Whether you’re a glued-to-your-screen smartphone owner who can never make it through a day on a full charge, or you just need an occasional battery boost, USB power banks are a panacea for low-battery anxiety.
After putting in hundreds of hours of research and testing, we’ve found that the Belkin Boost Charge Plus 10K is the best power bank to charge a phone, tablet, or another small, handheld device.
It’s an all-around great portable charger that can offer you peace of mind whenever wall outlets are out of reach.
Most people can find use for a USB power bank (also called an external battery pack, backup battery, or portable charger) to keep phones and other devices charged while on the go. Rather than tracking down a wall outlet, owning a USB power bank allows you to enjoy a conveniently portable (albeit limited) power supply.
The question is, which one best fits into your habits? Some might need only a small battery to give their phone a boost at the end of the day, while those who travel a lot may be looking to power multiple devices over the course of several days.
A wallet-sized power bank is great to keep on hand for those unexpected (yet critical) moments when your phone is dying and no outlets are nearby. But if you want something for weekend trips or a regular commute, the picks in this guide offer one or more full charges for most smartphones but can still fit easily in laptop bags, totes, purses, or even large pockets.
These power banks are robust yet portable, allowing you to charge small devices such as wireless headphones, computer mice, keyboards, vaporizers, digital cameras, and more. They are also helpful if you need a bit of backup power during a power outage or other emergency.
Strategically placing a few of these around the house isn’t a bad idea, either. You can keep one in your foyer to grab as you’re running out the door, or one near the couch for when you’re curled up cozily under a blanket and really, really don’t want to get up to plug in your phone.
For laptops and other large devices that charge via USB-C or AC, we have separate guides for power banks with much higher capacity ratings than the chargers we recommend here. For Qi-compatible devices, we also have a separate guide to the best wireless portable chargers and power banks.
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How we picked and tested
Our top three picks for the best portable chargers and power banks.
Photo: Connie Park
With tons of brands and models to choose from, we checked out major retailers to find the most widely available options and narrowed the scope of our search using the following criteria:
Powerful charging and recharging: For models with USB-C output or input, we preferred those rated for at least 15 watts. That’s the minimum wattage needed for full USB-C charging and recharging speeds (though devices that support the even faster USB-C standard—USB Power Delivery, or USB PD—need at least 18 watts). Likewise, for models with USB-A output or Micro-USB input, we looked for those rated for 8 watts or more. Anything less powerful would be painfully slow.
No heavier than half a pound: Power banks should be small and lightweight, making them easy to tote around in a wallet, pocket, or bag for an entire day. We preferred to test power banks weighing 8 ounces or less, since we don’t think most people want to carry something in their pocket or purse that weighs much more than a smartphone (for reference, an iPhone 14 weighs 6.1 ounces and a Pixel 7 weighs 6.9 ounces).
Capacity rating of 2,000 to 10,000 mAh: The capacity rating listed on the power bank tells you roughly how much power it can hold. Since batteries with a capacity rating of more than 10,000 mAh tend to be bigger, heavier, and more expensive, for this guide we focused primarily on those with enough capacity to give your phone a boost of power or to fully charge it several times.
At least a one-year warranty: A year is plenty of time to use your power bank and make sure it’s working properly, although longer warranties are always preferable.
Brand reputation: We favored brands that we’ve had good experiences with in the past when it comes to responsive customer support and product reliability. We discounted models still undergoing a crowdfunding campaign, as well as brands lacking a visible web presence.
Price: We used a ratio of capacity (mAh) per dollar to break ties between otherwise similar models.
Built-in cables: We preferred power banks with some type of built-in cable or plug. This type of feature is indispensable when executed well, since separate charging cables (even if they’re neatly coiled up) take up more space in a bag.
A power bank in the midst of being tested, plugged into a smart phone and a video game to charge both simultaneously.
In determining our picks, we gave preference to power banks with built-in cables and a variety of charging ports. Photo: Sarah Witman
We tested the performance of each power bank in a few key areas, including the following:
Weight: We used an Escali Primo Digital Scale to confirm the advertised weight of each power bank.
Size: Rather than measure the dimensions of each power bank, we considered size in terms of whether a power bank fit inside a wallet, a pocket (we tried a variety of pants, skirt, and jacket pockets), or an accessories pouch.
Look and feel: We took note of each power bank’s bulk and exterior texture, and considered how easy and intuitive its features were to use.
Charging output of USB-A ports: We connected a half-charged power bank to a Drok USB load tester, turned up the amperage as far as it could go without overloading the power bank, and recorded the measured maximum output (watts) from each USB-A port.
Charging input and output of USB-C ports: We used a Total Phase USB Power Delivery Analyzer to measure the maximum output (watts) from each USB-C port
Device compatibility: Because some devices can be finicky when it comes to charging, we plugged each of the power banks into a half-charged Nintendo Switch, iPhone 14, and pair of Jabra wireless headphones to make sure they could successfully top them off.
Our pick: Belkin Boost Charge Plus 10K
The Belkin Boost Charge Plus 10K portable power bank.
Photo: Connie Park
Top pick
Belkin BoostCharge Plus 10K
The best power bank for phones, tablets, and more
This power bank is small and light, and its rounded edges make it easy to slip into a pocket. It comes in only one color, but it has two built-in cables and enough capacity to charge most smartphones up to three times.
$67 from Amazon
$60 from Walmart
The Belkin Boost Charge Plus 10K is compact, sleek, and powerful. It has a USB-C PD port, built-in Lightning and USB-C cables, and as much battery life as any model we tested. It’s on the pricey side, but no other model we’ve tested matches its unique combination of features.
It has built-in cables. In addition to a fast-charging USB-C PD port, the Belkin’s built-in Lightning and USB-C cables can charge most phones or other handheld devices (or recharge the unit itself) at top speed.
It packs a lot of power. We measured up to 19 W flowing into the power bank through either the USB-C PD port or built-in USB-C cable, and up to 18 W flowing out through the USB-C PD port, built-in USB-C cable, or built-in Lightning cable. With two devices plugged into the power bank, we measured a total maximum output of 24 W—more than twice as much power as some models we tested.
It has passthrough charging. While recharging the Belkin, you can simultaneously charge another device (we measured up to 15 W of passthrough charging power). This is a highly convenient, yet somewhat rare, feature.
It has great battery life. With a capacity rating of 10,000 mAh, the Belkin has enough juice to fully charge an iPhone 14 (and most other smartphones) up to three times, while some models we tested struggle to bring a phone from empty to full just once.
It won’t weigh you down. Weighing 8.4 ounces, or just over half a pound, the Belkin doesn’t add a lot of extra bulk to a backpack or purse. Plus, its built-in cables negate the need to carry additional charging cables.
It’s enjoyable to use. The best-designed products are those you barely notice, and the Belkin is no exception. It has a streamlined, minimalistic look that blends in easily with its surroundings—as of this writing, it comes in blue or black. Its rounded edges make it comfortable to hold and easy to slip into a pocket, while the textured plastic shell offers some extra grip.
While the same is true of nearly every model we tested, this power bank is effortless to use: A single button turns it on and off (it also powers down automatically when not connected to anything), and four small LEDs indicate how much battery life remains.
It’s sturdily built. The Belkin has a rugged build quality, and the attached cables slide seamlessly in and out of their holsters without showing signs of straining or tearing.
Belkin offers a long warranty and good customer support. Belkin’s two-year warranty gives you more than enough time to use the power bank and ensure it’s in working order. We’ve found the company’s customer support to be responsive, too.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
At the time of this writing, the Boost Charge Plus 10K costs $55, which is on the pricier side. But it’s worth spending more for its long battery life—if your power bank dies before you can find an outlet to recharge it, it’s failing at its main job—and its easily packable size.
This model doesn’t come with a wall charger, or any other accessories. But since most people already have a compatible wall charger (or several) at home, and they’re fairly inexpensive, we don’t think it’s a major issue. (Plus, it helps reduce e-waste.)
Long-term testing notes
I’ve used the Boost Charge Plus 10K on a near-daily basis for the past two years, and it looks as good as the day I got it. The cables still slide in and out of their holsters with ease, and it quickly charges my devices (usually an iPhone 15 Pro and/or AirPods Pro).
I wrote a separate piece on why I always pack this Belkin power bank, including tips on how to make it (or any power bank) last as long as possible.
Also great: TravelCard Plus
The TravelCard Plus portable power bank.
Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter
Also great
TravelCard Plus
A boost of power in an ultra-thin package
This power bank is one of the smallest and lightest we’ve tested. It has a powerful USB-C PD port, built-in USB-C and Lightning cables, and a 3,000 mAh rated capacity. But it recharges slower than our other picks.
$39 from TravelCard
If you want an ultra-compact power bank that can fit in a small crossbody bag or clutch, the TravelCard Plus is your best bet.
It doesn’t have enough capacity to fully charge most smartphones, but it’s one of the lightest models we’ve tested, and like our top pick it has built-in USB-C and Lightning cables. Plus, it comes in a wider variety of colors than our other picks.
It’s powerful for its size (though it recharges at a snail’s pace). The TravelCard Plus isn’t quite as powerful as our top pick, but it still has plenty of juice to charge most devices (or recharge itself) at a steady clip.
This model lacks passthrough charging, but the built-in USB-C cable can pass up to 15 W to connected devices, and the built-in Lightning cable can pass up to 10 W.
We measured up to 7 W while recharging the power bank from either its USB-C PD port or built-in USB-C cable. That’s pretty sluggish compared to our top pick (although, since the capacity is so much lower, it still only takes about an hour to fully recharge).
It’ll keep your phone from dying (but might not fully charge it). With a rated capacity of 3,000 mAh, the TravelCard Plus is well within our desired range for battery life. Although it doesn’t have quite enough capacity to bring most smartphones from 0% to 100% charged, it can easily top off or revive a dying device.
It’s super lightweight. Weighing just 2.7 ounces—roughly akin to five sheets of notebook paper—the TravelCard Plus is one of the lightest power banks we’ve tested.
It’s sleek yet sturdy. The TravelCard Plus is a tad bigger than a typical credit card (3.6 inches by 2.4 inches), and about as thick as four credit cards stacked (0.3 inch). Not only is it slimmer than most power banks we’ve tested, but it’s sturdily built and has a sleek look with rounded edges and a polished-metal finish. The built-in cables are dainty, but they showed no signs of tearing in our testing, and they slide smoothly in and out of their holsters.
It’s easy to use. Like our other picks, this power bank has just one button (to turn the unit on and off) and four battery-status indicator lights.
It’s well-supported. Despite a relatively small web presence, TravelCard backs its products with a two-year warranty, and we’ve had generally good experiences with its customer support.
It’s relatively affordable. Like our top pick, the TravelCard Plus doesn’t come with a wall charger or other accessories, but it’s significantly cheaper than that model ($40 at this writing). Plus, most people likely already have a compatible charger that came with their phone or another device, and don’t need a surplus.
It comes in a wide range of colors. Most models we tested come in just one or two colors, but the TravelCard Plus has eight options: black, white, silver, gray, red, teal, blue, or indigo.
Long-term testing notes
Wirecutter Enterprise Productivity Manager Cory Hartmann gifted TravelCard chargers to everyone in his family (including himself) a couple years ago, and he and his spouse still use theirs on a daily basis. “One thing we’ve found really helpful is keeping our TravelCard chargers in our key tray by the front door. That way, when we’re grabbing our keys on our way out, the chargers are sitting there right there in our field of view. The visual reminder to bring the chargers has worked a treat!”
Wirecutter Associate Staff Writer Kyle Fitzgerald suggested the TravelCard Plus to his brother and sister-in-law as a gift for their 15-year-old son “whose phone battery is basically always below 20 percent.” After more than a year of daily use, the teen’s parents “are very happy with it and glad [that due to its small size] he can have it in his pocket rather than leaving it in a bookbag.”
Budget pick: Scosche GoBat 10K
The Scosche GoBat 10K portable power bank.
Photo: Connie Park
Budget pick
Scosche GoBat 10K
Plenty of power, but no built-in cables
This power bank has a USB-C PD port to charge devices at top speed, as well as a USB-A port for older devices. It’s not as slim as we’d like, but it’s lightweight and can charge most phones three times.
$50 from Amazon
$55 from Scosche
If funds are limited, and you can stand to carry a separate charging cable or two, the Scosche GoBat 10K is a less-expensive alternative to our top pick.
It’s comparable in terms of power, capacity, and build quality. And while it’s chunkier in shape, and lacks built-in cables, it’s also a bit smaller and lighter.
It’s supremely powerful. This power bank edged out the rest of the bunch in terms of input, and it was also one of the best performers when it came to output. We measured up to 25 W flowing into its USB-C PD port, up to 20 watts out of its USB-C PD port, and up to 17 watts from its USB-A port.
It has great battery life. Just like our top pick, the Scosche has a rated capacity of 10,000 mAh, so you can fully charge a phone up to three times.
It weighs less than a roll of quarters. At just 6.4 ounces, the Scosche is a couple ounces lighter than our top pick, though still not as light as the TravelCard Plus.
It’s sturdily built. Encased in a hard plastic shell, the Scosche is relatively rugged, and it has a sturdy build quality.
It’s comfortable to hold (and easy on the eyes). This power bank’s blocky shape makes it a bit tougher to slip into small pockets or purses, but it’s still quite compact, and its rounded edges feel comfortable in the hand.
The power bank has a sophisticated look overall, though it only comes in black (we’d also prefer the company’s logo on top of the unit to be a bit subtler, but it’s not super splashy).