In the modern era, we need our phones and devices more than ever. We rely on them to do business and communicate with others to coordinate our outdoor excursions. That’s why having a portable charger will save you a lot of headaches.
Keeping a portable charger handy will allow you to recharge your phone without needing an outlet, and it’ll help to guarantee your phone doesn’t shut off just when you’re finalizing the last minute details for that upcoming hunting or fishing trip.
Our list of the 10 Best Portable Chargers will help you narrow down the broad spectrum of options at your fingertips so you can select the charger that’s right for your needs. Also, be sure to read through our Buyer’s Guide for a number of helpful tips to consider when buying a portable charger.
1. Anker PowerCore
The 20100-mAh Anker PowerCore is a great portable charger for users of the iPhone 7, Galaxy S6, and iPad mini 4. On a single charge, it’ll charge the iPhone 7 almost seven times, the Galaxy S6 five times, and the iPad mini 4 twice.
This portable charger offers high-speed charging via a 2-amp charger. With this charger, it’ll full charge in 10 hours while it takes 20 hours to fully charge with a phone charger. It also features Anker’s MultiProtect safety system, which guarantees complete protection for you and your devices.
2. REDSHINE Ultra Slim Power Bank
This ultra-slim portable charger is designed to slide into your pocket right next to your phone and go unnoticed until you need it. This 8000-mAh-polymer battery will charge an iPhone 8, iPhone X, and Samsung S7 twice on a full charge.
The makers at REDSHINE wanted to make a portable charger that performed, but also looked good doing it. So they used a ground-breaking metal grinding process with mechanical fine and smooth grinding to construct this charger. Then they finished it with a multi-layered 3D spray paint to make it textured.
3. LAX Pro
The sleek, 16800-mAh LAX Pro Portable Charger is compatible with iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy, Android, and other smartphones, cell phones, and tablets. It’s a great charger to use with multiple devices because it provides 4 rapid-charge USB ports to charge four different devices at once.
This portable charger offers a guaranteed charge cycle of more than 1000 charges, which is two times longer than normal batteries. It also features intelligent, omnidirectional security protection that protects it against overheating, over-charging, over-current, over-powering, short-circuiting, over-voltage, and over-discharge.
4. RAVPower
The updated 16750-mAh portable charger from RAVPower is right for anyone that wants a fast, but stable, option. It offers an industry-leading 4.5A charging output, which makes it capable of providing plenty of power. It also recharges in half the time with a 2A input.
This portable charger comes in a compact size but, on a full charge, it can charge an iPhone 8 5.5 times, and iPad Air 2 for 1.3 times, and a Galaxy S8 for 3.2 times. The makers of RAVPower stand behind their globally recognized brand name with a lifetime warranty.
5. Xiaomi Premium Power Bank
The creators at Xiaomi bring you this 10000-mAh portable charger designed specifically to hold enough power for business trips. It will charge an iPhone 7 up to four times, an iPhone 7 Plus up to 3 times, and a Galaxy S7 up to 2.3 times.
This charger also features the ability to intelligently adjust up to 18W for a quick increase in battery life, and it can deliver a full charge in just 2 hours for most phones. It is recharged using a USB-C port and complies with both CE (1) and EU (2) regulations, which means you’ll be able to charge devices during commercial flights.
6. Digital-Kingdom Solar Power Bank
This massive 20000-mAh power bank from Digital-Kingdom is unique in its ability to recharge using only the light of the sun. It offers two USB ports to charge multiple devices at once and a powerful LED light that can be used as a flashlight and offers three modes: steady, SOS, and strobe.
This portable charger also boasts a smart design with superior portability. It can hang easily on your backpack when on the go or from the top of your tent while you’re on the trail. It also features universal device compatibility and a lifespan of more 500 recharges.
7. Lumina Ultra Compact
The thinnest, most compact portable charger on our list still offers plenty of bang for your buck with a 5200-mAh capacity. It offers one USB port to charge your phone on the move and a sophisticated design that features a strong and durable polycarbonate shell for a compact, drop-resistant body.
This portable charger is also made to provide the fastest charge, every time. It’s equipped with intelligent microprocessors that can detect the ideal voltage and amperage to deliver to your device for the quickest charge. Best of all, Lumina offers a stellar limited lifetime warranty (3).
8. KENRUIPU Power Bank
The KENRUIPU portable charger is designed for the user that always wants to know just how much charge it has left. It offers a fashionable LCD screen that displays remaining power level, which is especially useful in the dark or low-light situations.
This 24000-mAh portable charger is also comfortable to the touch, as its designers included a bit of Leatherette on the exterior for a soft feel. It also features dual inputs and four outputs. It can be recharged by Android port or Apple port and you’ll be able to charge up to four devices simultaneously.
9. GETIHU Portable Charger
The 13000-mAh portable charger from GETIHU provides more than enough power for all-day trips with the ability to charge an iPhone 7 up to four times on a single charge. With a 2.4A output for each of its two USB ports, this charger can fully charge your phone up to 1.4 times faster than many of its competitors.
It also offers the ability to share charging capacity with a friend and a cool LED flashlight that’s perfect for camping, traveling, business trips, emergencies, and more. Lastly, this charger features intelligent power management, which protects your device against any charging accidents.
10. ZMI PowerPack 10K
Weighing in at only 6.2 ounces and considerably thinner than its 10000-mAh competitors, this portable charger is perfect for your pocket or a small place in your backpack. It offers a thoughtful, non-slip surface for a secure grip and is compatible with tablets, phones, connected watches, Bluetooth earphones, and FitBit.
This charger offers three charging modes: high-speed (Quick Charge 2.0), normal, and low power. It also boasts a dual input interface and is quickly rechargeable via Micro USB or USB-C port. Finally, the ZMI PowerPack 10K features proprietary power management technology to seamlessly integrate the premium components onboard and maximize their energy conversion efficiency.
—
Buyer’s Guide
Recharging devices has been an issue ever since the first cell phones were invented. Some of the earliest models needed up to 10 hours of charge time for only 30 minutes to an hour of talk time. But many great minds have been working on this issue for decades now, included inventor Wen-Chin Yang, who applied for one of the earliest patents for a mobile phone battery charger in 2000 (4).
Portable chargers are more efficient and lightweight today than ever before. But with technological advancements, there has also been a large increase in competition. To help you make your decision, our Buyer’s Guide will focus on capacity, size and weight, and charge time.
Capacity
The chargers above range from a capacity of just over 5,000-mAh to 24,000-mAh of battery power. What you’ll need will depend on a variety of factors, such as the type of devices you plan to charge, how many devices you’d like to charge at the same time, and the amount of time you anticipate being away from a traditional wall charger and needing to recharge devices.
At a minimum, we recommend a charger that you know can fully charge your device in one go. In order to figure this out, you’ll need to determine the energy capacity for your device. Once you figure this out, you’ll be able to compare with the battery power of several chargers to find one that can fully charge your phone without completely depleting its own battery level.
Size and Weight
Depending on your intended use, size and weight can make a big difference. Portable chargers are designed to be carried all day in a briefcase (for business travelers) or in a secure pocket in a bag or backpack (for outdoor adventurers). This means that a large, heavy battery might prove too cumbersome for some of you.
Generally speaking, batteries with smaller energy capacities are also going to be smaller in size. This can make finding a balance between having enough battery power and not having to lug around a super heavy battery all day a little tricky.
To make your decision easier, consider how much you’ll be moving around and carrying your portable charger. If it’ll primarily be sitting on your desk to recharge your phone throughout the day, size and weight are less of a concern than if you’ll be carrying it in your pack on a multi-day excursion.
Charge Time
It’s important here to make a distinction between the amounts of time it takes to recharge your battery pack and the time your battery pack takes to fully charge a phone or other mobile device. These two statistics can be easily confused when shopping for a new portable charger.
For example, some portable chargers need up to 10 hours to recharge when plugged into a wall outlet. This is fine when you’re at home and can plug it in for the night, but it gets a little tricky when you’re on the move a lot.
While solar chargers sound excellent for backpacking trips, they often require many hours in direct sunlight to achieve a full charge, which can also be difficult if you’re hiking every day. Chargers that can provide multiple charges for your phone or device on one full charge, then, are ideal.
Frequently Asked Questions
The terms ‘power bank’ and ‘portable charger’ are often used synonymously. They are both designed to supply extra power to phones, tablets, and other portable devices without the need for a wall outlet. In this section, we’ll explore some of the most Frequently Asked Questions about portable chargers, or power banks.
What is ‘mAh’?
For starters, ‘mAh’ stands for milliamp hours. It is a unit that is used to measure electric power over time. In general, the more ‘mAh’ a battery has, the longer the battery capacity or battery life. For example, a 5,000-mAh portable charger can power a device that draws 100 milliamps for 50 hours. It would only be able to power a device that draws 200 milliamps for half that time (25 hours).
Can I take a portable charger on a plane?
Back in 2015, some travelers became concerned when the FAA urged flyers not to carry “spare batteries” on flights. This, however, referred to loose lithium-ion batteries (like the ones found in your laptop or smartphone), and not to portable chargers.
How much battery capacity do I need to charge my phone?
This, of course, will depend on the type of phone you’re using. For example, an iPhone 7 has a power capacity of 1,960-mAh while a Samsung S7 has a capacity of 3,000-mAh. If you’re using a 5,000-mAh portable charger, then, you’ll be able to charge the iPhone 2.5 times and the Samsung only 1.5 times.
But if you only buy a charger with a 2,200-mAh capacity, you won’t be able to fully charge the Samsung in one go. So knowing the battery capacity of your phone (which can be found in the manufacturer’s specifications) is essential in picking a portable charger.
How long does it take to charge my portable charger?
This will depend on the total battery capacity of the specific portable charger in question. In general, however, chargers with a larger capacity will require more time to fully charge than chargers with a smaller capacity. Keep in mind that different charging methods (i.e. USB, solar, original charger) may also result in different charging time.
Summary
Many portable chargers also offer a variety of bells and whistles that go beyond the basics of battery capacity, charge time, and size and weight. But we hope that this article has helped you focus on the important aspects of a portable charger so that you can buy the one that’s perfect for you and your needs!
