Reviewing the Anker Portable Solar Power Charger

The ease of portability with the Anker PowerPort.

I have found a treasure that is not so very expensive but is worth it's weight in gold if you need to charge your cell phone and have no way of doing so. The Anker 21 watt PowerPort is portable, small, and powerful.  If you go camping, hiking, or if you want to be prepared for power outages at home, you may like this solar charger as much as I do.

The Anker 21 watt PowerPort Solar Charger

This little charger can be kept in the seat pocket of your car, in a hiking backpack, your bug out bag, or many other small storage spaces. The four sections of the gadget fold up like a pamphlet. The velcro holds it closed.  When folded it measures only 11" x 6".  When fully opened it measures only 26" x 11".

When opened, you access the pocket with the USB port. The PowerPort has two ports so you can charge two items at a time. The PowerPort comes with one charging cord. I could charge my Kindle and my cell phone at the same time.

As soon as you open the Anker PowerPort Charger, you can immediately see if the item is collecting sun via the indicator light. 

Anker PowerPort with 2 USB ports, indicator light, and cord included

As soon as I received my Anker, I took it out to the balcony to give it a try.  It was an extremely sunny day. Even so, the charger charged my phone far more quickly than I expected. I've never timed it, but I believe it takes longer to charge when it's charging in the Jeep up at the Shack! I know it seems like forever when I am waiting to bed but I want a full charge on the phone for overnight.

4:54 pm - Charging at 62%

6:02 pm  - Charging at 81%

The Many Uses of the Anker PowerPort Solar Charger

I bought this on the recommendation by a friend who has owned his for a year or more.  He uses his for camping, hunting, and traveling. He charges his items while in the woods or while in the truck without putting strain on the truck battery. He has not had a single complaint with his Anker. 

I bought mine for hiking and camping purposes as well as power outages that occur in the neighborhood where my metro apartment is located. I will also take mine with me when I travel to the Shack. Even though I have a large solar panel and inverter there, I need to replace the donated batteries (which are expensive). So in the meantime, I can use the Anker to charge my phone (rather than take my phone out to the Jeep in the dark and the wilderness and charge it there). 

I did see some questions on Amazon and I want to make it clear... this is not an inverter. You cannot charge items with "plugs" with this. You can only charge things that can charge with a USB cord. That includes phones, kindles, and tablets. Maybe some cameras. If you item plugs in with the cord that fits into the hole shown in the photo above, you can use this mini-solar panel to charge your items. 




I occasionally lose power in my apartment for most of day due to things such as traffic accidents hitting power poles and those big power boxes. We have also lost power here due to ice storms and blizzards. Finally, with the recent news of the damage caused by hurricanes, I made sure I am more prepared with the Anker PowerPort Solar charger. 

UPDATE: After using this item a handful of times, I highly recommend it. It is a very helpful item when either off-grid or experiencing power loss. I do want to add that there is one thing to be aware of. It does NOT have a diode. Which means that if you leave your phone plugged in to the charger and it becomes too cloudy or dark, the power from your phone drains back into the solar charger. I would not expect an item this inexpensive/portable to have a diode. But it was interesting to watch just how quickly the power drains in the opposite direction in the dark.

*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you. 

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I also depend on headlamps for lighting at the Shack, while camping, hiking, and during emergencies. You can read my review of headlamps here. If you've ever suddenly been in the dark and needed lighting you are aware of the importance of light. Read about my choice for hands-free lighting.

Chesapeake Cozy Cat Trees and Condos

Chesapeake Cozy Cat - Baltimore Co., Maryland

If you are a cat lover and would like to supply your cat with a quality cat tree or cat condo and you are in the Baltimore County area, I have some good information for you.  Both Mittens and I are thrilled about the treasure I acquired yesterday from Chesapeake Cozy Cat.

Buying Local - in Baltimore County, Maryland

I prefer to buy things that are made and sold locally, but it is not always easy to find what you are looking for. It often becomes much easier to mail order items. It is also often less expensive to buy from the big box stores.

One item that I have put off purchasing is a large cat condo. I didn't care for the quality and the prices at the local stores. And I didn't feel like spending that much money on Mittens the Maleficent. Frankly, she is constantly in the top of closets, on top of my kayak (that I store across the top of closet doors - next to the ceiling), and in every other nook and cranny she can find. While I really wanted a large cat tree for her, it wasn't a priority.

However, her knocking things from this shelves and spaces to make room for her napping has grown old. I definitely wanted to have a "high" space dedicated to Mittens.

Years ago I had seen a variety of cat trees and condos being sold yard sale style at the park-and-ride across from Martin State airport. But I hadn't seen this set-up for quite awhile and had given up on being able to shop those items - UNTIL YESTERDAY!

Chesapeake Cozy Cat

The Chesapeake Cozy Cat tent was in front of the park-and-ride in front of Martin State Airport yesterday. I pulled a U-turn and stopped to shop.  I grabbed a card so I could remember to provide the contact information to you.

Chesapeake Cozy Cat official website

The gentleman (I forgot to ask him name in my excitement) said that he doesn't do mail order business yet. He attends local shows and continues to sometimes set up at the location I found him. He builds all of the items himself.

I found that his prices were less expensive than the items at a local pet store I had been window-shopping. And in my opinion, the item I purchased is a higher quality.

Mittens and Her New Tree

Some of my readers occasionally ask about Mittens. She is the cat that I adopted from a local shelter in 2015 and we had adventures before I ever brought her home. In fact, I was a bit worried about whether or not Mittens the Maleficent Kitten would be allowed to come live with me. 

Mittens continues to do well with me. Rather, I continue to do well with her. She is clearly in charge of both myself and the dogs, and the apartment is her apartment. 

As soon as I brought this 42" tall tree into the door, she claimed it. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but she claimed it by laying on the base. 

Later she hopped up into the 1/2 tube beds. When I was making my purchase, I initially thought I should buy the enclosed cat houses, but I am glad I bought the tree with the two 1/2 tube beds. She loves them. Some day, I'd love to buy her one of those HUGE cat trees (on the far left in the intro photograph) but for now, this tree is perfect for Her Highness and a good size for my apartment. 

Maybe you do not live locally. In that case Amazon may be a really good option for you to find a cat tower or condo in the shape and size that you want. Simply click the banner below and shop the pet section for cat towers.




But if you are lucky enough to live local to Baltimore County, and are looking for a quality cat tree, you definitely should contact Chesapeake Cozy Cat. Mittens certainly has given her stamp of approval.

*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you.