The Strategist Guide to Buying From Anker

Strategist contributor David Pogue says, “My attitude toward wireless chargers changed when I found theAnker PowerWave charger.” There’s no annoying sweet spot to find on the wireless charger, and you don’t have to worry about placing your phone horizontally or vertically; it always manages to charge in any position.

The new Dual Port wall charger allows you to charge multiple phones, tablets, and other accessories at the same time — and so much faster than your 5W iPhone charger. The latest iPhones and Android phones support fast charging, which means this charger could get your phone from 0 to 50 percent in about 30 minutes.

This 2-port USB C 60W high-speed portable charger comes with easy-to-swap plugs for any travel situation. It’s powerful enough to charge two laptops at the same time. And it has Anker’s “Intelligent Power allocation” technology, which just means you can plug in other devices like a smartphone or tablet, and the charger will automatically figure out what type of device it is and give it the optimum level of charge.

If you are “constantly scoping for your next outlet,” Katie Sturino, founder ofMegababe, recommends thisslim portable charger. “It actually gives more than two times the amount of charge your phone needs,” she says. The PowerCore Slim 10000 PD carries enough charge to fill your phone twice.

When we asked comedian Jacqueline Novak about thethings she can’t live without, she mentioned the Anker Fusion portable charger. Her boyfriend, a devout Anker user, gifted her with this portable charger. “Honestly, it’s been huge. It’s both the thing that plugs into the wall and the battery all in one … the wallchargeris the battery. So all you need is this Anker and a USB cord,” she says. When she got hers, Strategist writer Hilary Reid called Fusion “the most practical thingI bought this month.” She says, “You use it as you would a normal wall charger and then remove it from the wall and take it with you as a fully charged portable battery.”

“I call myself the Energizer Bunny, and if there is a battery pack that embodies this vibe, it’s the Anker battery pack,”says Ty Haney, the founder and CEO ofOutdoor Voices. “I’m constantly on the road with my fiancé, Mark, or outdoors ‘doing things,’ so I always need a battery pack on me.” The portable charger comes in three other colors — red, black, and white — and has two USB ports so you can charge two devices at the same time.

Our guideto the best portable chargers according to Amazon reviews surfaced the PowerCore+ Mini travel charger, with 4.3 stars and over 22,000 reviews. One reviewer says, “In celebration of my seniority of 70 years, I am making my next two-month trip with just a small Marmot backpack and an Eagle Creek Load Hauler Expandable duffel. Packing weight and compactness is my primary motivation for anything I take on the next trip. One extra pound is too much for this trip, so I chose the Anker PowerCore+ Mini 3350 mAh lipstick charger, which weighs around three ounces.”

Anotherpopular Amazon pickis the older version of this charger, which is great for laptops. One reviewer says, “It actually charges your Mac quickly while you use it, whereas other USB-C battery packs just help you maintain charge.” According to another, “Anker stuff is always top of the heap, but this thing continues to amaze me. I’ve had it for over a year, and the fact that I can charge my 15-inch MacBook Pro with it still blows me away.”

Strategist contributorAlison Freersays this comically long charging cable is virtually indestructible. “For two years, I’ve used it every single day. In my house, I’ll drag it along everywhere I go. I can lie on any end of the couch and still charge my phone, or lie all the way down in bed (rather than awkwardly perch on one elbow next to the power strip), or even just ride in the back seat of a car with the phone plugged into the cigar socket and still use my phone while charging it,” says Freer. “Two full years of heavy use later, it hasn’t split, torn, bent, or even started to fray — and I’ve yanked, twisted, stretched, and dropped it repeatedly.”

In our story on thebest lightning cableson Amazon, reviewers praised this one-foot cord for its durability and recommended using it with a portable power bank. More than 2,700 customers gave it five stars.

This cable has a 180-degree U-shaped plug that keeps the cable out of the way, which is quite handy when you want to use your phone while it’s charging. The reinforced plug also reduces the chances of your cable getting damaged and frayed.

When Strategist contributorSteven Johnbought a new MacBook Pro, which has only USB-C ports, he needed an adapter to connect his monitor and plug in an SD card. “The Apple Store guy, who will remain anonymous, leaned in conspiratorially and advised against buying a dongle from Apple, sayingAnkermade an option that was every bit as good,” John says. “The Anker model I use has two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI port, and both an SD and a micro-SD slot — and it’s never given me any problems.”

Although it’s only $28, thisBluetooth speakergets consistently great reviews — 4.6 stars after nearly 43,000 ratings on Amazon. “Sound is crisp and full, it looks great, and has a nice, solid heft to it. It’s also extremely easy to pair to an iPhone. Once paired, it quickly and reliably connects to my phone when turned on,” says one reviewer. “I think you would be hard-pressed to find anything at this price point that comes anywhere even remotely close to the awesomeness you get with this speaker,” writes another.

Tech writerJordan Bowmantested24 headphonesfor sound quality, comfort, battery life, usability, design, and price. At $80, these Anker headphones were his pick for the best budget pair. “You get unexpectedly comfortable noise-canceling headphones with a 40-hour battery life,” he says. “I used the Q30 for Zoom calls, interviews, watching YouTube videos, and listening to countless hours of music.”

Tennis player and coach Mick Rouse, who also works as research manager forGQ,told usthese headphones from Anker are his favorite for working out. He says thesound qualityisn’t that different from higher-end headphones, and for $30, you won’t have a panic attack if you leave them at the gym by accident. He calls them “the best bang for your buck.”

Erin Conway,design blogger, product stylist, and mom of two, says the Eufy HomeVac S11 Infinity is a versatile cordless stick vacuum. When fully charged on regular power, the HomeVac runs for up to 30 minutes, but you can add a backup pack of rechargeable batteries to get you 80 minutes of dirt-sucking power. The S11 comes recommended by cleaning influencerSarah Symonds, who likes how easy it is to use and says “Our previous vacuum scratched the floors very easily. But this one has a softer brush that won’t damage floors as well as many other tools.” Those tools include a crevice tool, an extension hose, and a motorized textile brush. The S11 also has LED lights on the main head attachment to illuminate dark corners.

Strategist writerLiza Corsillocredits this vacuum withsaving her relationship. “My fiancé and Ibought onea little over a year ago, at a point when our bickering was making me think it was time to seek professional help, and it made an immediate difference — both in our relationship and the condition of our floors.” This robovac has pressure-sensitivewheels, so it can roll over uneven surfaces. It can also tell if it’s on a carpet or a hard surface and adjust for the difference. “I love it so much I will sometimes just stare at it as it devours dust and crumbs.” Corsillo says, “If it gets stuck somewhere, it lets out a series of alert beeps to help you find and rescue it. If no one comes, it eventually turns itself off.