Your phone’s battery is a finite resource, so even the best Android phones can run out of juice at the most inopportune times. A power bank or portable charger can be handy in these situations as it will top up your phone when you have no power socket or wall adapter in sight. Plus, the best power banks can charge not only your phone but also your tablet, e-reader, laptop, smartwatch, and more.
It’s a good idea to pick a solid power bank if you travel frequently, use your phone as a mobile hotspot, or land in situations with no access to a power socket. However, given the number of choices in the market, choosing a suitable portable charger can be confusing, so we have handpicked the best power banks to help curb your low-battery anxiety.
All our recommendations carry a battery rated less than 100Wh, which is the FAA-mandated size limit for unauthorized rechargeable batteries on an airplane (i.e., passenger batteries). Just make sure to keep them in your carry-on baggage.
Whether you prefer wired or wireless charging, the Anker PowerCore III 10K Wireless has got you covered. It’s a versatile power bank featuring one USB-A and one USB-C port, the latter of which can deliver up to 18W fast charging to a connected mobile device. Plus, included is a Qi-charging pad to wirelessly charge your phone, your true wireless earbuds, or your tablet. But you will only get 10W wireless charging with Samsung phones, 7.5W with iPhones, and 5W with other smartphones.
There is a 10,000mAh battery inside that should be enough to charge phones up to two times. And the company has included a slide-out hook to help you prop up your phone for hands-free media viewing.
Anker doesn’t bundle a power brick, but that’s not unusual. However, you’ll get a USB-C to USB-C charging cable and a drawstring pouch to carry the power bank around. The pouch is spacious enough for the power bank and the charging cable, but nothing more.
- Battery Capacity: 10,000mAh
- Ports: USB-A, USB-C
- Weight: 8.64 oz/ 245 g
- Input : USB-C
- Wireless Charging : Yes
Anker PowerCore III 10K Wireless
As the name suggests, the Zendure SuperTank S5 is a beast of a power bank. Not only can it charge laptops, but its 24,000mAh battery capacity is enough to juice up your phone multiple times over. It comes with two USB-C and one USB-A port. While one of the USB-C ports can deliver up to 100W of power, the other delivers up to a not-too-shabby 87W. So if you want, you can even charge two laptops simultaneously. The USB-A port is limited to 18W, enough to quickly charge phones and mobile accessories.
All popular fast charging standards are supported, including Programmable Power Supply (PPS) for your Samsung Galaxy or Pixel phones. And as the power bank itself supports fast charging, you can juice it up to 100% in just two hours with a 63W or higher USB PD power adapter.
- Battery Capacity: 24,000mAh
- Ports: USB-A, 2x USB-C
- Weight: 17.88 oz/ 507 g
- Input : USB-C
- Wireless Charging : No
At $46, this HenHot power bank is an excellent value. It supports charging everything from smartphones to laptops, and its 20,000mAh capacity is enough to offer almost one full charge to the Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch. Likewise, you should get up to three full charges on most Android phones.
You get one USB Type-A and one Type-C port. While the Type-A port can deliver a maximum of 18W charger, the Type-C port can reach up to 65W. However, if you use both ports at the same time, you will only get 45W out of the Type-C and 15W from the Type-A.
Plus, the power bank supports fast charging protocols such as USB Power Delivery, Qualcomm Quick Charge, and Samsung Super Fast Charge.
- Battery Capacity: 20,000mAh
- Ports: USB-A, USB-C
- Weight: 13.11 oz/ 371 g
- Input : USB-C
- Wireless Charging : No
HenHot 65W 20000mAh Laptop Portable Charger
The Anker 511 Power Bank is a nifty, little portable charger for your phone. Unlike the higher-capacity power banks that can be too much to carry in your pocket, the Anker 511 is easy to carry around with you, thanks to its lightweight design. And its 5,000mAh battery will offer just enough juice to get through the crunch situations.
But the crux of this power bank is its two-in-one design. It does the double duty of a wall adapter and a power bank. So you don’t even need to carry a power brick to charge the power bank. Moreover, the foldable pins make storage easy.
Unfortunately, Anker doesn’t mention the exact fast charging speed of the power bank. But it claims to charge the iPhone 13 Pro in just 1.3 hours, which suggests just over a 20W charging rate. And thanks to PowerIQ 3.0 support, all major fast charging protocols are supported, including Quick Charge.
- Battery Capacity: 5,000mAh
- Ports: USB-C
- Weight: 7 oz/ 198 g
- Input : Plug
- Wireless Charging : No
Anker 511 Power Bank (PowerCore Fusion 5K)
If you are looking for a no-frills power bank to charge your phone or tablet on the go, this Baseus power bank is a good budget option. It houses a 20,000mAh battery and comes with USB-A and USB-C charging ports. There is also a MicroUSB port, which you can use to charge the power bank itself.
Baseus says the USB-A port supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge protocol (up to 18W), whereas you get USB PD support (up to 20W) on the Type-C port. So you may not get the fastest charging speeds on every phone with this portable battery, but you’ll still get quick charging.
Unfortunately, the Baseus power bank is not suitable for charging laptops or even low-power devices like wireless earbuds or fitness trackers.
- Battery Capacity: 20,000mAh
- Ports: USB-A, USB-C, MicroUSB
- Weight: 15.6 oz/ 442 g
- Input : MicroUSB, USB-C
- Wireless Charging : No
Baseus 20000mAh USB C Portable Charger
Featuring a compact design, the Nimble Champ packs everything you need in a power bank for your phone or tablet. It has a 10,000mAh battery and one Type-A and Type-C port. Both ports can offer up to 18W fast charging to USB PD, Quick Charge 4.0, and Samsung’s Adaptive Fast Charging capable devices.
One of the highlights of the Nimble Champ is its attention to sustainability. For example, the plastic housing of the power bank uses 72.5% recycled plastic, and its plastic-free packaging is made of recycled paper. Moreover, thanks to the bundled prepaid shipping label, you can ship your old electronics to Nimble’s partner for free recycling.
- Battery Capacity: 10,000mAh
- Ports: USB-A, USB-C
- Weight: 6.4 oz/ 182 g
- Input : USB-C
- Wireless Charging : No
Nimble Champ Portable Charger
This imuto 26800mAh Power Bank packs the biggest battery among our recommendations. And the company includes plenty of output ports to let you utilize that. You get two USB-A ports and two USB-C ports. Each port can deliver a different amount of maximum power, with the USB-C port supporting input and output reaching up to 100W. But if you use multiple ports simultaneously, you’ll only get up to 138W of power.
Imuto says you can charge the power bank in just 1.5 hours with a 90W or higher charger. Unfortunately, the large battery size also means the power bank is pretty hefty at 1.16 lb (526 grams), making it not the best option to carry around daily.
- Battery Capacity: 26,800mAh
- Ports: 2x USB-A, 2x USB-C
- Weight: 18.56 oz/ 526 g
- Input : USB-C
- Wireless Charging : No
imuto 100W 26800mAh Power Bank
Looking for a small power bank that can quickly charge your phone? Look no further than the Zendure SuperMini Portable Charger. Smaller than a credit card, the power bank comes in six exciting colors. This 10,000mAh power bank has enough juice to recharge most smartphones up to two times fully. Plus, it supports 20W charging using both USB Power Delivery and Quick Charge, whichever fast charging protocol your phone supports.
You also get two charging ports to top up two devices simultaneously, but it’s only suitable for phones, tablets, and low-power devices. You won’t be able to juice up your laptop with it.
- Battery Capacity: 10,000mAh
- Ports: USB-A, USB-C
- Weight: 6.35 oz/ 180 g
- Input : USB-C
- Wireless Charging : No
Zendure SuperMini Portable Charger
From 100W power delivery support to 20,000mAh battery capacity, the Baseus Portable Laptop Charger has a lot going for it. You can use it to charge everything from your phone and tablet to your laptop and smartwatches. It also has four USB ports to juice up multiple devices simultaneously. While the USB-C ports are individually capable of delivering up to 100W of power, the USB-A ports top out at 30W.
In other features, the power bank supports 65W charging, allowing you to charge it up in just 1.5 hours. Power pass-through is also available to enable you to charge a device while charging the power bank itself. But you can only get 65W power while the power bank is charging. Otherwise, it’ll shut down to protect itself.
- Battery Capacity: 20,000mAh
- Ports: 2x USB-A, 2x USB-C
- Weight: 17.96 oz/ 526 g
- Input : USB-C
- Wireless Charging : No
Baseus 100W Portable Laptop Charger
Top portable chargers for your phone and more
As you can see, there are plenty of excellent power banks to choose from. We suggest a 10,000mAh power bank for most people because it offers the right balance between portability and capacity. But if you often need to charge multiple devices, including possibly a laptop, a power bank rated 20,000mAh or higher will make more sense.
Additionally, as the 5,000mAh power banks can struggle to offer one full charge to some larger phones, you should only buy them if portability is most important. When you just need a few hours of extra charge for a crunch situation — such as getting stuck in a subway car for two hours when BART breaks down again — these ultra-light power banks can save your sanity and your phone while being slim and lightweight enough to just live in your pocket or purse. After all, no power bank can do you any good unless you remember to bring it with you.
Our editor’s choice — the Anker PowerCore III 10K Wireless — is an excellent option for most. It comes from a reputed brand and offers wired and wireless charging support. So even if you don’t have a charging cable on hand, you’ll be able to charge your phone since Anker PowerCore III supports wireless charging.
On the other hand, the Zendure SuperTank S5 is perfect if you’re looking for a power bank that can also charge your laptop. This power bank has a massive 24,000mAh capacity and can deliver up to 100W power, enough to fast charge most Macbooks and of course all of the best Chromebooks.
The value-conscious buyers will appreciate HenHot’s 20000mAh Laptop Portable Charger. It’s less than half the price of Zendure’s S5, but it can still provide up to 65W charging through its USB Type-C port. Plus, it supports all common fast charging standards.
