The top-performing portable chargers are a lifesaver on the road, maintaining your electronics’ battery life, be it phones, tablets, e-readers, or laptops. It’s inevitable that you’ll be away from home with your device’s battery nearing its end; this is where a dependable portable charger becomes crucial. Not owning one could lead to untimely inconveniences.
We’ve rigorously tested an array of the most recommended and best-rated portable chargers in the market, including those from reputable brands and rising competitors. Our tests measured the speed of device charging and the total number of full phone charges each power bank could deliver. Despite their common appearance on bestseller lists, these top-notch portable chargers vary significantly in numerous key aspects.
We have lined up these top portable chargers according to our preference for purchase, highlighting the absolute best portable charger, our top choice for a compact charger, and the standout portable charger for USB-C.
Top Portable Chargers Available to Buy Today
Top Spot: INIU 10000mAh Portable Charger
The ultimate best portable charger on the market
Specifications
- Capacity: 10,000mAh
- Output Ports: 2x USB-A
- Input Ports: 1x microUSB, 1x USB-C
- Weight: 6.9 ounces
- Measurements: 5.2 x 2.7 x 0.5 inches
Reasons to Buy
- Fast short-term charging
- Dual USB-A ports
- Manufacturer’s 3-year warranty
Reasons to Avoid
- Not the fastest to a full charge
Today’s Best Deal
In a surprising turn of events, the renowned Anker falls short of INIU’s 10000 mAh charger, securing the latter as the best portable charger overall. This powerful pack outperforms with superior charging times and speeds, and also features two USB-A output ports compared to Anker PowerCore Slim 10000’s single port. The addition of that second port can be a game-changer, providing the ability to charge an extra device or lend a helping hand to a friend in need, and hence, INIU earns our highest accolades.
Despite being a relatively unknown brand, the INIU charger proved its mettle in 15-minute and 1-hour timed charging tests, posting scores of 22% and 78% respectively. These results were within 1-2 percentage points superior to those of the PowerCore Slim. The only instance when it lagged was in completing a full phone charge, trailing Anker by four minutes with a total time of 2 hours. Both chargers could power up around 2.2-2.25 iPhone 12s, essentially making this a draw. However, INIU edges ahead with its three-year warranty, doubling Anker’s 18-month coverage.
This charger enjoys an impressive rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars from over 40,000 Amazon customers. One satisfied five-star reviewer shared:
“In conclusion, the Ultra-Light Power Bank is an absolute must-have for any avid traveller or anyone on-the-go. Its lightweight, compact design, and impressive charging capabilities make it a dependable and convenient device to have in your travel arsenal. If you’re looking for a reliable power bank that won’t weigh you down and keeps your devices charged during those crucial moments, look no further than this gem. I highly recommend it and am confident it will exceed your expectations, just as it did mine!”
Amazon Customer
Runner Up: Anker PowerCore Slim 10000
A powerful contender for the top spot
Specifications
- Capacity: 20,100mAh
- Output Ports: 1x USB-A
- Input Ports: 1x microUSB, 1x USB-C
- Weight: 212.6g
- Measurements: 14.9 x 6.8 x 1.4 cm
Today’s Best Deal
Reasons to Buy
- Plenty of power
- Quick charging times
Reasons to Avoid
- Only a single USB-A output
Our runner-up, yet still among the best portable chargers, is the Anker PowerCore Slim 10000. While slightly heavier than the INIU 10000 pack (7.3 ounces compared to 6.9 ounces), it could have secured the top spot had it featured a second USB-A output port. Its charging times were neck and neck with the INIU charger, delivering 21% charge in 15 minutes and 76% in an hour. It even outperformed the INIU in full charging an iPhone 12, finishing 5 minutes faster at 1 hour and 55 minutes.
However, given its close resemblance to INIU in terms of performance, it holds a firm place as our second-best portable charger. These two devices are almost indistinguishable, within a hair’s breadth in testing parameters. If your requirement is to charge a single device and the discounted price makes the Slim 10000 significantly more affordable than the INIU, it is an excellent choice.
With nearly 90,000 reviews on Amazon, this product boasts a commendable rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. A contented five-star reviewer shared:
“Products like this are difficult to review as they aren’t supposed to do much, just soak up power when you charge them and spit it out when you use them to charge another device. This one does both of those really well, and it has a nice “trickle charge” feature to allow you to charge using a lower than normal current. This is perfect for charging smaller devices like wireless earbuds and the like, because the tiny batteries in that sort of device will not last nearly so many charge cycles if you charge them too fast.”
Fire Angel
Third Position: PowerAdd Slim 2
The Top Pocket-Sized Portable Charger
Specifications
- Capacity: 5000mAh
- Output Ports: 1x USB-A
- Input Ports: 1x microUSB
- Weight: 99g
- Measurements: 10.5 x 2.9 x 2.7 cm
Today’s Best Deal
Reasons to Buy
- Cheaper than most
- Enough power
Reasons to Avoid
- Only one USB-A out
Not all users require a hefty power bank capable of fully recharging their phone. Sometimes, a small, cylinder-shaped backup power source is all you need for peace of mind. The performance numbers between the PowerAdd Slim 2 and the competing Anker 5000 mAh stick are remarkably close, with the PowerAdd edging out on 1-hour charging (67% vs 62%) but slightly behind in the 15-minute window (16% vs 19%).
In terms of internal capacity, PowerAdd didn’t exactly surpass Anker but was within close reach, registering 97% compared to Anker’s 105%. Such a negligible difference doesn’t warrant any major deduction. So, what propels PowerAdd Slim 2 to this elevated position in our list of top portable chargers? Its unbeatable price point of around $10.99 makes it one of the most affordable options in this category, costing almost half as much as similar chargers. Furthermore, at 4.4 ounces, it’s marginally lighter than the 4.7-ounce Anker PowerCore 5000.
The latest version of PowerAdd Slim 2 has over 2000 global reviews on Amazon and has earned a solid rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. “It’s significantly larger, but with 4 times the charge capacity of the usual small cylinders. It can recharge both a Kindle and a smartphone. Absolutely no complaints,” praised a satisfied customer, granting it a perfect 5-star rating.
Fourth Position: INIU 22.5W 20000 mAh PowerBank
The Top Portable Charger for USB-C Charging
Specifications
- Capacity: 5000mAh
- Output Ports: 1x USB-A
- Input Ports: 1x microUSB
- Weight: 99g
- Measurements: 10.5 x 2.9 x 2.7 cm
Today’s Best Deal
Reasons to Buy
- Cheaper than most
- Enough power
Reasons to Avoid
- Only one USB-A out
USB-C has transcended its status as the port of the future to become the port of the present. The INIU 20-watt brick, although a tad heavy (ranking second heaviest on our list), stands out for its dual-purpose USB-C port, making it a preferred choice among the best portable chargers for users reliant on the reversible port. It enables you to charge the brick itself and other devices using the same USB-C cables, and it also offers two additional USB-A ports for powering up other devices.
Furthermore, it set the record for the best 1-hour charging performance, rejuvenating our drained iPhone 12 to 81% of its capacity. Its time to fully charge the iPhone, clocked at 1 hour and 57 minutes, is the second quickest in this roundup, falling just a minute behind the PowerCore Slim 10000. Its substantial 20000 mAh capacity enables it to refill an iPhone more times than most chargers on this list, accounting for 4.78 iPhone 12 recharges.
This product has amassed nearly 4,500 reviews on Amazon and holds an impressive rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. One five-star reviewer remarked:
“This is probably the best 10,000 mAh portable battery I have at the moment, it’s light-weight and a good size to fit into the frequent-access compartment in my backpack. It’s also similar size to my phone so I can hold them stacked together to use while charging.”
Hadouken
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