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Most of us pack a portable charger for the same reason: We don’t want our phone to die when we need our boarding pass, directions or a ride back to the hotel. But your phone is probably only one of several rechargeable devices coming along on your trip.
There’s the e-reader you’ve loaded with books. The headphones you’ll want for the flight. Your child’s iPad. And don’t forget the portable fan that suddenly becomes everyone’s favorite travel accessory on a scorching hot day in a slow-moving theme park line.
That’s where a charger like the TESSAN 10,000mAh portable power bank can be useful beyond the usual phone rescue. It has built-in USB-C, Lightning and Micro USB cables, giving you several common connections without having to dig through a pouch of cords. It also has USB-A and USB-C ports for devices that require their own charging cables.
Not every power bank can charge every device, so check the power requirements and connections before you travel. But you might be surprised by how many things in your bag can use the back-up battery you’re already carrying.
1. Your E-Reader
A Kindle or another e-reader can go so long between charges that it’s easy to forget it needs charging at all. Then you settle into your airplane seat, open the book you’ve been saving for the flight and discover the battery is almost empty.
This is where the TESSAN charger’s built-in cables are especially handy. Depending on the model, your e-reader might use USB-C or the older Micro USB connection. Having both attached to the power bank means you may already have the cable you need, even if your phone uses something different.
Before leaving home, download your books and check which connector your e-reader takes. You don’t want a dead battery interrupting the best part.
2. A Portable Fan
I never travel without a portable fan. It’s been a lifesaver during summer trips to Europe and in tropical destinations. It’s become such a travel essential that now, everyone in my family has their own.
If your fan is rechargeable and supports USB charging, a compatible power bank can recharge its battery when it runs low. If it’s a USB-powered model without its own battery, a power bank can keep it running while it’s plugged in, no wall outlet needed.
Either way, you don’t have to wait until you’re back at the hotel to cool down. Keep the power bank dry and shaded and follow the fan’s instructions for using it while charging.
3. A Reading Light
A little rechargeable book light can make a shared hotel room much more comfortable when one person wants to read and everyone else wants to sleep.
If your reading light is rechargeable and supports USB charging, a compatible power bank can recharge its battery. If it’s a USB-powered light without its own battery, it can stay lit while plugged into a compatible power bank, no wall outlet needed.
Test the combination at home, since some power banks switch off when a small light draws too little power. For an overnight flight, charge a rechargeable light before boarding so you can read without a cable across your lap.
4. An iPad or Another Tablet
A tablet can be a movie screen, a stack of books, a drawing pad and a way to get some work done. On a long travel day, all that activity can take a toll on its battery.
A compatible power bank can help during a layover or road-trip stop. Newer iPads generally use USB-C, while some older models use Lightning, so check the connection on the tablet you’re bringing.
Tablets typically need more energy than smaller accessories. Your charging speed and the amount of battery you recover will depend on the tablet, the bank’s output and whether you’re using it while it charges. Think of a compact power bank as a useful back-up rather than assuming it will fully recharge every tablet.
5. Wireless Headphones and Earbuds
Headphones are easy to overlook when you’re charging everything before a trip. You remember the phone and tablet but forget the earbuds you’ll need to listen to either one.
Many wireless headphones and earbud cases can recharge from a compatible power bank. A connection at the airport or a lunch break can be enough time to give them a useful top-up.
With earbuds, remember to check the case’s battery as well as the earbuds themselves. A fully charged case is what keeps them going between listening sessions.
6. A Smartwatch or Fitness Tracker
Your watch may be recording considerably more steps on vacation, particularly if you’re spending whole days sightseeing. If its charging cable accepts USB power and works with your power bank, you can recharge it without a wall outlet. This can be convenient when you’re relaxing with a book or getting ready for dinner.
The catch is usually the connector. Many watches need a specific charging puck, so built-in phone cables won’t replace it. Pack that charger with your other cables rather than leaving it on the nightstand at home.
7. A Handheld Gaming Device
A handheld gaming device can help pass the time during a long connection, a road trip or a rainy afternoon in a hotel. Some can charge from a suitable USB-C power bank but their requirements can vary. Check the manufacturer’s recommended output and whether USB-C Power Delivery is required.
A compact battery that works well for earbuds may charge a gaming device slowly or fail to keep up while someone is playing. For this particular use, choosing the right output matters as much as remembering the cable.
8. A Camera
If your camera supports USB charging, a compatible power bank can be useful between outings. The same may apply to an action camera or a manufacturer-approved USB battery charger.
This is handy when you’re taking photos all day and returning to the hotel only briefly before dinner. You can recharge compatible equipment during a break instead of waiting until bedtime to start charging everything. Read the camera’s instructions first. Some charge by USB only when switched off, while others require a separate battery charger.
9. Rechargeable Hand Warmers
Electronic hand warmers are worth considering for a winter trip involving Christmas markets, outdoor sightseeing or watching a parade. When a compatible pair runs low, a power bank can recharge them during a café stop or once you’re back indoors. Follow the manufacturer’s directions about charging and use, and check which cable they take before packing.
They might not be the first things you associate with a portable phone charger, but they’re a good reason to look beyond your phone when deciding what needs back-up power.
10. A Portable Speaker
A small portable speaker can be useful in a vacation rental or while getting ready in your hotel room. If it supports USB charging, a compatible power bank can often recharge it without taking another wall outlet.
It’s one less device competing for the socket beside the bed, particularly when several people are sharing a room. Check its charging requirements, keep the battery and connections away from water, and be considerate of neighboring rooms when you turn it on.
Give Your Portable Charger More Than One Job
Before your next trip, lay out the rechargeable devices you’re bringing and check their connections. You may realize that the same portable charger can help with most of them.
The TESSAN model’s built-in cables make that easier for devices using USB-C, Lightning or Micro USB. Keep any specialty chargers, like a watch puck, alongside it, and you’ll have a more useful charging set-up without a tangle of unnecessary cords.
Your phone might be the reason you packed a power bank but it doesn’t have to be the only thing that benefits from it.
