The 8 Very Best Portable Chargers

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Capacity:10,000 mAh |Charging speed:23W |Charging input:USB-C |Charging output:USB-C (2), Lightning

Portable chargers are all about convenience, so it helps to have one with built-in cables. Belkin’s BoostCharge Plus 10K has a USB-C cable on one side and a Lightning cable on the other in case you (or a friend in need) has an older iPhone. It’s roughly as tall as an iPhone 17 Pro Max and about 0.65 inches thicker. That’s a bit larger than some some chargers I’ve tested with similar capacities, like the EcoFlow Rapid, but it’s smaller than others like the BioLite Charge 100 Max.

While the BoostCharge Plus 10K doesn’t have the highest capacity among the chargers we recommend (that’s the BioLite), it’s the most convenient thanks to its built-in cables. They’re coated in a sturdy rubber that’s flat rather than round, which I’ve found helps them avoid tearing or fraying.

With a capacity of 10,000 mAh, it can recharge an iPhone 17 Pro two times. Even if you run the entire life from your phone, that’s plenty of juice to get through the day. If you want to charge a second device over USB-C, the BoostCharge Plus 10K has a single port you can plug another cable into. But since you’ll need a power brick and USB-C cable to charge the BoostCharge Plus 10K anyways, you’ll have one handy while traveling.

Capacity:10,000 mAh |Charging speed:15W (wireless), 65W (wired) |Charging output:USB-C (1), MagSafe and Qi 2

While the BoostCharge 10k offers the most convenience for travel, I’d rather carry EcoFlow’s power bank for day-to-day use, thanks to its high-speed charging, built-in USB-C cable, and ability to attach directly to your phone. It has a kickstand that’s great for watching videos too. I’m also a fan of its design: Unlike most portable chargers that come in black, this one has a sleek silver finish that makes it stand out.

Like some of the portable chargers on this list, the Rapid has an indicator to tell you how much charge the battery has. In addition to four squares to measure the charge in quarters, there’s a display that can show you the actual percentage, the charger’s current output, and how long it has until it’s fully charged. That last bit is convenient if you’re trying to top your charger off last-minute before leaving the house.

The Rapid is about as thick as a pocketnotebook, but it has a much higher capacity and faster charging speed than both the slimmer Anker Nano and Apple’s MagSafe charger for iPhone Air. Unlike Belkin’s BoostCharge, though, this charger doesn’t have a built-in Lightning cable; if you have an older iPhone, that’s a better option.

Capacity:5,000 mAh |Charging speed:15W |Charging output:USB-C (1), MagSafe and Qi 2

Anker’s Nano Power Bank doesn’t have any built-in cables or kickstands, but it’s incredibly thin at 0.34 inches thick, so it doesn’t add as much bulk to your phone as the EcoFlow Rapid. With a capacity of 5,000 mAh, it has barely enough to charge an iPhone 17 Pro Max from 0 back to 100. That’s plenty to get you through the day, but you’ll need to recharge it at night if you’re frequently in low-power mode.

In cases where you’ll be using your charger on a daily (or just frequent) basis, Strategist senior writer Michael Zhao says that this may not be the best option. When hetested itwith theiPhone Air, he plopped the Nano onto his phone when it was in low-power mode (which kicks in when an iPhone is below 20 percent), and eventually had to pause charging owing to overheating. That said, he notes that it may not be an issue for those who carry their phone in a bag, rather than their pocket, where the phone has a little more air to breathe and stay cool.

Despite its heating issues, it’s still a good charger to carry with you in case of emergency. It’s quite cheap compared to similar chargers like Apple’s MagSafe charger for iPhone Air and EcoFlow’s Rapid, and its slim form factor won’t add a ton of extra bulk to your pocket.

Capacity: 3,149 mAh |Charging speed: 12W |Charging input: USB-C |Charging output: MagSafe

While the Anker Nano is a solid MagSafe charger for most iPhones, Apple’s new power bank designed specifically for the iPhone Air is a better option for those with Apple’s ultraslim phone. Apple says it’s meant to be a semi-permanent extension of the iPhone Air’s battery; that tracks as its 3,149 mAh capacity is notably lower than the competition and won’t recharge the Air back to 100 percent. It’s enough to go from 0 to 65 percent, though, and that should get you to the end of the day.

In exchange for the lower capacity, Apple’s charger is 0.04 inches thinner than the Anker Nano. If you’re using an iPhone 17, that extra bulk may not matter that much, but the whole point of the iPhone Air is its thinness, which Apple’s charger maintains better than the Anker. According to Zhao, it feels like it’s actually part of the phone when it’s attached to the Air. He also says that it has slightly rounder edges than Anker’s Nano, which makes it more comfortable to hold. That’s especially true given it doesn’t get as hot as the Anker Nano while in use.

Capacity: 5,000 mAh |Charging speed: 15W |Charging input: USB-C |Charging output: USB-C (1)

Aesthetics aren’t typically a huge consideration when I’m testing portable chargers, but when I saw the Pitaka Aramid Fiber power bank in my inbox, I had to try it out. Unlike most power banks, which go for a sleek black or silver design without much pizzazz, the front of the Pitaka looks like a finely woven multicolor fabric. Like a good phone case, it helps make your phone more of a fashion statement and less of a strictly utilitarian gadget.

At 0.35 inches thick, it’s a tad bulkier than the Anker Nano and does add a noticeable amount of bulk to the back of my iPhone 15 Pro Max. Despite that, it’s easy to grip because it’s slightly narrower than the Pro Max.

Capacity:10,000 mAh |Charging speed:30W (unplugged) |Charging output:USB-C (2)

If you want something with a built-in cable that doesn’t require a separate power brick, get the Nano 3-in-1. It has a fold-out A/C plug so it can go directly into an outlet. The on-device USB-C cable is longer than the Belkin’s, so it’s easier to use your device while it’s plugged in. There’s also one USB-C port that you can use to plug in another cable and charge two devices at once.

At the top of the charger is a small metal loop that holds the tip of the cable in place when you’re not using it, and while it’s clever, I do wish that the cable didn’t just dangle when it’s not plugged into something.
Most portable chargers have some sort of charge indicator, but I like the Nano’s because instead of using four dots to indicate approximate percentages, it shows the battery’s actual percentage on a small display. This is especially useful when the device is charging, as you’ll know when it’s ready to be unplugged.

While the built-in cable is handy, it’s not replaceable. If the cord gets damaged, you may need to buy a new charger or just stick to using the single USB-C port. So if you’d rather rely on your own replaceable cords and want to be sure you can always charge two devices, get the BioLite.

Capacity: 25,000 mAh |Charging speed: 100W |Charging input: USB-C |Charging output: USB-C (3), USB-A (1), Qi 2

If you need to keep your laptop charged on the go without being next to a power outlet, the BioLite Charge 100 Max’s extra-high capacity and abundance of ports make it the perfect power station for all your mobile gear. I’m a fan of its outdoorsy look, which has a gray-and-orange color scheme that’s more fun to look at than the black design of most portable chargers.

The Charge 100 Max is 1.5 inches thick and quite heavy at 1.27 pounds, so I’d recommend another portable charger like the BoostCharge Plus if you prefer to travel light. Even with the added bulk, I managed to fit it into the front pocket of mycarry-on backpackwithout any hassle (and it’s FAA carry-on compliant).

With a capacity of 25,000 mAh, the Charge 100 Max can recharge a MacBook Pro twice or an iPhone 17 Pro Max nearly five times. With its three USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and Qi 2 charging pad, you can charge many devices at the same time. Not all the ports charge at the same speed, though; two of the USB-C ports have an output of 100W, while the third maxes out at 15W. The Charge 100 Max’s charging speeds are impressive, too: In exactly an hour, it brought my MacBook Pro from 44 percent up to 88 percent.

The side of the Charge 100 Max has a stack of LED lights that indicate the power bank’s battery level. You can tap a button to check its charge, but whenever you’ve got something plugged in to charge, the light will automatically illuminate so you can keep an eye on its power levels.
While the Charge 100 Max’s high capacity is enticing for working on the go, it’s also the largest portable battery we recommend, and it’s quite heavy compared to the rest.

Capacity: 20,000 mAh |Charging speed: 65W |Charging input: USB-C |Charging output: USB-C (2), USB-A (1)

Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro has a slightly smaller capacity than the Charge 100 Max, but it’s still capable of charging a laptop even when not connected to a power source, and it has a display for monitoring the charger’s output. It can tell you either the charger’s current capacity or the actual charging speeds of each port while in use, which you may find useful if you’re trying to make sure your battery is working properly but is mainly a novelty. The BoostCharge Pro has three ports: two USB-C ports with a maximum output of 65W, which is faster than every other charger on this list aside from the Charge 100 Max. The BoostCharge Pro also has a USB-A port, but its speed maxes out at 18W.

This charger is slightly smaller than the Charge 100 Max — it’s about as big as a stack of index cards — and it has a smaller capacity at 20,000 mAh, but it’s still capable of charging a laptop once. Unlike the BioLite, this charger doesn’t have a Qi pad, so you’ll need a cable to charge your phone. But its smaller size does make it more travel-friendly.