Grab yourself a portable power bank that doesn’t go up in flames
- jul
- 14
Having a way to charge your iPhone on the go is paramount nowadays, especially since heavy use — looking at you Facebook, Snapchat, and Pokémon Go! — can kill your battery before the day's end. When that happens, and there's no outlet in sight, a battery pack will be your best friend. But which battery pack? Here are our favorites!
Get smart
Apple Smart Battery Case
Staff Favorite
Made of a soft silicone material with a hinge at the top, the Smart Battery Case makes it easier for you to insert and remove your phone. It also provides power to the iPhone and discharges itself first, and you don't have to worry about the iPhone's battery until that's depleted. Plus, it's integrated fully into iOS, so you can easily tell how much power is left.
Credit card-sized
TravelCard 1500mAh
You can grab a TravelCard that's made specifically for the iPhone with a built-in Lightning cable. 1500mAh won't give you a full charge, but it should help you make it to the end of the day, which is really all you can expect out of a credit card-sized battery pack.
Candy bar-sized
Anker Astro E1 6700mAh
If you're looking for an exceptionally portable charging option, the Anker Astro E1 is perfect. It's roughly the size of a chocolate bar and should charge your iPhone at least once if not one and a half times. It comes in four colors.
Pocket-size
Jackery Bolt 6000mAh
Jackery's Bolt is a slim option with a built-in Lightning cable, so there's no need for you to carry one around with you. With 6000mAh, it should be able to juice up your iPhone at least once. It comes in gray and vibrant orange.
Built-in A/C
Ventev Powercell 6000mAh
Ventev's Powercell charger has a built-in A/C connector, as well as a built-in Lightning cable, so it's everything you need for charging up your iPhone and for charging the power bank itself, all in a portable package topped with LED lights.
Solar power
Be-charming 24000mAh solar charger
This high-capacity power bank has a solar panel, so once its 24000mAh battery is depleted, you can leave it out in the sun to charge, making it perfect on camping trips and long hikes.
Slim and lightweight
Kanex External Battery Pack 8000mAh
The Kanex External Battery Pack is a slim and lightweight slab that packs in 8000mAh of power. You charge it up with a separate micro USB cable. But when you need to charge up your phone, just pull out the built-in micro USB cable and stick it into the included Lightning adapter, then pop it into your iPhone. No need to bring separate cables along, and it's dual-purpose for micro USB devices too.
A popular and trusted option
Anker PowerCore 10000mAh
Anker is one of our favorite brands, and the PowerCore 10000mAh packs in a reasonable amount of power in a small and compact form factor. It's enough for three and a half iPhone charges, and it even features fast charging capabilities.
All-in-one solution
myCharge HubMax 10050mAh Portable Charger
The MyCharge HubMax is a fantastic solution when you use multiple devices. It holds 10050mAh of charge, has a built-in micro USB, and includes Lightning cables. Plus, it comes with a USB-A port for additional devices. The HubMax also has its own folding wall outlet plug so that you can plug it in directly.
Find a portable battery pack that's perfect for you
A portable power bank is the best way to make sure your iPhone keeps going until the end of the day or even a couple days if you go with the right one. The Ventev Powercell is my favorite charger, with its built-in Lightning cable and A/C connection — it's one of the most convenient options on this list, along with the MyCharge HubMax.
However, we can't get enough of the Apple Smart Battery Case. It really fits like a glove on your iPhone XS or XS Max, and the integrated battery status with iOS lets you know exactly how much juice you have left, and when you should get to an outlet.
I also personally like the Kanex External Battery, because it's slim and lightweight enough to fit into a purse, and having a built-in micro USB cable with Lightning adapter means I can have some extra charge with me anytime, even without the Smart Battery Case.