The battery charged the first port at 809 mAh and the second at 635 mAh, which was a bit below the rest of the devices. They can be perfect for topping up the batteries of devices you might take on a camping trip, but generally aren’t much help when it comes to feeding more power-hungry products, such as televisions, portable fridges and kettles. Likewise, choose a battery or power bank with through charging capability that is chargeable via a USB and ideally a micro-USB cable. These versatile devices can power up almost any electronic device or home appliance that runs on electricity—think phones, coffee makers, microwaves, refrigerators, TVs, and more. Set them up toward the sun and, if propping them up on rocks or sticks, try to minimize the shadows beneath them.

For instance, Anker 537 Power Bank (PowerCore 24K for Laptop), with its 24,000mAh capacity, offers an impressive 18-month worry-free warranty. These devices feature a variety of ports to suit nearly all electronic devices and provide a reliable source of power you can count on. Mobile phone charging products include chargers, wireless chargers, power banks, and charging cables, and these accessories can also be used for other consumer electronics devices. We trialled them under the changeable weather conditions of south England, as well as while camping and at a festival in Portugal (admittedly our tester had access to wall power, but for the purposes of review they went as long as they could without). By the time a solar battery charger does fail, it’s quite likely that newer solar chargers will be much more efficient and lightweight as new technologies continue to make solar power more efficient, lightweight, easy to produce, and less impactful on the environment.Whether it's wireless power banksor specific certifications like MFi for Apple devices, ensuring compatibility ensures a smooth charging experience. We also came up with some different conclusions than other review sites based on our knowledge and our anticipation of how you’ll actually be able to use a solar charger in the field. Still, if you’re after a rugged outdoor power bank with a built-in LED torch that can top itself up in the background while you’re setting up camp and wrestling bears, this is a convenient and useful little gadget to have in your pack.

If you charge your phone using a certified quality charger with the same connectors as your original charger, there should be no effect on the phone. But if you want to charge larger devices like refrigerators or TVs, you'll want to look for a more heavy-duty optionwith 500Wh or more. When these cells are combined together into small solar panels, the solar cells can provide enough energy to recharge the batteries in USB devices and they can weigh under a pound, making them a lightweight option for backcountry adventures across the world.It was also the most powerful solar panel we tested and is capable of charging a battery that can charge laptops. Like the BioLite solar charger, the Nomad also has kickstands to help ensure it’s properly oriented to the sun. Performance is reduced to about 20 per cent during the winter months, as, even on a perfectly clear day, the sun is lower in the sky and therefore weaker.