What to look out for when buying a power bank

1. Inverter Technology

Depending on the device you're trying to power, having the right inverter in your portable power station can save your delicate devices from damage and make them work as efficiently as possible, saving battery charge.

Power inverters are electrical components that convert your battery's direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). DC is used to charge your battery-powered handheld devices, such as your phone, tablet, and Bluetooth earbuds, while AC is used to power more power-hungry devices, such as your laptop, computer, TV, and gaming consoles.

In general, there are two types of power inverters; they are pure sine wave inverters and modified sine wave inverters. Pure sine wave inverters provide clean sine waves that produce AC, while modified sine wave inverters use pulse width modulation (PWM), which makes an electronic signal that tries to mimic a pure sine wave signal.

If you will power precision, delicate, and highly sensitive equipment, having a pure sine wave inverter should be your only option. But if you're only going to use the power station to power your computer, monitors, console, and TV, then a power station with a modified sine wave inverter should work fine while saving you quite a bit of money.

2. Peak and Continuous Wattage

Peak and continuous wattage are also important specifications you should be looking for when buying a portable power station. Although portable power stations are usually used to power computers, TVs, and other electronic gadgets, they can also power things like refrigerators, corded power tools, electric fans, and kitchen appliances such as blenders and food processors. However, these devices can only be powered by a portable power station if they have enough peak and continuous wattage.

Most power-hungry devices and equipment need certain peak or surge watts just to jump-start and turn them on. Once turned on, they will need a lower but continuous supply of power known as continuous watts or rated watts.

3.Power Input and Output Ports

When it comes to portable power stations, you can never have enough ports for charging and powering your devices. This is especially true for DC-powered charging ports since you can always use an extension cord to have more AC outlets.

We recommend getting a portable power station with multiple USB and USB-C charging ports for your handheld devices, a 12-V charging port for your internet router, and at least 2 AC outlets. You may also want an Anderson power pole if you plan to store the power station in your car.

After looking at all the charging ports and outlets of a portable power station, you should also look for ports used to charge the power station. These would include your regular AC, DC, and solar charging ports and the Anderson power pole for charging in your car.