Power banks are usually separated into two categories, small ones for your portable devices, and big ones for your laptops and the most demanding charging situations. These usually offer capacities enough to recharge your devices a couple of times over and a few different ports for charging lots of things at once.
A relatively new category is the tiny little power bank that plugs directly into your phone. Tiny power banks have been around before, in fact, Anker already makes a lower-powered version of this exact power bank with an Apple Lightning connection. But as the iPhone 15 series is expected to swap to USB-C, the same as practically all Android phones, Anker is ready for the switch.
This Anker Nano 22.5W power bank is making a play to be not only one of the smallest but also the most useful yet with its compact size and built-in flip-up USB-C connector. But is its charming size actually practical?
Anker Nano 22.5W: Specifications
Capacity: 5,000mAh
Ports: 1x USB-C (built-in), 1x USB-C
Charging technology: PIQ 3.0
Total output: 18W
Single port: 22.5W (PD 20W, SCP 22.5W, QC 18W)
Size: 76 x 24 x 37 mm
Weight: 100g
Anker Nano 22.5W: Key Features
The Anker Nano 22.5W is a tiny power bank around the size of a lighter or lipstick. The main feature is its flip-up USB-C connector, which is built-in to the power bank, but discreetly folds down to be flush with the design when not in use so the power bank can be easily slid into pockets.
This compact design enables the entire power bank to be a minuscule 3 inches long and 1.4 inches wide but still manages to provide a 5000mAh boost of battery to your mobile devices. which should be enough to charge an iPhone 14 or Samsung Galaxy S23 phone one full-time.
The Nano power bank is also capable of a maximum of 22.5W of power out of the pop-up USB-C connector, which is powerful enough to fast charge a lot of devices at the speed or faster than you get from some wall plugs. There is also an additional port on the side for charging a second low-powered device like an Apple or Galaxy Watch, although this drops the maximum output to 18W when they are both in use.
Anker Nano 22.5W: Build & Handling
The Anker Nano 22.5W charger is so compact, I had seen pictures before it arrived, but it still surprised me how small it was when I pulled it out of the box. It also pretty much fits the width of the bottom of my Pixel 7 Pro perfectly, so would also look great on an iPhone Plus or Pro Max. On a smaller phone, you might find it is a little wider than your phone, although it doesn’t really get in the way while using it.
The pop-up in-built USB-C charger is so incredibly useful as it saves you from having to carry and find a cable that inevitably only ends up getting lost or damaged. The mechanism feels sturdy like I could flip it up and down numerous times before it starts to get loose or break. When attached to the phone, while the USB-C tries to lock in an upright position, I found the battery would sometimes get knocked backwards on the flippy-USB and then pop forwards again with a little jump, I have my phone in a grippy case, but I would worry a little about a slippery glass phone in my hand.
The power bank also did manage to get knocked out of the USB-C socket on my phone fairly easily just by brushing against things, although this is preferred to it hanging on and damaging the charging port on my phone, so I can't complain too much.
Anker Nano 22.5W: Performance
Both the flip-up USB-C and the USB-C power port on the side both managed to charge my Pixel 7 Pro at what it deems fast charging speed. The Pixel 7 Pro also has a 5,000mAh battery the same as the Anker Nano, so would do one full charge if required. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a smaller 4,323mAh battery, with other iPhone models' battery sizes descending from there, so iPhone users can get more charge from the Anker Nano 22.5W, although can only charge at a slower 15W speed, and currently only by using a cable, not the flip-up USB-C.
However, as I tend to charge my phone battery in short bursts throughout the day, I managed to get a couple of days of using this power bank when I used it just to stop my phone from completely redlining on my way home. And for something the size of a lighter, it was not hard to take everywhere with me for these battery emergencies.
The Nano 22.5W power bank took around an hour and a half to charge from completely empty to full, and can be charged via a cable into the port on the side, or by plugging the pop-up USB-C directly into a charger.
Anker Nano 22.5W: Verdict
The Anker Nano 22.5W power bank is possibly the most perfect emergency power bank out there. It has just enough power at 5,000mAh to give your phone the boost just when it really needs it, and with 22.5W you can recharge pretty quickly. The power bank is also so small that it really can just go anywhere and everywhere with you. The built-in pop-up USB-C port is also a godsend as I don't have to worry about carrying a cable with me. This is the kind of thing that I feel I should buy for all my jacket pockets, just in case.
Read more: find more of our top picks for charging your devices with our guides to the best GaN charger or for charging on the go check out the best iPhone power bank.
