BioLite Charge 100 Max Review: The Holy Grail of Travel Power Banks
Here at RV.com we write plenty of reviews of portable power stations, some of which are large enough to run your entire home. But for many travelers, a power station is too big and heavy to take with them on their adventures. For those individuals, we recommend a high-quality power bank instead. Compact and lightweight, these battery packs are designed to recharge small devices—like smartphones, tablets, and laptops. And while they won’t provide electricity to your RV, they are small enough to carry with you in a backpack, ensuring you never run out of juice no matter where you wander.
Today, BioLite has announced a brand new power bank that somehow manages to check all the boxes that we look for in one of these devices. Dubbed the BioLite Charge 100 Max, this unit is FAA-compliant for use on commercial airplanes, has plenty of ports, and is as versatile as any battery pack that we’ve ever seen. All of that comes together in a well-built package that is affordable, too, making it our new favorite way to stay charged on the go.
Photo Credit: BioLite
High-Speed Charging and Recharging
When shopping for a power bank, the three things you need to look for include battery capacity, and the number and type of charging ports. For the Charge 100 Max, BioLite included a 25,000 mAh (91.3Wh) power cell, which is enough to recharge a smartphone more than six times, a tablet up to three times, and a laptop once, with some leftover juice to spare. More importantly, that capacity is just below the maximum allowed for use aboard a plane. That means you can use it to keep your devices going while in flight, which comes in plenty of handy when you want to stay productive and entertained while squished between two fellow passengers riding in coach.
Charge 100 Max owners can tap into that power thanks to its impressive options for keeping our devices charged. The power bank comes with a single 15W USB-A port, which is handy for older legacy devices. But more importantly, the portable charger includes a standard15W USB-C port, along with two 100W USB-C PD (power delivery) ports. That line-up of gives it a level of future-proofing that we haven’t seen elsewhere, especially as more and more gadgets switch to the USB-C standard.
One of those USB-C PD ports also happens to be bidirectional, allowing 65W of power to flow both in and out of the power bank. That means the Charge 100 Max supplies power to gadgets that are plugged into it, but the power bank actually recharges using that same port. It takes less than 90 minutes to fully replenish the battery when using BioLite’s first-party charger, which is sold separately. But just about any USB-C charger will do. BioLite even says that you can use the adapter that came with your laptop to recharge the battery while on the go. .
Photo Credit: BioLite
Wireless Charging and Other Features
The Charge 100 Max also comes with an integrated wireless MagSafe charging pad built into its top. This is specifically designed for use with iPhones but will work with other devices that support wireless charging. Simply place a phone on top of the power bank, and it will start charging, eliminating the need to plug in a cable and freeing the ports for use with other devices.
If your iPhone supports MagSafe, it magnetically locks into place with a very satisfying click. The phone will also make an audible tone and show a symbol on its screen to confirm that it is charging. The Charge 100 Max even supports 15W quick charging, which is a newer standard that not all phones support yet. Those that do will recharge at a faster rate.
The power bank comes with a handy battery level indicator, which uses a set of LED lights to indicate its current charge level. It also weighs just 1.3 lbs. and measures 5.5” x 4.4” x 1.4”, making it one of the most compact—yet full-featured—portable charging solutions currently available.
Photo Credit: BioLite
Portable and Affordable Power
We got our hands on a BioLite Charge 100 Max review unit a few weeks back and have had the chance to test it on a couple of weekend getaways. It came in handy on a recent cross-country flight, powering two iPad Pros while streaming movies, playing games, and answering emails. It was also a great charging hub in hotel rooms, providing plenty of ports to keep our travel gadgets running throughout the trip.
We love the Charge 100 Max’s emphasis on using USB-C ports over the older USB-A plugs, as clearly that is the future for charging. In fact, we wish more power station manufacturers would follow suit, but that’s a discussion for another time. Just know that if you’ve embraced USB-C on your mobile devices, you’ll find this power bank will meet your needs nicely. Its versatility and ease of use will be most appreciated by frequent travelers.
Ruggedly built, small in stature, and lightweight, the Charge 100 Max fits neatly in a carry-on bag. But it also comes in handy around the home, lodge, tent, or RV, as its size and capabilities make it a convenient option for keeping your mobile devices charged no matter where you wander. The power bank’s $149.99 price point is also quite nice, offering an abundance of capabilities for the price. Sure, you’ll find less expensive models, but anything that offers the same level of performance in terms of battery life, ports, and output will almost assuredly be more expensive. All I know is that I’ve found my new favorite travel companion, and I suspect you will, too.
For more information on the Charge 100 Max, visit the BioLite website.
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