Often in business, you’ll find yourself needing to travel for appointments and meetings. If you’re a freelancer, sometimes it’s nice to just head to a local coffee shop or communal office to catch up on work. Whatever the reason, it’s useful to have the flexibility that a power bank (or portable charger) can bring.
Most of these locations may have power points, but not all, and sometimes, you might find yourself traveling and low on power. That’s where a power bank is immensely useful at giving your phone or tablet some extra juice when you need it most.
Here’s a look at the best power banks for every type of small business and related scenario. We also compiled a list of the overall best portable chargers for those in need of extra juice for everyday needs, and not specifically for business.
Best Overall Power Bank: Anker PowerCore 20100mAh
If you’re a frequent flier, you know how important it is to travel light. You don’t want a bulky power bank weighing you down, which is why the Anker PowerCore 20100mAh is such a great option. It only weighs about as much as a can of soup, but it’s pretty powerful.
The power bank has sufficient capacity to charge your iPhone XR just over four times, the Galaxy S10 four and a half times, or the iPad Mini 2019 twice. That’s generally going to be enough juice to get you from one power point to the next, even if you’re traveling pretty far and wide. It has two USB charging ports so you can charge two devices at the same time, too.
The Anker PowerCore 20100mAh doesn’t support Qualcomm Quick Charge but it recharges itself in about 10 hours so you can still leave it on charge in your hotel room and be good to go the following day.
It’s an ideal device to toss into your backpack or briefcase for when you need a steady power source while attending meetings and conferences.
Best Budget Power Bank: RAVPower 10000mAh Power Bank
Anker has the monopoly on the power bank market, but there’s still plenty of space for RAVPower to offer some great budget solutions. The RAVPower 10000mAh is inexpensive but potent enough to still keep your devices charged while you’re on the move.
Smaller than an iPhone X, you can easily find room in your bag or pocket for the power bank. Despite its small size, though, it offers enough power to charge a Galaxy S8 two times, an iPad Mini 4 just over once, and an iPhone X just over two times. That’s good enough for most scenarios where you need a power bank to sustain your devices between long days of meetings and calls.
The device also has room for two USB charging ports so you can charge two devices at the same time, proving more convenient than other small power banks. If you’re on a budget, this is a decent option to take.
Best Laptop Power Bank: Anker PowerCore+ 26800PD
For those times when your laptop desperately needs a bit of extra power, there’s the Anker PowerCore+ 26800PD. It offers 1 USB-C and 2 USB ports for plenty of options when charging your devices.
It’s able to charge most phones over seven times, tablets at least two times, and your laptop at least once. Thanks to its quick Power delivery system, it also only takes 4 and a half hours to recharge via mains power.
Despite all that extra power, it’s still pretty portable, too. It’s small enough to toss into your bag and weighs only just over a pound. Anker suggests that its capacity is sufficient to keep your phones and tablets charged for about a week which should be more than enough for most users.
It’s the ability to recharge your laptop fully once via the power bank that makes it extra appealing, though, and it is sure to particularly useful in scenarios where you don’t have access to an outlet.
Best Quick Charging Power Bank: RAVPower 20100 USB C Portable Charger
If your smartphone is able to take advantage of Quick Charge, it’s worthwhile having a power bank that utilizes it. The RAVPower 20100 USB C Portable Charger is the best of the bunch here. With Quick Charge 3.0 Input & Output, it promises to charge a compatible smartphone from 0% to 80% in only an hour. That’s great if you’re constantly in a rush between appointments.
The power bank is compatible overall with everything from your phone to your tablets, Nintendo Switch, and 12-inch MacBook. Its large capacity means it can recharge your Switch two and a half times, your iPad Air 2 nearly once, and your iPhone X nearly four and a half times. Recharging the power bank from empty only takes four and a half hours, thanks to Quick Charge.
There are two USB charging ports so you can easily charge a couple of devices at the same time. For a solution that’s both speedy and useful, this is the power bank for you.
Best Mini Power Bank: Anker PowerCore 5000
Whatever your power bank needs, Anker has a product in mind. The Anker PowerCore 5000 isn’t really cut out for long journeys across the world, but it’s good to go if you simply want a quick backup source when recharging your phone on the move. The lipstick-shaped device contains 5,000mAh of power, which is enough for one entire recharge of an iPhone X or Samsung Galaxy S9, and almost two charges for an iPhone 8.
It’s small enough to fit into your pocket as well as your bag, so think of it as an emergency power source. It’ll just about offer enough juice to recharge your iPad Mini to about half full, but don’t expect it to stand a chance against a laptop. Also, you can only charge one device at a time as the bank only has one charging port.
Still, if you just need something to get yourself out of a bind or because your nearby coffee shop had a power cut, this is it.
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