Five Portable Batteries Worth Buying If Your Anker Has Been Recalled
If you have an Anker portable battery, please note that your battery may pose a fire hazard and should be disposed of immediately.
On Friday, the company issued a recall notice for three of its batteries : Anker says some of the lithium-ion batteries used in these models may pose a fire hazard due to a “manufacturing defect.” Affected devices may overheat, which can melt plastic, cause smoke and, in some cases, fire.
Anker believes the problem affects only a small number of batteries in these devices manufactured between January 3 and September 17 this year, but is recalling all of them due to safety concerns.
Which Anker batteries are recalled?
According to Anker, the following three portable batteries are being recalled:
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Anker 334 MagGo Battery (PowerCore 10K), Model: A1642
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Anker Power Bank (20,000 mAh, 22.5 W, built-in USB-C cable), Model: A1647
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Power Bank Anker MagGo (10,000 mAh, 7.5 W, stand), model: A1652
If any of these model numbers match your battery, go to Anker’s website and check the 16-digit battery serial number, which you can find on the bottom of the battery. If your battery serial number is not 16 digits long, it is not subject to recall. Additionally, the serial number does not contain the letters “O” or “I”.
How to get a replacement from Anker
Anker says it will use a new distributor for its products in the future, which should theoretically nip the problem in the bud. If you would like to replace the affected device, Anker requires the following:
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Proof of purchase or at least proof of order for your battery. If it was a gift, Anker advises contacting the buyer, which seems like an unnecessary step after delivering portable lighters to customers.
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Model number image.
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Serial number of your battery.
Regardless of whether you receive a replacement, Anker implores you to dispose of the battery safely. Visit the Anker recall site for information on how to recycle batteries in your area.
Portable Batteries You Should Buy Instead
Whether you’ve lost your original receipt or simply lost confidence in this battery pack and want to buy another portable charger, there are plenty of options on the market to choose from. Our sister site PCMag tested many of these options and narrowed down the top five. Oddly enough, two of these options are Anker products but are not affected by the recall. You may want to consider one of these packages, but if not, there are three more options to choose from on this list.
The Belkin BoostCharge is a 5,000mAh MagSafe battery that can be magnetically plugged into the back of your iPhone and charges at 7.5W. (A little slow, but when the battery is literally constantly connected to the phone, everything should be fine.) Otterbox offers a charger with capacities ranging from 5,000 mAh to 20,000 mAh, and Nimble offers a 10,000 mAh battery in a tiny form factor, as well as two 20W USB-C ports that can charge two devices simultaneously. The Anker 737 is expensive, but its 24,000mAh capacity with 140W of power is good for charging larger devices like a laptop, and its portable USB-C charger offers a 10,000mAh battery with two types of USB ports.