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It may be a 21st century problem, but phone battery anxiety is all too real.

Picture this: you’re catching a flight abroad for a much deserved holiday. You get to the airport early, go through security and eagerly await for the gate to open. Excitement builds. Then; that dreaded announcement: your flight has been delayed. Aghast, you check your phone, only to find that it’s getting extremely low on battery.

Enter the portable charger, or power bank. Super handy in these kinds of situations, they’re lightweight, compact and can quickly charge your phone for effective use. Quite frankly, we’d never do a journey without them. So what are you waiting for? Read on to discover our favourite portable chargers for phones, for every kind of journey.

Read more: The best wireless chargers on the market in 2021

Firstly, a quick note: the portable charger needs to be in your hand luggage and cannot exceed 100Wh (watt hours) which is equivalent to less than 27,000 mAh (Milliamp hours), according to the International Civil Aviation Organization. With that being said, this option from powerhouse tech brand Anker would be a great addition to your carry-on. It has a 10000mAh battery, can charge a phone up to three times and weighs just half a pound.

Designed to fit comfortably in your palm

Anker technology ensures a fast charge

USB-C cable, Lightning cable, and AC adapter not included

If you want something with more oomph, we’d recommend this impressive option from Juice. It can charge an average smartphone up to seven times, is vastly compatible with different models and has pass-through charge, meaning you can charge the powerbank and your phone at the same time.

Has both USB-A and USB-C output ports

Slightly heavier and larger than other portable chargers

The highest scoring power bank award at consumer review site Which? goes to this small but mighty portable charger. The capacity of 20,000mAh means that it can charge not one, but two devices at once, perfect if both your phone and laptop need charging on your commute. It also has useful LED indicators to let you know how much battery your portable charger has left, when it’s charging and when it’s fully charged.

This is another great choice for lengthy commutes, as again it can charge two devices at once and can also provide up to eight full charges. Impressive, eh? We like this chic white shade, although it comes in blue, black and pink on Amazon.

Has an MFI licence, so can be used on Apple devices with a Lightning connector

6 in./15cm USB-A to USB-C cable included

Slightly bigger and heavier than other portable chargers

Stop scrolling, because now you can charge your phone with a watermelon. (Relatively) cheap and cheerful, admittedly this isn’t the most high-spec portable phone charger in the world, but we’re sure it will make your child smile. There is also a rubber duck, faux fur pom pom, a pug and a pig shape. Adore.

2500 mAh battery for use with most smartphones

Can be clipped to backpacks

Not a lot of power

Say hello to your child’s newest obsession. Part of the Hello Kitty x Skinnydip collection, this cute portable charger can charge most smartphones and provides up to four hours of charge for children to listen to music, use social media, play games and send texts or make calls. There is also an equally cute Care Bears design.

4,000 mAh battery that can charge the majority of models

Great for kids and teens

Not for frequent hardcore charging

Whether you love a long family car journey or are not such a big fan, we’ll make the journey easier for you with this impressive Pxwaxpy Portable Charger. For families it’s vitally important that the charger comes with an impressive amount of charge, as it may be used by multiple people and multiple devices in one journey. This one has 26800mAh, with dual USB ports and universal compatibility.

Comes with a cable and user manual

Can charge most of your phone up to 9 times

Can charge two phones at once

4 LED lights display remaining battery life

Can change the charging current depending on your device to protect it against overheating and overcharging

Reviewers mention it is a bit heavy and bulky

Quite slow at re-charging itself

It’s time to bring out the big guns, with this Charmast power bank that has an enormous 30000mAh. It has two inputs and three outputs, so it can charge three devices at the same time, perfect for a family journey. It also has Quick Charge, allowing smartphones to be almost fully charged in 45 minutes.

Charging cable and user manual included

Percentage display shows how much charge is remaining

Claims to be four times faster than regular portable chargers

Takes a little while to charge itself

A review mentioned that the case is slippery

There’s so many great portable chargers here, and we struggled to choose our top recommendations, but the Charmast Power Bank 30000mAh stands out in terms of its sheer power and its affordability. We also like the Which? winning portable charger, the Energizer Max 20000mAh Portable Power Bank, for being fast, efficient, and lightweight with 20000mAh. For kids, we think they will love the Melo USB Powerbank for being a fun way to keep their phones charged on the move.

Prices updated on 01/09/2022. We are not responsible for any changes made to the prices listed.

Having worked at Marie Claire and trade beauty magazine, Scratch, Emma is a beauty and fashion expert who aims to help readers choose perfect products. When not engrossed in glossy magazines, Emma loves walking her dog and attending West End shows.

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