My everyday Anker power bank has an ingenious feature that makes it irreplaceable

ZDNET’s key findings

• The Anker Nano 10,000mAh 30W Power Bank is available on Amazon for $40.
• This is one of the most intuitive power banks I’ve tested, from the integrated display to the built-in USB-C cable that doubles as a carrying strap.
• I wish it supported wireless charging too.

Have you ever been in such a rush that you reached for a power bank to protect your smartphone from leaking, only to realize you forgot to bring a cable for it? Nope? Is it just me?

Also: This 3-in-1 MagSafe charger is my new favorite travel accessory, it supports Qi2

Until recently, this was a problem that I was constantly experiencing. But then came the Anker Nano 30W Power Bank. It has a battery capacity of 10,000 mAh, an integrated display that shows the current charge level and an ingenious USB-C function that I can no longer live without.

View on Amazon

Technical data

• Total capacity: 10,000 mAh
• Cells: 2x 5,000mAh, 7.2Vdc, 36Wh
• Input: USB-C cable: 30W max. (5V⎓3A / 9V⎓3A / 15V⎓2A / 20V⎓1.5A）
• Output: USB-C cable: 30W max (5V⎓3A / 9V⎓3A / 10V⎓2.25A / 12V⎓2.5A / 15V⎓2A / 20V⎓ 1.5A, USB-A: 22.5W max. (5V⎓3A / 9V⎓2A / 10V⎓2.25A / 12V⎓1.5A）
• Cable: 0.6 feet/19 cm
• Display: OLED, shows remaining battery charge and full charge/remaining battery time
• Weight: 7.58 oz (215 g)
• Colors: Black Stone, Ice Lake Blue, Natural Green, Shell White and Lilac Violet

Although MagSafe power banks are all the rage right now, if you want to charge something else, you’ll still need to think about a cable. The Anker Nano has a built-in USB-C cable and two USB ports – one USB-C and one USB-A.

Also: My all-time favorite USB-C accessory just got a magnetic upgrade (and it’s 30% off)

The integrated USB-C cable is a decent length at 19cm and can be used to charge the power bank as well as other devices. The cable fits through a metal loop on the power bank so it stays out of the way when not in use and can be used as a carrying strap when you’re not charging anything.

This simple but extremely effective feature makes the power bank easy to carry, especially when your hands are full with other devices.

There’s a single button on the top of the device to turn the power bank on. A small but exceptionally vibrant display on the front shows the charge level and estimated charge/discharge time. This is especially useful if you’re powering a phone, tablet or earbuds and want to know roughly how much time you’ll need for the device to charge.

Also: The best USB-C chargers 2024: Recommended by experts

As usual, I carried out a flood of tests with this power bank, checking the capacity, charging and discharging performance, charging times and temperature behavior under load. And it passed all tests with flying colors.

Buying advice from ZDNET

If you are tired of always forgetting an extra cable for your power bank, then this is Anker Nano 10,000mAh 30W Power Bank lives up to its name. It has enough power for fast charging, a built-in cable that doesn’t get in the way, and a nice form factor that easily fits in a pocket or bag.