Power banks that last?

[sidekickdmr]

I have, in the last 18 months purchased two branded, expensive power banks, an Anker from Amazon for £100, and a Tesla one for £70, and both have worked perfectly for 6 months, half worked for 6 months, and then given up entirely after that. They just no longer hold any meaningful charge.

I’m not even using them much, probably one full charge and one use a month when traveling (so each has been used about 10-20 times total)

Is there a brand that last?

Is it something I’m doing wrong?

[Hoofy]

Am surprised the Anker (and in fact the Tesla) has failed so quickly. Assuming that you're using them as intended, it does seem odd. I have a handful that I use daily depending on how much weight I want to carry, partially charging then partially discharging (ie haven't really been thinking about it and just charging/discharging whenever) and they've been working for several years. Only one has died like yours and that was one I got from Freegle (probably given away because it wasn't holding much of a charge).

Do you buy online? It might be that those units were fake. All my reliable ones were bought in Currys or Argos!

[sidekickdmr]

Yes bought online, but the Anker from Amazon and the Tesla direct from Tesla, so should be genuine

I’m surprised too, but more annoyed

[blue_haddock]

I've got a 20,000 mah power bank from Charmast and its handled everything i've thrown at it over the last few years and still seems to hold a decent charge. Its even powerful enough to charge a laptop.

[zalrak]

I bought one of these from Amazon in the summer and have used it quite a few times without issues:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-VRURC-20000mAh-C...

Not had it long enough yet to see if it has a decent lifetime but so far, so good.

[Red9zero]

I've always found Anker to be very good. The one time I did have an issue (with some ear phones) they sent replacements out instantly with no fuss and no need to return the originals.

[loskie]

is the fact that you don't use it/them often the issue?

[Mont Blanc]

I'm not sure what size of power bank the OP is talking about, but I've had 2 of these Chinese 'Veger' brand power banks for a couple of years and used them both extensively for work and traveling, and they are still perfect.

After over 2 years of use/abuse the 10,000mAh version will still charge my iphone (very quickly) via USB-C more than 3 times before it runs out, which means it's stated capacity is correct and still performing.

They have a % power remaining display as well, which is handy.

10,000mAh for £15

https://www.amazon.co.uk/VEGER-Charging-10000mAh-P...

Also do a 30,000mAh for £27

https://www.amazon.co.uk/VEGER-30000mAh-Charging-P...

My take on it is that these things have a limited lifespan, and a limited number of charge cycles. They are essentially disposable. So why spend £100 on one when you can spend £20 and probably get very similar performance and same longevity.

[Nico Adie]

I've got a 20000mAh Juice one that I got from Argos a few years ago, it's still going strong.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9215346?clickPR=pl...

[durbster]

sidekickdmr said:

...the Anker from Amazon ...so should be genuine

This may be your mistake - was it from a random reseller?

I wouldn't trust any electronics from Amazon these days unless it's through an official store.

[Mont Blanc]

durbster said:

sidekickdmr said:

...the Anker from Amazon ...so should be genuine

This may be your mistake - was it from a random reseller?

I wouldn't trust any electronics from Amazon these days unless it's through an official store.

This.

There are loads of fakes on Amazon these days, unfortunately.

I'll happily buy Chinese no-brand stuff off Amazon for an appropriately low price, but not anything like Anker as you are just risking a fake if you don't go direct to the store.

[dhutch]

Red9zero said:

I've always found Anker to be very good.

I was going to say, they are usually the go-to brand in this sort of area, same for nice cables.

Certainly in the cables, fakes are rife and hard to spot over the internet. So I always buy direct and or via the Anker official ebay store.

[durbster]

Mont Blanc said:

My take on it is that these things have a limited lifespan, and a limited number of charge cycles. They are essentially disposable.

Why's that?

We have batteries in our phones that suffer far more, going through hundreds or even thousands of cycles. Powerbanks should last much longer, surely?

[Brainpox]

durbster said:

Why's that?

We have batteries in our phones that suffer far more, going through hundreds or even thousands of cycles. Powerbanks should last much longer, surely?

If the power bank is always at over 80% charge (never used) or sits at 0% for extended period then they can degrade fairly quickly

[Mont Blanc]

durbster said:

Mont Blanc said:

My take on it is that these things have a limited lifespan, and a limited number of charge cycles. They are essentially disposable.

Why's that?

We have batteries in our phones that suffer far more, going through hundreds or even thousands of cycles. Powerbanks should last much longer, surely?

Yes, we do have batteries in our phones that suffer and end up knackered just the same. My iphone is now 2.5 years old and the battery doesn't last a full day anymore, due to approaching what I estimate is approaching 1000 charge cycles. Either the phone or the battery now needs replaced.

As said above, if power banks are sitting at above 80% charge for days/weeks on end, that also degrades the battery at an accelerated rate. Most people charge them up and leave them sat like that until they use them.

Either way, they are degrading all the time either through regular use or through sitting there waiting to be used, and there is no point in paying more for something like a power bank that ultimately will slowly but surely become spent over the course of a handful of years.

Other people may wish to spend more and get a nicer product, or something with a couple extra features, which I entirely understand, but I just see them as something to spend a reasonably small amount of money on.

The ones I have bought for £15 or so have lasted several years and still perform well to this day. If I spent £100 would they last longer? Maybe, maybe not.

[dhutch]

My last phone, a Samsung S10 did four years with good battery life, changed to 100% and taken down to 10-25% at least daily.
I then ran it for another year, during which it was cycling the battery at least twice a day due to reduced capacity.

That's around 1500 good cycles maybe 2500 in total.

My new phone, a A56 can automatically limit charging at 80, 85, 90% within user settings.

[dhutch]

Brainpox said:

If the power bank is always at over 80% charge (never used) or sits at 0% for extended period then they can degrade fairly quickly

I expect lack of use, and or storage at 100% or 0% state of charge is what is shortening the OPs pack life.

Although I am surprised the Anker BMS doesn't limited "full" to be 80% SOC and "empty" to 20% SOC.

[dontlookdown]

2000mah Belkin here, had it 4 yrs, similar usage to the OP, still going strong. I was expecting it to degrade more than it has tbh.

Now I have typed that it will probably die the next time use it;)

[JoshSm]

Just buy the cheap ones from Lidl next time they come up, they're perfectly adequate quality and have a 3 year warranty if you need it.

No point paying mega bucks when you can get a perfectly adequate one for a fraction of the price.

[biggiles]

I have perhaps a half-dozen around the house, ranging from Ankers to cheapies. None have failed in the last few years.

To have 2 fail with light use sidekickdmr seems deeply unfortunate! Are you doing anything special with them e.g. temperature extremes, or left at 0% for months. Some of mine are in daily use, some are charged to 100% then left for months on end.

I'd hazard that another Anker (e.g. 20,000mAh) model is the way to go- the odds of having a third "good quality" power bank fail must be minute.