5 Best TSA Approved Power Banks On Amazon Under $50, According To Users – BGR

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Whether you are going on a vacation or just need help remaining powered up while away from a wall outlet, power banks are very helpful. These nifty mobile accessories feature a built-in battery that charges your phone and other mobile devices as needed. Also known as portable chargers, the power banks come in a variety of battery sizes, and depending on this, you can charge your phone multiple times before needing to top it up. Whenever you’re flying, though, it’s important to follow the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines related to power banks to avoid getting in trouble.

Two of the most important FAA rules regarding power banks are that they can only be carried in your carry-on bag, and the battery size shouldn’t exceed 100 watt-hours (Wh) without prior airline approval. If you’re someone who often takes flights and needs a power bank, here are some of the best options that meet FAA and TSA regulations without being too expensive.

The Anker Zolo Power Bank is an excellent portable charger for most people, thanks to its compact design, built-in USB charging cable, and up to 30W fast charging capabilities. It also has a total battery capacity of 10,000mAh (or 37Wh), making it airline-friendly. Besides the charging cable, the Anker offering comes with two additional USB ports, allowing you to charge multiple devices simultaneously. It’s also available in multiple colors to match your aesthetic and costs just $26. The power bank is quite efficient and delivers close to its advertised capacity, according to some shoppers on Amazon.

So, depending on your phone, you should get at least one full charge, if not two, from the power bank. Thanks to this solid feature set, the Anker Zolo Power Bank has received an excellent average rating of 4.6 from over 560 reviews on Amazon. Shoppers like its lightweight and portable design, reasonable pricing, and fast charging speeds. However, some consumers report receiving defective units that only lasted for weeks or months. Fortunately, the power bank comes with an 18-month warranty to deal with manufacturing defects.

If you need a large battery bank that can deliver multiple charges to your phone, the CukTech 25,000mAh Power Bank is a solid choice. It has a lot to like, from its ability to provide up to 100W of fast charging to a built-in display to indicate the battery level. It also comes with three USB ports — including two Type-C ports — to charge multiple devices simultaneously, including your USB PD-capable laptop, if needed.

There’s also a low-power mode for mobile accessories and wearables like headphones, smartwatches, etc. Most importantly, it only costs you $50, which is a great price for the value it offers. Amazon shoppers have given it an excellent average rating of 4.5 from over 200 reviews and appreciate its fast-charging capabilities and massive battery capacity. However, some people are not a fan of its bright LED display, which can be distracting in dark rooms, and its bulky design, which can increase the weight of your bag.

The Spigen ArcPack Portable Charger is another reasonably priced power bank that’s suitable for airline travel and comes with fast charging support. It has a total battery capacity of 10,000mAh, and it’s said to deliver close to the advertised capacity at about 80-85%, which should be sufficient for providing at least one full charge, if not more, to most smartphones. It has a single USB-C port and can provide up to 30W USB PD charging and 25W USB PD PPS (Programmable Power Supply) charging. The latter is helpful when you are topping up your Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy smartphones, which use both USB PD and PPS for fast charging.

The mix of solid features and an affordable $25 price tag has helped the power bank score an average rating of 4.6 from over 140 reviews on Amazon. Buyers love its build quality, support for PPS charging, and lightweight design. There are no major complaints, and the only issues highlighted by buyers are around its curved design and the lack of a USB Type-A port for charging.

Looking for a value-for-money portable charger? It’s hard to go wrong with the INIU 65W Power Bank. It has a total battery capacity of 20,000mAh (73 Wh), which is well within the TSA’s portable battery limits. As the name suggests, it supports 65W charging, allowing you to charge your phone at top speed. You can even charge your tablet or laptop with it while traveling, which is handy. Plus, it comes with an attractive price tag of $40. Among other highlights, the INIU offering features three USB ports and a built-in display that shows the remaining battery capacity and charging status.

Amazon buyers appreciate its feature set and have given it a solid average rating of 4.5 from over 750 reviews. Some of its key positives, highlighted in buyer reviews, include the presence of multiple outputs, fast charging, and reliability. However, a small selection of shoppers mention receiving units that failed after weeks or months of use, or stopped charging fully. Another thing to keep in mind is that it lacks certification to be allowed on Chinese flights, if that matters to you.

The Baseus EnerFill FM12 is a bit different from our other recommendations as it offers 15W Qi2 wireless charging in addition to regular USB-C wired charging. While wireless charging is not as efficient as wired charging, it can be handy when you don’t have access to a USB cable or need to use the USB port for something else. It carries a price tag of $50, and you get support for 22.5W wired charging via a single USB port. However, you can use it to top up two devices simultaneously — one wired and the other wireless. You get a compact design that simply snaps onto your phone via MagSafe for seamless charging.

Additionally, the Baseus offering has an advertised battery capacity of 10,000mAh, but it actually provides a rated capacity of 6,200mAh due to the fact that wireless charging is less efficient. That said, it’s still sufficient to deliver at least one full charge to most phones. It has garnered an average rating of 4.5 from over 150 reviews on Amazon. Buyers like the magnetic charging support and its slim design. However, a small selection of shoppers note that it gets hot while charging other devices.

We strive to recommend only the best and most helpful gadgets to our readers. For the best power banks that meet air travel regulations, we looked for options from reputable brands that have a total battery capacity of less than 100 Wh. We also analyzed buyers’ reviews to pick portable chargers that consistently deliver an excellent experience and have reviews to show for that. All our recommendations carry an average rating of at least 4.5 out of 5 on Amazon and are backed by at least a one-year product warranty.