Best Portable Power Bank
Contents
Being stranded in the middle of nowhere on your hiking trip as your phone’s flatlined and deciphering your paper map is like reading a foreign language. Sitting in the back seat of the car and wanting to scream in rage as your phone has reached the panic inducing 1% level so it’s only a matter of time until you’ll actually have to…talk to your family members sitting around you. Reaching a super high level on Clash Of Clans while on the train only to notice your phone edging towards the 3% battery mark. These are all big, catastrophic problems, but only because you didn’t have a backup power bank to recharge you and keep you going.
But the crucial question is, which is the best power bank to get? The answer is made harder and harder with every passing week as more power bank brands continue to enter the market. But fret not, we’ve done the hard, tedious work of sifting through hundreds of power banks to find the very best ones on the market today and have been kind enough to cover them in detail below.
Our Top Picks For The Best Power Banks:
Anker is a brand, that in a few short years has ascended from obscurity to becoming a name that is almost synonymous with tech gadgets, and especially power banks. Their power bank products are what made the brand so popular and loved in the first place, and for good reasons, which we’ll discuss below.
The Anker PowerCore 10000 has a monstrous 10,000 Mah capacity which is incredibly impressive in itself. But to us, what’s more impressive, and incredibly rarer, is the fact that they have managed to make the PowerCore 10000 incredibly small and light for a powerbank of its capacity. The company bills it as being “smaller than a deck of cards and lighter than a baseball”, and after checking it out, we agree with them. We can comfortably say that you will be incredibly hard pressed to find another 10,000 Mah powerbank on the market that is as small and as light as the Anker PowerCore 10000 is.
- High capacity power bank in a small and light package
- Very good safety features built in
- Incredibly high build quality and durability
- Fast charging via VoltageBoost And PowerIQ
- Possible battery longevity issues reported by a very small percentage of customers, however, the company does provide an 18 month warranty
- Only one USB port so can’t charge multiple devices at the same time
- 10,000 Mah high capacity.
- One of the smallest and lightest high capacity power banks on the market.
- Multi-Protect Safety System built in.
- Super high-speed charging via VoltageBoost and PowerIQ.
There’s no point having a 10,000 Mah capacity battery if it takes all day to charge your device, fortunately, with the Anker PowerCore 10000 that’s not the case. As is the case with many other Anker powerbanks, this one has their ever popular PowerIQ high speed charging technology built in which means your device will charge blisteringly fast so you can get back to that game of Candy Crush faster than you thought.
Now onto the build quality. This is an area where the PowerCore 10000, like most Anker products, really shines. This Powerbank is built like a brick, albeit a very light brick, which highlights their truly impressive engineering feat of making something super solid and rugged and remarkably light at the same time. According to the company, this powerbank has a strong double layer shell which includes fire resistant polycarbonate and which houses high grade components and world class chips all tied together using cutting edge circuitry. Further, the powerbank has gone through extreme shock, temperature and vibration tests to ensure the build quality is second to none.
And Anker is a company that takes safety seriously. The PowerCore 10000 has Anker’s proprietary safety system, called “Multi Protect” built in, which includes advanced surge protection and temperature control.
In terms of size, dimensions and weight. The PowerCore 10000 weighs a super light 180 grams/6.35oz and it’s dimensions are 3.6 x 2.3 x 0.9 inches.
The power bank comes with a micro USB cable, travel pouch, welcome guide and an 18-month warranty.Only one USB port so can’t charge multiple devices at the same time
The GETIHU is a portable power bank with a 10,000 Mah capacity. And this thing really deserves to be called portable. It’s an impossibly thin 0.37 inches/0.94 cm and super light 7 ounces.
The charger features GETIHU’s fast charging technology and has dual USB ports which lets you charge 2 devices at the same time, perfect for those gadget hoarders out there. So, you can easily simultaneously charge an iPhone and iPad at the same time using this thing which is something that can’t be said for many of the other portable power banks on the market today.
- High 10,000 Mah capacity.
- Good safety features built in.
- Two USB ports for multiple device charging at the same time.
- LED flashlight built in.
- Incredibly good guarantees and warrantees (30-day money back guarantee, 360-day warranty and lifetime technical support).
- Although it is thin and light, it is on the slightly large size in terms of surface area.
- Of the two USB ports, only one of them is 2.1A, the other is 1A.
- High 10,000 Mah capacity.
- Two USB ports for charging multiple devices at the same time.
- Thin and light.
- Intelligent Safety Protection built in.
- Torch built in.
And GETIHU doesn’t skimp on safety either. The portable charger has intelligent safety protection built in which protects your charger and the devices being charged against a whole host of things including over-charging, over-discharging, over-voltage, over-current (basically, over everything), oh, and it also protects your devices against short circuit charging accidents.
For all you frequent travellers and campers out there, you’ll be pleased to know that the GETIHU power bank has an LED flashlight built in which you can turn on and off using the power button.
We’ve always said that one of the biggest signals of how much a company believes in their product and how honest they are can be seen from the warranties and guarantees they provide. GETIHU goes all out in this department, which is a very good sign. They offer a 30-day money back guarantee, 360-day warranty and lifetime technical support.
The package comes with the power bank (of course), 1 USB charging cable and 1 user manual (which we doubt you’ll need).
Next up we have the RAVPower 22000 and there’s no point in us beating around the bush, so we might as well start by discussing, by far, the biggest benefit of this power bank and that is it’s staggeringly large 22,000 MaH battery capacity. Just for some context, on a full charge, this beast can charge an iPhone 7 approximately 8 times, an iPhone 7 Plus approximately 5 times, an iPhone 6s approximately 9 times and a Samsung Galaxy S7 approximately 5 times.
And not only does the battery have a jaw droppingly large capacity, it’s also incredibly efficient. The Li-polymer battery inside impressively retains 70% to 80% of its capacity after 500 charge cycles
- Very high capacity of 22,000 Mah.
- Unlike many competitors, the power bank has more than two ports and they are all high-speed ports, at 2.4A each.
- Very good safety features built in.e all high-speed ports, at 2.4A each.
- Long lasting battery – retains 70-80 percent capacity after 500 cycles.
- Battery longevity issues reported by a very small percentage of customers.
- Quite heavy at 14.4 ounces, but that’s to be expected from such a high capacity power bank using high density Li-polymer batteries.
- Super high capacity of 22,000 Mah.
- High quality batteries inside – retain 70-80% of capacity after 500 charge cycles.
- 3 ports for charging multiple devices at the same time at the high speed of 2.4A each.
- Very good safety features built in.
Other features of the RAVPower include a large number of ports, which means you can charge 2 iPads and 1 iPhone at the same time! This is clearly the power bank for the gadget enthusiast. The device also has what they call “Ismart 2.0”, a system which adjusts current and voltage to drastically minimise charging time.
Now it’s time to talk build quality. Often large capacity power banks like this one disappoint when it comes to this area, thankfully that’s not the case with the RAVPower 22000 at all. The device has a UL94 V-O fire resistant shell which, according to the company, is the same type used by Mercedes Benz, BMW and other luxury car makers. Impressive. The company also claims that the RAVPower has the same battery manufacturer and quality control as the iPhone 6s, however, that is a claim that would be pretty hard to verify, especially as Apple is a notoriously secretive company.
When it comes to safety, the RAVPower 22,000 doesn’t shy away. Firstly, as mentioned above, it’s body is made from a UL94 V-O fire resistant shell. On the inside, the device has a “Battery Protecting NTC” which monitors battery temperature and provides self-regulatinghigh temperature protection. Further, there is a built-in system called “Smart Protection With MCU” which provides over-charge, high temperature, and short circuit protection. It also allows charging and discharging simultaneously. Additionally, the device has “Surge Protection IC” which monitors the current for charging the external battery, adjusts the input voltage and provides circuit protection and “High Performance Charging IC” which maintains a stable 5V output current for connected devices. Finally, the RAVPower has an industry leading power management chip which provides 10-layer protection when charging.
With regards to looks. The RAVPower 22,000 has a sleek, elegant and subtle appearance with the RAVPower logo present on the front of the device, with a gloss effect. The only lights on the device are the string of small round blue charging lights at the bottom front of the device. We can’t help but feel that RAVPower borrowed heavily from Anker when it came to the design of this device, as it resembles some of Anker’s best-selling power banks.
And finally, in terms of product dimensions and weight, the RAVPower 22,000 has dimensions of 6.5 x 0.9 x 2.8 inches and a weight of 14.4 ounces. So not too bad for a product this powerful, with such a large capacity battery and so many ports.
The EasyAcc has an impressive capacity of 20,000 Mah. To put that in context, on a full charge this thing can charge an iPhone 7 around 6 times, a Samsung S7 around 5 times, and an iPad Mini 3 around 2 times. So not too shabby at all.
The area where the EasyAcc really stands out is charging speed. It’s proprietary “Life Saver” (which we thought was a really cool name) technology means it can be superfast recharged within 6 hours, reducing the recharging time by up to 50% compared to similar 20,000 Mah power banks from competitors.
- High capacity of 20,000 Mah.
- Can charge your devices incredibly quickly due to proprietary Life Saver technology, 2.4A USB Ports and the ability to automatically identify your device and optimise charging speed for it.
- 4 USB ports so you can charge four devices at the same time.
- Flash light built in.
- 18-month warranty for peace of mind.
- A small percentage of customers have reported that the product doesn’t last long and the effectiveness of charging reduces after a couple of weeks to a couple of months, however, the company provides a 18 month warranty.
- Device may be a bit of an overkill for those that don’t have several tech devices and serious charging needs.
- High capacity of 20,000 Mah.
- Incredibly fast charging speed due to proprietary “Life Saver” technology and 2.4A USB ports.
- Safety protection built in.
- 4 USB Ports so you can charge four devices simultaneously.
- Built in flash light
Additionally, the device has auto detection technology built in which cleverly changes the charging speed depending on which device(s) you have plugged in, to deliver the optimum, fastest charging speed for each device, every time. This thing can charge your device up to 2.4A, which is essentially twice as fast as a standard computer USB port. Not too bad at all.
Unlike a lot of power banks out there that deliver big on charging capacity but are woefully inadequate when it comes to number of ports, the EasyAcc delivers strong on both accounts. It has an impressive four USB ports at the front of the device (i.e. four more than the new Macbook – we love you really Apple.). So yes, with the EasyAcc you can charge four devices at the same time. We can imagine the gadget fiends among you smiling with glee at reading that, and we don’t blame you.
So let’s talk safety. The device has adequate safety features built in which prevent your beloved devices from overcharge, overcurrent and short circuits. Further, the EasyAcc conforms to CE, RoHS and FCC regulations.
With regards to design, the device takes the ever-popular candy bar shape – it’s sleek rounded rectangular shape is a solid a black, however the device is accented with a strong, vibrant orange or red (depending on the colour you go for) across all sides. For those of you that don’t want to draw too much attention to yourselves, you will be pleased to know that the device also comes in black with grey sides too. The device weighs 1.2 pounds and it’s dimensions are 7.2 x 4.6 x 1.3 inches.
The Aibocn is a 10,000 Mah power bank which is a lot more portable than competitors with similar capacities. It’s dimension are an impressively small 0.78 x 5.4 x 2 inches. The device has two USB ports and has a flash flight which is perfect for hikers, campers and travellers.
With regards to design, the device is a candy bar shape, and has a pristine all white exterior with the only other colour being a long rectangular bar running across the top front of the device, this bar comes in black, grey or orange. The device is coated with a unique anti fingerprint material which means you won’t have to spend time periodically vigorously rubbing the power bank with a cloth to get rid of finger marks and scuffs.
- 2 USB ports so you can charge two devices at the same time.
- Great safety features built in. Intelligent Safety Protection protects against overcharging, over discharging, over voltage, over current and short circuits.
- Attractive, pristine all white exterior.
- Flash light built in
- Of the two USB ports only one of them is the fast 2.1A, the other is a slower 1A.
- The white colour of the device may make scratches/scuffs more visible.
- A small percentage of customers have reported issues with device consistency and battery longevity.
- A capacity of 10,000 Mah.
- 2 USB ports for simultaneous charging.
- Intelligent Safety Protection built in.
- Backup flash light.
With regards to safety, the device has “Intelligent Safety Protection” built in, which provides over-charge, over discharge, over voltage, over-current and short circuit protection.
The Dulla M5000 has an impressively high capacity of 12,000Mah for a device of its size. In short, that means, on a full charge it can charge an iPhone 7 around 5 times, a Galaxy S7 approximately 3 times and an iPad mini approximately 1.8 times. The M5000 doesn’t just provide a decent capacity, it also charges devices pretty damn fast. It has a current output of 2A per port (there are two ports) which roughly equates to you being able to charge an iPhone 7 in about one and a half hours and a Galaxy S7 in around 2 and a half hours.
With regards to design, the Dulla M5000 is incredibly sleek, minimalistic and clean. It’s body is made of a cool aluminium and it comes in several metallic colours including Silver, Gold, Rose Gold and Black. We predict if Apple made their own brand of power banks they would look something like the Dulla M5000.
- Fast charging via 2A ports.
- Two ports so you can charge two devices at the same time.
- Elegant, sleek, sophisticated design.
- Unlike most power banks, the Dulla M5000 comes in a variety of colours.
- Good capacity of 12,000 Mah.
- Although the device is super thin and reasonably light, it is quite long so may be a little bit of a hassle to carry around in some instances.
- A small percentage of customers have reported battery issues.
- Capacity of 12,000 Mah.
- Two ports for simultaneous charging.
- Fast charging via 2A ports.
- Sleek, minimalistic design.
- Available in a range of metallic colors.
- Safety features built in.
Finally, let’s talk safety. The device intelligently power manages IC and protects against over-charging, over discharging, over voltage, over current and provides short circuit protection.
The Kmashi is a 10,000 Mah power bank that allows you to charge your devices incredibly fast via two USB ports (one of which is 2.1A and the other which is 1A).
When it comes to design. The device is reasonably attractive but does have a very “plasticky” look (for lack of a better word). The device is a traditional rounded rectangle candy bar shape and is entirely black apart from the striking vibrant deep red around all four sides and the bold, thick logo printed on the centre front of the device in the same colour.
- 10,000 Mah capacity.
- Use of high density cells for longer battery life.
- Two ports so can charge two devices at the same time.
- Has safety mechanism built into the product
- Not the most attractive power bank
- Only one of the USB ports is high speed, the other is only 1A.
- 10,000 Mah capacity.
- Power bank uses high density cells.
- Two ports for simultaneous charging.
- One port is 2.1A and the other is 1A
- Safety features built in.
In terms of safety the product has intelligent power manage IC, over charge protection and short circuit protection.
The Anker PowerCore 20100 has a ridiculously large capacity which can charge the iPhone 7 around 7 times, the Galaxy S6 around 5 times and iPad mini 4 around twice. And like most Anker Powerbanks, the PowerCore 20100 provides super-fast charging. In this model, their two proprietary technologies PowerIQ and VoltageBoost combine to deliver the fast charging possible. The device can recharge itself in 10 hours with the 2 Amp charger. Now that’s quick!
When it comes to safety the PowerCore 20100 has it covered. The device has Anker’s coveted MultiProtect Safety System built right in which means surge protection, short circuit protection along with countless other safety features that ensure your device is completely safe.
- Super high capacity of 20,100 Mah in a small device.
- Fast charging via the 2.4A ports, made even faster as a result of Anker’s proprietary PowerIQ and VoltageBoost technology.
- Attractive, slim design.
- Large number of safety features built in.
- We feel a power bank of this capacity and price could have had more than 2 charging ports
- Super high capacity of 20,100 Mah.
- High speed charging technology built in (PowerIQ and VoltageBoost).
- Good safety features via Anker’s Multi Protect Safety System.
- Two ports for simultaneous charging.
- Use of high-performance cells.
- 18 Month Warranty.
When it comes to design, as with most Anker products, the PowerCore 201000 is sleek and elegant. It has a long, rounded, rectangle candy bar shape and is a consistent matte black all the way around. On the front of the device there is the Anker logo in the centre left in a subtle, muted black and four, small, round charging indicator lights on the top right. The dimensions are 6.64 inches x 2.28 inches x 0.87 inches and weight is 12.48 ounces.
The Anker PowerCore 13000 is the successor to the PowerCore 10400 and has an impressive 13,000 Mah capacity. It can charge an iPhone 6s approximately 5 times, a Galaxy S6 around 3 and a half times and an iPad Air 2 once. Much like the PowerCore 20100 reviewed above, the Powercore 13000 has a combination of Anker’s proprietary technologies, PowerIQ and VoltageBoost built in which delivers the fasting charging possible, every time. It has 2 USB ports up to a seriously impressive 3A.
In terms of safety, much like the PowerCore 20100, the 13000 has Anker’s “MultiProtect Safety System” built in which provides surge protection, short circuit protection and a whole host of other advanced safety features to ensure you and your devices are safe.
- Good capacity 13,000 Mah battery.
- Very high-speed charging via 3A USB ports and further improved by PowerIQ and VoltageBoost technology.
- Good security and safety features via Anker’s Multi Protect Safety System.
- Made of impact, extreme temperature and vibration tested materials.
- 30% smaller and lighter than competing 13,000 Mah power banks
- Attractive wallet shape and size form factor.
- Matte finish enhances grip and prevents both fingerprints and smudges
- Could have had more than two ports.
- High capacity 13,000 Mah.
- High-speed charging via superfast 3A USB ports.
- Increased charging speed as a result of proprietary PowerIQ and VoltageBoost technology.
- Multi Protect Safety System built in.
With regards to design. The Anker PowerCore 13000 has the familiar Anker design – sleek, sophisticated all black exterior with the Anker logo in a subtle muted glossy black on the middle front of the device, and small, round charging lights on the top right. The device has two USB charging ports on the front side. Unlike the PowerCore 201000 reviewed above, the PowerCore 13000 is a rounded square, “wallet” shape as opposed to the more common candy bar shape.
In terms of dimensions and weight. The devices dimensions are 3.8 inches x 3.2 inches x 0.9 inches. With regards to weight, it’s 8.96 ounces – Anker claim that the PowerCore 13000 is approximately 30% lighter than 13,000 MaH power banks from competitors.
We don’t think it would be right for us to discuss the Anker PowerCore + Mini without starting with the most notable aspect of the device. The design. The look of the Anker PowerCore + Mini marks a great departure from the rounded rectangular “candy bar” shape that the overwhelming number of power banks have taken, the PowerCore + Mini, to us, closely resembles a Smarties tube. The Power banks small cylindrical shape looks elegant and portable.
Anker have dubbed the device “lipstick” sized, which we suspect may be, largely, a bid to appeal to more of the female market. Further evidence of this is the fact that the power bank comes not just in Anker’s staple, and now iconic, matt black, but also in a metallic pink, gold, silver and blue. The device is made of aluminium, it’s dimensions are 3.7 inches x 0.9 inches.
- Incredibly light (at just 3 oz) and compact (3.7 × 0.9 × 0.9 inches).
- Charges devices faster than competing mini power banks due to Anker’s proprietary PowerIQ charging technology that’s built in.
- Has high level safety and security features built in.
- Despite it’s cheap price, the power bank contains high grade batteries inside.
- USB port is only 1A, however, this was somewhat expected from a power bank of this size and capacity.
- Those that have gotten used to candy bar (rounded rectangular) shaped power banks may not warm to the cylinder lipstick shape of this powerbank.
- Small, light and compact design, weighing just 3 oz.
- PowerIQ High speed charging technology built in.
- Multi Protect safety system built in.
- Contains the highest-grade lithium-ion batteries in the world.
- 18-month warranty includes.
Despite this being one of Anker’s lightest and smallest power banks, it still packs a powerful punch in the capacity, speed and features department. It has a 3,350 Mah capacity and charges itself in 3-4 hours with the 1 amp adaptor (which it doesn’t come with) or the micro USB cable (which it does come with, and would have been an outrage if it didn’t come with). The device also has Anker’s PowerIQ technology built in which intelligently detects the device you have plugged in and charges it as fastest as possible up to 1 Amp.
Also, it’s really good to see that the Anker PowerCore + Mini has the same/similar safety features as it’s more expensive siblings in the Anker range. The PowerCore + Mini has Anker’s MultiProtect Safety System built in which protects you and your device from shorts and surges.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Best Brand Of Power Bank?
Usually we are reluctant to get behind one specific brand and deem it the “best” as all brands have their own unique strengths and weaknesses, however, in the case of power banks, there is a clear winning brand and that is Anker. Anker is a brand that is almost synonymous with power banks and for good reason.
They have been producing high quality power banks for so long and so well that they have been largely responsible for turning power banks from a niche, geeky device only known about amongst tech enthusiasts and serious travellers/hikers to a handbag/wallet staple for the general population. Anker have sold millions of power banks over the years and have continually improved their technology, design, safety, manufacturing process and customer service, and it shows. Anker are not only the most popular power bank brand on the whole of Amazon, they are also among the best reviewed.
What Power Bank Lasts The Longest?
This is an interesting question that we get a lot. The power bank that lasts the longest is the one that uses the highest quality batteries, the largest number of batteries and has the superior technology with regards to making the most of out of charge cycles.
So, going by the above, we would accurately predict that the Anker PowerCore 20100 would theoretically last the longest for a number of reasons. 1) Like most Anker products, the PowerCore 20100 uses very high quality battery cells. 2) It has a very high capacity. 3) It has a high 4.8A output which will go a long way in reducing the number of charging cycles uses when charging devices.
Which Power Bank Is The Easiest To Use?
By their very nature, power banks are very simple devices and all of them work in broadly the same way. For this reason, we would say there isn’t a power bank that is definitely easier to use than others. We would say, however, that the cheaper powerbanks in our list above have fewer ports, buttons ect so will be less complicated and overwhelming for a first time power bank user.
What Is The Best Smallest Power Bank.
When it comes to the best smallest power bank then we’d have to say the Anker PowerCore + Mini takes it. It’s a tiny tube that weighs an impossibly small 3 oz and has the petite dimensions of 3.7 inches x 0.9 inches. Now, don’t get us wrong, there are other small, super slim and light power banks on the market, but the Anker PowerCore + Mini is the bestsmall power bank as it manages to squeeze the largest number of features and the highest capacity in it’s super small frame and adheres to the same high quality as all other Anker products.
How Do You Charge A Power Bank.
You stand over it menacingly and shout “charge!” three times at it. On a serious note. You charge most power banks using the supplied USB cable which you can hook up into a plug and then into a socket or stick in an electronic device like a laptop.
Conclusion
So, there you have it folks, the top ten power banks on the market right now. Just think, panicking when you look down at your phone when you see it edging toward 5% battery can be a thing of the past if you decide to invest in a power bank.
We will leave you with one bit of final advice, place a high importance and priority on safety when choosing which power bank to buy. Do as much research as possible, and always buy the safest power bank you possibly can.
