Current testing methodology is v1.2
So, I have two Mcdodo wireless chargers. One is for the car, and one is for home or office…or travel…well, really anything I guess.
I use the one at home predominantly for my iPhone.
And the one in the car, obviously, is for the iPhone that I have, which is currently a 12 mini, and, of course, there are two subsequent iPhone models, the 13 and 14 that you can get that will work fantastically with these charges.
The first thing you’ll notice about the Mcdodo chargers is that they have a completely transparent case. And they use this also in their marketing specifically to say, “for transparency.”
I think what Mcdodo is trying to do here is to really show people the number of quality parts, and specifically the copper coil that goes into these units to ensure a high-quality charger.
I have about four wireless charging units at home, and all of them, I have to say, is pretty lackluster.
You have to get the phone at a very specific point on the charger to ensure that it does charge, and even then, it seems to take quite a long time for them to charge.
So, when I plugged in the Mcdodo in my car and I put my iPhone 12 on it, not only was I impressed with the MagSafe connection, which ensured a secure hold for the phone while driving, but also the speed at which it did charge my phone.
Mcdodo MagSafe Wireless Car Charger
Mcdodo Magsafe Car Mount Charger
A secure fit makes this one the vent mount MagSafe charger to beat.
TL:DR;
The Mcdodo has a great mounting system, impressive look and solid charging capacity. The MagSafe grip is strong so little concerns about it falling off in the car.
The Specs
- Compatible Devices: IPhone 14/13/12 series
- Mounting Type: Vent
- Material: Aluminum alloy / Tempered Glass / Magnet / Nylon
- Power: 15W
- Fast charging: Yes
- LED light: Yes
What’s in the Box?
- 1 x Prism Car Charger
- 1 x USB-C Cable
- 1 x Air Vent Attachment
- 1 x User Manual
Stuff I like
- Looks good – or doesn’t, depending on your tastes
- Strong MagSafe grip when mounted – won’t fall off without significant effort
- 3 point mounting system is excellent and provides a really stable stand
Stuff I like less
- Doesn’t look good – or does, depending on your tastes 🙂
Where to get it
I have a Carpuride 9-inch CarPlay tablet in my car. My car is only a 2018, but it doesn’t have CarPlay built in. And so, after trying the CarLink, and now the Carpuride, I recommend the Carpuride to people for CarPlay in their car.
This is great because it is a wireless unit, but I still have to then plug my phone into a cable to have it charge.
When Mcdodo offered to send me their chargers for review, I jumped at the chance, although I didn’t really expect that I would add another device to the car.
With the Carpuride and the Alexa Auto, the thought of just another thing plugged in made me feel like the dashboard might get a bit overwhelming.
But, of course, I did due diligence for the review, connected it to my car, fitted it to my air vent, and then attached my iPhone.
Immediately, I was impressed, as I say, with the secure hold that the MagSafe charger has on it and the ease of just getting in the car and throwing it straight up on the charger.
It seems like a small thing to have to plug in your phone when you get in the car, but it really is just that much easier to get in, drop it on the charger and take off, allowing the phone to charge and for the Carpuride to start up wirelessly.
It’s the perfect combo and the perfect setup.
If you already have CarPlay or Android Auto in your car, then, of course, you can also get a wireless CarPlay unit that will offer the same convenience, that when you jump in and connect the Mcdodo wireless car charger, then your CarPlay will connect through the wireless unit and you’ll be fully wireless!
My reluctance with vent mounts
I’ve always had a strong reluctance to vent mounts for anything in the car, whether it be a cup holder, or a phone holder, or even a fragrance clip.
The reason is that I’ve been in so many cars, and had cars, where I have broken the vent mount just from the use of having to connect something to it.
Vent mounts aren’t especially strong, and if you don’t break the external vanes, then the vanes behind those are often even more flimsy.
And those are often the ones that give you your horizontal airflow control.
The intelligent thing with the Mcdodo wireless car charger is that it has three-point access:
- where the phone is connected to a ball slot which can be loosened and tightened based on the position and the direction you want the phone facing.
- the clip that goes onto the vent mount, but this is bracketed by the third point,
- a third tripod-like leg that connects underneath the charger.
This removes all of that wobbliness that you might normally get with any of these vent mounts and clips.
Because vent mount clips only have one vane on the vent that they can clip into, and then, if the air vent decides to droop down, you have pretty much no control over how to secure that more effectively.
It seems pretty obvious, but this third leg on the charger is really what is going to make me keep it in the car because it offers such great stability and reduces that unnatural pressure on the vent mount itself.
So, well done Mcdodo for that.
LED lights
On the charger itself around the bottom, there is an LED light, which you’ll see in the HD photos above. This light just provides some confidence that it is charging. The obvious point to make, though, is that when your phone is on the charger, it’s not apparent that it is charging if it’s daytime.
The LED light is really only effective at night when you’d put the phone on just to know that it’s all connected.
It’s a nice aesthetic addition to the charger, though, and I do like it.
It adds a nice soft glow to the dashboard at night.
Powering the unit
The Mcdodo Wireless MagSafe car charger uses a USB-C connection on the unit itself, and then you’ve got options to plug it into whatever your car will accept. So, for me, I had to get USB-A to USB-C cable.
The charger itself comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable. And I have to say that it’s a really nice fabric wound and branded USB-C cable.
I’m definitely going to use it elsewhere, as I won’t use it directly in the car. You could also use their cable and just get a USB-A to USB-C adapter, which is a really affordable option.
Specs
The unit weighs just 83 grams and can have a total output of up to 15 watts.
As mentioned, the cable is a 60-watt type-C to type-C cable with a 3 amp max capability, which is a meter long. It’s an aluminum alloy and nylon wrap, so if you do use the cable, it’s got the right throughput that you need to power the charger itself really well.
Overall thoughts
The Mcdodo wireless car charger for your car is definitely a polarizing design.
People will either gravitate towards the transparent casing and the view through to the chipboard and copper wiring, or they may gravitate towards something that is more of a typical white or black charger.
At first, I wasn’t sure, but it’s really grown on me, and certainly get some comments from people when they first get in the car.
Once your phone is on it, obviously the LED light comes to life and you can’t actually see the chargers, so I’m not sure what difference design really makes at the end of the day.
The most important thing is that this thing works, and it works really well.
The cable can be replaced. And with the three-point mounting system, I’d definitely give this a five out of five.
If I was to detract any marks, it would only be for the design aesthetic, which, as I say, I’ve come to quite like.
Mcdodo USB-C MagSafe Wireless Charger
Mcdodo MagSafe Wireless Charger
A perfect and powerful MagSafe charger for home, office or travel.
TL:DR;
Good looking unit that is perfect for home, office or when you’re on the move.
The Specs
- Size: 59.5 x 7.3 mm
- Weight: 55 g
- Material: Alluminum Alloy | Tempered Glass | Magnet | Nylon Wire
- Power: 15W max
What’s in the Box?
- Mcdodo Magnetic Wireless Charger
- 1 x Nylon braided charging cable (1m)
Stuff I like
- Nice LED lights
- Excellent snap-on MagSafe strength
- Good charging strength
Stuff I like less
- Fixed Power Cable
Where to get it
In addition to the MagSafe wireless car charger, Mcdodo also sent me a standard wireless charger, which in the same way as the car charger has a polarizing design, being that it is completely transparent.
The specs are ostensibly the same, being able to charge at up to 15 watts. And it also includes a nice LED light in the unit which comes to life when you drop something on it to charge.
What I like about it is that it is made from aluminum alloy and includes tempered glass, which makes it, not only strikingly attractive but also nice and tough. You don’t want to be swinging it around everywhere, but it makes such a nice change to the usual plastic that we are used to seeing from this kind of device.
It’s a small disc, which would sit anywhere, and fit nicely wherever you put it.
And no doubt if it’s in public view, you’ll probably get some comments on that too.
They don’t overdo this with extensive plastic surrounding the charger itself, so the footprint of it is nice and small, which I really like.
And because of its MagSafe first design, it really is designed to match the circular pattern of the MagSafe charging format.
In the box
In the box, you really just get the charger. And of course, with the typical user manual and warranty card.
The cable is hard-wired into this specific unit. So, it has a USB-C power connection, and then the cable is hardwired into the charging disc.
I think this would be my only criticism of this specific charger, is that I would like the option to switch out the cable.
Should the charger itself last longer than the cable, I’d like to be able to replace the cable over time.
Other than that, the one-meter cable length is sufficient for most situations. And if you do need to specifically have something longer, then you could always get an extension cable for that.
This charging unit now has a home on my studio desk, and I love that I can just quickly drop my iPhone on it to give it a good charge while I’m getting stuff done.
As with the car charger, the Mcdodo wireless charger gets a total thumbs up.
This, for me, gets a four out of five, only because of the hard-wired cable, but on every other level, it is both effective, really well-made, and aesthetically differentiated.
If you’ve got any questions, fire them away in the comments below.
And if you would like any other photos or information on the Mcdodo wireless charges, let me know.
Endless hours of experimentation, professional work, and personal investment in Home Theatre, Hi-Fi, Smart Home Automation and Headphones have come to this.
Former owner of Headphones Canada, a high-end headphone specialty retailer.
This post was last updated on 2024-11-02 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.