Indeed, with 24000mAh of power to hand, you can expect around 17000mAh to be available to your devices (some is lost through voltage conversion and heat generated) – that would give an iPhone 6 nine full charges with juice to spare. And its auto-on/-off functionality ensures nothing is wasted: to begin charging you simply plug in your phone or tablet, and when its battery is full the LimeFuel automatically shuts off the power. Also see: how to charge your smartphone or tablet faster This is the highest-capacity power bank we’ve reviewed at PC Advisor, offering an extra 1600mAh over the EC Tech YN-025 22400mAh power bank. It’s about the same size as that device, a fraction shorter but a little fatter at 79x24x155mm, yet some 50g heavier at 505g. It has plenty of other features in its favour, too. While the EC Tech is a reasonably basic power bank, with a no-frills red and black plastic chassis and 12W (2.4A), 10W (2A) and 5W (1A) USB outputs (upgraded since the time of our review), this LimeFuel Blast Pro has four, all rated at 12W (2.4A). It’s important to note that the device’s maximum output is only 21W (4.2A), so with four phones or tablets plugged in each will charge at only 5.25W (1.05A), but it’s nice to have the option of charging an additional device. It’s better-looking and feels better made, too, with a matt black smudge-resistant rubber finish and rounded edges that feel good in the hand. It never becomes warm in use, and attention to detail is strong. The Blast Pro comes with a two-in-one Micro-USB and Lightning slimline charging cable that will help you cut down on clutter if you have assorted iOS and Android or Windows Phone devices to charge. High-capacity power banks such as these can take forever to refill their own batteries. Both EC Tech and LimeFuel support 10W (2A) inputs, which means that given the right charger (not supplied) you can expect them to fill up in around 16 hours from empty. In the LimeFuel’s favour is the aforementioned passthrough charging. This allows you to use the Blast Pro as a four-port USB hub, simultaneously charging both it and any connected devices, then when you need to take it on the road it will always be ready to go. According to LimeFuel, Grade A battery cells and high-quality circuitry protect against such things as short circuits and overcharging and can prevent the battery from exploding. Always a good thing. There’s also a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. We have just two criticisms of this device. Firstly, and most obviously, is the price. Secondly, in common with just about every other power bank you can buy, is the four-LED system that shows you how much power remains. With 24000mAh on offer, each LED represents 6000mAh – the equivalent to two- to three smartphone batteries – which makes for a pretty meaningless reading. At this price we might have hoped for an LCD display that shows the exact percentage remaining. Read next: How to improve smartphone battery life. Follow Marie Brewis on Twitter. Marie is Editor in Chief of Tech Advisor and Macworld. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she’s worked in tech media for more than 17 years, managing our English language, French and Spanish consumer editorial teams and leading on content strategy through Foundry’s transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.
