I carried the CUKTECH 20 Power Bank with me for a week and it's never let me down but boy is it heavy

The best power banks blend portability, high capacity, and fast charging capabilities. It's rare for any power bank to nail all three, especially given that higher capacities usually results in extra weight. That is most definitely the case for the CUKTECH 20, which I've been using these past few weeks.

In terms of specs, the CUKTECH 20 has a capacity of 25000mAh which is more than a lot of people will need. The overall output can hit 210W although only 140W for a single port. The smart TFT display certainly looks the part, and the fact that it claims to be airline safe is another win.

The CUKTECH 20's main competitor is the Ugreen Nexode Power Bank 25000mAh 200W, which I reviewed in March and gave an impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars. Read on to find out more about the CUKTECH 20, and even though this is a review rather than a versus, you'll also discover whether I think you should buy it instead of the Ugreen.

CUKTECH 210W 25,000mAh power bank: Key specifications

Design and Build

• TFT Display
• Fantastic build quality
• Heavy

With a TFT display and a charging light bar, the CUKTECH 20 certainly looks the part. CUKTECH has utilised colour to clearly display what the power bank is doing in terms of power output and input. There's also a large graphic detailing the remaining capacity so you can tell how much juice you have left at just a glance.

It'll also tell you how long it'll take for the power bank to charge/discharge based on the devices currently plugged in. This is helpful, although a little disconcerting when charging a laptop, as you'll quickly run out of power. After initially believing that it wasn't possible to keep the screen on beyond 30 seconds, I was glad to find a setting that toggles to an 'always on' mode.

The three ports, 2x USB-C and 1x USB-A, are located on the end of the power bank. I'm regularly charging multiple USB-C devices, so I would have liked a greater number of ports, but in reality, most people will only be charging a phone or two, as well as a laptop or smartwatch. Three ports will likely be enough.

I always like to see the max voltage written next to each port, but unfortunately, that's missing on the CUKTECH 20. I found myself having to check the documentation from time to time to remind myself of which port was the fastest. This could easily be avoided with a little bit of added text.

The light bar gives you an immediate idea of whether the power bank is being used or not. Unfortunately, this stays lit and active even when a cable is connected to the power bank at one end but not to a device at the other. I think it would make sense to only work if actual power is discharging.

That being said, I can't fault the excellent build quality, and I'd have very little concern about damaging the device, even if I dropped it. The materials, alongside the battery capacity, do mean that it's one of the heavier power banks I've ever tested. I therefore only ever carry it in my bag if I know I'll need to charge my laptop. It's certainly not the most portable option if you only ever plan on charging your phone.

Design score: 4/5

Features and performance

• Fast charging
• Three-way charging

The CUKTECH 20 has two USB-C ports and a single USB-A port. These are capable of 140W, 45W, and 30W, respectively. For two-port charging, you'll get a maximum of 110W compared to 140W when utilising all three ports. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to achieve these advertised speeds, with both USB-C ports topping out at around 40 to 45W.

To test the power bank out, I charged my two main devices, an iPhone XR and a MacBook Pro M2. These represent common devices that most people would want to charge.

The first took a respectable 1 hour and 50 minutes to go from empty to full. The readings during charging were 13W, 1.3A, and 9.2V. Charging my iPhone drained the power bank battery by 20%, which means I would be able to carry out five recharges before having to recharge the bank itself.

My MacBook Pro also took just under two hours to charge, although it drained the entire charge of the power bank. You won't therefore be able to rely on this power bank for charging a laptop and a phone should both need power during a single day. This is a little disappointing, especially given the size and weight.

That being said, I rarely need a full recharge on both my phone and laptop at any point in time and have generally found that the bank always had enough juice to keep me going throughout the day.

In terms of recharging the power bank, I was able to do this in 1 hour and 55 minutes with a rate of 60W. Again, given the size of the battery, I was very pleased with that recharge time.

Features score: 4/5

Performance score: 4/5

Price

The CUKTECH 20 Power Bank costs $99.99/£99.99 which makes it almost equal to the Ugreen Nexode Power Bank 25000mAh 200W. Given that they both cost the same, I'd probably lean slightly towards the Ugreen, as it's slimmer and slightly lighter. For both, you'll get fast charging, excellent capacity, and a top level of build quality. In essence, you're not going to be disappointed with either.

Who's it for?

• Workers and creatives who travel a lot

This is a power bank that is perfectly designed for those who need power on the go, especially if that involves remote laptop charging. It’s bigger than more portable power banks but because it packs so much power you’ll be able to keep a phone and laptop going for a few hours longer than everyone else.

Buy it if...

• You need a power bank for your laptop and phone
• You need a high-quality build
• You're devices are mostly USB-C

Don't buy it if...

• You plan on taking your power bank everywhere you go
• You're on a budget