Charmast Portable ChargerWorth it, if cable-hunting is your actual problem
around $20Buy on Amazon

Is the Charmast Portable Charger Worth It?

Worth it, if cable-hunting is your actual problem

4/5around $20
Buy on Amazon

1 of 5

You charge multiple device types (iPhone, USB-C, Android) in the same household

Does that sound like you?

charmast — Is the Charmast Portable Charger Worth It?
The moment

You know the moment: phone at four percent, gate boarding in ten minutes, and you're elbow-deep in a bag full of cables that are somehow never the right one. Or worse, the right cable is sitting on a nightstand two states away. That's the specific itch a portable charger like this is trying to scratch, and it's worth asking whether it actually does.

The mechanism

Here's the trick with this one: instead of giving you a battery and leaving you to bring your own cable, Charmast built four cables straight into the body, USB-C, Micro-USB, and a Lightning-style connector for older iPhones and iPads. Flip the case open and whatever you own just plugs in, because the cable was never a separate object to lose in the first place. That solves the actual failure point of portable chargers, which isn't capacity, it's the loose cord that gets left behind. On top of that there are three extra ports (USB-C, two USB-A) so you can run up to six devices off the same 10,000mAh cell at once, useful if you're charging for more than just yourself. Recharging it works the same way: grab any cord you've already got, USB-C, USB-A, or Micro-USB input, and top it up. A digital display reads out the charge level to the percent, so you're not guessing whether it'll survive the flight.

The click

You're not really buying battery capacity here, every power bank in this price range has roughly the same amount of juice. You're buying the elimination of a decision: which cable, where is it, did I pack it. Built-in cords mean the charger and the cord are permanently the same object, so the only thing you can forget is the whole brick.

Who it's for

Worth it if

  • You charge multiple device types (iPhone, USB-C, Android) in the same household
  • You've lost or forgotten a charging cable while traveling before
  • You want to top up several phones at once without extra cords

Skip it if

  • You want the thinnest, lightest battery pack possible
  • You already carry a favorite cable and don't want it built in
  • You mainly charge one device type and don't need six outputs

Not for anyone who wants the slimmest possible brick or prefers using their own cables.

The verdict

If you're the person who's left a charging cable in a hotel room more than once, or you charge a mixed household of iPhones and Android phones, this is a quiet yes. If you want the thinnest possible brick in your pocket or you'd rather swap in your own premium braided cable, a plain battery with a USB-A port will suit you better and cost less.

Amazon shoppers rate it 4 out of 5 across 10,082 ratings. That is their number, not ours.

Buy on Amazon

Before you go

Is Charmast power bank safe?

Yes. It uses standard lithium-ion protections with a digital display to monitor charge level.

Is Charmast a fast charger?

Yes, it supports 3A output for most phones, though not high-wattage USB-PD for laptops or tablets.

How do you charge a Charmast portable charger?

Use any of three inputs: the built-in USB-C cable, built-in USB-A cable, or Micro-USB port with your existing adapter.

By the numbers

19

phones & accessories products reviewedThis one is a yes with a condition attached.

Verdict datasetQuestion indexCC BY 4.0

Full spec sheet
Connector TypeBuilt-in USB A Cable/USB-C Port/Micro USB Input, Built-in USB-C/Micro/iPhone Cable+USB-…
Brandcharmast
Battery Capacity10000 milliamp_hours
ColorDustyPink

Daniel Kruger covers consumer tech for Is It Worth It Reviews. We research products and explain them honestly; we do not test them and we never pretend to.