Nowadays, a large number of smart phones can be "fast-charged", but to take full advantage of this capability, you do need a suitable charger. Using a wireless device (whether it is an inductive charger or QI type) allows you to easily keep your smartphone fully charged while driving, so we tried a set of wireless mobile phone chargers to find the best performance.

Generally speaking, the screen and dashboard brackets are more stable and easier to see, but they will take up some windshield area. The vent bracket is less noticeable, but it is not easy to see or fix in place, and tends to shake more when bumps.

Fast chargers usually provide a charge rate of 7.5 watts for later iPhone models, while the operating power of Android devices is 10 watts. If the cradle you choose does not have a USB adapter, please choose a cradle with an operating voltage of 9 volts, otherwise the charging speed will be slow or may not work at all.

We evaluated the practicality of each bracket from its ease of installation and disassembly. The existence of the USB adapter is a plus, and the safety and stability of the mobile phone while driving and the overall build quality have been evaluated.

Our product was tested on the Samsung S10e smartphone, which is an Android device with a 3100mAh battery. We charged the phone for 30 minutes without load, and then we did the same operation again when using the satellite navigation app. In each case, we have noticed an increase in the percentage of battery charging. The installation location is on the vent, windshield or dashboard. The more options each product provides, the better. We used the provided lead or 9V USB adapter when necessary.

The best performers are very matched. Keep the distance between iOttie and Trust Yudo 10 at the top.

The current champion produces the best charging data, 20% no-load and 18% under load. We like its stability and multi-directional adjustment on the dashboard or screen. Thanks to the spring-loaded manual arm and the central automatic locking button, the phone can be easily installed and removed with one hand. Adjustable feet secure the phone in place, and the USB adapter on the fly cable has a standard USB socket for charging at a lower rate. The 1.1-meter power cord length is a bit interesting, but with its two-year warranty, this is still a winner.

This is one of only two devices that offer all three mounting positions, and it comes with an impressive 1.5-meter power cord, although it does not have a USB adapter. We found it to be very stable when using the rubber suction cup on the screen or dashboard, and the vent bracket is also very strong. We prefer that the spring-loaded arms can be damped, and the feet are not adjustable. The 32% comprehensive fee figure is good, but the best case is 6%. It almost won, and it is an affordable option for anyone who needs its versatility.

4Smarts is very suitable for gadgets. When the phone is close, 4Smarts uses the sensor to automatically open its arms and close it after about a second. The button on the side releases the arm, making installation and removal easy, and retains some power for use outside the car. The charging effect of 15% and 18% is good, the bracket is adjusted a lot, but there is no USB adapter, and the one-meter cable is short. Its design is similar to iOttie, but a vent bracket is added, but the main bracket is 15 mm longer, so the stability is slightly worse.

Another product with an impressive two-year warranty, the way the sturdy push-button clamp is firmly locked to the blade left a deep impression on us. This is one of the most stable vent brackets we have tried. The charging results of 17% and 18% are very good. The rubber arm protects the phone, but it must be pried open under a strong spring, which requires two hands and feels old technology compared to some competitors. It is not equipped with a USB adapter, which increases the price, but it is not difficult because it is, to a certain extent, the cheapest in the test.

The price of only £25 is impressive because it includes an adapter with two USB sockets

And two mounting options-a vent gripper and a small stick-on dashboard bracket. 

The vent gripper is a push-in cone, has no clips or hooks for the blades, and is not that stable in use. The latter is stable and easy to use, although the disposable adhesive pad means you have to place it correctly the first time. 

If you have a phone case, it is best to stick the magnet to the back of the phone so that the phone can be firmly fixed to the bracket. One meter, the cable length is very short, the description is also very confusing. Airborne and satellite navigation performance have seen reasonable

An increase of 14%. It cannot match our champion in terms of charging, but its price and options make it close to iOttie. 

As the name suggests, it is Groove-e. The essence here is groovy. It has an infrared automatic operating arm. It will magically open when the phone is close, and it will retract once it is in place. It can handle 60-90 mm wide mobile phones and is suitable for most mobile phones on the market. Unlike Best Wireless, we must press (instead of just touch) a button to release the arm. This is no problem, although we must be prepared to pick up the phone because there are no supporting feet.

When charging at 9-10V, its no-load test is excellent, matching with the powerful iOttie at 20%, and a very good 16% in the satellite navigation application test. But we think its lead length is a bit small, only 98 cm. There are two installation options, the price is very attractive, it is the cheapest automatic opener we have tried, but it does not include a suitable fast charging adapter, which needs to be considered.

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This Best Wireless is much larger than most vent mounts, making the phone more stable, and we like its feet, which makes the phone less likely to fall.

Using the infrared sensor, the arm welcomes the phone and then closes it truly and safely. It can be released by simply swiping it with a finger, and unlike Groov-e, it can hold for a while after the ignition is turned off-this is a great feature for forgetful people. The charging results are very good, with no-load/navigation apps at 18% and 16%, respectively, but it’s a bit expensive-if you need an adapter, it’s even more expensive.

In many ways, this is an impressive unit, which offers excellent charging performance of 18% and 18%. It is fixed on the screen with a gel suction hand, and the integrated bracket is very stable and basically not affected by bumpy roads. We think it's a pity that it was not designed to be mounted on the dashboard, but we like the 1.5-meter power cord-long enough for most situations-and the good damping arm operated by the rear buttons. We think the build quality is impressive, but its price is still an obstacle, even though it includes a 9V, QC 3.0 USB adapter.

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Although Quntis is not equipped with a USB adapter, people will still notice the similarities between it and iOttie. 

We like the USB-C connection of the power cord, but its 80 cm length is the shortest length we have tried, and it may make life in many cars tricky. It sticks firmly to the screen, as long as the surface is flat, it can stick to the dashboard. The arm extends in two parts. It is almost unusable when fully expanded. Although it is much better after compression, it is still not as rigid as iOttie. Its no-load performance is good at 15%, but it drops to 12% when using navigation apps.

Anker's vent bracket is well-structured and technically excellent, with test results of 19% and 18%, respectively. It is easy to use with one hand, thanks to its adjustable feet and button operation and damping arm. There are two installation options. The first is a simple clip with two gripping modes that can stay still but not completely stable. The second one adds a better tripod-style bracket, but the rubber clip is not so tight on the blade. Despite the 18-month warranty, the lack of stability and the USB adapter lost its points.

Although this device can hold and charge the phone, it’s unusual that you can’t use the phone’s screen during this process. On both sides of the red/blue LED are a pair of 3A combo USB sockets, which are used (not fast) to charge other devices. The connection is via the CLA connection on a short 70 cm cable, or directly to the car via a separate wire. It manages a reasonable charging rate of 15% and 16%. For anyone who does not need to look at the phone, hiding it in a glove box would be a convenient product. But it can be made cheaper.

This bracket is glued to the dashboard, and the phone is placed in a slot in landscape mode. 

It is fixed by a rubber suction cup, but there is no shell, which negates the benefits of wireless connection a bit. We found this design to be tricky to use. Although we like the USB-C connection on the stand, it requires a separate adapter, and the instructions are limited to a small card with four charts. Its 16% no-load result is good, but when using satellite navigation, the 6% increase is the worst we found.

When the mobile phone approaches, the infrared bracket opens and clamps automatically. We like the USB-C connector. Although the one-meter lead is a bit short, it means that the translation is bad and there is no diagram. To make matters worse, even without the protective case, it would not charge our test phone for more than one second at a time, so we did not get performance data.

View the winners of the Auto Express Product Award here.

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