There’s nothing more frustrating when out and about than your iPhone running out of battery with nowhere to charge it – but this nifty product is one of the best solutions we’ve seen
Phone-charging power banks are no new thing – and if you’re a regular traveller or commuter, you’re probably very familiar with them – but this is one of the best ones we’ve seen for both practicality and looks.
Power banks are usually fairly chunky, cumbersome items that require plugging into your phone with a wire; not always convenient when you’re short on space, or if you’ve misplaced the cable. This nifty Amazon device, however, is drawing praise not just for how slim and light it is, but also because it doesn’t use wires – instead it simply attaches to the back of your phone magnetically.
The LISEN for Magsafe Power Bank Slim usually costs £29.99 but currently has 30% off on Amazon if you’re a Prime member, taking it down to £20.89 (if you’re not yet an Amazon Prime member and want to sign up with a 30-day free trial, here’s the link you need).
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The LISEN power bank is just 0.3 inches thick – smaller and thinner than your actually phone – and clicks easily onto the back of iPhones (models 12 and above) to then charge your phone by 60% in an hour; it’ll even fit in your pocket when attached.
“Absolutely brilliant, light weight, easy to use, battery life is great, magnet is really strong, fabulous value for money, would definitely recommend,” one Amazon shopper wrote.
“Great for keeping my phone charged all day,” another person agreed. “Great design and quality. Thinner than I had expected. The magnet it strong enough to hold it in place so very functional and recharges very quickly. Highly recommend this.”
“The LISEN MagSafe power bank has quickly become one of my everyday essentials,” wrote a third person. “It’s incredibly slim—just 0.3 inches—so it fits effortlessly into my pocket or bag without adding any bulk. Perfect for when I’m on the move or just want to travel light. What impressed me the most is how fast it charges. It boosted my iPhone to 60% in under an hour, and I didn’t need to fiddle with cables—just snap it on and go. The magnetic connection is strong and stable, so it stays securely in place even while I’m using my phone.”
One niggle some customers found, however, was that in some cases this power bank causes the phone to heat up quite a bit when charger (“taking a star away as I can’t use the phone while it’s on much as it gets very hot,” one comment reads. The brand has addressed this by saying that if this happens, move the phone to a cooler spot, or give it a break from charger for a few minutes.
Another travel essential I tried out recently and now wouldn’t be without are packing cubes, specifically these ones from Briggs & Riley, which far exceed the cheap ones I had previously owned and will last me a lifetime. You can read my full review of them on a recent holiday here.
When commuting, I also always take this Antler backpack, which even fits enough in for an overnight stay. It’s currently included in Antler’s big summer sale, down from £140 to £112.