Buying a Portable Battery Charger

Buying a Portable Battery Charger

A portable battery charger can come in handy when you’re on the go and don’t have easy access to a power outlet.portable battery charger It’s a battery with enough capacity to recharge your smartphone or another device several times, so it’s a good idea to carry one in case your phone runs out while you’re away from home or work. Some of these devices also have built-in USB ports to charge other mobile gadgets, too.

When shopping for a battery charger, consider its shape and design.portable battery charger You may want a pack that is flat and compact to fit in your pocket or purse, or you might prefer a more rounded design. Then, you should think about how many output ports you need. If you plan to charge multiple devices at once, look for a model that has more than one output port and supports the fastest possible speeds.

The capacity of a battery pack is measured in milliamp hours (mAh), which helps you figure out how much power it has. The more mAh a power bank has, the longer it will keep your device charged and the faster it will recharge itself. You can also find battery packs with different input voltage, which affects how fast it charges and the maximum output wattage that you can charge your device at.

Most battery packs are ready to use when you buy them, but some need to be fully charged before they're useful. Check the packaging to see if yours is pre-charged, and if not, follow the instructions for charging it at home. Then, attach the supplied cable to the port on the back of the pack and plug the other end into a wall charger or other power source. The speed at which a battery pack recharges depends on its input voltage, which can be anywhere from 1Amp up to 2.4Amps.

Bigger batteries — those with more mAh — often have more than one USB output port, which lets you charge multiple devices simultaneously. Some of these have enough grunt to power laptops, too, although we don't recommend them for that purpose unless you’re stuck somewhere without an outlet or forgot your computer charger. A few of the higher-rated battery packs also feature a built-in kickstand that allows you to prop up a tablet or laptop while charging them at the same time.

The Anker 521 Power Bank is a hybrid power pack that has an impressive 5,000mAh capacity and two USB-C output ports. Its body is shaped like a traditional portable charger, but on the back are two wall prongs that fold out to let you use it as a standard wall adapter. This feature makes it an especially convenient choice for camping trips, flights and other travel. Like other battery packs, it has an indicator light that shows how much power is left and a single button encircled in LEDs to control it. This battery pack is available in a variety of colors and finishes.