The best portable chargers for constantly connected travels
Your last line of tech-related defence
Words: Josh Lee
For those assembling their holiday gear – wayfarers, bottles of SPF, swim shorts, T-shirts – just remember that you’ll also need a portable charger (or two) stowed away in your bag. Providing the flexibility and convenience that airport and café power sockets just can’t offer, these tiny on-the-go juicers can be a saving grace for when your device is running low, preventing a mild fluster just before you hit the boarding gate, capture some once-in-a-lifetime content, or draft a few urgent emails to fire back to the office.
The best options, in our opinion, pack more than a single charge; are sleek and well designed, so as not to appear or feel too obtrusive when you’re on the move; and can stand up to the rough-and-tumble of travel. So, for those looking for a bit of back-up when heading away in the coming weeks, make any one of these offerings your last line of tech-related defence.
The workhorse: Anker 325 Power Bank
Prosaic in appearance, incredibly robust in build and packed with 20,000mAh of power, this always-reliable bank offers an iPhone 14 up to 4.3 charges (the equivalent of just over a single charge for an iPad Pro 12.9”). It’s also fitted with one USB-A and one USB-C port, facilitating the ability to charge two devices at once.
For pure convenience: Anker Nano Power Bank
Easy to slip into the pocket of any jacket, jeans, bag or suitcase, this bijou Anker piece caters to the smaller end of the spectrum. There’s no need to mess around with cables or wireless charging (which, often, can be a bit cumbersome if wanting to use your phone at the same time), as there’s a foldable USB-C connector that can slip straight into your device, a feature that makes the whole experience as seamless as possible.
When working on the move: Einova Laptop Power Bank
Being constantly in transit is not particularly fun for the modern-day businessperson who moves blurrily between terminal to hotel, café to boardroom, taxi to co-working space. As such, those who are constantly on work trips can’t always be stationed next to a plug socket – so, it’s best to consider Einova’s offering. Here, you can charge up to three devices simultaneously, including laptops, and it’s best-known for being able to provide two full charges to an 11-inch tablet. We also like the water-repellent canvas exterior, as well as the LCD display that shows the remaining battery life.
To put on the hotel nightstand: HiRise 3 Wireless Charging Stand
So, this is technically not one you can cart around, but it certainly helps the travel experience, as it encourages you to stop fumbling with the mess of wires that tend to clump around hotel-room nightstands and, instead, display and charge your tech in a clean way. Only one cable is needed for this charging stand, and, on it, you can wirelessly boot your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch in one go, all while using less table space than what a laid-down smartphone would. Having your iPhone float also makes for easy reading of notifications.
If seeking pure design: Nomad Base
Perhaps the most pared-back option on the list, the Base, by Nomad, appears like a glossy coaster that can sit neatly on the hotel desk or plane-seat table. The way it’s used – powerful magnets facilitate snap-on and pull-off motions – is equally slick, and, at 536g, it will remain anchored to the surface on which it rests.
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