We’ve all been there. Your phone’s about to die, and there’s no charger in sight. Panic, scramble, rush home. Sound familiar? It might be time to upgrade to one of the best power banks or portable chargers to say goodbye to that dreaded feeling for good.
If you’re afraid of lugging around a heavy, bulky charger, today’s power banks have you covered. Gone are the days of those ugly brick-like models. The latest power banks are sleek, lightweight and crammed full of features, including ultra-fast charging for your laptop, tablet and phone.
Some even come with wireless charging, Bluetooth trackers to find them if they get lost and the added bonus of doubling up as Bluetooth speakers. Plus, high-capacity models now recharge in minutes, not hours. We’ve been testing the very best power banks and portable chargers, to find the ones that won’t leave you in the lurch.
We put a bunch of power banks and portable chargers to the test, checking out how fast they could bring a dead phone, tablet and laptop back to life (spoiler: some are really fast, others… not so much). We also took a good look at how easy they are to carry. Were they light enough to slip into a pocket or better off tossed into a bag? And when it came to power, we measured the battery capacity (mAh) and how many full charges they could deliver before they needed a recharge themselves.
Design was key too. We wanted to know if they could survive being thrown around in our bag or if they’d fall apart at the first sign of a knock. Extras like built-in cables, wireless charging and digital displays were a big bonus. To make sure we were getting the full picture, we took these bad boys on holiday and relied on them as our only power source. While there are plenty of new brands popping up, we found the real winners still come from Anker and Belkin.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Alex Lee is a senior tech critic at The Independent. He’s been reviewing gadgets since 2017, and has a particular interest in charging technology. Always tinkering with new fast-charging tech, he’s been reviewing the best power banks and portable chargers for IndyBest since 2021.
It might not have the most exciting design or the jazziest features but the Anker zolo power bank is our favourite because it offers a huge 20,000mAh capacity and boasts a sturdy built-in USB-C cable, so you never need to remember to bring an extra one on your travels.
While it’s quite thick and chunky, it’s not that heavy. It features a second USB-C port, as well as a regular USB-A port, and its in-built USB-C cable can be used to charge the battery itself, as well as other devices, such as smartphones, tablets and even laptops. It does it really fast, too, thanks to its 30W charging speed. There’s also a handy trickle charging mode for low-power devices, including earbuds and smartwatches – something you activate by double clicking the power button.
We managed to eke out enough power for a week-long trip abroad, with this power bank charging up our iPhone 15 pro max and AirPods pro. If you want something you can pack into your backpack or handbag and take on trips, this is the device that will ensure you’ve always got power, no matter the scenario. The only snag is it takes a while to charge itself to full, so make sure you give yourself a few hours before you head out.
If you’re after a budget-friendly power bank that actually works, the Anker PowerCore 10K is a no-frills gizmo that does what you need. It’s slim, portable and juiced up our phone in around 2 hours. We threw it in our bag and didn’t even notice it was there – it’s that light and easy to carry. Whether you’re commuting or just need a little backup power during the day, this does the job.
But, and here’s the catch – it takes forever to charge the power bank itself. We clocked it at about five hours to fully recharge, which means you’ll want to make sure it’s topped up the night before any big adventures. That said, for the price, it’s a great option that kept our phone charged, and it doesn’t break the bank.
It’s simple to use (literally plug and charge), and just works out of the box. Just don’t expect it to have all the fancy wireless charging or fast-charging smarts as other power banks on the list. This one nails the basics.
