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Portable battery chargers are necessary when we are on the go with our iPhones or iPads and use them for entertainment or business-related tasks. Sometimes we may even use them in our homes, when there’s no nearby outlet, for example, on a patio.
Over the years, I’ve used portable battery chargers to:
- Stream my daughters’ softball games
- Record podcasts at conferences
- Livestream from events
- Have battery on my devices while traveling
And even when the iPhone or iPad batteries are improving, those activities still take a lot of juice out of those devices. The easiest way around that, from my experience, has been to use portable battery charges. Let me show you some examples of reliable ones.
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How long do portable chargers last?
It all depends on what you have plugged into them and how many devices you have. So there are times when I’m sitting at a softball game, and I have my iPad and my own iPhone, and my wife’s iPhone and maybe my daughter’s iPhone plugged in, and certainly, it’s not going to last as long as it would if it was just one device.
Here’s an overview of some portable chargers and how long they last (based on their product descriptions).
| Portable Charger | Capacity (mAh) | Estimated Charge Duration | iPhone 15 Charge Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| INIU Portable Charger | 10,000 mAh | 2-3 charges for a smartphone | Approximately 1.5 hours with a 20W adapter |
| Anker Magnetic Power Bank | 10,000 mAh | 2-3 charges for a smartphone | Approximately 1.5 hours with a 20W adapter |
| Portable Charger with Built-in Cables | 10,000 mAh | 2-3 charges for a smartphone | Approximately 1.5 hours with a 20W adapter |
| Anker Power Bank (PowerCore 10K) | 10,000 mAh | 2-3 charges for a smartphone | Approximately 1.5 hours with a 20W adapter |
| SABANI Portable Charger | 35,000 mAh | 8-10 charges for a smartphone | Approximately 1.5 hours with a 20W adapter |
| ALLPOWERS R600 Portable Power Station | Approximately 80,000 mAh (299Wh) | Estimated 20 full charges for a smartphone | Approximately 1.5 hours per charge with a suitable adapter |
How much are portable chargers?
Prices vary widely, so let’s look at the current prices of the chargers mentioned above. The portable power station, which is portable, but you won’t walk around with, costs $269. This one works great when you are stationary for a good amount of time and need to plug in a number of devices.
The INU Portable Charger is currently the cheapest, with a price tag of under $18, but it also doesn’t have that much power.
Even more options
Let’s look at some other – perhaps more specialized options of reliable chargers now.
Attachable portable chargers
The ones you can just plop on the back of your phone are convenient, but keep in mind that they are on the lower end of strength for multiple charges. Two to three should be doable.
Bank with retractable cable
The ones with retractable cables can make our lives easier when trying to manage all the cables constantly around us. Here’s one option.
Built-in cables (not retractable)
Others have built-in cables that do not retract. Ensure you get the functionality you want and they have the right cables for your devices.
I also like the compactness of this one.
Charging station with solar panels
If you do want to go the route of the power station, you can also get one with a solar panel for even more mileage.
Magnetic power bank
There are plenty of options for power banks that attach to your phone through a magnet to charge it.
Small portable charger for the bottom of the phone
These are small and convenient for a quick charge.
When to plug devices into battery packs?
There are different philosophies on when we should plug our devices into these banks while out and about.
- Right away to maintain battery charge status quo.
- Once the device is close to empty, unplug it once it’s recharged.
- Charge it once it’s empty, and then keep it plugged in.
I usually follow the third option. Once the battery is close to empty, I will plug the device into the charger and leave it plugged in for the duration of the current activity.
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Accessories needed for battery packs
While most of these work just fine for iPhones and iPads, make sure to look at which inputs are available and what cables your devices need. For some of these packs, I have to use a USB-to-USB-C adapter to plug in my iPad Pro.
I also try to carry more than one portable battery pack with me whenever possible. So if one runs out, I can easily switch to the next one.
Portable battery packs can help us stay powered away from our typical studio, office or home. These are the best practices and tips that I’ve followed to ensure my devices never – or at least hardly ever – run out of battery power.