Ikea’s $ 40 Sjömärke Cushion puts a wireless charger under your desk

Ikea got into the business of selling built-in furniture with wireless charging coils relatively early on, but what if you don’t have one of its desks or shelves powered up? If you want seamless Qi wireless charging without redecorating, then next month there will be a solution. Check out the Sjömärke, a $ 39.99 wireless charger designed to work with furniture you already own.

This device is unlike most Qi chargers, where you would place your phone or headphones directly on the mat. Instead, the seven-by-three-inch aluminum and plastic feeder works through plastic or wood, so you can use its double-sided tape (or screws, not included) to place it under a table. or a shelf.

Image: Ikea

Image: Ikea

As long as you mount the device on something made of wood or plastic, it should safely send an electrical charge to your gadgets on the other side. It requires a minimum distance from the phone of around 8mm, and Ikea recommends using it with a surface between three-eighths and seven-eighths of an inch thick.

According to Ikea’s manual (pdf), it’s “perfect for mounting on a desk, side table, or nightstand when you want chargers and cables to blend into the background for keep the room clean and tidy “. Besides the duct tape, it comes with a six foot power cable and stickers to mark the location of your new charging point.

Image: Ikea

The LED indicates the state of charge and has temperature and power monitoring for added safety. It’s compatible with the latest Qi 1.2.4 base power profile, so you can expect it to work in the standard 5W load range – no Samsung, Google, or Apple-specific improvements here. Still, it’s pretty impressive if you want to charge a phone just by placing it on the desk where it already sits and without having to move anything else. An Ikea spokesperson confirmed The edge that the Sjömärke will be available in stores and online in the US and other countries in October.