Best power banks for power cuts
DRAFT: This product guide, its products and prices is waiting for review. Figures and wording may change before launch.
Many homes already have a power bank in a drawer, so start by finding it and charging it. Be Ready advises keeping a charged power bank for phones or compatible medical devices. If you buy one, choose a size that suits how many phones you need to charge, check it fits your cables, and keep it topped up. We have not tested any power banks yet, so the picks below are placeholders.
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Our picks
Placeholder: pocket-size power bank
Best for keeping one phone topped up
You may already own this. check drawers, bags and the car for a power bank you have forgotten about.
- Tested in hand
- No, not yet. We have not used this product ourselves.
- Test notes
- DRAFT: Not yet tested. When it is in hand we will count how many times it charges a test phone from low to full, how long it takes to recharge, and how well it holds its charge when left in a drawer.
- Good points
-
- Small enough to keep in a bag or by the bed
- Easy to remember to charge
- Things to check
-
- A smaller power bank stores less charge
- Check it has the right socket for your cables
See Placeholder 10,000 mAh power bank at Amazon UK (affiliate link) Price when checked: £15.99 on 29 October 2026.
Placeholder: larger-capacity power bank
Best for households with several phones
You may already own this. a few smaller power banks shared around the home can do the same job.
- Tested in hand
- No, not yet. We have not used this product ourselves.
- Test notes
- DRAFT: Not yet tested. When it is in hand we will count how many full phone charges we actually get, check whether it can charge two devices at once, and time how long it takes to recharge.
- Good points
-
- Stores more charge for a longer power cut
- May have more than one socket for charging devices together
- Things to check
-
- Heavier and bulkier than a pocket-size one
- Takes longer to recharge when the power comes back
See Placeholder 20,000 mAh power bank at Amazon UK (affiliate link) Price when checked: £24.99 on 29 October 2026.
Placeholder: power bank with built-in cables
Best for not hunting for cables
You may already own this. keep a spare charging cable with any power bank you have.
- Tested in hand
- No, not yet. We have not used this product ourselves.
- Test notes
- DRAFT: Not yet tested. When it is in hand we will check which phones the built-in cables fit, how sturdy the cables feel, and how many charges we get.
- Good points
-
- No need to find a separate cable in the dark
- Handy for older relatives who may lose cables
- Things to check
-
- Built-in cables can wear out, and you cannot easily swap them
- Check the cables fit every phone in your home
See Placeholder power bank with built-in cables at Placeholder retailer (affiliate link) Price when checked: £21.00 on 29 October 2026.
In a power cut, your phone is how you check on family, call for help and look up updates. A charged power bank keeps it going. The most important thing is not which one you buy, but that it is charged when you need it.
What to look for
- Size that suits your home. Capacity is usually shown in mAh (milliamp hours). A bigger number stores more charge, but the power bank is heavier. One person with one phone needs less than a family.
- The right sockets. Check the power bank has sockets that fit your charging cables. Keep a cable for each phone with it.
- A charge display. Lights or a small screen that show how full it is make it easy to check at a glance.
- Safety markings. Look for UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) or CE marking, and buy from a seller you trust.
- Simple to use. One button and clear lights are easier for everyone at home, including older relatives.
The number of phone charges you get is usually lower than a simple sum of the numbers suggests. That is why we plan to measure it rather than guess.
What you probably already own
Lots of people have a power bank from a holiday, a festival or a gift. Check drawers, coat pockets, bags and the car. Charge it fully, check it still holds charge after a few days, and put it with your kit.
You may also have:
- spare charging cables, which are worth keeping with the power bank
- a laptop, which can charge a phone from its socket while its own battery lasts
- a car charger, which works with the car outside in the open air
It also helps to save phone battery in a power cut. Turn the screen brightness down and close apps you are not using.
If the power goes off, you can report it by calling 105 in England, Scotland or Wales, or 03457 643643 in Northern Ireland.
How we will test
Nothing on this page has been tested yet. The picks above are placeholders, and we have not used any of these power banks.
When we have power banks in hand, we plan to:
- charge each one fully, then charge the same test phone from low to full, and count how many full charges we get
- time how long each power bank takes to recharge
- leave each one charged in a drawer for a few months, then check how much charge is left
- check the charge display matches what we find
- check the cables and sockets fit common phones
- note anything that concerns us, such as getting hot, and stop the test if it does
We will write down exactly what we measured, with the date, and only quote the manufacturer’s own wording for any claims. For more on staying connected, see our guide on what to do in a power cut.
Common questions
How often should I charge a power bank I keep for emergencies?
Check it every few months and top it up. An easy way to remember is to do it when the clocks change. Follow the manufacturer's advice on charging and storage.
Can a power bank run a medical device?
Be Ready mentions power banks for compatible medical devices. Only the device supplier or your care team can tell you if your device is compatible. You can also ask about the Priority Services Register for extra support in a power cut.
Have you tested these power banks?
Not yet. This is a draft page and nothing on it has been tested in hand. We will update it when we have tested real products.
Related guides
Prices change often. We show the price and the date we last checked it. Read our editorial and testing policy to see how we choose products.