Looking down at your phone and seeing 5% battery remaining is not the most pleasant experience, especially when you're not at home and near a charger. It's not just smartphones either. Laptops, Bluetooth headphones, and even smartwatches can die on you at the most inopportune times. Fortunately, there is a way to prevent that if you don't mind carrying one extra device around with you.

Those devices are power banks. They come in all shapes and sizes with all kinds of functions, features, and uses. If you search for a battery pack on Amazon, you'll see hundreds of options from various manufacturers and it can get overwhelming. We did the hard work for you and found the best power banks that you can get right now, no matter your budget.

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Best power banks: Our most dynamic choices

  • Anker 737 Power Bank
    Anker 737 Power Bank
    Best overall powerbank

    The Anker 737, also known as the Anker Power Bank, is a great do-it-all power bank. It comes with 24,000 mAh, which is enough to charge almost any mobile device on the market multiple times and it'll keep a laptop with USB Power Delivery support going for quite a long time. It comes with three ports, a nifty little screen that shows you the power levels, and charging up to 140W.

  • Ugreen 145W Power Bank
    Ugreen 145W 25000mAh Power Bank
    Second best power bank

    The Ugreen 145W Power Bank shares a lot in common with the Anker 737. Its 25,000 mAh bank is enough to charge a mobile device more than once and keep laptops powered for a good while. It has two USB-C ports and a USB-A port. There is also a digital screen for the battery level of the power bank. It's just as good as the Anker 737, with a different design.

  • Anker PowerCore 20K
    Anker PowerCore 20K (Power Bank)
    Best budget power bank

    The Anker PowerCore 20K is an excellent power bank for its price. It boasts 20,000 mAh of power for just over $30 when not on sale. That's more than good enough for most uses. Its USB-A and USB-C ports also ensure wide compatibility with your devices. The charging is notably slower than more premium models at just 15W. That doesn't make it great for laptops, but everything else will charge just fine.

  • Iniu Portable Charger-1
    INIU Portable Charger
    Best portable power bank

    The Inui Portable Charger is a great choice for a portable power bank. It's thin, light, and versatile with two USB-A ports and a USB-C port. It comes in four different colors. The brighter colors are also good for the outdoors, where you may have a hard time finding a black power bank. In any case, you get 10,000mAh of power, which should charge most mobile phones nearly two times.

  • Ugreen Magnetic Battery
    Ugreen Magnetic Battery Pack
    Best power bank for iPhones

    The Ugreen Magnetic Battery Pack is dual-purpose. You can charge your device via a wired connection, or you can use the built-in MagSafe connection to charge your iPhone wirelessly. You can charge two devices at once. Ugreen includes a kickstand, so you can still use your iPhone while it's charging if you prefer. Its 10,000mAh bank is more than enough to fully charge an iPhone a couple of times.

  • Nitecore NB20000 Power Bank
    Nitecore NB20000 Power Bank
    Best power bank for multiple devices

    The Nitecore NB20000 is an excellent power bank if you have a lot of things to charge. It supplies 45W of power through its various ports, which include two USB-A and two USB-C ports. In addition, you get an IPX5 rating for water resistance, which won't save it from a dunk in the pool, but it can get a little wet without breaking. That also makes it good for travel and outdoor use.

  • Anker Nano Power Bank with USB-C
    Anker Nano Power Bank for USB-C Phones
    Best mini power bank

    If you need something smaller, the Anker Nano Power Bank is a good bet. It's a fraction of the size of a smartphone, so it'll fit in almost any pocket, purse, or bag. When needed, you simply flip out the USB-C port and connect it to your phone. It comes with 5,000 mAh, which should provide most of a charge for most of today's smartphones. Anker also has a Lightning version for older iPhones.

  • Anker 548 Power Bank
    Anker 548 Power Bank
    Best power bank for camping

    The Anker 548 Power Bank is a big power bank. It houses a massive 60,000mAh cell along with four charging ports and a solar adapter plug, so you can recharge the battery pack outside. It also has a built-in lamp, which can come in handy. With it, you can charge most modern smartphones 10 or more times, and it'll charge a laptop too if it has the proper capability.

Power banks: Which one is right for you?

It all depends on what you need and where you need it. If you're traveling a lot and you have space in your bag, then you'll want something like the Anker 737 or the Ugreen 145W Power Bank. Both will provide an adequate charge to your devices without being too bad. If you need something smaller, the Inui and Nitecore options are great, as is the Anker PowerCore 20K.

The final options, like the Ugreen Magnetic Battery, Anker 548, and the Anker Nano solve some less common issues. The Nano is hyper-portable for those one-day excursions, while the 548 is massive and meant to be used over a long weekend outside in the campgrounds. The Ugreen Magnetic battery is great for iPhone owners who want MagSafe charging. So, choose the one that fits you best.

FAQ

Q: Do airlines have restrictions on power banks?

Absolutely yes, they do. For the long answer, we refer you to the FAA's website where you can get a better look at things that are and aren't allowed on flights. The short version is that power banks are restricted to carry-on baggage only. There is also a size limit of 100 watt-hours (Wh) per battery, which translates to roughly 27,000mAh. Thus, every power bank on the list above except the Anker 548 is eligible to be used on airplanes.

Q: Are power banks safe?

Yes. They are comprised of little more than a battery inside a container with some connections. The batteries inside are as safe as any battery-operated thing you own, including your smartphone. Like any other mass-produced goods, they can malfunction, which can cause them to catch on fire. However, this is exceedingly rare unless the power bank is dropped or mishandled in some other way.

Generally speaking, as long as the power bank and the laptop support USB Power Delivery, you should be okay. A 10,000mAh battery pack likely won't charge a laptop all the way, but 20,000mAh should in most instances. Just make sure to check both the power bank and the laptop to ensure compatibility. This also applies to the Steam Deck and similar handheld gaming PCs.

Q: Can power banks charge a laptop?

Yes, but with some restrictions. The laptop has to be able to charge over USB-C, which isn't true of every laptop, even ones that have USB-C ports. You'll want to check your laptop's specs sheet to see if yours has a USB-C charging port. However, we do know that MacBooks can charge over USB-C as it is their primary charging method.

Q: Which power banks last the longest?

This one is an easy question with an easy answer. The one with the biggest number lasts the longest. Thus, if you get a 10,000mAh bank, it'll last approximately half as long as a 20,000mAh bank. And while it's logical to assume that a 20,000mAh battery pack will provide the same amount of power as another 20,000mAh pack, that's not the case. The efficiency of each battery pack plays a role in the overall performance. The batteries on our list above have high efficiency and offer the best performance.