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 day's end. When that happens, and then no outlet in site, a battery pack will be your best friend. But which battery pack? Here are our favorites!
TravelCard 1500mAh
The Wirecutter's favorite charger is also one of ours, especially since you can buy one made specifically for iPhone, with a built-in Lightning cable.
1500mAh won't give you a full charge for your iPhone, but it will easily help you make it to the end of the day and then some. What more can you expect from a charger that's roughly the length and width of a credit card? Pricing starts around $30.
RAVPower Ace 22000mAh
If you need a lot more power — as in you might not see a power outlet for a couple days — then the $40 RAVPower Ace series has you more than covered. 22000mAh is enough to charge your iPhone at least six times, if not more. These power banks are relatively compact, at about 6.5 inches long, 3 inches wide, and about an inch thick, so still absolutely portable and convenient.
The shell is fire-resistant, made of the same material Mercedes and BMW use in their vehicles, so you won't have any Galaxy Note 7 episodes. There are also three ports, so you can charge up to three devices simultaneously.
KMASHI 10000mAh
If you want a power bank that's about the size of a chocolate bar, but still need to charge your iPhone a couple times with it, KMASHI's $14 10000mAh bank should do the trick. Intelligent power management means overcurrent, overcharge, and overvoltage protection, so you won't fry your iPhone in case something goes wrong, and you won't fry the power bank while charging it.
LED indicators let you know when the bank is full and when it's time to recharge, so you'll know roughly how long you have before you need to plug in.
Anker Astro E1 5200mAh
Anker makes phenomenal charging products. Astro E1 is an excellent candy bar-sized option at roughly $24 that's perfect for heading out to play Pokémon Go, or just for charging your iPhone at your desk without taking up any space.
5200mAh should charge your iPhone about twice, so it's even a great travel option if you know you'll be out and about a lot without much time to stick it in the wall.
Aibocn 10000mAh
Sure, the company name is impossible to pronounce, but Aibocn's $11 10000mAh power bank doesn't have time for your sputtering — it's too busy charging up your iPhone and stealing your car. Well, the former at least. It looks like something a Stormtrooper would carry and features a backup flashlight in case you're caught in the dark or need help aiming your blaster (see what I did there?).
Two USB ports let you charge two devices simultaneously, and Aibocn's 1-year warranty will keep you backed up and hassle-free.
Anker PowerCore 20,100mAh
Yes, another Anker, but this one has 20100mAh of PowerCore — able to charge your iPhone about five times and all in a package about the size of your iPhone. And pricing starts around $50.
Dual USB ports let you charge two devices at the same time, making this perfect for everyday use, especially if you like to rock your iPhone and iPad all day long. As usual, you get Anker's 18-month warranty, and your device is protected in the event of overcurrent, overcharge, or overvoltage.
Jackery Bolt 6000mAh
Jackery's $30 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 a couple times. And if gray isn't your thing, it comes in a vibrant orange.
If you have any other devices to charge up, there's also a built-in Micro-USB cable, and you get a 2-year warranty if anything stops working like it should.
Ventev 6000mAh
Ventev's $50 battery pack is sweet! Yes, it is portable, starring a built-in Lightning cable as well as an extra USB-A slot, so you can charge another device at the same time. But the best part is that it has a built-in male connector for a wall socket. And you can charge your iPhone while charging the battery pack. Genius!
Size-wise, the Ventev battery pack is a little on the larger side, about the same size as an iPhone 8 and twice as thick, so it's definitely not a keep-in-your-pocket option (unless you like full pockets).
What keeps you going and going and going… ?
Do you use an awesome battery bank that I didn't mention? Let me know in the comments below!
Updated August 2018: Updated pricing, added the Jackery Bolt and Ventev chargers.
iPhone XS + iPhone XS Max
