The 10 Best Portable Chargers and Power Banks

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The chances that you miss out on a $100 million lottery jackpot call or Twitter's push notification of Fleetwood Mac’s comeback announcement because your phone suddenly gives out right when you open it are low, but never zero. (Frankly, the two said scenarios are much more unlikely. But one can dream.) And while you might carry a healthy habit of always charging devices—smartphones, tablets, laptops—overnight or juicing them up a bit before heading out, shit still happens, no matter how meticulously organized you are. So, stop fighting human nature. Instead, get the best portable chargers or power banks to reload devices on the go.

Picking the best portable charger, however, is a hard chore—so many options, so many brands. But we’ve done it for you by handpicking and even testing the 10 best portable chargers and power banks in the market—each capable of charging the latest smartphone models, many of which boast enough speed and capacity to beef up tablets, and some are strapping enough to move the mountain that is your laptop. And read way on for what to look for in a portable charger. We're not Bill Nye, but we can still teach.

PowerCore Portable Charger

Not another tech roundup that starts off with Anker as the best overall product... Oh, you bet it is. The brand can do no wrong when it comes to smartphone accessories. It's got the bona fide user reviews as well as the specs to boot. Like how it conveniently has a hefty capacity to charge your phone or tablet six times uninterruptedly, and how it can charge and be recharged fast—with three ports to do it all. Your devices will be like drinking Powerade from it—"Now that's some kind of power."

Thin Portable Charger

This isn't the most advanced charger. You don't look at its specs and think heavy-duty, and you're right: It's kind of vanilla. But it's a safe option that's not too shabby. There's an in-and-out USB-C port that lets it fuel and be refueled fast, and the overall model is incredibly slim. The three ports and 10k mAh capacity are not feats to be laid on thick, but they will more than do.

Quatro Wireless Power Bank

For you smartphone elitists Apple-only folks out there, Satechi is a brand you'll want to invest in. It makes iOS-compatible stuff like Napa Valley makes fine wine, and its Quatro power bank is practically a multi-Apple-device charging station condensed into a handy cube. You'll get to power up your triad of iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods at once—one of them can even be charged wirelessly via Qi. The capacity might not be grand, but for that little, fast amp to 50 percent when you're on the road, it's good.

Powerstation with PD Power Bank

This is one that I own. I bought it along with my iPhone at Apple Fifth Avenue because the salesperson asked me if I wanted one and I was too shy to say no... But it was not a regrettable purchase. It's got two ports for my two phones (yep), one charges faster than the other. And sometimes I pair my iPad with it to a full charge as well, no problem there. Just don't leave your cable in if you're not charging anything; the power gets drained easily that way. And since it is sold in Apple stores, you know it's good and worthy.

Battery Pack Portable Charger

Maybe you've got a crew of devices and you're trying to stream True Detective on your tablet, scroll through TikTok on your phone, and fill out Excel sheets on your laptop at the same time. Ayeway's power bank allows you to create a charging station right from your palm with five ports. And it has the capacity to empower all at once, fast and steady. No need to decide which device gets your electric love first. That's called being a good parent.

LCD Display Power Bank

I can't be serious enough: Size matters, goddamn it! This guy's got it—the size in the portable charger world, that is. It has a capacity of over 30k mAh and a blistering charging speed of 25W. If these two qualities can't lead you on, it also has a really slick LCD battery display so you don't have to rely on the vague information given by four LED indicator lights. Your devices will set for days with it, and so will you.

Charge 80 PD

Instead of gimmicky devices that preach about how they can harness sunlight to power up, opt for something more practical for your stay in the wilderness. We recommend BioLite, our tried-and-tested brand for off-the-grid activities. Its power bank is no exception with more than enough capacity and speed to last your outdoors trips for days. Even when you're not in the tree-ridden backcountry but in the car-ridden downtown, it's still handy.

Portable Charger

iWalk's tiny portable charger is like carrying around a tiny chapstick that hopefully you won't also lose somewhere in the recesses of your car. This little guy only holds a single charge (and it'll only charge your iPhone or AirPods) but man, is it convenient. I put one in each of my travel bags for emergency charge situations. The lack of any sort of cord means it's easy to still use your phone while it's plugged in.

BoostCharge Portable Charger

Belkin's BoostCharge portable is an excellent choice for anyone who either tends to forget their cords or doesn't want to deal with the hassle of remembering them. There are built-in lightning and USB-C cables to charge your phone and another device. It's slim and lightweight, but it won't be the fastest charge you've ever had.

Omni 20+ Power Bank

This is a big portable charger not for the faint-hearted, but for tech geeks who collect Canon cams and DJI drones like infinity stones. As you can see, this thing has a million ports—namely USB-A, USB-C, AC, and DC. It has that many ports because it can charge that many things, including drones and cameras, in case your tech life extends beyond screens. Oh, and it can charge them at up to 100W. Talk about fast charging.

What to Consider: Capacity Edition

Gather 'round, kids. Allow us to enlighten you on numbers and units relating to portable chargers. First, their capacity, which is often measured in milliampere hour, or, mAh, the electric charge power over time. In general, the bigger the mAh unit, the larger the battery capacity, and the more power a portable charger can hold and give to your devices.

Most smartphones have a battery capacity of between 2,000mAh to 4,000mAh. For example, the iPhone 15 Pro is around 3,000mAh, and the 15 Pro Max is about 4,000mAh. So, you should look for at least that much in a portable charger so it can fully replenish your phone in one charge. If you see a power bank with five-digits mAh, that not only means it can charge your smartphone over and over sans needing to be recharged itself, but also means it can be paired up to fully power up larger gizmos like iPads or laptops.

What to Consider: Speed Edition

Now, the next unit, charging speed, which has its own, well, unit, commonly measured in wattages, watts, or W. Though some brands also use voltage (V) and amperage (A). And as a general thumb: V times A equals W. Again, the bigger the number, the better—the faster a power bank will juice up your device.

If you're wondering why many manufacturers specify "up to" certain watts, know that they're trying to not get sued for false advertising, because they know the max charging rate is often affected by the device itself, the charging cable used, and the supported power delivery standard. You can't do anything about your device, but you can try to get a good cable, and you should aim for portable chargers that at least support Power Delivery (PD) standard which god-speeds the charge as fast as possible—often at a minimum of 20W. Other standards can support even more base wattages, but less power banks are compatible with them.

What to Consider: Port Edition

Lastly, ports. How many ports you want in a portable charger is up to you, and many chargers have more than one port to charge devices simultaneously. You know that stuff already, but what kind(s) of ports a power bank has deserves some thinking-over.

We'll keep your last lecture short: The two ports you should look for are USB-A and USB-C. USB-A, the most ubiquitous one, is a large opening. USB-C is the smaller port that's in the process of becoming standard on laptops, chargers, and smartphones. If you get a USB-C PD port, you can rest assured that it'll top up even the most demanding laptops at a solid 60W. Thankfully, many portable chargers have both USB-A and USB-C ports.

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