{Gear Review} Anker 2nd Gen Astro Mini External Battery

It has happened too many times. You’re on the go, in the middle of an important call or taking a once-in-a-lifetime photo and your phone dies. No outlets are available, or maybe you aren’t even near one. Thanks to portable chargers, the days of fighting over the last available outlet near your departure gate are over.

Your phone dying with no outlet available can set back your plans or cause you to miss out on a great shot. When you’re on the go taking pictures, making phone calls, texting, looking at the map for directions, searching for a great restaurant, or checking in for your next flight, your battery can be drained by the lunch hour.

The Anker 2nd Gen Astro Mini 3200mAh External Battery is an affordable option to charge on the go. Small and portable, it fits in nearly any purse. You can charge while walking home from work, or even while taking pictures or searching for restaurants along the way.

If you are on the go and don’t have time to sit next to an outlet and wait for your phone to charge, or even if you don’t want to worry about your phone dying in the middle of an important phone call, the Anker Mini will keep you going without missing a beat.

Pros

On-the-go charging. Charge while walking, talking, searching, and surfing.

Small and portable. Small enough to fit in nearly any purse.

Affordable. And definitely worth every bit of the $13.

Cons

Not actually lipstick-size. While definitely small and compact, it is advertised as being the size of a lipstick tube. In reality, it is probably closer to the size of two. Not a big deal for women with large purses, but it might not fit in all pockets along with your phone and the power cord.

Charge after a few uses. You’ll only get a few full charges before it needs to be charged itself. Make sure to bring a second adapter and charge both it and your phone while you’re sleeping.