Smartphone batteries: What are your best options?

See also: The best portable chargers and power banks

We’ve gathered power banks from a variety of sources and put them all through the wringer. Our reviewers have tested the charging speeds and the overall build quality of each option to help you choose.

Buying the right 10,000mAh power bank for your needs

Before you run out and buy the first power bank on our list, there are a few things you should consider. After all, the best power bank for us may not be the best one for you. Here are a few things you might want to keep in mind:

• How much are you willing to spend? There’s no question — our favorite 10,000mAh power bank right now is an expensive one. It packs all the bells and whistles, but you may not have as much budget to work with. You can get some seriously impressive power banks for around $50, or sacrifice a few fancy features to keep the budget to a tight $30.
• What charging standards do you need? Many modern smartphones rely on some form of USB Power Delivery to recharge at top speeds. However, Power Delivery isn’t always present on budget-friendly power banks. You may also want to ensure that your bank of choice supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 2 or 3 for older devices. If you’re going to charge an older Apple device, you’ll want to check for 2.4A charging, too.
• Will you be charging wirelessly? If you’re hoping to give your smartwatch or wireless earbuds a boost, you may need to look for a power bank with a wireless charging pad. These are becoming more common, but they can still be pricey. You should also consider the speed you want — some pads offer 5W charging while others are much faster at 10W.
• How much does metal vs plastic matter? Plastic is still the most popular material for most power banks, and for good reason. It tends to be lighter and more affordable than certain metal options. However, you can always think about a metal power bank if you expect it to take some drops and scrapes. Otterbox also offers a rubber-coated power bank for your outdoor adventures.

Samsung 25W Wireless Portable Battery: The best 10,000mAh power bank

If you’re looking for a 10,000mAh power bank to deliver solid speeds with flexible wireless options, it’s tough to top this option from Samsung. It’s one of few to offer USB PD PPS support so it can charge the Galaxy S21 series at full speeds. Samsung’s premium offering costs a pretty penny at $79.99, but it’s well-built with plenty of charging flexibility.

For starters, you get a pair of 25W USB-C ports to choose from. Samsung also packed a 7.5W wireless charging pad onto the top panel for your wireless earbuds and wearables. It’s covered in a tactile rubber that should keep your device from sliding around while you charge. If you don’t need the premium PD PPS speeds, the Samsung Wireless Portable Battery also supports USB PD 3.0 and Quick Charge 3.0.

While you may not want to use Samsung’s Wireless Portable Battery to recharge your laptop — 25W is a far cry from the 65W many laptops can take — it’s an excellent pick for almost all smaller devices. It works best charging one device at a time, but the multi-device options mean you can get all of your devices up and running simultaneously.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Samsung 25W Wireless Portable Battery.

Looking for other recommendations? While the Samsung 25W Wireless Portable Battery is our top recommendation, keep reading below for additional choices worth considering.

Other products worth considering

The best 10,000mAh power banks

• Anker PowerCore III Wireless: The PowerCore III Wireless costs $30 less than Samsung’s best, and it offers wireless charging on top of USB-A and Power Delivery USB-C ports.
• InfinityLab InstantGo: Harman’s first entry into the charging game packs an impressive 90% recycled plastic with either wireless charging or a built-in cable.
• Otterbox Folding Wireless Power Bank: Otterbox is after the gamers with its hefty power bank. You can fold the Qi charging pad into a handy kickstand for gaming on the go.
• Mophie PowerStation PD XL: The Mophie PowerStation PD XL is one of the most compact options on our list, yet it packs USB-C Power Delivery support.
• Anker PowerCore Slim PD: Anker nailed the basics with its PowerCore Slim PD. It’s light, slim, and combines PowerIQ and Power Delivery charging standards.
• Crave Plus portable charger: The Crave Plus is a hefty metal power bank that feels built to last a while. It’s an odd option in that it packs a micro-USB port, but it still offers solid speeds.
• Otterbox Wireless Power Pack: Otterbox is ready for an adventure with this rubber-coated power bank. It offers the same durability you’d find in an Otterbox case and just about as much bulk.

The Anker PowerCore III Wireless offers many of the features we love about Samsung’s Wireless Portable Battery for just $49. It swaps the metal finish for a predominantly plastic one and trades one of the USB-C ports for a USB-A option. Anker includes a handy drawstring pouch for your power bank and charging cables too.

As for charging standards, the PowerCore III Wireless drops the USB PD PPS support but does offer USB PD 3.0 at up to 18W from the USB-C port. You can use Anker’s proprietary PowerIQ from the USB-A port, and the charging pad on top maxes out at 10W. It also weighs just 245g — around 70g lighter than the premium Samsung option. Anker even built a small sliding kickstand into the side, although you have to use it on a completely flat surface, or your phone will fall out.

See also: Here’s how fast charging really works

Once again, 18W charging comes up a bit short for laptops, though it works well for smartphones and small tablets. Our charging tests showed reliable speeds from both the USB-A and USB-C ports, but they slow down to nearly 8W when you try to use both at once.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Anker PowerCore III Wireless.

InfinityLab is Harman’s entry into charging accessories, and it comes with a twist — all InfinityLab products rely heavily on recycled plastic. The InstantGo 10,000mAh power bank packs an impressive 90% recycled plastic into the design you see above. It comes in either black or white, though the marbled pattern you see on the plastic is just for show.

InfinityLab’s InstantGo family is on the expensive side, starting at $69, but it offers impressive features for you to choose from. You can either grab a power bank with a built-in USB-C or Lightning cable or pick up an option with a 10W wireless charging pad. No matter which option you choose, you’ll get USB PD 3.0 to work with, as well as Quick Charge 2.0 and 3.0, Apple 2.4A, and Samsung Adaptive Fast Charge for older devices.

See also: InfinityLab InstantCharger review

Overall, the InfinityLab InstantGo tops out at 30W charging. It’s pretty impressive for a power bank and offers better laptop support than some of our previous picks. However, the lack of USB PD PPS means you won’t be able to use the total 30W for the Galaxy S21 or Pixel 6 series.

Check out our full review to learn more about the InfinityLab InstantGo.

Otterbox has long been dedicated to the toughest phone cases around. Now, it has its sights set on a new market — gaming accessories. This 10,000mAh power bank is among our favorites for the flexibility it offers, even if it’s on the expensive side at $59. Otterbox took the best aspects of a power bank and blended them with the key features of a charging stand to create the charging beast you see above.

If you’re a die-hard mobile gamer, you can set your phone on the gold-ringed charging pad and keep enjoying the action. It may not work well if you use your phone as the controller, but it’s also excellent for streaming your favorite shows. That gold band is more than just aesthetic — it denotes Otterbox’s fast 10W wireless charging.

The USB-A and USB-C ports can push up to 18W speeds, and the Otterbox Folding Wireless Power Bank offers solid charging options. You get both Quick Charge 2.0 and 3.0, Power Delivery 2.0 and 3.0, and both Apple and Samsung Fast Charging. Just be ready to make extra room in your bag — this is one of the thickest and heaviest power banks on our list at 320g.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Otterbox Folding Wireless Power Bank.

Despite its XL name, this Mophie Powerstation is one of the most compact 10,000mAh power banks on our list. It’s shorter and thinner than a Google Pixel 5, which means it’s easy to shove in a pocket for life on the go. You’ll find a 12W USB-A port and an 18W USB-C port tucked along the bottom edge, along with a line of LEDs to check your remaining charge.

Mophie’s portable power bank offers decent charging standards, including Quick Charge 2.0 and 3.0, but it only packs USB Power Delivery 2.0. While this won’t impact the speeds, USB PD 2.0 isn’t the latest implementation. The Powerstation PD XL also advertises 5W USB-A charging with multiple devices plugged in, but our testing showed it’s capable of better speeds — around 8W.

See also: Our guide to buying USB cables

We may not have recommended the Powerstation PD XL at launch with its $60 price, but you can now find it for around $25. It’s a tough price to top, even with the power bank’s shortcomings.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Mophie PowerStation PD XL.

Anker is back on our list of the best 10,000mAh power banks with a great budget pick. The PowerCore Slim PD skips most of the bells and whistles and focuses on refining the basics. It’s among our most affordable selections at $29, but you still get USB Power Delivery support for your money.

The power bank itself packs a USB-A and a USB-C port, with one round button to show the remaining charge. It tops out at 18W speeds from the USB-C port, though the Power Delivery support stops short of USB PD PPS. You get similar Quick Charge options to other power banks on our list, and the USB-A port relies on Qualcomm’s proprietary PowerIQ.

If you want to charge two devices simultaneously, be ready for the power bank to split its 18W speeds. Realistically, we saw 10W from the USB-C port and 8W from the USB-A port. On the bright side, the Anker PowerCore Slim PD is about the size of a Pixel 5 and weighs just 212g.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Anker PowerCore Slim PD.

While the Anker PowerCore Slim PD was a small and light power bank, the Crave Plus heads in a decidedly different direction. It’s taller and wider and brings back a durable metal construction. Although the Crave Plus falls on the heavy side, its thin design does make it easy to slip into a purse or backpack whenever you need to travel.

The Crave Plus is a unique power bank on our list in that it offers a micro-USB port for recharging. However, you’re more likely to turn to the USB-C port with its in/out support. It’s advertised as topping out at 18W from the USB-A port and 15W from the USB-C port, though our testing bore nearly opposite results. Crave skipped USB PD PPS, making this a more reliable power bank for Apple’s iPhones than Samsung’s Galaxy S21 series.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Crave Plus portable charger.

If you’re after a rugged power bank for your next camping trip, look no further than the Otterbox Wireless Power Pack. It’s large for a 10,000mAh power bank — look at it in comparison to the Galaxy S20 Ultra — but it’s the only option on our list with an IP rating. Specifically, this Otterbox power bank is IP54 rated against most dust and water sprays from all angles. That said, it’s still not rated for submersion in water.

Otterbox relies heavily on the thick rubber port covers to keep debris out of your precious ports. The rest of the power bank is also coated in a rubber layer reminiscent of a classic Otterbox case. You might not recognize it at first, but the top panel doubles as a wireless charging pad with up to 5W speeds. The power bank packs 18W USB-C and 12W USB-A ports, with USB PD from the USB-C option.

While the Otterbox Wireless Power Pack is ready for adventure, it’s not great if you want to pack lightly. It weighs 321g and is the tallest of any power bank on our list. You can still find this 10,000mAh power bank for around $39, though it’s not as widely available as the Otterbox mentioned above.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Otterbox Wireless Power Pack.

Honorable mentions

That’s it for our list of the best 10,000mAh power banks you can buy, but it’s only a fraction of what’s out there. We also want to give an honorable mention to the following products:

• Iniu power bank: This power bank offers a smaller footprint than the Anker PowerCore Slim PD with three total output ports. It also sports one of the most unique charging indicators — a glowing blue paw print.
• Belkin Power Bank 10K: Belkin’s power bank is small, sturdy, and packs four USB ports. However, it doesn’t keep up with the latest charging standards.