The best power banks in 2026, as tested by our experts

Don’t get stuck without a charger – we’ve tested and selected the best power banks for keeping your devices juiced up on the go
Written By
Reviewed By
Updated on 10 July 2026
  • Our team of experts have tested and reviewed dozens upon dozens of portable power banks over the years
  • Right now, the best power bank to buy is the Anker Prime A110A, due to its phenomenal capacity and blisteringly fast charging speeds
  • Those on budget will do better with the Cuktech 10 Mini, which offers good capacity and better portability for a bargain price
  • Read on to see which other power banks we recommend, including our favourite MagSafe compatible option and the best high-capacity budget model

Over the past few years, power banks have become a necessary part of any tech-head’s toolbelt. Whether we’re talking about emergency power for your laptop because the train ports aren’t working again, trying to eke more playtime out of your Nintendo Switch 2, or keeping your phone juiced up during a weekend away at a festival, portable power banks bring peace of mind when you’re out and about.

Our team of experts has tested and reviewed countless power banks over the years, pushing the limits of their charging capacity and multi-device claims to ascertain which are going to be reliable members of your tech family and which are liable to let you down.

Below, we’ve gathered together the best performers from our testing, with a wide range of power banks suited to different needs. If you’re unsure of your requirements, our buying guide covers the key features that are worth bearing in mind. Otherwise, these are the best power banks you can buy right now.

We connect power banks through a USB power meter to a range of devices, including Android and iOS smartphones and an Acer Chromebook, to check how much power they output from each of their USB-A and USB-C ports.

Testing an Anker mobile power bank by charging a Google Pixel 7 Pro phone

We also check their wireless charging capabilities and measure the rate at which they charge from a 65W USB-C charger. Finally, we run a quick charge test to find out how much they can recharge our test smartphone in a 15-minute period.

Price when reviewed: £180 | Check price at Amazon

The Anker Prime A110A shown on a wooden table pictured from above, from the right side

Reviewed by Stuart Andrews

  • Great for… outstanding charging speeds and useful digital display
  • Not so great for… those on a budget

The Anker Prime A110A is the definition of excess. It has a staggering capacity of 26,250mAh – enough to fully charge your laptop and juice your smartphone several times over – and supports super-fast 300W charging allowing for the simultaneous speedy charging of multiple devices. In short, if you need a lot of power, this is the way to get it. 

Its two USB-C ports can both output a maximum of 140W at the same time, and you can even tuck a lower-power device into the USB-A port at up to 20W and charge three things at once. You can check the various output levels via the incredibly useful touchscreen, which also can monitor charging status, current temperature and you can do this via Anker’s companion app, which connects to the power bank via Bluetooth.

All of this quality does come at a price, however, with £180 being quite expensive for a power bank.

Read our full Anker Prime A110A review from March 2026

Key specs – Capacity: 26,250mAh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: USB-C (140W), USB-C (140W), USB-A (20W); Dimensions (WDH): 63 x 38 x 160mm; Weight: 600g

Anker Prime Power Bank, 26,250mAh 3-Port Portable Charger with 300W Max Output, Two-Way Charging, TSA-Approved, App Control, for iPhone 17/16 Series, and More (Base Not Included)

Anker Prime Power Bank, 26,250mAh 3-Port Portable Charger with 300W Max Output, Two-Way Charging, TSA-Approved, App Control, for iPhone 17/16 Series, and More (Base Not Included)

£179.00

Check Price

Price when reviewed: £25 | Check price at Amazon

The Cuktech Mini 10 pictured on its back from above

Reviewed by Stuart Andrews

  • Great for… portability
  • Not so great for… wireless charging

The Cuktech 10 Mini is cheap but it packs more of a punch than you might think for the money. You get three ports here: two USB-Cs that can charge at up to 55W and a USB-A port that supports charging up to 33W, it has a total capacity of 10,000mAh – enough for roughly two full smartphone charges – and there’s enough output power to juice up a laptop and a phone at the same time.

The build is slight enough to comfortably slip into a bag or a pocket and, at 216g, it weighs roughly the same as a flagship smartphone. There’s a useful little LED display, too, which lights up at the press of a button to show you current charging status and battery level.

As for negatives, there are impressively few. There’s no wireless charging and the claimed 55W peak speed only applies to laptops and some Xiaomi phones – our test Android handset hit around 40W. Otherwise, this is a value-packed charger with great speeds and a keen price.

Read our full Cuktech 10 Mini review from March 2026

Key specs – Capacity: 10,000mAh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: USB-C (55W), USB-C 55W), USB-A (33W); Dimensions (WDH): 90 x 33 x 50mm; Weight: 216g

CUKTECH 10 Mini 45W Power Bank Fast Charging,10000mAh(2S1P) Portable Charger USB C In & Out,Small Battery Pack with LED Display Compatible with iPhone16 15 14 13 12 Pro Max Samsung S23, iPad and More

CUKTECH 10 Mini 45W Power Bank Fast Charging,10000mAh(2S1P) Portable Charger USB C In & Out,Small Battery Pack with LED Display Compatible with iPhone16 15 14 13 12 Pro Max Samsung S23, iPad and More

Price when reviewed: £100 | Check price at Amazon

The Ugreen PB771 shown from the front on a wood table with the screen on

Reviewed by Stuart Andrews

  • Great for… fast charging multiple devices
  • Not so great for… portability

Our reviewer Stuart Andrews describes the UGreen Nexode PB771 as a “mini-tower of power”, and it’s hard to argue: with its massive 20,000mAh capacity, maximum combined output of 145W and fold-out MagSafe wireless charging pad, the PB771 is a feature-rich charger that’s ideal for keeping your phone, laptop and/or handheld gaming console juiced-up on a long weekend away. 

In our testing, we found the UGreen to be more than capable of charging two power-hungry devices at the same time, delivering 98W from the rear USB-C and 42W from the front simultaneously. You’ve also got a USB-A port that can deliver up to 22.5W and that Qi2 MagSafe pad reaches up to 15W.

It’s a little bulkier and heavier than some rivals, so isn’t as easy to slip in a bag or a pocket, but for charging multiple devices quickly, the UGreen Nexode PB771 is an excellent choice at a very appealing price.

Read our UGreen Nexode PB771 review from March 2026

Key specs – Capacity: 20,000mAh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: USB-C (100W), USB-C (45W), USB-A (22.5W), Qi2 wireless (15W); Dimensions (WDH): 68 x 60 x 112mm; Weight: 555g

UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 145W Qi2 Certified 15W Wireless Fast Charging 4-Way Output Battery Pack with TFT Display Laptop Portable Charger Compatible with Dell, HP, iPad, iPhone Air/17/16

UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 145W Qi2 Certified 15W Wireless Fast Charging 4-Way Output Battery Pack with TFT Display Laptop Portable Charger Compatible with Dell, HP, iPad, iPhone Air/17/16

Price when reviewed: £55 | Check price at Amazon

The Iniu SnapGo Air power bank with its integrated cable half detached

Reviewed by Stuart Andrews

  • Great for… speedy Qi2.2 wireless charging
  • Not so great for… wireless charging inconsistent on some phones

With support for Qi2.2 wireless charging, the Iniu SnapGo Air is better than most rivals at charging compatible devices as fast as possible. Using a QI2 iPhone 13 mini in testing, we found that the SnapGo Air charged the battery 25% in 15 minutes – the fastest we’ve ever recorded. Wired charging is excellent, too, charging our test laptop at a steady 43.5W.

The other key benefit here is the sleek build, which means you can easily snap it onto the back of your phone (provided either it or your case has magnets) and still fit it in your pocket. Equally, the 196g weight is on the lighter side and the anodised aluminium casing feels robust enough to survive rattling around in a backpack.

The only issue in testing was that certain phones failed to achieve their stated peak wireless charging speeds. If you have a Qi2.2 phone, however, and want a sleek and powerful wireless charger for it, the Iniu SnapGo Air should be in your basket.

Read our Iniu SnapGo Air review from March 2026

Key specs – Capacity: 10,000mAh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: USB-C (45W), USB-C (45W), Qi2.2 wireless (25W); Dimensions (WDH): 71 x 14 x 107mm; Weight: 196g

INIU for MagSafe Power Bank, Slimmest 25W Qi2.2 10000mAh Magnetic Portable Charger, 45W PD Fast Charging with USB C Cable, Battery Pack for iPhone Air 17 16 15 14 13 12 Only, Brown

INIU for MagSafe Power Bank, Slimmest 25W Qi2.2 10000mAh Magnetic Portable Charger, 45W PD Fast Charging with USB C Cable, Battery Pack for iPhone Air 17 16 15 14 13 12 Only, Brown

Price when reviewed: £75 | Check price at Amazon

The Anker laptop power bank A1695 pictured standing on a worktop

Reviewed by Jonathan Bray

  • Great for… huge capacity and fast charging speeds
  • Not so great for… wireless charging

As the name suggests, the Anker Laptop Power Bank packs enough of a punch to keep your PC juiced up when on the go, and we found that its combination of powerful charging and high battery capacity makes it the perfect companion for long-haul flights.

Whether you’re getting work done, watching movies on your phone, gaming on a handheld, or all of the above, the Anker Laptop Power Bank has the capacity to keep your devices juiced up. At the same time, even – the power bank can output 165W with two USB-C devices connected or 133W with one USB-C and one USB-A. 

In our testing, the Anker Laptop Power Bank brought our sample MacBook from empty to 30% in just 21 minutes – we were even able to plug in a second laptop without affecting the charging speeds of the first. Impressive stuff. 

It would have been nice to see wireless charging included, and it’s quite chunky, so one for your carry-on rather than your pocket, but anyone staring down a long flight will find the Anker Laptop Power Bank to be the ideal travel companion.

Read our Anker Laptop Power Bank (A1695) review from August 2025

Key specs – Capacity: 25,000mAh/90Wh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: USB-C (100W), USB-C (100W), USB-C (100W), USB-A (33W); Dimensions (WDH): 54 x 49 x 157mm; Weight: 595g

Anker Laptop Power Bank, 25,000mAh Portable Charger with Triple 100W USB-C Ports, Built-in Retractable Cables, Flight-Approved for Travel, iPhone 17/16 Series, Samsung, and More

Anker Laptop Power Bank, 25,000mAh Portable Charger with Triple 100W USB-C Ports, Built-in Retractable Cables, Flight-Approved for Travel, iPhone 17/16 Series, Samsung, and More

What kind of power bank should I buy?

Basically, you’re trying to balance four factors: size, speed, capacity and price. The rules are simple enough: the less you spend, the lower the capacity and the slower the power bank will charge.

Cheap power banks

The cheapest and smallest power banks will have a capacity of between 2,500mAh and 10,000mAh. These days we’d avoid anything below 5,000mAh, as it won’t have enough charge to refuel most recent smartphones. At the upper end of this range, though, you’ll have sufficient capacity to recharge your phone or give a tablet a decent boost – and you can find one the size of a smartphone or a Mars Bar for around £12 to £18.

Mid-range power banks

Spend £18 to £30 and you’re looking at power banks with a 10,000-20,000mAh capacity and better connectivity, with USB-C connections now pretty much standard. You may get an increase in size and weight to match; 20,000mAh batteries can be roughly the size of a big-screen smartphone, but they’re also a good 50% heavier. However, you’ll also have much faster charging, with Quick Charge 4 and USB PD.

Expensive power banks

Splash out more than £30 and you can bag an even bigger power bank, with capacities starting out at 20,000mAh and going all the way up to 26,800mAh or more. USB-C with Quick Charge 4 and USB-PD will be a given, making up for the fact that you’re carrying a heavier brick of a charger. The advantage is that you’ll be able to top up multiple devices, often simultaneously, and you’ll have enough charge to keep them going for a whole weekend or even longer.

What else should I look out for?

Most power banks now use a USB-C port to recharge, although some models will have a micro-USB port as well to ensure compatibility with older chargers. Don’t worry if you don’t have the required cable, as one will usually be provided in the box.

One advantage of this shift to USB-C is that power banks now support USB PD for faster charging. This means your power bank will often recharge faster when connected to a suitable fast charger, at anywhere from 20W to 60W. At those speeds, even a high-capacity charger can recharge fully in three to four hours.

As for charging your devices, you’ll usually have a choice of USB-A and USB-C ports, with the latter supporting the fastest USB PD charging standards. All power banks and smartphones support the USB BC 1.2 standard, which can deliver up to 7.5W over USB-A or 15W over USB-C. Most also support the USB Power Delivery (PD) 3 standard, which increases the maximum voltage and current to deliver up to 100W of power – enough to charge a lightweight laptop at a decent speed. Not all USB PD power banks can push out that much juice; you’ll often find them limited to 15W, 27W, 45W or the maximum 100W, but even 27W will cover you for fast charging on a wide range of smartphones and tablets.

We’re now also seeing the first power banks supporting the USB PD 3.1 spec, meaning they can deliver over 100W with compatible devices and cables. Right now, these don’t go over 28V at 5A for a maximum of 140W, but we may see power banks with 180W or 240W outputs in the future. That’s overkill for smartphones, but a potential game-changer for power-hungry laptops and tablets.

Beyond that, there are Qualcomm’s Quick Charge standards. The most common is Quick Charge 4, which pushes out a maximum 21V and 4.6A for 100W of output. It’s also compatible with USB PD, which is lucky, as Quick Charge 4 hasn’t had as much love from power bank manufacturers as the old Quick Charge 3 standard, with most standardising around USB PD. The same applies to the new Quick Charge 5, even though the latter can charge compatible phones to 50% within five minutes when using the right charger. It’s not hard to see why: USB PD is supported by Apple and Google’s recent devices and still delivers fast charging on Quick Charge 4 and Quick Charge 5 phones. More importantly, it’s an open standard without any licensing costs.

Is it worth paying extra for a fast-charging power bank?

Yes. There’s very little difference in terms of price these days, and even if your existing phone doesn’t support Quick Charge 4 or USB PD, there’s a good chance that your next one will. In fact, there’s an argument that the smartest thing to do is standardise around USB PD and ensure that your power banks, chargers, smartphones and tablets can all run under the same charging ecosystem, giving you fast charging whenever you need it.

What about charging wireless earbuds, Bluetooth headphones and other accessories?

Smaller accessories such as wireless earbuds, Bluetooth headphones, fitness trackers and smartwatches can cause problems for power banks because they’re designed to charge using a low-wattage trickle-charge, rather than the 10W to 25W used to fast-charge your typical smartphone. Either there’s a risk of damaging the accessory or its charging case, or the smarter power banks can even shut down due to the low demand. However, some power banks now include a trickle charge mode designed specifically to charge these devices safely. If you’re planning a long weekend (or longer) away where you’ll need a recharge, this is one feature worth looking out for.

What about wireless charging?

If you care more about convenience than speed, wireless charging is very much the way to go – and a growing number of power banks support it. Just place your smartphone on the integrated wireless pad, and you can recharge without connecting any cables. There will be a hit on charging speeds, so you’ll be limited to 7.5W or 10W, but that’s not a big issue if you don’t need to recharge in a flash. As a bonus, we’re now seeing Magsafe-friendly chargers that will clamp onto an iPhone or a ring inside an iPhone case, meaning you can recharge your iPhone even while you’re using it.

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Written By

Reviews writer Ben has been with Expert Reviews since 2021, and in that time he’s established himself as an authority on all things mobile tech and audio. On top of testing and reviewing myriad smartphones, tablets, headphones, earbuds and speakers, Ben has turned his hand to the odd laptop hands-on preview and several gaming peripherals. He also regularly attends global industry events, including the Snapdragon Summit and the MWC trade show.

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Reviewed By

Stuart Andrews has been writing about technology and computing for over 25 years and has written for nearly every major UK PC and tech outlet, including PC Pro and the Sunday Times. He still writes about PCs, laptops and enterprise computing, plus PC and console gaming, but he also likes to get his hands dirty with the latest gardening tools and chill out with his favourite movies. He loves to test things and will benchmark anything and everything that comes his way.

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