Android followers are lastly having fun with the comfort of magnetic wi-fi charging. Google formally added Qi2 assist with built-in magnets to the Pixel 10 collection through Pixelsnap, and Samsung is rumored to do the identical on the Galaxy S26 collection.
When it is time to improve your cellphone, it will even be a good suggestion to improve your wi-fi charger. There are just a few first-party choices from Google, however for probably the most half, Android customers wish to third-party accent makers to fill the hole. Your subsequent Qi2-supported wi-fi charger may come from an unlikely model: Ikea.
That is proper — the Swedish residence items and furnishings retailer that additionally dabbles in sensible residence tech now has a brand new lineup of official Qi2 chargers. The Ikea Västmärke is a donut-shaped Qi2 wi-fi charger with just a few methods up its sleeve. You should not write it off as a gimmick, as a result of it may be one of the best Qi2 charger for Android customers available on the market, and it is actually one of the best worth.
Wait, Ikea is making an reasonably priced Qi2 charger?
Ikea’s Västmärke wi-fi charger is out there for simply $10 in choose shops, with supply out there as effectively. From a design standpoint, it is thicker than most different Qi2 wi-fi chargers. The product has a hybrid design, functioning as a transportable wi-fi charging answer or a flat charging base to be used on a desk or nightstand.
The donut form is actually hanging, however it suits proper in with Ikea’s fashionable design language. It does not appear like a tech product in one of the simplest ways, full with a “blissful purple coloration.” There are not any bland white, grey, or black coloration choices that we’re all too used to seeing within the tech house. It is out there solely on this intriguing round form and solely in “blissful” purple.
The charging pad has a built-in cable that spans 47 inches, or simply beneath 4 ft. It is a stable charging size that’ll work for stationary desk setups however will not be too cumbersome on the go. The charging cable is made out of silicone. There isn’t any energy adapter within the field — you need to use a 20W USB-C energy adapter you already personal or add one on from Ikea for an additional $4.
It is absolutely licensed by the Wi-fi Energy Consortium, supporting each the Qi2 Baseline Energy Profile and Magnetic Energy Profile. This implies it will work with older Qi units with out magnets, and it will additionally assist snap reference to newer Qi2 ones. Notably, Ikea’s Västmärke helps Energy Ship 3.0 and Fast Cost 2.0.
In different phrases, the Ikea Västmärke is greater than only a gimmick — it offers every part you may want from a Qi2 charger.
Ikea’s charger solves just a few issues with Qi2 cables
Wi-fi charging is considerably controversial amongst tech fans due to some of its downsides. It is much less environment friendly, slower, and warmer than charging over a cable. Nevertheless, I discover it onerous to construct out a wi-fi charging ecosystem for a unique purpose. Wi-fi chargers are solely helpful in the event that they’re the place you want them, and many of the Qi2 chargers available on the market would look sorely misplaced in a lounge.
Ikea’s Västmärke addresses the problem of wi-fi chargers mixing in, and it does it whereas making a trend assertion. The intense purple coloration and silicone exterior look nice, however there’s extra to it than that. The Västmärke design serves a useful objective, too. The 47-inch cable might be coiled and stashed inside the donut-shaped charger for cleaner storage and peak portability.
What’s extra, the donut’s silicone floor really pops outward to disclose a cellphone grip. It is like having a built-in PopSocket in your wi-fi charger. That is useful as a result of any Qi2 wi-fi charger provides bulk to your cellphone, and Ikea’s Västmärke enables you to hold utilizing it whereas charging.
If it wasn’t for the worth, I most likely would not have given the Ikea Västmärke one other look. However the official Google Pixelsnap Charger is $40 and is comparatively uninteresting, save for the truth that it may well cost solely the Pixel 10 Professional XL at 25W speeds. As a substitute, I can get 4 Ikea Västmärke chargers for a similar value to cowl my residence with wi-fi charging pads.
With the cable stashed away, this Qi2 wireless-charging “donut” appears to be like extra like a contemporary artwork piece than a charger. For under $10 every, this intelligent, quirky wi-fi charger is one I believe nearly each Android consumer ought to contemplate including to their magnetic charging ecosystem.
Standing out
In a crowded wi-fi charger market plagued by related choices, Ikea’s Västmärke stands out with Qi2 assist, a enjoyable and colourful design, and a built-in cellphone grip. It is also solely $10, which is sort of reasonably priced for a Qi2 charger.
