is a small LED light on the front of the Quad Lock's Wireless Charging Pad, but thanks to a light sensor on the back of the charging pad, the charger's light goes off after a few seconds if the ambient lighting is low.

This is a great idea.

Ambient light sensor on the rear of the pad.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

Three things to bear in mind if you buy the Quad Lock's Wireless Charging Pad.

First, you get the charging pad and a USB-C-to-USB-A cable, and that's it. There's no charger. For most of us, that's not a problem, but it could be.

Read on!

This is what you get in the box.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

The second problem is that the USB-C port on the charging pad is small.

This is not a problem if you are going to use the supplied USB-C-to-USB-A cable, but if you don't have a USB-A charger and plan to use a USB-C charger, then finding a USB-C-to-USB-C cable that will fit the pad could be difficult.

I have lots of cables, and I was surprised how many wouldn't fit the port.

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This USB-C port is too small for a lot of cables.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

Finally, if you're not using an iPhone that uses MagSafe, then you'll need to invest in aQuad Lock Mag case . I like these cases, but they might not be to everyone's taste.

These are some things to consider.

These concerns aside, the Quad Lock Wireless Charging Pad is a well-made, well-engineered pad. Quad Lock has put a lot of thought into the design of this, and it shows, resulting in one of the very best wireless charging pads out there. It's not cheap, but I've experienced so much disappointment with cheaper pads that I don't think they are worth the headache. The Quad Lock Wireless Charging Pad is a winner. 

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