Updated

Updated · The Verge · Aug 10

Anker Nano Travel Adapter Drops to $19.99, Matching Best Price With 5-Device Charging

Updated

Updated · The Verge · Aug 10

Anker Nano Travel Adapter Drops to $19.99, Matching Best Price With 5-Device Charging

Q: Can a $20 pocket-sized gadget really replace your entire bulky charging setup for global travel?

Yes—for many travelers, but not for everyone. At $19.99, Anker’s Nano Travel Adapter can replace most of a bulky charging kit if your setup is mainly phones, earbuds, tablets, camera batteries, and other USB-powered gear. It covers four common plug types—A, C, G, and I—working in more than 200 countries and regions, and its two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and AC outlet let you charge up to five devices from one wall socket. Its main appeal is portability: roughly palm-sized, about an inch thick, and 3.8 ounces. The catch is power. Each USB-C port tops out at 20W, which is fine for phones and small electronics but modest for laptops. If you travel with a power-hungry laptop, tablet, or multiple devices that need fast charging at once, this likely will not fully replace your regular chargers. Some testing cited in the search material also notes the Nano has only 20W total USB power, meaning charging speeds can slow when several ports are used together. It also does not convert voltage. That means it changes plug shape, not the local electrical standard. Most modern phone and laptop chargers are dual-voltage and will work, but single-voltage appliances such as some hair dryers, straighteners, razors, or kettles may not. So the Nano is best seen as a smart replacement for a pile of phone and gadget chargers, not as a universal substitute for every travel power need. For light, USB-heavy travel, it is a strong value.

Q: What hidden limitation in this popular travel adapter could leave your high-powered devices completely useless overseas?

The hidden limitation is that the Anker Nano Travel Adapter is not a voltage converter, and its AC outlet also does not support grounded 3-prong plugs. That means some higher-powered devices can be unusable overseas even if the plug physically fits. In practice, the biggest risk is with single-voltage appliances and high-wattage gear such as hair dryers, curling irons, kettles, and some electric razors. In many countries, wall power is 220–240V rather than the 120V used in the US. This adapter only changes the plug shape; it does not step voltage up or down. A 120V-only appliance may fail, perform badly, or be damaged if plugged in abroad. There is a second practical catch for some power-hungry electronics: the front AC socket is a 2-pin design and does not accept grounded 3-prong plugs, including many grounded laptop chargers. So even if your laptop charger is dual-voltage and safe electrically, it may still be physically incompatible with the adapter. For most travelers, phones, tablets, cameras, and many laptops are fine because their chargers usually accept 100–240V input. The safe check is to read the power label on your device or charger. If it says “100–240V, 50/60Hz,” you generally only need a plug adapter. If it says “120V only” or uses a grounded 3-prong plug, this Anker model may leave that device unusable abroad.

3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Aug 10

$19.99 gets Anker’s Nano Travel Adapter at Amazon, Best Buy and Anker, a $6 discount that matches its lowest price to date.
Five-device charging is the main draw: the adapter combines two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports and one AC outlet in a palm-size body.
Over 200 countries and regions are covered by its four built-in plug types, while a single USB-C port delivers up to 20W—enough to charge an iPhone 17 to 50% in under 30 minutes.
3.8 ounces and about 1 inch thick when folded, the adapter is aimed at phones and other small gadgets; it does not convert voltage, so high-power devices still need compatible input.