The best power banks

Anker started out in 2011 making replacement laptop batteries, and power banks are still what it does best. The built-in cable doubles as a strap, so there’s nothing to forget.

• 10,000mAh (about 2 phone charges)
• 30W fast charging
• Built-in USB-C cable
• Cable doubles as a carry loop

What owners say: Charges quickly, easy to keep in a bag, and brilliant for trips. Owners love the built-in cable.

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A closer look: There’s no wall plug in the box, but a USB-C charger you already own will refill it, and it takes up to 20W, so one with at least that much tops it up fastest. The built-in lead is only 13.7cm long, which keeps things tidy in a bag or on a train table but means holding phone and battery together while they charge.

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Around 40% smaller than a typical 10,000mAh power bank, so it genuinely fits a jeans pocket, and 45W fast charging means less time tethered to a socket.

• 10,000mAh
• 45W fast charging
• 40% smaller than standard
• Pocket-sized

What owners say: Reliable, compact and quick to charge. Easy to carry in a pocket, and good value.

Heads up: A small number of owners report it stopping after a few months, so keep the receipt.

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A closer look: Unlike power banks with a fixed lead, this one comes with a 12cm braided USB-C cable that unplugs, so a frayed or lost one is easily swapped for any spare. There’s enough power to top up an iPad, a Nintendo Switch or a Steam Deck as well as a phone, which makes it a thoughtful present for a gamer who travels.

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Three 100W USB-C ports mean it can charge a laptop, a tablet and a phone at once. One for long-haul flights and festival weekends.

• 25,000mAh
• Three 100W USB-C ports
• 165W total output
• Charges laptops and tablets

What owners say: Powerful enough to charge a MacBook and iPad, and portable for travel.

Heads up: It’s big and heavy compared with a pocket power bank.

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A closer look: One of its two built-in leads pulls out to about 70cm and winds back in, so a phone can charge in your hand while the pack stays in the bag. Add the extra USB-A and USB-C sockets and it runs four gadgets at once, and a 100W wall charger will get it to 30% in about 20 minutes.

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Four cables built in, including old Micro-USB, so it charges the Kindle, the earbuds and your nan’s phone without a cable hunt.

• 4 built-in cables (USB-C, Lightning, Micro-USB, USB-A)
• 22.5W fast charging
• 10,000mAh

What owners say: A brilliant little charger for travelling: compact, big capacity, and no cables to forget.

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A closer look: Just 1.9cm thick and 11.5cm long, it slips into a clutch bag or the front pocket of a school bag, and the silicone lanyard clips to a backpack strap or loops over your fingers. A full battery holds around two phone charges, enough to cover a long day of maps and photos on a city break.

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More capacity than most at the price, with the cables built in. A stocking filler that actually gets used.

• 15,000mAh
• 22.5W fast charging
• Built-in cables

What owners say: Good value, handy for travel, and it charges two or three phones on a full battery.

Heads up: Charging speed reviews are mixed; it’s not the fastest here.

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A closer look: A quick press of the power button shows the exact charge as a percentage, so there’s no guessing whether it needs plugging in before a trip. With built-in USB-C and iPhone leads plus two extra sockets, it can charge four devices at once, which suits a household with a mix of phones. A wall plug isn’t included, so use one you already own.

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