Anker Powercore 13000 Portable Charger Best Buy

We've researched over 100 of the top portable chargers you can buy, then bought 11 of the best models currently available to figure out which rules the roost. We rigorously tested these products head-to-head, even going so far as to use a digital multimeter and a simulated resistive mode to measure their capacity. We also evaluated and ranked how portable these products are and their overall convenience and ease of use. Check out the full review to find out which battery bested them all, which charger is the most compact, and which is the best for high-power devices.

anker powercore 13000 portable charger best buy

We've tested a wide array of the best electronics over the years. We understand that the modern world necessitates a charged device. From wireless chargers to USB charging blocks to the best car chargers, we've tested a variety of options to determine the best products for keeping your devices juiced up and ready for use. For models that double as mini heaters, see our Best Hand Warmer review.

With all these specific features, the Clutch is less versatile than most other portable chargers. There's no way to add any other cables than the one it comes with. We also found its efficiency to be rather inconsistent between tests. But regardless, it doesn't have the capacity to fully charge a dead smartphone. But if you just need enough juice to make a phone call or summon an Uber to get you back home to your regular charger, this is a great and easy unit to have on you for those types of emergencies.

We've tested nearly 30 portable chargers over the past five years, subjecting each to a battery of rigorous, intensive, and repeated testing. We weigh and measure every model, testing its comfort in our pockets and convenience in backpacks, clutches, and carry-on luggage. We measured their capacity and battery efficiency using various smartphones and dummy resister loads. We scrutinized their extra features, usability, and versatility. And we recharged and drained them over and over again, measuring how long it takes to do so.

This review involves testing, expertise, and input from several of GearLab's top Review Editors and Testing Directors. Maggie Nichols, Austin Palmer, and David Wise have put their heads together to test and examine this lineup of portable chargers. Maggie's scientific background helps her design and carry out rigorous product testing of a plethora of home goods, electronics, and outdoor equipment for GearLab. Austin and David have extensively tested and compared hundreds of consumer products for several years. David's formal training as a mechanical engineer, with a particular focus on electronics and electromechanical systems, sets him up perfectly to design the tests used to compare these portable chargers. We consulted with additional mechanical and electrical engineers as well as avid travelers and friends and family to design this battery of rigorous testing to encompass all the aspects of what makes a portable charger worth owning.

In our quest to find the best portable charger, we conducted extensive research and picked out the most promising portable power packs on the market. We then purchased them to undergo head-to-head tests here in our lab. We divided our testing procedure into four weighted performance metrics: Portability, Added Convenience, Capacity, and Recharge Time.

The Miisso Ultra Slim is the next smallest and lightest model we tested. Though it may seem significantly larger than the Clutch, we actually find the Miisso overall more versatile and therefore more worthwhile to carry for a greater variety of reasons. Rather than forcing you to choose between a lightning or USB-C charging cable (like the Clutch), the Miisso offers both. It also has a USB-A port on top for additional options, though bringing along an extra cable isn't very portability-friendly. Still, for this greatly enhanced versatility, the Miisso wins our vote for the most portable charger around.

Following that, we think the INIU Portable Charger 10000 is easily the next most portable. This charger is very lightweight and has a slim profile, making it easy to carry around in a pocket without becoming uncomfortable. The Anker PowerCore 10000, the Anker PowerCore Slim 10000, and the 2-Pack Miady are also very portable options. We looked at a single one of the Miady 2-Pack chargers for this metric. None of these three chargers are too heavy, weighing between 5.5 and 7.5 ounces. They are all easy enough to carry around in your pocket, with the Miady 10000 having a slight edge over the two by being just a bit slimmer.

The best portable chargers keep your devices powered while you're on the go. They can charge a variety of consumer electronics, including phones, tablets, e-readers, and even Nintendo Switch consoles and laptops. Because you'll inevitably find yourself out of the house with low battery life, you'll need a reliable portable charger with you to keep your electronics going. Not having one could prove to be extremely inconvenient.

We've done a battery (pun intended) of tests on some of the best and most highly rated portable chargers on the market. To that end, we've pulled from both big brands and popular competitors. Our testing involves seeing how fast devices charge and how many full phone chargers each power bank stores. While these specific portable chargers regularly appear on bestseller lists, they're all different in a number of important ways.

A shocking upset for the top slot, Anker (the typical standard-bearer) lost to INIU's 10000 mAh charger. This brick is one of the best portable chargers. Not only did its charging times and speeds sit near the top of the chart, but it's got 2 USB-A output ports to the Anker PowerCore Slim 10000's single USB-A charging port. And since that second port can be the difference between powering a secondary device while you charge your phone (or helping a friend out when they need it), we're giving the INIU the overall nod.

Our number 2 pick (still one of the best portable chargers) is the Anker PowerCore Slim 10000, which is a bit heavier than the INIU 10000 pack (7.3 ounces to 6.9 ounces). But it would have taken the top slot had it had that second USB-A output port. That's because its charging times were so close to the INIU brick (21% in 15 minutes, 76% in an hour) and its overall time to fill an iPhone 12 was 4 minutes shorter, at 1 hour and 56 minutes.

But it's so close to the INIU that we have to keep it as the #2-ranked portable charger. These bricks are so close, practically within margins of error in testing. If you only need to charge one device at a time, and the sale pricing makes the Slim 10000 that much cheaper than the INIU, go for it.

In terms of internal capacity, the Poweradd didn't actually beat the Anker, but was within the margin of striking distance, at 97% to 105%. And that difference isn't worth dinging it over. So, how did the Poweradd stick make it this high on our list of the best portable chargers? It's often the cheapest on this list, typically sitting at around $10.99 (that's almost over half as much as similar chargers). And at 4.4 ounces, it's a touch lighter than the 4.7-ounce Anker PowerCore 5000.

USB-C is no longer the port of the future, it's the port of the day. And while INIU's 20-watt brick is a bit heavy (the second heaviest on this list), its dual-function USB-C port makes it a clear favorite for one of the best portable chargers for those charging with the reversible port. This way, you can both charge it and charge other devices with the same USB-C cables, and you've also got two other USB-A ports for recharging other devices.

On top of that, it turned in the best performance in the 1-hour charging window, bringing our dead iPhone 12 to 81% of its charge. And its 1-hour and 57-minute time to bring that iPhone to a full charge is the second-best of the pack, only off by a minute from the PowerCore Slim 10000. Its high capacity of 20000 mAh also meant it refueled an iPhone more than most of these chargers, with 4.78 iPhone 12 refills.

Don't let that size worry you. Its 15-minute and 1-hour charging scores (20% and 71%) are up there on the right side of the ranges of scores. The only thing that's slightly disappointing is that it only has one USB-A out port, but that makes sense given its small size. That portability is one of its biggest strengths, though, as you probably won't have your whole crew expecting you can help their phones stay charged if you're not carrying a tank of a portable charger.

All that said, though, we could see an individual finding this to be the right charger for their needs. Anyone who is looking to primarily charge their own phone, and wants a high-capacity pack so they need to refuel less frequently will appreciate the more-portable weight. All you need is a pocket big enough to hold it, and you'll have juice for days.

The best aspect of the PowerCore 5000 is that it hit 19% after 15 minutes, which is 7% above the Miady power banks. There's nothing particularly wrong with this charger, but nothing impressive either. If you got it as a present, you might hold onto it and get a ton of use out of it. If it goes on sale for a deep discount, we wouldn't be against considering it. But at the end of the day, it's low on our list for a reason.

We always look at no-name brands on Amazon with askew looks, and (unlike the INIU power banks) the Ekrist proves our suspicions right. Its main positive features are that its 25,800mAh power supply refueled our iPhone 12 four times, and at 11.2 ounces, it's 1.4 ounces lighter than the 20,000 mAh INIU portable charger. That said, there are other bigger chargers that pack a ton of juice that you should opt for instead.

Be a ports authority: If you hold onto your devices forever, and don't already know what a USB-C port is, you can probably just get whatever fits your price. But if you're the kind who wants faster charging, look for a brick that has PD in its name. The best portable chargers, at least for my money, charge devices the fastest and use the Power Delivery (PD) standard. Also, their USB-C ports mean you can refuel these power banks with the same cords used to charge modern laptops. 041b061a72