Look at your phone. Now think about the first mobile phone you ever owned. If you’re over a certain age you’d probably agree that the technology in these phones are worlds apart. Even the way we use our phones now is completely different, just look at mobile gaming (do you still remember your high score on Snake?), but one thing technology hasn’t been able to escape yet is the need to charge your battery.

However, even in this most fundamental of technological requirements, there have been advances. First we started to see new connectors on chargers that were more efficient, faster and safer, and more recently the big change has been the capability to charge wirelessly.

How does wireless charging even work, you ask? Well, it may seem like some kind of dark magic, but it is actually all to do with electromagnets. We won’t go into the real techy stuff in this article, but the simple explanation is that both your phone and the wireless charger have a coil of wire, and when they are aligned they create a magnetic field that allows power to pass between them. The technology in your phone can then use this power to recharge the battery.

There are many advantages to switching to wireless charging from a traditional plug in cable, so let’s have a look at some of these and see if wireless charging is the best option for you.

1. Less cable clutter - You have one cable for your wireless charger which can be nicely tucked away, and that is it. Just pop your device down on the charging pad and away you go, without having cables hanging loose or getting in the way.

2. Works with a wide range of devices - One of the biggest attractions of investing in a wireless charger is that it works with any wireless charging compatible device, meaning you don’t need multiple different cables. In addition to this, you can find some great wireless charging stations, such as the Raw Techlabs 3-in-1 Wireless Tower, which will charge multiple devices at once. Great if you have a phone, AirPods and a smartwatch that all need some juice. Check out the Raw Techlabs 3-in-1 Wireless Tower: here.

3. Safer, low-risk charging - One of the most common tech faults is a damaged charging port. Over time, the constant plugging in and pulling out of a charger can lead to wear and tear in the port. This damage can lead to charging issues, or worse, electrical faults which can lead to fires. Wireless chargers don’t need anything to be plugged into the phone meaning less risk of damage and serious faults.

4. They look better - Wireless chargers come in many shapes, sizes, colours and materials, so you can choose something that fits your decor and looks much nicer than a cable. For example, Raw Techlabs have created a wireless charger made from bamboo which has a far more natural look than many plastic options. Check it out here.

One of the biggest disadvantages of wireless charging is that the phone needs to be in physical contact with the charging pad, which depending on your setup may mean you cannot charge your phone and use it at the same time. This is a lot easier with a cable that plugs into the phone, but there are also MagSafe wireless charging options that fix to the phone with strong magnets and allow you to pick up and use the phone whilst the charger is still affixed. Also, many phone cases on the market are still not compatible with wireless chargers, meaning you’ll need to remove them to charge your phone. However, if you want to be able to charge your phone wirelessly, we suggest looking at cases that are designed to work with wireless chargers.

So, should you be using a wireless charger? Well, if you have multiple different devices with different types of charging ports and they are all compatible with wireless charging, it will certainly make your life easier. Plus, who can ignore an opportunity to get rid of some of the cable spaghetti that clogs our desks and bedside tables?

Finally, if you’re not convinced about wireless charging right now, here is something else to consider... Mobile phone manufacturers are always looking at how they can remove components from their devices to create space for bigger batteries and hard drives, and new features. It may not be too long before the charging port goes the way of the headphone jack, meaning a wireless charger is your only option to charge your phone.