We're huge fans of portable power gadgets, but this one isn't going in my pocket to help me keep my phone topped up after lunch. Anker's Powerhouse is the size and weight of a concrete construction brick, and at $500 and 120,000mAh, by far their largest power pack yet. It'll charge your laptop 15 times over, power CPAP machines and broadcast video cameras, and double as a bear club should a camping trip go awry. There's multiple USB ports, a 12v car socket and mains power.
Jeff Beck already got one and quite likes it.
I'm very impressed with this device. It is extremely well-built, functions just as advertised, and is quite good-looking on top of all that. It worked to recharge every phone and tablet I threw at it, in addition to a lot of the smaller electronic items in my home. While the USB ports are not QC compatible, they still delivered a fairly quick charge to my wife's Sony Z3. Besides, if I wanted a faster charge I only needed to plug in a QC car charger into the 12V outlet and I'd be in business.
I had a lot of fun trying the Powerhouse out with a variety of household electronics. It did just fine powering a small stereo, my bedside lamp, and even my 50 inch Sony TV. Higher voltage appliances, like our toaster and blender, or my wife's blow dryer (she was hoping to be able to use it while camping) were too much for the little guy. They would work initially, and then, as the power required increased, the Powerhouse would shut off with a beep. That brings up a good point, the Powerhouse has voltage and temperature safety controls as well as built-in surge protection to prevent your power bank from turning into a bomb.
SonarTech wrote a very thorough review at Amazon, including teardown photos. The construction is hostile to user-servicing and clean disposal, so those buying it intending to hack it should be warned. Joel Johnson called it an "electron bucket," which would be a great name for a more hands-on, open-source competitor product. DC out and a bag of tips would have been nice.
I'd get this to hang under a tripod to run a Blackmagic camera all day in the woods, had I not already gotten a Switronix for it.
Anker's Powerhouse [Amazon link]
Update: The Goal Zero Yeti range offers similar juice for less money (and small-tip DC out!) though unless I'm very much mistaken uses lead-acid (ie car) batteries instead of lithium.
