When I saw they had a power bank with built-in cable on sale, I decided to pick it up for review. I’ve used a lot of power banks, from Anker as well as other brands like Rolling Square or Juice, so I wanted to see how the Anker Nano power bank compared. I purchased this with my own money, Anker has had no involvement and any opinion on this is my own.
Anker has been one of my long-time favourites when it comes to electricals. They first came to my attention almost a decade ago, when I was still an Apple user, and I got sick of having to replace their expensive but horrible quality charge cables. So after careful research, I found Ankers braided cables, and I have been a fan ever since. This power bank is part of their Nano series. Focusing on smaller and more compact products, that are still powerful. Perfect for tech-loving travellers.
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Anker Nano Power Bank Review: Our Verdict
Pros
Cons
Anker nano power bank: Technical Details
Weight
215g
Size
10.4 × 5.23 × 2.6 cm
Capacity
10,000 mAh
Charge Speeds
30w
Material
Plastic
Colour Options
Shell White / Ice Lake Blue / Black Stone / Natural Green / Purple
First Impressions of the Anker nano power bank
Taking the Nano Power Bank out of the box, this power bank is sleek and stylish. Although I prefer function over form, it doesn’t mean tech can’t look good too? I like the appeal of the LED screen but unsure how if it will be more gimmicky than practical.
I am writing this section in advance before any testing, so I do have a few concerns. The cable looks easy to get snagged on in my bag, and I can see the screen getting scratched easily. So the rest of the review will be written after I have used this for a few weeks to see how it gets on.
Having a power bank with a built-in USB C cable comes in clutch when you are away from home and low on power. If you’d like to buy a Anker Nano Power Bank for yourself, you can check out the link below to Amazon or continue to read more of the review below.
Anker nano power bank Capacity
The capacity you need will always change on a daily basis. I have some days where it is more than I need, and there are other days where I’ll be doing a lot of work remotely and it is just enough to get me by. 99% of the time 10,000 mAh gets me by, only real power users will require more. This capacity is suitable for most airlines, but it is worth checking with them before you fly as it does to them whether they allow it or not. Check out this guide from Air New Zealand as an example.
If you do require a micro-USB or lightning cable, then you can still use those with this power bank. You have a USB A and a USB C output allowing you to use your own cables too. This also allows passthrough charging, so at night you can ensure you wake up to a full phone and power bank.
How to charge the Anker Nano Power Bank?
Charging the power bank itself is easy. You can use a separate USB cable to plug directly into the power bank, or you can use the already built-in USB C cable and plug directly into an outlet or charge plug.
How long does the Anker Nano Power Bank take to charge?
The power bank maxes out at 30w charging, not the fastest by a lot of device standards but no slouch either. You won’t be able to charge up bigger devices like laptops but they are perfect for phones and laptops. I recently took this along with me on a day out and opted to use it over the charger over the USB-C Charging in the car. The reason was that despite the car promising 100w charging, it didn’t deliver and this was faster.
Charging the Anker Nano itself is also 30w, with Anker claiming it takes about 90 minutes for it to charge fully from a flat battery. I think that’s pretty reasonable and from testing seems about right. Although it is dependent on the plug you are using the charge with. I recommend the Anker 735 Nano II from a previous test. The two together make a great pairing.
Look and Feel of the Anker Nano Power Bank
The design of the Anker Nano Power Bank looks stylish. However, the shiny screen is a magnet for fingerprint smudges and scratches. The design does come in multiple colour options. I’ve opted for the black, which I think will hold up the longest. The lighter colours like blue may show up more though.
I love it when companies provide a choice of colours, but it is a double-edged sword. Often when they do it bumps up the price considerably. I went for the blue, and it looks great with my Native Union Stow tech kit. But Anker also sells the Zolo power bank, which is only different in the LED screen, but for less.
Durability
The plastic feels thick, so it’ll stand up to a fair bit of wear and tear, but aesthetically I’m not sure how long the looks will hold. The important thing is that it works and in my experience Anker products hold up for a while.
My area of concern would be the exposed cable. It does hang in a loop the majority of the time so it is quite easy to get snagged or caught on something in my bag. Anker seems to advertise the cable as a hanging loop too, which I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing for long periods. I can see the base of the cable starting to fail after a while as it sticks out of the side and looks to me to be a weak point. It would be better if it was tucked in a little more, or flush with the body, making the power bank a bit more foldable.
The bad thing is if it breaks or gets damaged it’s stuck there. And in my experience I have had more cables break than power banks. But Anker cables are made durable and in my experience have only broken after damage and not through wear and tear.
Whats else is in my Tech Kit?
Native Union Stow Organiser
Anker Nano Power Bank
Rolling Square inCharge XS
Built-in Cable
I do like having a built-in cable with my power bank, I am forever losing my cables in my bag. Something I don’t make easier for myself by having black cables inside a black bag. But having it attached to the power bank means I just have to find the power bank and plug the connector in.
The closest power bank I have to compare to is the TAU 2 from Rolling Square. There are pros and cons to each power bank. The Anker Nano is a clear winner when it comes to capacity, but the TAU 2 is much better at integrating the cable. The TAU 2 has two cables tucked into the sides so it can’t get caught on anything and it the protected with a cap at the end.
Packability
The Anker Nano Power Bank fits into a bag easily thanks to its small size. It can fit in my pockets, but I’d be more comfortable putting it into a jacket pocket rather than jeans. But throw it in the bottom of my bag and it’s fine, or in winter when I have big coats I can often bring it along too. It is handy when I bring it along without a bag I don’t have a cable getting tangled in the pocket.
LED Screen
So I wrote at the start of the review I was unsure if the LED screen would be practical, or more of a gimmick, and I have to say I am more on the side of gimmick. The majority of the time I am charging I look to my phone to find out how long it will take to charge rather than the power bank.
I get that this is from habit but after a few months of testing that still hasn’t changed. It is only really useful on devices that have no way of telling me their charge, like headphones or speakers, but I don’t really care if they aren’t 100% when I need them.
Value for money
At the time of writing this article, the Anker Nano Power Bank’s RRP is £39.99. Now Anker is known for often doing sales, I picked this up myself for £26.99 which made it a bit better value for money. However you can get even cheaper power banks from Anker themselves, some even including a USB cable. They just lack that colour LED screen which doesn’t affect your charging. If you can grab it on a bargain, then that’s great, but consider the features you need before purchasing.
Anker Nano Power Bank: Final Thoughts
I do really like the Anker Nano power bank, I like the built-in cable as its one less thing to think about when packing. I think it’s reasonable if you can pick it up on a deal. But for the full retail price, I don’t think it’s worth it.
Considering there are power banks that offer a built-in cable for half the price, the colour LED screen doesn’t warrant paying double. It feels like this was included along with the colourful designs to bump up the price.
Where can I buy an Anker Nano Power Bank?
You can buy an Anker Nano Power Bank directly from Amazon using the link below.