Do You Really Want to Trust Your $1000 Phone to a Cheap Powerbank?

Power banks are everywhere and they are the hottest, fastest growing new item in the promotional product industry. They are convenient and a real life safer if your battery goes dead. But as with all exciting new tech items, it isn't long before someone makes it "cheaper". Here are some of the differences you should look for when purchasing these items. However, in this case, "cheaper" can be truly dangerous.

You will find that many power banks and chargers look identical on the outside – but the inside can be very different and that is reflected in the price. Poor quality power banks have been known to explode and catch fire as well as damage the phone and simply not work after a few charges. Over 10,000 factories have opened in the past 4 years due to the high demand of power banks. However, many of these are small, underfunded and lack expertise required to produce a quality battery pack. They sell based on price and do not warranty their products or care about safety issues.

Here is what you need to know first. All Power banks or mobile battery chargers have a mAh rating. mAh is commonly used to describe the total amount of energy a battery can store at one time. Different devices require different capacities to charge fully. For example you can charge most cell phones with a 2200 - 2800 mAh. ASamsung Galaxy S4 has a capacity of 2600 mAh. An iPad requires a charge of around 11,000 mAh. Chargers can be found with as much as 50,000 mAh but the price and weight increase as you purchase more mAh in a charging device. It is important to know how the charger will be used. It will not help to purchase a low mAh charger if you are interested in charging your iPad.

How to buy a reliable Power Bank:

The problem with power banks is that they often use the same casing - this is a very popular inexpensive model. However, the batteries and the quality inside can vary greatly.

First off, and most important, are the batteries Grade A batteries? Batteries are graded with reference to capacity, internal resistance, continuity and leak proofing. Those that don’t meet the standards are classified as B or C grade and sell at lower prices. Used batteries are also recycled and introduced into the battery market as a way to lower the price of power banks.

Premium batteries go through the following tests: drop testing, thermal shock testing, microcomputer vibration testing, battery impact extrusion prick testing, aging testing.

Does it have an anti explosion valve built into the battery?

Certification and Safety – Are the batteries UL listed? Are they FCC and CE certified and do they comply with UN 38.3 regulations for safe transportation? All these are assurances of quality and testing.

Is there a manufacturer warranty?

Good quality chargers charge more quickly and also shut off after the device is fully charged to prevent over charging and damaging the device. Also these chargers with premium batteries will last longer, and hold a charge longer as well prior to use.

Chargers come in a variety of styles - some are fashionable, some look like other items all together. Style can be important and enhance the presentation of the item whether given as a gift or an employee reward or incentive.

There is an ever growing range and variety of shapes and styles and you can even create totally custom shapes to fit your brand or promotion. They can also be combined with other items to create beautiful gift sets.

This is definitely an item that you want to purchase with care from a reputable, knowledgeable distributor working with an excellent supplier.