This dinky power bank costs less than a pizza, and will be your ultimate travel companion

Anker Nano power bank — (Image credit: Amazon)

If you spend a lot of time on your phone, chances are you're going to need to top up the charge at some point in the day. And while the prevalence of power sockets and charging points is getting better, it's still inconvenient to hunt for a place to tether yourself to the mains.

To that end, power banks are a really valuable asset. And while I've never seen this tiny Anker power bank before, I think it might be the perfect solution for most people who need to get a little more juice – and it's on sale for just £16.99 right now!

That's a lot of power for the cash. The 5,000mAh battery pack is roughly the same size as most phone batteries, which should quite literally give your handset a second lease of life.

Unlike other power banks out there, it's not too bulky. This unit looks to be roughly the same width as a phone, albeit with a little more depth to accommodate the battery in such a small space.

Even so, it's the kind of unit which should comfortably sit attached to your handset, without getting in the way of using it. When it's not in use, the folding USB-C connector removes a key point of potential breakage, by hiding the connection inside the body of the device.

There's even a separate USB-C connection on the side of the case, which allows you to use a traditional cable. That could be really handy if you're trying to power a device which has a more annoying connection point, or if you want to simultaneously charge the phone and power bank from a single cable.

As someone who travels a lot, this seems like a really elegant solution. I've got other power banks which are bigger and bulkier, but because they require an external cable, they're not exactly easy to use while on the move.

This should be the perfect middle ground – enough of a top up to get to the end of the day, while still remaining small enough to not bulk up a bag.

Sam Cross is an award-winning journalist, with nine years of experience in the media industry. His work can be found in publications as diverse as Oracle Time, Metro and Last Word on Sports.

Here at T3, Sam is best known as the brand’s go-to guy for all things luxurious – from exquisite watches to fine fragrances; the latest performance vehicles to intricate audio equipment, and more.

He’s often found travelling around the world to test new launches, complete with high-end backpacks and suitcases in tow. And when he’s not adding to his air miles, Sam can be found in front of a video camera, bringing his distinctive brand of storytelling to T3’s social media channels.

Sam also loves all things analogue including listening to music on vinyl or cassette, and photography on vintage film cameras.

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