Mophie 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad review: Charge it all

This charging pad is Mophie's answer to Apple's scrapped AirPower, and Apple likes it. You can find it on Apple's website and on the shelves of their retail stores. It's not quite as Apple-esque as I'd imagine the AirPower would have been, but then, it's not really fair to compare a real product to a mythical one, is it?

• Triple purpose accessory
• Charges iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods at once
• Attractive
• Avoids cable tangle

• Not always easy to find iPhone's charge spot
• Charging not consistent

Three products in one

Mophie 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad: Features

Since Apple promised us a universal charging mat called AirPower and then decided not to release one, other manufacturers have been scrambling to fill the void. Apple likes Mophie's answer to AirPower enough to carry it in Apple Stores and on the website. The Mophie 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad is exactly what it looks and sounds like. You can simultaneously charge an iPhone (8 or newer), AirPods (with a wireless charging case), and an Apple Watch.

This isn't one big, flexible-use mat, rather, there is a specific area for each item. A perfectly-sized little divot cradles the AirPod case. A tiny stand powers up the Apple Watch. Some watch stands feel insecure, like the watch could fall off at any time. But I did not have any concerns about this one keeping the Apple Watch securely in place. The watch charger itself is included; it's not like some charging stands that require you to place your own charger inside. The rest of the pad is devoted to the iPhone, with 7.5W fast wireless charging.

The charging pad's glass surface is piano-black and shiny. It's attractive, but it also attracts fingerprints. The dedicated spots for the AirPods and and Apple Watch make it easy to use and to place correctly. However, you have to be careful where you place the iPhone. It will not charge if you just plop it down any old way. It does occasionally shift while charging. It didn't come all the way off in my testing, but once it did shift just off the charging coil so it stopped charging.

I've tested a lot of chargers and none of them charge quite as fast as just plugging the iPhone into a wall charger, even with the "weak, old" 5W charging brick and USB-A-to-Lightning cable. Mophie comes the closest to cable speed of any wireless charger I've tried, except for the time it shifted.

Nightstand Mode on the Apple Watch is one of my favorite features, and this setup holds your Apple Watch at just the right angle to take advantage of that feature. Because the watch charging stand is slightly raised, your AirPods won't obstruct your view of your watch in Nighstand Mode, even if you're in bed with your eyes at the same height as the charging pad.

The Mophie 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad charged my iPhone in all but my thickest cases. It's intended to work with any case up to three millimeters thick. That lines up with my experience.

The power adapter is included in the box, so you don't need anything else to charge up your three devices. Mophie offers a two-year warranty on this charging pad.

Convenient

Mophie 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad: What I like

I like that it pad does so much and takes up so little space on my desk. You plug in one device, and you can charge your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods simultaneously. It's quite convenient, and it does charge faster than most wireless options. The Apple Watch stand portion of this charger is just the right height and angle to take advantage of Nightstand Mode without obstruction. The AirPods charging spot is delineated by a cozy little divot.

Not perfect

Mophie 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad: What I don't like

I thought it was just me when I noticed my iPhone had somehow moved off the charging coil while charging, since it only happened to me once in many uses. But, other users have reported the same occurance. It may not happen often, but it's something to be aware of. Plus, you can plop your iPhone down a dozen different ways that won't work at all. You need to be careful to place it correctly if you want it to charge at all.

Elegant and efficient

Mophie 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad: Bottom line

It's quite a relief to be able to clear three different chargers and that tangle of cables off of your nightstand or desk and replace it with just one gorgeous accessory. Everything you need is right in the box, you don't need to hunt down additional cables or charging brick. Just set it on your table, plug it in, and plop down your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods for a charge. Just be sure your iPhone is directly on the charging coil.

See at Apple

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