The Best Portable Chargers and Power Banks for 2022

Watching your phone or tablet steadily run out of juice when you're nowhere near a power outlet is stressful. Fortunately, third-party backup batteries come in every size and capacity imaginable. Some power banks even offer features such as fast charging, wireless charging, built-in cables, AC adapters, LED flashlights—and even the ability to jump-start your car. Regardless of your budget, you can find a portable charger that keeps your device going when your battery icon starts to dip in the red.

But with so many options to choose from, how do you know which power bank is right for you? Read on for the most important points to consider.

Size and Capacity

Generally speaking, the bigger the battery, the higher the capacity and quantity of ports you get. Power banks that fit comfortably in your pocket are typically good for a full phone charge or two, while anything designed to keep you going all day likely requires a bag or purse.

On the pocket-friendly front, most smaller batteries that maximize portability have a capacity of 5,000mAh and under, which gives you just enough charge to top up most phones once.

Once you get above 5,000mAh, battery size increases to the point where it's less likely to fit into your skinny jeans but can still be stowed in a jacket pocket. Some power banks even enable you to power laptops and have enough juice to charge the average phone 10 times. Of course, they're some of the biggest and heaviest of the bunch; they definitely need to be carried in a bag.

Input and Output Ports

The type of port (or ports) a battery has determines not only whether it is compatible with the devices you want to charge, but also charging speed. At a minimum, most battery packs have a standard USB-A port for both charging the battery (power input) and sending juice to your device (power output). But with most phones, tablets, and laptops adopting the USB-C standard, you'll often find a USB-C port in addition to the USB-A one.

USB-C ports typically support some, but not all, fast-charging protocols for smartphones and tablets. Most often, a portable charger's USB-C port can be used for both power input and power output, but some less expensive battery packs may only support USB-C for power input.

Lightning is a proprietary Apple technology and it used to be difficult to find power banks with a Lightning cable or charging port. Thankfully, those days are over and dozens of excellent power banks exist for iPhone users. If you picked up an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 series phone and were surprised by the lack of a charger, see our article on charging your iPhone.

Fast Charging

Another factor to consider is how quickly a power bank can charge your device. Battery output is measured in voltage and amperage. Amperage (or current) is the amount of electricity flowing from the battery to the connected device, while voltage is the amount of potential energy. Multiplying volts by amps gives you wattage, the measure of total power. To make a device charge faster (by increasing the total wattage), most manufacturers either vary the voltage (more common) or boost the amperage.

Essentially, for any kind of fast charging you need three things: A phone or other device with a charging circuit capable of using one of the fast charging standards, plus a battery and cable that support the same standard. If any one of these three things is missing, you won't be able to charge your device as fast as possible. Your phone will also only take in as much power as its charging circuit supports, so even if you have it plugged into a 5V/2A battery, if it's only able to handle 5V/1A, that's the rate at which it will charge.

The two main fast charging standards you're likely to encounter are USB Power Delivery and Qualcomm's Quick Charge. Power Delivery (PD) is a newer protocol in which two compatible devices negotiate on the fastest charging option available. It also allows for power to flow both ways.

Quick Charge, on the other hand, works by increasing voltage rather than amperage. This standard allows you to charge supported phones to 50 percent capacity in 30 minutes, which is especially helpful when you need power in a pinch.

Pass-Through and Wireless Charging

You need to consider a few other aspects before selecting a backup battery. Pass-through charging lets you charge devices connected to the battery, while the battery itself is also being charged. If both your phone and backup battery are running on empty, this is a very useful feature.

Wireless charging has also become very popular, as it allows you to power up compatible devices without the need for a cable, by simply resting them on top of the battery. Qi is the dominant standard for compatible Apple and Samsung phones, and some battery packs support that technology. Apple introduced a similar technology, MagSafe charging, with the iPhone 12; a range of third-party MagSafe compatible battery packs charge at a maximum of 7.5W.

Should You Buy a Battery Case Instead?

If you find that you often forget to carry your backup battery when you need it most, you might want to think about using a dedicated battery case instead. It combines the portability and protection of a case with a built-in power cell to keep your phone topped off at all times. The downside is that they often have lower charging capacities than dedicated batteries and that you can't charge much else with them.

With all that in mind, here are some of our favorite power banks you can buy right now. You can't go wrong with any of them, so pick the one that best fits your budget and needs.

Works With: Phones and Tablets

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If you’re looking to minimize tech clutter around the house, the Anker PowerCore Fusion 5000 is a good option. This small adapter works as both a multi-device charging adapter and as a 5,000mAh power bank. With two USB-A ports and a micro USB slot, you can easily charge three devices simultaneously. And because the PowerCore Fusion 5000 supports pass-through charging, you can plug it into the wall at the end of the day, connect your devices, and wake up to a fully charged battery for your morning commute. 

Works With: Phones and Tablets

Belkin's latest Boost Up Power Bank is a strong pick for smartphone gamers. This handy 5,000mAh battery pack features a built-in smartphone stand that holds your phone in portrait or landscape position while it charges. Belkin claims you should get about 17 extra hours of gameplay with this portable charging stand, which is powerful enough to fully charge just about any smartphone battery at least once. And if you're just looking to top off your device quickly, there are USB-A and USB-C charging ports on the side of the power bank for multiple fast charging options.

Works With: Phones and Tablets

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Need a svelte but capable power bank for your iPhone or iPad? The Belkin Boost Up Power Bank 10K has a 10,000mAh battery that can add up to 70 hours of battery life to your iPhone or almost 20 hours to your iPad. The dual 12W and 5W USB-A ports are powerful enough to charge two devices simultaneously. An additional Lightning port lets you quickly recharge the power bank using your regular iPhone charger or dock. Like most Belkin products, the Boost Up Charge Power Bank 10K comes with a two-year warranty that not only covers the charger, but also any devices it damages by an electrical charge.

Works With: Phones and Tablets

MiPow's Miffy 20 Power Bank has quickly become one of our favorite travel accessories. This playful battery pack sports a tempered glass build, but is small and durable enough to slide into your carry-on bag. The charger has a USB-C port with PD for quick 20W charging. There are also two USB-A ports, so you can easily charge up to three devices simultaneously.

Works With: Phones

Looking for a small and eco-friendly power bank that can quickly recharge your phone? If so, the Nimble Champ Lite Portable Charger is a perfect match; it uses recycled plastic material and ships in plastic-free packaging. And, like all other Nimble products, it comes with prepaid postage for recycling any old tech you might be replacing. This 5,200mAh battery pack has enough juice to fully recharge most smartphone batteries, with a little extra to spare. The Champ Lite also has a USB-C port for fast 15W charging, plus a USB-A port for recharging the power bank or simultaneously charging a second device. It's small enough to fit into your bag or backpack and comes with a USB-A-to-USB-C cable.

The Best Wireless Chargers

Why fumble around for a charging cable when you can just sit your phone on a wireless charging pad? Whether you're an Android user or an iPhone fan, check out our roundups of the best wireless chargers and the best MagSafe chargers to help you cut the cord.