Zendure A8 QC Pro Portable Charger 26,800mAh: £72.95, Amazon
This is the most expensive charger on our list by some way, but the old adage that you get what you pay for holds true. For one, it has by far the biggest capacity on our list, with a whopping 26,800mAh (it’s especially good for charging tablets). It also automatically detects which device you’ve connected, and adjusts its output accordingly to achieve the quickest charging time. And when your device is back up to full power, the charger will turn itself off automatically. There are four USB ports, which is handy if you’re on a group outing. It weighs 482g and is compatible with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 (good news if you have the Sony Xperia S7, HTC 10 or many more – check your device’s specs).
1. Lumsing 15000mAh Power Bank: £27.99, Amazon
This is a versatile, powerful charger with three separate ports. The first is for USB-C connections, such as on the HTC 10 (there’s a growing trend towards this type, so this charger is future-proof to an extent). The second is for Quick Charge devices, while the third is a smart charge port, which automatically adjusts to the optimum output depending on your device. Its 15,000mAh capacity will give multiple charges of pretty much every smartphone, and a full charge at least of tablets such as the 12.9in iPad Pro – or you can charge three devices at once. The sleek design, with LED battery indicators on the side, is slightly longer and thicker than an iPhone 7, with a weight of 356g, so it’s best to be carried in a backpack or large coat pocket.
2. RAVPower 20,100mAh Portable Charger: £34.99, Amazon
If you’re after a charger with a high capacity but don’t want to pay for all the extra features of something like the Zendure above, RAVPower offers a good alternative. The 20,100mAh capacity is enough to charge a smartphone many times over. And if your smartphone is compatible with Quick Charge 3.0 then there are few faster chargers out there. It weighs 275g, so for the power it provides, it’s not too hefty. It’s USB-C compatible, too.
3. Anker PowerCore 5000 Portable Charger: £11.99, Amazon
Anker is one of the biggest, most reliable portable charger ( for example: GOAL ZERO SHERPA 50 SOLAR RECHARGING KIT ) brands in America, and this product is among its most popular. The tiny, cylindrical design measures 10cm x 3cm, so it’ll easily fit into a trouser pocket, and with a weight of 136g, it’s imperceptible when flung into a backpack. The capacity, 5000mAh, is impressive for its size and will charge a Samsung Galaxy S8 fully, with a bit to spare. It doesn’t support Qualcomm Quick Charge, but the 2A output still offers a speedy charge. Handy LEDs on the side show how much juice the charger’s got left. Available in red or black.
4. CHJGD Ultra-Compact 10000mAh Power Bank: £23.99, Amazon
Admittedly, most power banks aren’t particularly exciting to look at, but this one goes some way to change it. The designs range from a Ferrari theme to an eye-catching mosaic, but the charger itself doesn’t skimp on build quality as a result. It claims to be the world’s smallest charger with a 10,000mAh capacity and it’s certainly a contender, with dimensions of 93 x 63 x 19mm, and a weight of just 188g. It automatically adapts its output to suit your device, with battery-indicating LEDs on the bottom.
5. Iceworks 3000mAh Portable Charger: £12.95, Amazon
This charger is as slim and as wide as an iPhone, but not as long, and only weighs 41g, meaning it is genuinely pocket friendly. It’s an especially good charger for iPhones, as it has an in-built cable and comes, rather generously for the price, with two lightning adapters, so you can plug the charger straight into your phone. (The adapter slots into the top of the charger, too, so it shouldn’t be lost so easily). Without the adapter, it’s USB compatible. It will definitely give a full charge to smartphones sized around 2,000mAh.
6. EasyAcc 15000mAh Power Bank: £19.95, Amazon
It’s one of the heftier chargers on our list, weighing 335g, but it packs a punch, with 15,000mAh capacity (enough to comfortably charge an iPad Pro) and 4.8A output, meaning it can competently charge three smartphones at once, or just one at great speed. What’s more, each of the three ports are smart, adjusting to whichever device you’ve connected, and they’ll automatically switch off when not in use, saving precious power.
7. Poweradd Slim2 5000mAh Portable Charger: £7.99, Amazon
This is another tiny, great value charger that will give a full charge to most smartphones. It only weighs 181g and is just under 10cm tall but manages to pack in a 5,000mAh capacity, with four LED battery indicators on the top. It has an auto-detect output, with speedy charging up to 2.1A. At less than a tenner, we think this one is a bargain. Available in a range of colours.