Review: The CukTech 10 is the Goldilocks power bank I’d been waiting for
by Aakash Jhaveri · Android PolicePower banks have become ubiquitous in everyday carry kits (EDC), and most are serviceable. But it’s rare for a power bank to function so well that it simplifies your life — and that is exactly what the CukTech power bank achieves. CukTech is a growing brand in the charger and power bank category. Its new 10,000mAh power bank — simply called the CukTech 10 — is a great budget offering that gets most things right, including its price, design, performance, and compatibility.
Staff pick
CukTech 10
8.5 / 10
The CukTech 10 is one of the more capable affordable power banks, with support for fast charging for almost every smartphone, a nifty little screen, and excellent recharging speeds.
Pros
- Up to 120W charging output
- Supports most charging standards
- Only takes 30 minutes to recharge
- Compact and well-built
Cons
- Screen too dim
- Only one Type-C port
Price, availability, and specs
The CukTech 10 power bank is priced at $50 and is available via Amazon. Sometimes, it can be found for as low as $40 during sales.
Specifications
Brand
CukTech
Battery Capacity
10,000 mAh
Ports
1 x Type-C, 1 x Type-A
Weight
287 g
Dimensions
143 x 45 x 33.4 mm
Maximum Discharge
120W
Maximum Charge
90W
Multicharge?
Yes; PPS, QC, PD 3.0, etc.
Screen
Yes, TFT
Flight safe
Yes
Expand
What’s good about the CukTech 10?
Let’s start with the CukTech 10's design. It is a cuboidal power bank with a convincing metal-like finish and heft. On the front is a TFT screen and a single button that can switch the screen on or enter low-voltage mode via a double tap. The back is textured, but the pattern is too fine to create any grip — it just catches dirt. And with dimensions of 143 x 45 x 33.4 mm and a 287-gram weight, it’s quite handy.
The screen is programmed to show just the right amount of data without becoming overwhelming, including the remaining charge level, time to fully charge/discharge, and input/output wattage for both ports. But the best part about the CukTech 10 is the charging speeds it can deliver. I tested it across a range of devices to determine how well it would keep up, and I’m glad to report that it charged everything quite fast, and most of them at their maximum rated speed.
It is rated to output 45W for Samsung devices, 27W for iPhones, and up to 100W for laptops and handheld gaming devices. CukTech also has a special partnership with Xiaomi to support 120W HyperCharge, allowing the power bank to go beyond 100W over one port. Since there are two ports on the CukTech 10 (one USB Type-C and one full-sized Type-A), the total output with both ports operating simultaneously is up to 133W — but you will need the right combination of devices to reach that output level.
When I tested it with my Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, a phone that supports 67W charging on the HyperCharge standard, it took about 60 minutes to fully charge the 5,000mAh battery. Similarly, the Google Pixel 8a, which supports 18W charging, took about 75 minutes. CukTech includes a short 240W Type-C to Type-C cable in the box, which accommodates all the standards that the power bank supports: PPS, QuickCharge, PD 3.0, Xiaomi HyperCharge, etc. The product page also mentions support for fast charging on Huawei, Apple, Samsung, Oppo, and Vivo devices, but I could not test them.
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Using the power bank with my laptop (Asus ROG Flow X13) worked well. The CukTech 10 reached a 65W output (USB Power Delivery) with the included cable, making it a truly reliable portable solution. The 10,000mAh pack was good for charging my laptop to a little over 50% in 50 minutes, which is mighty impressive for a product in this class. Moreover, when I used the laptop’s included 100W charger to charge the power bank, it took only about 35 minutes for a full tank — making it one of the fastest recharging power banks around.
As for the low-voltage mode, I was unable to trigger it. Following the instructions did nothing. Thankfully, the onboard systems on the CukTech 10 power bank are smart enough to automatically reduce the output depending on the device. For example, something like earbuds or a smart ring will charge slowly, naturally.
What’s bad about the CukTech 10?
The screen, while appreciated and adequate, seems rather dim. You will really struggle to see it when outdoors. For what it’s worth, the black levels are very good and inky, but you’ll probably only appreciate it for a few seconds at night.
Secondly, the inclusion of a single USB Type-C port can feel a little limiting at times, especially when multiple devices need a quick top-up. This is likely to be a price-driven decision as well as one that makes sense for just 10,000mAh capacity. CukTech does have other reasonably priced power banks with higher capacity and more ports.
Lastly, the company needs to make its messaging clearer. There is a lot of convoluted and contradicting information on its website, making some permutations of charging a guess. Similarly, product laddering is a little confusing if you just rely on the website. You’ll definitely need to check the information if you’re choosing between models attentively.
Should you buy it?
The CukTech 10 power bank is an easy recommendation. It has a low price, the right size and weight, and great charging speeds. The inclusion of a detailed screen is a big added advantage that is not very common in this segment. As more devices in our lives move to USB Type-C, this power bank is one of the better options available to manage them all.
Fast charging is becoming increasingly common, especially on flagship phones. But with how fragmented charging standards are, finding the right power bank for your device can be daunting. Luckily, the CukTech 10 plays well with most devices, earning a recommendation from us.
Staff pick
CukTech 10
8.5 / 10
The CukTech 10 is one of the more capable affordable power banks, with support for fast charging for almost every smartphone, a nifty little screen, and excellent recharging speeds.
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