It's one of the frustrating truths of the smartphone market. As phones get better, faster and more compelling, we spend more time using them.
So while everything from display resolution to processing power to camera quality have all improved incrementally over the past decade, one crucial feature has stagnated or even got worse: battery life.
Even the biggest and bulkiest smartphones on the market, with the space for the highest capacity Lithium-ion batteries, struggle to last for longer than 36 hours.
To plug this power gap, a raft of new mobile accessory brands have rolled out portable power banks - basically rechargeable li-on batteries that are light and compact enough to take along with you to give your phone some juice when required.
Portable power banks have become a hugely profitable market - analysts estimate that globally it will pull in over $17 billion (£13.2bn) in 2020/2021. And there's a lot of no-brand, low-quality crud cluttering up online stores.
A good power bank will deliver the capacity you need to reliably recharge your smartphone or tablet the required number of times while being portable and durable enough for day-to-day use. It also helps if the charger doesn't take too long to recharge (most of these reviewed here require an overnight charge, some of the cheap and cheerful models take up to 24 hours).
Other desirable features include higher voltage outputs to speed up the charging process, the ability to charge a device while being charged itself ('pass-through charging') and support for superfast charging protocols like Qualcom's Quick Charge 3.
So approaching like the cavalry, coming to the rescue of your waning smartphone, are the best power banks you can get in 2020/2021.
Anker PowerCore 20000 Power Bank
Pros: Quick charging for supported devices, relatively compact for its capacity
Cons: It may be lighter than its rivals but it's still heavy
Anker is one of the brightest stars in the world of portable chargers, helped by its focus on product excellence delivered with exceptional value. The PowerCore 20000 provides a whopping 20,000mAh capacity in a case that, while still bulky, is around 30% smaller and lighter than rival products. That's enough energy to recharge an iPhone 6S for six times on the trot - perfect for a long Glastonbury weekender, for instance.
The PowerCore 20000 has 2 USB outputs: 1 offers the latest Qualcom Quick Charge 3 tech that can jump start a compatible phone from zero to 80% capacity in under 60 minutes. The other output is rated at just 1A, but uses Anker's own 'IQ' system toidentify the device that it's being plugged in and regulate its charge for the best results.
All in all, it's probably the best all-round charger we've reviewed if you have space for it. The build quality and performance are both excellent, and while no portable chargers ever get bought for their looks, it does have nice rounded edges and attractive LED indicators.
Pros: Tank-like build quality, good looks, pass-through charging
Cons: No Qualcom Quick Charge
Zendure started off as a crowdfunded kickstarted project and over the past 5 years has become one of the most popular power bank brands around. The A2 is its best all-round package combining an easily pocketable, 136g chassis with a range of genuinely useful features.
The best of these is undoubtedly its support for pass-through charging - so when you plug in the Zendure A2 to a wall socket it can charge itself while charging another device at the same time. This can save a phenomenal amount of time if you're in a hurry and really sets the A2 apart from most of the other chargers in this group test.
Another stand out quality of the Zendure range of power banks is their tank-like durability. The company likes to drive cars over them to showcase their strength. We're just happy knowing that you can throw the A2 in your backpack or suitcase and not worry about it at all.
It's a shame that there's no support for any of the quick charging protocols, but otherwise the Zendure A2 ticks all the boxes required for a first rate, supremely portable charger. Most impressive.
Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Bank
Pros: Genuinely small, light and packs a punch
Con: Just 1 USB output
It's easy to misplace the PowerCore 10000 power charger because it's really that small and unassuming, weighing in at just 188g and occupying the same amount of space as a pack of playing cards. But beneath its compact exterior lurk 3 high-performance li-ion cells with a combined 10,000mAh worth of capacity. That's enough to fill up an iPhone 6S for 3 times and still have enough left to get it back up to 60% the fourth time around.
Like its big brother reviewed above, the PowerCore 10000 supports Qualcom's Quick Charge 3 standard for superfast top-ups on supported Android devices like the Sony Experia XZ and HTC 10. However the size constraints mean that there's only 1 USB port and it doesn't support pass-through charging. But for a device this small - and with a very wallet friendly £20 price tag - that's hardly going to be a show stopper.
The PowerCore 10000 handbag-friendly size and shape makes it an ideal choice for female powerbank users, although everyone who has used it appreciates its nimble form factor. The cutest charger in the line-up, but it punches well above its weight.
RAVPower 26800mAh Power Bank
Pros: A capacity beast
Cons: Big and heavy, no Quick Charge
The RAVPower is a genuine beast of a charger - with a claimed capacity of 26,800mAh (the clue's in the name, as will nearly all these power banks). Theoretically that's enough to recharge the 1,715mAh capacity battery in the iPhone 6S a staggering 15 times: but with an efficiency rate of around 80% the reality is nearer the still impressive figure 10.
However the beastly spec comes at a price: the RAVPower 26800 weighs in at a hefty 458g (or 1lb to our Brexit-voting friends). That's half a bag of sugar - and it is noticeable in most circumstances.
But as Star Trek's Scotty used to say: 'You cannae' change the laws of physics'. And if you want this level of capacity you have to pay in terms of size and weight. The extra space means that it has 3 USB ports (2 x USB A, I USB C) and one of those offers 5v / 2.1A output for speedier charging for bigger devices like phablets and iPads.
Strangely there's no support for Qualcom's Quick Charge, so if you're used to 15-minute power-ups you may want to look elsewhere.
Iceworks 5000 Power Bank
Pros: Includes built-in micro-USB and Lightning cable, very slim
Cons: No way to charge devices that don't fit the cables
The 2 features that set the Iceworks 5000 apart will appeal particularly to Apple iPhone users. The first is that it includes a built-in Lightning cable so there's no need to pack or find a USB to Lightning cable when you need to recharge. (The same applies for Android users who need the built-in micro-USB connector, too).
The second is that design-conscious iPhone users will appreciate the svelte 8mm thin form factor of the Iceworks 5000 - only 0.8mm thicker than the iPhone 6S itself.
The down side of having the built in cable is the fact that there is no way to charge devices that don't use mini-USB or Lightning connectors - so if you have a recent Android phone with a USB C connector, jog on. It would have been nice to have a USB A port on the Iceworks 5000 but that's probably the price paid for the ultraslim design.
All told, it's a lovely piece of kit.
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