Hand-Crank Chargers

A charger that never runs flat

A hand-crank charger makes electricity from turning a handle. A small generator inside turns the effort into power for a phone over USB, and many store it in a battery of their own as well. Its one great strength is that it never runs flat in a drawer: as long as someone can turn the handle, it can make power. That makes it a charger for the emergency kit, the car boot, the boat, a remote cabin and a long power cut, rather than for every day.

What to expect from one

It is worth being clear about this. A good amount of turning gives a modest amount of charge, enough for a call, a few messages or a look at a map in an emergency, rather than a full phone. So the sensible plan is to keep a charged power bank as well, and keep the hand-crank charger for the moment when everything else has run out. Phones also last far longer in an emergency with the screen dim, the data off and only the calls you need.

The kinds of hand-crank charger

• Pocket cranks are small chargers with a folding handle and a USB socket, made only to charge a phone.
• Crank radios and torches combine the handle with an emergency radio, a torch, or both, so one device covers news, light and a little phone charge in a power cut.
• Crank power banks have a battery inside that can also be filled from the mains, with the crank as a back-up.

How to choose one

Think about where it will live. For a car boot or a boat, a crank radio and torch earns its place; for a walking pack, a pocket crank weighs less. Check the socket for your cable and keep a short cable with it, as an emergency kit with no cable charges nothing. If the charger has a battery inside, top it up from a charger with a UK three-pin plug now and then, and test the crank at home, before you need it. For a back-up that uses daylight instead, see solar power banks.

Questions people ask about hand-crank chargers

How long do I need to turn it?

Longer than you might expect, and it varies by charger and phone. Treat it as an emergency top-up. The guide to power banks explains why.

Can I take one on a plane?

A crank with no battery is an ordinary item. One with a battery inside counts as a power bank: hand luggage only, never a checked bag. Check your airline's rules.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives.

More to look at

• Solar power banks
• High-capacity power banks
• All power banks
• Short cables
• Waterproof pouches
• Guide: Power banks explained: mAh, real capacity and flying with one