The market is saturated with portable power banks. While these are usually designed specifically for smartphones, such devices can also provide power to just about any other device that can be powered over USB within their specifications, including videogame controllers or wireless headsets. The main challenge with sorting through all of the options is to find the right balance of quality, power, and size. The +LIFEGUARD MINI 1 is one such device. Since cumbersome names seem to be a hallmark of these types of devices, henceforth I will refer to this particular option by the simpler “Lifeguard Mini.”

The diminutive Lifeguard Mini provides 3000mAh capacity from its Samsung battery (which is rated for more than 800 recharges) with a 5V 1A output. As a point of reference, the 3000mAh battery is slightly higher capacity than that found in large phones like the Apple iPhone 6 Plus and slightly lower capacity than that found in the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. That means that even the largest phone can usually be charged to at or near its full capacity within 1.5 to 2.5 hours. A helpful indicator light provides charge status.

The Lifeguard Mini comes bundled with the device, a manual, and two 5.9″ mini cables: a standard micro USB cable that both charges the Lifeguard Mini itself and can also be used for any other micro USB device (like most Android devices, or devices like the Sony PlayStation 4 controller, which I used for testing) to connect to the Lifeguard Mini, as well as a lightning cable that can both charge and sync (the latter when connected to a computer) for Apple iPhone 5 or newer devices (it works great with my iPhone 6 Plus).

The attractive aluminum shell, available in a variety of colors (mine is Navy Blue), helps with accidental drops, while the 18-month money-back warranty should provide additional peace of mind. From its professional packaging to the quality and size of the device itself, I have no hesitation in recommending the Lifeguard Mini if you’re in the market for a portable power source.

Thanks to +LIFEGUARD for providing the review unit.