Scanstrut Wireless Charger Comparison: 9 Models for 12V/24V

Choosing a wireless phone charger for a boat, caravan, RV or 4WD starts with a physical question: where will the phone sit, and what will stop it moving? Output matters, but a 15W specification cannot compensate for a mounting position that is awkward to reach or a resting pad placed where the phone needs positive retention.

This Scanstrut wireless charger comparison covers nine waterproof models for fixed 12V/24V systems. The range includes wall-mounted and adjustable grip holders, a magnetic Qi2 interface, bench and recessed charging pads, a concealed under-surface charger and a low-profile flush-mounted pad. Those differences make mounting, retention and daily interaction the useful first filters.

Use this guide to shortlist the complete nine-model range across four types of setup. Before ordering, confirm the intended phone and case, available surface and cavity, environmental exposure, electrical design and installation method. You can review every option early in the 12V/24V waterproof wireless phone charger collection.

Start with mounting position and phone retention

Begin at the proposed charging location, not at the product list. Picture the setup both stationary and moving. Is the surface vertical, horizontal or angled? Will the driver or skipper need to see the screen? Can a passenger reach it without leaning across controls? Is there a suitable surface for a phone to rest on, or must the phone be mechanically held? A clear answer removes unsuitable formats before the electrical details enter the comparison.

The range separates into four practical phone interfaces:

• Grip holders: Active Grip, Edge Grip and Nano Grip physically hold the phone. They are the direct starting point where mechanical retention is required.
• Magnetic interface: Ultra Qi2 is the range's magnetic Qi2 model.
• Exposed charging pads: Aura, Surface, Surface 3-Coil and Sub 3-Coil provide a defined surface on which the phone is placed. Their bench, recessed and flush mounting formats differ.
• Hidden under-surface format: Hidden 3-Coil puts the charging hardware below a suitable surface, leaving the charging position visually discreet.

A grip holder and a magnetic interface both retain a device, but they are not interchangeable. A grip applies mechanical support around part of the phone. A magnetic interface relies on the intended magnetic relationship between charger, phone and any case or accessory. A pad provides a place to rest the device but should not be assumed to restrain it under movement. A hidden charger changes the surface design again: the hardware is below the surface, so the material and construction of that surface become central verification points.

When two formats both appear suitable, walk through the full use cycle before deciding. Check where the phone sits when it is not charging, whether it can be docked with one hand, whether a case or attached accessory changes the fit, and whether the screen needs to remain visible. For a pad, consider the direction the phone could move as the boat or vehicle changes speed or direction. For a grip or magnetic mount, make sure docking and removal do not interfere with switches, displays or steering. A simple temporary position check can reveal an awkward location before any panel work begins.

Understand the five mounting formats

Wall-mounted grip holders

Active Grip and Nano Grip share the clearest structural category: both are wall-mounted grip holders. Active Grip has a stated 15W output, while Nano Grip is 10W. That makes them a useful comparison when the location calls for a vertical retained position and output is the next decision. Their physical adjustment ranges differ, so check the current device dimensions rather than treating one as a smaller-output version of the other.

Adjustable edge grip

Edge Grip is also a 15W grip holder, but it uses an adjustable edge format rather than fixed wall mounting. Its product specifications describe portrait-to-landscape adjustment and vertical rotation. Those details make it worth investigating when screen angle is part of the brief, but the exact mounting base, adjustment envelope and clearance still need to be checked for the proposed location.

Bench-mounted and recessed pads

Aura is the 10W bench-mount charging-pad option. Surface is a 10W recessed-mount charging pad. Surface 3-Coil is the 15W recessed counterpart with three coils. These models suit a visible charging position integrated into a suitable bench, console or other surface, but the phone rests on the charging area without a mechanical grip.

If magnetic alignment is important for Aura, check the current phone and case requirements before ordering. For either Surface model, use the current cut-out drawing and cavity dimensions for the exact SKU before modifying a panel.

Flush-mounted pad

Sub 3-Coil is a 15W, three-coil charging pad with a flush-mount format. This format is distinct from the recessed Surface 3-Coil even though both are low-profile, 15W pad designs. Use the current drawing to determine the cut and finished appearance because recessed, flush and top-install formats require different panel preparation.

Hidden under-surface charging

Hidden 3-Coil is the architectural outlier. It is a 15W, three-coil charger designed to sit beneath the surface. The phone is placed over a charging zone while the hardware sits below the surface. This can preserve an uncluttered finish, but it makes surface material, thickness, routing, cavity access and marking of the charging position especially important questions.

All nine Scanstrut wireless chargers compared

Shortlist the retained-phone models

Ultra Qi2, Active Grip, Edge Grip and Nano Grip form the retained-phone shortlist, but they solve retention in different ways. Ultra Qi2 is the magnetic option and the only Qi2 model in this range. The other three use grip holders. Start by deciding whether the intended phone-and-case arrangement supports the magnetic interface or whether a physical grip is preferred.

Within the grip group, Active Grip and Nano Grip provide the closest conceptual comparison because both are wall-mounted. Their 15W and 10W outputs are an obvious difference, but physical fit should come first. Their adjustment dimensions differ, and a case, camera area or attached accessory can change the real fit. Confirm the current fit range instead of choosing by the word Active or Nano.

Edge Grip earns a separate shortlist position where viewing adjustment is useful. Edge Grip provides portrait-to-landscape rotation and vertical tilt, while Active Grip and Nano Grip use fixed wall mounting. That does not make Edge Grip the automatic vehicle choice. Its adjustment space, base position, reach and potential interaction with nearby controls must suit the actual dashboard or console.

Shortlist the pad and concealed models

The pad group is best divided by finished surface. Aura provides a 10W bench-mount position. Surface provides a 10W recessed position. Surface 3-Coil increases the stated output to 15W and adds three-coil construction while remaining a recessed surface model. Sub 3-Coil is the 15W three-coil flush-mount alternative. Hidden 3-Coil removes the visible charger face by locating the hardware under the surface.

For a visible pad, consider whether the phone can rest naturally in the chosen location. A horizontal bench used while parked is a different use case from an open console on a moving boat or vehicle. A visible pad still needs a location where the phone can rest appropriately. If the phone must remain positively retained through movement, return to the grip or magnetic shortlist.

Surface 3-Coil and Sub 3-Coil should not be reduced to the same product with a different name. Surface 3-Coil is recessed, while Sub 3-Coil is flush-mounted, so their visible profiles and panel preparation differ. Hidden 3-Coil changes the construction more substantially because the mounting surface sits between phone and charger. The correct decision depends on the desired finish and the available structure, not just the shared 15W and three-coil labels.

Use 10W, 15W, Qi2 and three coils as later filters

10W versus 15W

Three models have a stated 10W output: Nano Grip, Aura and Surface. Six are stated as 15W: Ultra Qi2, Active Grip, Edge Grip, Surface 3-Coil, Hidden 3-Coil and Sub 3-Coil. This split does not create two complete product families. The 10W options cover a grip holder, a bench-mounted pad and a recessed pad. The 15W group covers magnetic, grip, recessed, hidden and flush formats.

Treat wattage as the charger’s stated maximum category, not as a promise of charging time. Actual power accepted by a phone can depend on the device, case, charging standard, alignment, temperature and other conditions. Do not translate the wattage rating into a promised charging time. First remove physically unsuitable formats, then compare output within the viable shortlist.

Qi2 magnetic alignment

Ultra is the only Qi2 model in this nine-product range. Its magnetic interface is a clear reason to shortlist it when compatible magnetic retention is required. Check the intended phone, case and accessories rather than assuming every wireless-charging phone will provide the same magnetic fit.

Three-coil charging for easier phone positioning

Surface 3-Coil, Hidden 3-Coil and Sub 3-Coil use three overlapping charging coils to provide a larger charging area and make positioning your phone easier. Choose Surface 3-Coil for a recessed visible charging pad, Hidden 3-Coil when you want the charger concealed beneath a suitable non-metallic surface, or Sub 3-Coil for a low-profile flush-mounted visible pad. All three have a stated 15W output.

Apply the framework to the installation

Boat

Separate the helm from cabin, berth and saloon locations. At the helm, movement, spray exposure, screen visibility and interaction with navigation controls all matter. A retained-phone shortlist might include Active Grip, Edge Grip, Nano Grip and Ultra Qi2, subject to the intended phone and case. Edge Grip deserves attention where viewing adjustment is useful, while Active Grip and Nano Grip provide wall-mounted mechanical alternatives. Ultra provides the magnetic Qi2 route.

A pad can make sense in a protected cabin or a purpose-designed console recess where the phone has an appropriate resting position. Aura, Surface, Surface 3-Coil and Sub 3-Coil represent different visible finishes; Hidden 3-Coil supports a concealed charging zone. Do not infer that a waterproof title makes every location acceptable. Confirm the current model-specific ingress information, mounting orientation, drainage or exposure guidance, electrical protection and clearances for the exact location.

Caravan or RV

Plan separately for travel and camped use. During travel, a wall-mounted grip or a compatible magnetic arrangement may suit a phone that needs to remain retained. At a dinette, galley or bedside position used when stationary, an exposed pad may offer a simpler place-and-lift interaction. The best model can therefore differ between two charging points in the same vehicle.

For a furniture-integrated pad, start with the desired finish. Aura is bench-mounted, Surface and Surface 3-Coil are recessed, Sub 3-Coil is flush-mounted, and Hidden 3-Coil sits below the surface. Before any panel is modified, confirm the current drawing, cavity and cable path, the effect on the furniture structure, access for service, and the phone’s stability in the intended travel state. Check Aura's current phone and case requirements if magnetic alignment forms part of the brief.

4WD

Define whether the charger belongs in the cabin, centre console, canopy or another fixed powered area. A cabin position may prioritise retention, one-handed access and screen angle. A canopy bench used at camp may prioritise a clean resting pad. The same product should not be assumed suitable for both just because both locations share a 12V supply.

Active Grip and Nano Grip are wall-mounted mechanical options, Edge Grip adds viewing adjustment, and Ultra Qi2 is the magnetic option. Pad and hidden formats can be considered where the phone can rest appropriately. For frequent corrugations or demanding movement, check phone retention, mounting instructions and the complete phone-and-case arrangement for that use.

Suitable fixed camping installations

These chargers are components for fixed 12V/24V powered installations, not portable battery packs. A powered camper trailer bench, camp kitchen or fixed canopy surface may provide a candidate location. Aura offers the bench-mount category, Surface and Surface 3-Coil offer recessed pads, Sub 3-Coil is flush-mounted, and Hidden 3-Coil supports a concealed zone. Where the phone must be retained while equipment moves, return to the grip or magnetic group.

Check how the installation is protected when packed, transported and exposed to weather. Confirm the electrical design, product instructions and surface suitability. A general camping label is too broad to establish those details, so the proposed location and operating state should drive the decision.

Pre-installation checklist

Location and daily use

• Record whether the phone will be used while the boat or vehicle is moving or only while stationary.
• Choose positive grip retention, magnetic alignment, a resting pad or a hidden charging zone.
• Keep docking access, sightlines, controls and walkways clear.
• Decide whether portrait, landscape or adjustable viewing is needed.

Phone and case fit

• Check phone dimensions and the position of the camera area and buttons.
• Test the complete phone, case and accessory combination against the current fit requirements.
• Review the guidance for metal plates, wallets, rings and other attached accessories.
• Confirm the required wireless standard and magnetic compatibility for the chosen model.

Surface, cavity and finish

• Match the surface to wall, edge, bench, recessed, flush or under-surface mounting.
• Confirm panel material and thickness against the exact model instructions.
• Allow for rear cavity, cable bends, structural support and future service access.
• Use the current cut-out drawing and finished-profile details for the exact SKU.
• Plan a clear way to identify the charging position when using Hidden 3-Coil.

Electrical and environmental checks

• Confirm the 12V or 24V circuit meets the current input, wiring and protection requirements.
• Assess likely exposure to spray, rain, dust, heat, cleaning and salt.
• Match the current waterproof rating and environmental limits to the location.
• Have isolation, fusing, cable routing and installation completed or checked by an appropriately skilled person.

Work from the instructions for the exact charger rather than transferring a cut-out, cavity depth or panel limit from a similar-looking model.

Build your shortlist in five steps

1. Write down the location and operating state. Include whether the setup is moving or stationary and whether the screen must remain visible.
2. Select the phone interface. Choose grip, magnetic, visible resting pad or hidden under-surface charging.
3. Select the mounting finish. Narrow the choice to wall, adjustable edge, bench, recessed, flush or hidden.
4. Apply output and alignment filters. Compare 10W with 15W, then check whether Qi2 or three-coil construction is required.
5. Verify the exact SKU. Review phone and case fit, dimensions, surface limits, environmental documentation and electrical requirements before ordering or modifying a panel.

Following that order prevents wattage from dominating a decision that is mostly physical. Once the first four steps leave two or three candidates, open their product pages from the Scanstrut wireless charger range.

Compare your final candidates

Use this Scanstrut wireless charger comparison by choosing the phone interface and mounting format first, then applying 10W or 15W output, Qi2 and three-coil design. When your shortlist is ready, compare all nine 12V/24V waterproof wireless phone chargers and open the products that best match your installation.