The 9 Best Power Banks and How to Pick the Right One for Your Next Trip

The 9 Best Power Banks and How to Pick the Right One for Your Next Trip
Contributor: Tiffany Forbes and Isabella Noyes
At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

Prolonging your device’s battery life can be challenging, especially when you’ve got an older model or you’re constantly travelling from place to place. We’ve all had those moments when a critical call or message is cut off or you lose track of your incoming Uber in an instant because your battery dies. But nowadays, it’s an easily avoidable problem thanks to a handy little invention called power banks (also know as portable chargers). These devices can slip right into your bag or pocket to deliver one or more full charges to most smartphones or your other gadgets.

Now that you know what you’re looking for, let’s get into it, shall we?

The best power banks and portable chargers to buy in Australia

SnapWireless PowerPack Universal Charger

While you can’t quite call this charger your average power bank, we argue it’s even better. This five-in-one portable charger is designed to charge all of your devices in one spot and is the perfect gadget to take with you while travelling.

It’s designed with a built-in wall adapter, as well as USB-C and USB-A cable outputs, and Qi wireless charging. Since each of the charging cables are fixed into the power bank itself, it means you never have to worry about leaving a cord behind.

Each one also comes with three interchangeable power adapters that you can swap around as you move from place to place, including North America, Europe and China. Yes folks, it can do it all.

iWalk 4,800mAh LinkPod Portable Charger

best power banks and portable chargers

This mini power bank is a great option for those constantly on the move that don’t want to deal with a loose cable hanging around. While it’s not particularly powerful with a mere battery capacity of 4,800mAh, it should be able to recharge your phone once on a short trip.

This iWalk power bank is only compatible with iPhone models from 6 through to 14.

Charmast 5,000mAh Mini Power Bank

best power banks and portable chargers

Another iPhone-only power bank, this Charmast power bank is slightly more powerful and should have your smartphone fully charged in an hour and a half. The only drawback with these types of portable chargers is that they may not compatible with certain phone cases, but they are the best when you’re on the go.

If you want more universal options, then keep scrolling.

Anker 20,000mAh USB-C Power Bank

best power banks and portable chargers

Anker’s power banks are a crowd favourite and it’s not hard to see why. Thanks to their epic durability and resilience against drops, alongside their four output options and quick charge capabilities.

Anker 10,000mAh Slim Power Bank

This power bank has a mid-sized battery capacity, comes at the perfect size and can slide right into your pants pockets or one of your tiny Jacquemus-esque handbags for a night out, because no one should worry about not having enough battery to order an Uber home.

ROMOSS 20,000mAh Fast Charge Portable Charger

This epic 20,000mAh portable charger offers quick charge support, as well as three output sockets to change a range of different devices, including the Nintendo Switch. How’s that for multi-tasking?

BLAVOR 10,000mAh Solar Power Bank

best power banks and portable chargers

If you’re out in the wilderness, whether you’re camping or taking part in a multi-day hike, a solar-powered portable charger is a real game-changer.

When you’re enjoying the great outdoors, there are no power points on a tree trunk. While you can switch off your phone to conserve power, or grab a different power bank, you don’t really need to. Instead, you can grab one of these BLAVOR solar power banks, use it to recharge your phone and the next time you stop for a break, just place it in a nice, sunny spot to juice it back up.

This portable charger is water-proof, dust-proof and shock-proof, plus you can even use it as a flashlight if you’re in an emergency.

iMuto 20,000mAh Compact Power Bank

The iMuto is an attractive-looking phone charger that brings a massive 20,000mAh battery to the party along with a pair of USB-A connectors for bringing power to various devices. It’s also got a handy digital screen, so you can see how much power is left in the bank.

Charmast Portable Phone Charger

best power banks and portable chargers

This portable phone charger is ideal for a big family road trip or someone who carries a lot of devices on-the-go — think your phone, Mac, iPad and Apple Watch. It offers 26,800mAh across its five different ports, including a quick charge one. It also can charge that Nintendo Switch of yours, which is an extra win.

What to look for in a portable charger?

best power banks and portable chargers
Image: iStock/mixetto

How large is its battery capacity?

While there’s no real formula for how many charges you will get out of your portable charger since it depends on what you’re charging, you can do a rough calculation by calculating how many times your devices mAh can fit into the charger’s mAh.

According to Gizmodo Australia, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a phone with a 5,000mAh internal battery, so you’d expect a 20,000mAh power bank to recharge it four times if it’s fully charged, right? Well, no, not exactly.

Generally speaking, the higher the mAh (in other words, the battery capacity), the longer your portable charger will last. For instance, you should see about three recharges if your power bank has a battery capacity of 20,000mAh, is relatively new and fully charged. Plus, if you use your phone while it’s being recharged by your power bank, that can affect how much juice it has left the next time you use it too.

What kind of USB connection does it have?

Most power banks come with either a USB-C or Apple’s Lightning connection points, as well as a USB-A port. Before you take the leap, make sure you check its compatibility with your smartphone or device prior to purchasing.

Why? Well, you might want to use your power bank to also recharge your laptop, or power your Switch while on a flight. There are a handful of portable chargers that connect to smartphones only, so if you want to make use of those multipurpose opportunities, make sure you carefully examine its available ports.


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At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

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