Buyer's guide
Best Solar Power Banks & Portable Chargers UK 2026
Solar power banks are one of the most over-promised gadgets you can buy. The pitch — free power from daylight, forever — is seductive, and the reality depends almost entirely on one thing the marketing rarely mentions: panel area. A pocket-sized panel simply cannot gather much energy.
That doesn't mean they're useless. It means you need to buy the right type for the job. Below we split the category into rugged solar power banks (best as an emergency top-up) and folding solar panels (the ones that genuinely recharge a phone or a power bank at a useful speed), with picks for each.
The verdict
For everyday carry, buy a large, well-made ordinary power bank (20,000mAh) and treat any built-in solar panel as an emergency bonus, not a charging plan. For genuine off-grid charging on a multi-day hike or festival, skip the tiny built-in panels and carry a 21–28W folding solar panel — it will out-charge a dozen pocket power banks combined.
Top pick: A 20,000mAh power bank + a 21W+ folding panel for off-grid trips
Our top picks by role
Rugged 20,000mAh solar power bank (Anker / BigBlue class)
£30–£60
A tough, water-resistant power bank with a small solar panel for emergencies. You'll charge it from the mains 99% of the time; the panel is there for the day you can't.
Pros
- Two-plus phone charges from the battery alone
- Rugged and splashproof
- Cheap insurance for trips
Cons
- Built-in panel is a trickle only
- Heavier than a plain power bank
21–28W folding solar panel (Anker / Nekteck / BigBlue)
£45–£90
Three or four panels that fold out to the size of a tea towel. In decent daylight this charges a phone at close to wall-charger speed — the only 'solar charger' that genuinely earns the name.
Pros
- Charges a phone in a few hours of sun
- Folds flat, clips to a rucksack
- Multiple USB outputs
Cons
- No battery — charge in daylight or into a power bank
- Output falls sharply in cloud
Lightweight 10,000mAh solar bank
£20–£35
Small, light and cheap enough not to worry about in a muddy field. Enough for a weekend of phone top-ups, with the panel as a last-resort boost.
Pros
- Pocketable and inexpensive
- Enough for a weekend
- Won't cry over a lost one
Cons
- Modest capacity
- Panel barely contributes
100W folding panel (for a power station)
£120–£200
If you're charging a portable power station rather than a phone, step up to a 100W+ folding panel. See our power-station guide for how to pair one.
Pros
- Meaningful daily energy for a power station
- Built-in kickstand
- Standard connectors
Cons
- Overkill for phones alone
- Bulky to carry
The one thing that decides if a solar charger is any good
Panel area. A phone battery holds roughly 15–20Wh. The postage-stamp panel on a solar power bank might produce 1–2W in bright sun, so fully solar-charging that power bank could take a week of perfect daylight — which is why nobody actually does it. A folding 21W panel produces ten to twenty times as much, which is why it can refill a phone in an afternoon.
So the honest rule is simple: if you want to charge from the sun at a useful speed, buy for panel size, not battery size. The built-in panel on a power bank is a genuine emergency feature — a way to claw back a few percent to send a text — not a daily charging method.
Solar power bank vs folding panel: which do you need?
- Commuting, travel, everyday carry: a big ordinary power bank. Solar is optional emergency insurance.
- Weekend festival or camp: a 10,000–20,000mAh bank; charge it fully before you leave.
- Multi-day hike or genuine off-grid: a 21–28W folding panel, ideally charging into a power bank as you walk.
- Charging a power station: a 100W+ folding panel — a different league (see our power-station guide).
What to look for on the spec sheet
Prioritise real capacity (mAh and, better, Wh), USB-C Power Delivery for fast phone and small-laptop charging, and a credible panel wattage stated honestly. Be sceptical of huge mAh numbers on suspiciously cheap banks — capacity is the easiest spec to exaggerate. A trustworthy 20,000mAh bank from a known brand beats a mystery '50,000mAh' one every time.
Who it's for
- Hikers and backpackers who need genuine off-grid charging
- Festival-goers wanting a cheap weekend top-up
- Anyone building an emergency kit for power cuts
- Not the answer for charging laptops all day — that's a power-station job
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