Swedish furniture giant Ikea sells a range of home furniture that supports the Qi wireless-charging standard, including pads and table lamps.
They charge Qi-compatible devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 5.
Ikea also sells wireless-charging covers for the Apple iPhone 4, 5 and 6, which do not have wireless-charging capability built in.
-
TECH SPECS
PRICE: $99
HEIGHT: 43cm
CORD LENGTH: 189cm
POWER: 10W
LED LIGHT COLOUR: Warm white (3,000 Kelvins)
LED BRIGHTNESS: 400 lumens
USB PORT (CURRENT): 2000mA (max)
-
RATING
FEATURES: 4/5
DESIGN: 4/5
VALUE FOR MONEY: 3/5
OVERALL: 4/5
I tried out the Ikea Riggad LED work lamp, which, according to Ikea, is one of the bestsellers in its wireless-charging range.
It is easy to see why that is the case. A desktop lamp with a natural wooden base, the Riggad has the clean, minimalist look typical of Ikea's products.
It has a relatively small footprint and you can swivel the lamp by around 60 degrees.
There are no visible switches to spoil its clean lines. Simply tap the top of the lamp to turn it on.
The lamp uses LEDs that are good for around 25,000hr and use significantly less energy than incandescent bulbs.
It is simple to assemble. You attach its metal arm to the wooden base and tighten a screw.
At the centre of the wooden base is a white circle with a "plus" symbol. You have to place your Qi-compatible device on top of the circle to charge the device.
The charging mechanism is quite finicky. The lamp will not start charging your device if the phone is outside the circle, or even just partially within it.
A small light indicator on the circle turns on when the wireless charging is in use. However, the light is covered by your smartphone, so you have to lift your phone up to see it. This also stops the charging process.
At the base of the lamp is a USB port, which lets you charge devices that do not have the wireless charging function.
To test the wireless charging feature on the Riggad lamp, I used an iPhone 5 with an Ikea Vitahult wireless charging cover ($39.90).
It took around 3hr for the lamp to fully charge the iPhone from zero. In comparison, the wired Apple iPhone charger took around 2hr.
However, I was not too impressed with the Vitahult wireless-charging cover. It is a simple plastic case with a Lightning connector that plugs into the iPhone.
Its white finish makes it susceptible to dirt. The case feels flimsy because it has two separate parts.
• Verdict: It takes about an hour longer than a normal charger to charge wirelessly, but the Riggad lamp is a stylish addition to your home office.
