Key takeaways
- New UK rules from 27 March 2026 cap you at two power banks per person, each individually protected, and ban charging them in flight.
- Anything up to 100Wh (roughly 27,000mAh) is fine in hand luggage. Power banks are never allowed in the hold.
- 10,000mAh is the sweet spot for a phone: about two charges, still pocketable, and usually under £25.
- Only buy 100W USB-C output if you actually intend to charge a laptop. It costs a lot more and weighs a lot more.
Power banks are having a moment in the UK, and not for a happy reason. The Civil Aviation Authority tightened the rules on 27 March 2026 after a run of lithium battery incidents, and British Airways followed with its own restrictions in May. Add the summer holiday rush and festival season, and searches for portable chargers have climbed sharply. The good news is that the rules barely affect what you should buy, because almost every pack sold on Amazon UK already sits under the limits. What matters is picking the right size.
How we picked these
We started from the Amazon UK best sellers in portable power and filtered on three things. Capacity had to stay under 100Wh so the pack is fine in hand luggage without asking the airline. Output had to be honestly rated, so we favoured brands that publish real watt figures rather than a peak number nobody ever sees. And the pack had to come from a maker with a decent safety and returns record, because a cheap unbranded battery is the one thing in your bag genuinely worth worrying about. We then split the shortlist by use case, since a 5,000mAh stick and a 25,000mAh laptop pack are answering completely different questions.
At a glance
| Power bank | Best for | Capacity | Max output | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anker Zolo Power Bank 10,000mAh | Best all-rounder | 10,000mAh | 30W | around £19 |
| INIU 20,000mAh 45W Power Bank | Best value at 20,000mAh | 20,000mAh | 45W | around £28 |
| Anker MagGo Power Bank (Qi2) | Best for iPhone | 10,000mAh | Qi2 15W magnetic | around £55 |
| Anker Nano Power Bank 5,000mAh | Best pocket-sized pick | 5,000mAh | 22.5W | around £20 |
| Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh | Best for laptops | 25,000mAh | triple 100W USB-C | around £70 |
| Anker PowerCore 10K | Best budget buy | 10,000mAh | PowerIQ | around £15 |
The best power banks in the UK right now
Anker Zolo Power Bank 10,000mAh
Best all-rounderThis is the one most people should buy. It holds roughly two full phone charges, the USB-C cable is attached so you cannot leave it behind, and 30W is enough to fast-charge a modern phone rather than trickle it.
The catch: The built-in cable is short, so your phone sits right on top of the pack while it charges. Not ideal if you want to keep using the phone.
10,000mAh / 30W / built-in USB-C cable · around £19
Check price on AmazonINIU 20,000mAh 45W Power Bank
Best value at 20,000mAhFour phone charges or so, and enough output to top up a tablet or a small laptop in a pinch. INIU has quietly become one of the better-selling budget brands on Amazon UK and the 45W rating is genuine rather than a peak figure.
The catch: At 20,000mAh it is noticeably heavier than a 10,000mAh pack, and you will feel it in a jacket pocket all day.
20,000mAh / 45W / built-in USB-C cable · around £28
Check price on AmazonAnker MagGo Power Bank (Qi2)
Best for iPhoneQi2 certification means a proper 15W magnetic charge rather than the sluggish 5W you get from cheap magnetic packs. It snaps onto the back of an iPhone and stays there while you walk about.
The catch: Wireless charging wastes energy as heat, so you get fewer full charges out of it than a 10,000mAh cable pack. It is also the priciest 10,000mAh option here.
10,000mAh / Qi2 15W magnetic / USB-C · around £55
Check price on AmazonAnker Nano Power Bank 5,000mAh
Best pocket-sized pickA foldable USB-C connector plugs straight into the phone with no cable at all. It is about the size of a lipstick, which makes it the obvious choice for a festival, a night out or a long train journey.
The catch: 5,000mAh is roughly one charge. It is a top-up, not a day of independence from the mains.
5,000mAh / 22.5W / foldable USB-C plug · around £20
Check price on AmazonAnker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh
Best for laptops100W USB-C output will charge most USB-C laptops at close to full speed, and the retractable cables mean you are not hunting through a bag for the right lead. At around 92Wh it still sits under the 100Wh airline limit.
The catch: It is heavy and it is the most expensive pack here. Overkill if all you own is a phone.
25,000mAh / triple 100W USB-C / retractable cables · around £70
Check price on AmazonAnker PowerCore 10K
Best budget buyThe cheap, boring, reliable option. No built-in cable and no magnets, just a 10,000mAh brick from a brand with a decent safety record, for the price of a takeaway.
The catch: Charging speeds are modest and you have to remember to pack a cable, which rather defeats the point of a grab-and-go pack.
10,000mAh / PowerIQ / USB-A and USB-C · around £15
Check price on AmazonWhat the new flight rules actually say
Three changes matter. You can carry a maximum of two power banks per person. Each one has to be individually protected when it is not in use, which in practice means a pouch, the original box or its own bag so the terminals cannot short. And you cannot recharge a power bank on board, including from the seat socket, so charge it before you fly. Capacity limits have not changed: under 100Wh is fine, 100Wh to 160Wh needs airline permission, and over 160Wh is not allowed at all. If the watt-hour figure is not printed on the pack, an airline is within its rights to refuse it, so check the label before you get to the gate.
FAQ
What size power bank can I take on a plane in the UK?
Up to 100Wh is allowed in hand luggage without asking anyone, which covers every pack in this guide. Between 100Wh and 160Wh you need airline approval, and above 160Wh it is banned. Power banks are never allowed in checked bags.
How many mAh is 100Wh?
At the usual 3.7V cell voltage, 100Wh works out at about 27,000mAh. A 20,000mAh pack is roughly 74Wh and a 25,000mAh pack about 92Wh, so both sit comfortably under the limit.
Can I charge my power bank on the plane?
No. Since 27 March 2026 you cannot recharge a power bank in flight, including from an in-seat socket. Charge it at the airport instead.
How many phone charges do you get from 10,000mAh?
Around two full charges for a typical phone. Conversion losses mean you never get the number printed on the box, and magnetic wireless charging loses more again.