The Best Power Banks to Buy Now 2023
Looking to stay powered up on the go in 2023? Check out our guide on what to look for in a power bank and a list of the best power banks available now.
TRENDINGPOWER BANKS
Content is created by the TecnoRevue team. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Learn more here.
Quick Menu
Introduction
When we go on long road trips, long-haul flights, or even a taking a walk or hike; areas to charge devices aren’t always available. And let’s be honest, we’re on the go, we don’t have time to sit in one place and wait for that full charge. Also, don’t forget that in this day and age, like it or not, we always need our phones and gadgets running. The solution? Simply put: power banks.
So, what is it we should look for in a power bank? Here are some things to consider:
Size: The size of a power bank is an important factor to consider, as it determines how portable it is. A smaller power bank is more portable and can fit easily in your pocket, while a larger power bank may be more cumbersome to carry around. Also, the size of the power bank may factor in how much capacity it can hold, so it's important to find a balance between size and capacity that meets your needs. The most reliable power banks can fit in your pocket or bag with ease. Obviously the more compact the better.
Shape: The shape of a power bank can impact its portability. A rectangular or square power bank may be easier to pack in a bag or backpack, while a cylindrical power bank may be more difficult to pack. It's important to consider the shape of the power bank in relation to how you plan to use it and carry it around.
Weight: The weight of a power bank is another important factor to consider when choosing one. A lightweight power bank is more portable and easier to carry around, while a heavier power bank may be more durable and have a larger capacity. It's important to find a power bank that strikes a balance between weight and capacity, depending on
How to Find the Best Power Bank
Power Capacity & Recharge Time: The capacity of a power bank is the amount of power it can store for when your device needs juice. The capacity is measured in milliampere-hour (mAh) and determines how many times you can charge your device before the power bank needs to be recharged. When choosing a power bank, remember to consider the capacity in relation to the devices you plan to charge. Remember that larger devices require more energy to charge. Also, the larger the capacity, the longer it may take it to charge. This also depends if the power bank has a fast charge feature. Usually, it’s best to aim for at least 10,000 mAh, unless you just need one charge then probably a 5,000 to 7,500 mAh power bank would be fine.
Ease of Use: When we say ease of use, we mean simple controls, built-in cables, LED indicators, and fast charging capabilities, which can make them more user-friendly. If a power bank has wireless charging and multiple USB ports (more relevant ones like USB-C and USB-A), that adds more convenience. It's important to consider the features and controls of a power bank and choose one that is easy to use and suits your needs.
Now comes the matter of what power bank should you purchase. Don’t worry, we’ve done some homework for you.
Get from Amazon Now
Our Take:
Size & Shape: The Anker PowerCore Essential 20K PD power bank has dimensions of 6.22 x 2.93 x 0.76 inches it is relatively compact and easy to carry around. The power bank has a rectangular shape, which makes it easy to pack in a bag or backpack.
Weight: The Anker PowerCore Essential 20K PD is lightweight at 13.6 ounces, a little heavier than most but still light enough to carry with ease.
Power Capacity & Recharge Time: The power bank has a capacity of 20000mAh, which is sufficient enough to charge most smartphones multiple times. It also has high-speed charging technology with 20W Power Delivery, which can charge your devices quickly. The power bank can be recharged with an 18W USB-C Power Delivery charger (not included) to fully recharge PowerCore’s internal battery in just 5 hours. With a 10W or less charger that will take approximately 20 hours.
Ease of Use: The Anker PowerCore Essential 20K PD has a simple design with LED indicators to show the remaining power level. It also has a USB-C port for input and output, which makes it easy to use with different devices. Some nice to haves as well: it comes with a USB-A to USB-C, USB-C to USB-C, and a travel pouch.
Best Power Bank Overall: Anker Portable Charger 20,000 mAh 525 Power Bank
What We Didn't Like
There aren’t enough USB ports in our opinion. So, if you have a travel companion that needs to charge, and you are already using the USB-A port, then sad times… The fact that this power bank also only has one USB-C port isn’t ideal. If you need to charge it, you won’t be able to use the USB-C port for anything else. These issues might evaporate away if you try out some multi-headed USB cables.
For this category, I think we need to agree that size and weight are a tradeoff for capacity and features. So, in terms of portability, this might not be something you put in a pocket or small bag. Think of it as a power bank for a backpacking vacation or a hike. And when it comes to these things, the Tranmix Power Bank seems to shine (no pun intended). We personally found this to be impressive in terms of durability. It has 4 solar panels if you’re outdoors and need to charge it up (obviously can still charge it via USB-C charging cable) and a waterproof cover.
Best High Capacity Power Bank: Tranmix Solar Power Bank 25,000 mAh
Here's our take:
Size & Shape: The Tranmix 25000mAh power bank has dimensions of 6.6 x 3.1 x 1.2 inches making it larger than most. It has a rectangular bar-shaped body, which makes it easy to pack in a bag or backpack.
Weight: The Tranmix 25000mAh Power Bank weighs 1.13 pounds (18.08 ounces), which makes it heavier than most other power banks.
Power Capacity & Recharge Time: The Tranmix Power Bank has a capacity of 25000mAh, which is sufficient enough to charge smartphones multiple times. It takes approximately 8 hours to fully charge the Trainmix via USB-C. It also has fast charging technology with 18W Power Delivery, which can charge your devices quickly.
Ease Of Use: The Tranmix 25000mAh Power Bank has a simple design with LED indicators to show the remaining power level. It has two USB-A ports and one USB-C port for input and output, which makes it easy to use with different devices.
Special Features: The Tranmix 25000mAh Power Bank is also waterproof and has built-in LED lights, which can be useful in outdoor or emergency situations.
What We Didn't Like
So, for this device, we have a little more real estate in two USB-A ports. However, given the direction most device manufacturers are going through many of us want more USB-C compatibility. Unfortunately, the Tranmix has a single USB-C for both input and output. So, if you’re looking to charge multiple devices that only have USB-C to USB-C cables unless you have one with multiple heads, you’re going to have to take turns charging.
Also, in our opinion, no one needs something this heavy and thick! Right? Well amongst us at least we don’t need this type of power bank. But for those that are doing a big trip, hike, etc. this is for you.
Our Take:
Size & Shape: The INIU Power Bank is described as the "slimmest", with 5.19" x 2.75" x 0.60" dimensions. It is truly sleek and slim with a rectangular form factor.
Weight: The INIU Power Bank weighs in at about 6.9 ounces. It is very light compared to many other power banks on the market.
Power Capacity & Recharge Time: The INIU Power Bank has a capacity of 10,000mAh, which is a decent capacity that can charge a device 2 to 3 times. INIU also touts its power bank has a "Triple 3A High-Speed Charge" feature, which can get your iPhone up to 78% charge in an hour. The INIU Power Bank takes approximately 5 hours to recharge those 10,000 mAh.
Ease of Use: The INIU Power Bank has a USB-C in & out port and a built-in flashlight, which can make it more user-friendly. It also has two USB-A ports.
Best Medium Capacity Power Bank: INIU Power Bank 10,000 mAh
What We Didn't Like
Once again, we must zonk that this power bank doesn’t have enough USB-C ports. At this point, power bank manufacturers need to consider more USB-C given the high adoption rate by manufacturers globally. Otherwise, there isn’t much not to like about the INIU Power Bank.
Overall, it seems that the INIU Power Bank could be a good option for those looking for a slim and compact power bank with a decent capacity and high-speed charging feature.
We personally liked how slim this power bank is. The INIU power bank is definitely something you could easily put in your pocket. So, it gets portability right. If only it just had the charging cables integrated into it to make it even more portable. However, judging by the form factor, it would eat into the capacity if they integrated cables into the rectangle bar shape. And adding cables on the outside would reduce how sleek and portable it is.
So, for the ‘Best Small Size Power Bank’, think Mr. Bean’s Mini. Not in terms of poor-quality 1970s-era rust bucket. No. Size. Size matters. And in terms of size here, we’re talking about both physical size and power capacity in such a small area.
Best Small Size Power Bank: INIU Small Power Bank 10,000 mAh
Here's our take:
Size & Shape: The INIU Portable Charger is advertised as a "small power bank". Small power bank it is indeed. With dimensions of 4.15" by 2.60" by 0.94". It is small and rectangular in shape. Think a little bigger than a rectangle in terms of dimensions. Is it slightly thick? Yes. Why? Simply because they are stacking 10,000 mAh, that’s why.
Weight: The weight of the INIU Portable Charger is about 6.88 ounces. For the size its almost on par with its bigger sister the much more regularly sized and shaped INIU 10,000 mAh power bank. This isn’t unexpected given the power capacity it’s fitting in such a small space.
Power Capacity & Charge Time: The INIU Portable Charger has a capacity of 10,000mAh, which is a decent amount of power that should be able to charge most smartphones at least twice. The INIU power bank has PD3.0 and QC4.0 fast charging capabilities, which should get your device charged 60% in 30 minutes. This little fellow needs 3 hours for a full recharge. That’s 10,000 mAh in 3 hours! Pretty good for a small power bank.
Ease of Use: The INIU Portable Charger has three outputs (1 USB-C and 2 USB-A) and a small battery percentage LED display. It's as easy to start as ever, just push the side button and you’ll get charging.
What We Didn't Like
Along with the same zonk as all other power banks, the single USB-C is displeasing. I hope INIU, Anker, and all the other big players in the industry really resolve this issue. Otherwise, nothing much to hate other than the fact that the INIU is a little thick. We personally think the its bigger but thinner, more mature sister is worth the buy.
Overall, nice because it is small, but we would recommend its bigger and slimmer sister. If you’re really into the power bank being a little smaller but thicker (no uh… no double entendres please).
Best Power Bank for USB Ports: Charmast with Built-in Cables10000mAh
Here's our take:
Size & Shape: The Charmast power bank is a compact and portable power bank that can be easily carried in a bag or pocket. It measures 5.68" by 2.63" by 0.7" and is rectangular in shape. This makes it easy to put in any bag or backpack, it is super sleek.
Weight: The weight of the Charmast Power Bank is 8.47 oz. It’s a little heavier than most in its class. But this must be due to built-in power cords (the 4 of them).
Power Capacity & Charge Time: The Charmast Power Bank has a capacity of 10,000mAh, which is a decent capacity for a portable power bank. It is capable of charging devices multiple times. Depending on the charger type used, a user can expect to get a full charge in 1.5 (9V-2A charger) to 3 hours (5V-2A charger).
Ease of Use: The Charmast power bank comes with 4 built-in cables, one USB-A (input), one lightning cable (output), one USB-C (output), and one microUSB (output). Then it also has 2 USB-A output and 1 USB-C input/output ports where you can plug your own cables. On the side there’s a microUSB input. For charging this is beyond ideal in terms of cable ability for multi-device charging. The Charmast also has an LED display that shows the remaining power, making it easy to use.
What We Didn't Like
Ok, so hear us out. You have 6 output ports. Do you have 6 devices worth of charge? No. This makes us want to cry so hard. So here, the one time you have enough ports to go around, you won’t have enough juice to share. Unless it’s just you and your bestie… that’s kind of ok then. We don’t think it would be reasonable to have this power bank at 20,000 mAh. It wouldn’t be as sleek and beautiful. But maybe manufacturers with higher power capacity models should look here and take notes. Seriously.
Our Take:
Size & Shape: The Anker PowerCore III has dimensions of 4.69 by 2.69 by 0.89 inches, which is relatively compact. It can fit easily in a pocket or bag, making it convenient to carry around. Shape matters when you need the space, the PowerCore III is rectangular, which makes it easy to pack in a bag or backpack.
Weight: The Anker PowerCore III weighs approximately 8.9 ounces, which is good for a power bank of this capacity. This makes it easy to carry around and convenient to use.
Power Capacity & Charge Time: The Anker PowerCore III has a capacity of 10,000 mAh, which is a decent amount for most mobile devices. It can provide up to 2.5 charges for an iPhone 12 and up to 1.6 charges for an iPad Air 4th Gen. The power bank has an 18W USB-C quick charge feature, which can charge compatible devices faster. However, the wireless charging feature has a slower charging rate of 10W. The charging time for the power bank itself is approximately 4.5 hours using an 18W charger.
Ease of Use: The Anker PowerCore III has simple controls and LED indicators that make it easy to use. The wireless charging feature is truly its crowning achievement. It also has a USB-C and USB-A port for charging multiple devices simultaneously. We also liked the little stand function for when you are charging your phone.
Best Wireless Charging Power Bank: Anker PowerCore III 10,000 mAh with Wireless Portable Charger
What We Didn't Like
Now we dig the wireless charging feature. But once again, we are in tight real estate for those with devices lacking wireless charging. That we don’t really like. With the wider adoption of USB-C which is more compact, possibly more ports can be added to power banks as a backup. What if the wireless charging pad fails? That's when USB-C ports can come in and save the day.
Have a comment or question? Spot an error? Feel free to contact us at info@tecnorevue.com
We personally had to choose at least one power bank with a wireless charging feature. Out of all of them, the Anker PowerCore III stands out the most. It’s pretty sleek and works well with lots of devices.
