Best Portable Chargers & Power Banks (2026)

What We Tested

Over two months, we tested 8 portable chargers through real-world use: airline travel, long conference days, camping weekends, and daily commuting. We measured actual delivered capacity (not just rated capacity), charging speeds at different power levels, heat output under sustained load, and how well each unit held its charge over weeks of sitting in a bag.

We also tested each charger with iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, iPads, and MacBooks to verify compatibility claims.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Anker 737 Power Bank (PowerCore 24K)

The Anker 737 is the power bank that replaces your wall charger on short trips. With 24,000mAh of actual capacity and 140W USB-C output, it can charge a MacBook Air from zero to 50 percent in about 30 minutes — speeds that match many wall adapters. The smart digital display shows real-time wattage and remaining capacity as a percentage, not vague LED dots.

It is not small. At 1.3 pounds, this is a bag charger, not a pocket charger. But if you need to keep a laptop and phone alive through a full day away from outlets, nothing else in our test came close.

Best Design: Baseus Blade 100W

The Baseus Blade rethinks what a high-capacity power bank can look like. At just 0.7 inches thick, it slides into a laptop sleeve or the front pocket of a backpack without adding noticeable bulk. And it is not just a pretty shape — 100W USB-C output handles laptop charging, and 20,000mAh provides enough juice for multiple phone charges.

The trade-off is heat. Under sustained 100W output, the Blade gets noticeably warm, though it never triggered thermal throttling in our testing. It also recharges itself in about two hours with a suitable charger.

Best for Phones: mophie powerstation XXL

If you are only charging phones and tablets, the mophie powerstation XXL keeps things simple and affordable. The 20,000mAh capacity translates to roughly four full iPhone charges, and Priority+ charging intelligently sends power to your connected device before recharging the bank itself.

The fabric finish is a nice touch — it does not slide around on surfaces and resists the fingerprints that plague glossy power banks. The main limitation is the 20W max output, which rules out laptop charging entirely. But for phone-focused users, it is a reliable daily carry.

Bottom Line

Match the power bank to your devices. The Anker 737 handles everything including laptops. The Baseus Blade delivers laptop-class power in a surprisingly slim package. And the mophie powerstation XXL keeps phones charged all day at the best price. All three performed reliably across months of testing.