Anker Nano 67W Max 6-in-1 Travel Power Strip: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-21

Summary

Most of the trouble with this slim 6-in-1 strip is power allocation and paperwork rather than failure: the 67W headline belongs to a single USB-C port and drops to 45W or 30W as soon as a second device goes in, the two AC sockets sit only about 9mm apart so a large wall brick blocks its neighbour, and the surge rating is contradictory, with 2100J on Anker Canada’s page for the same model, no joule figure on the US page, and PCWorld describing the strip as having no surge protection. Keeping it running costs nothing in parts, because there is no battery, filter, cartridge or subscription, so the only yearly outlay is the electricity your devices draw while plugged in. It is a strong buy under $30 delivered new, good at $30-35 if the thin flat format matters, and only fair at the $39.99 that Anker direct, Best Buy and eBay all listed in October 2026.

Common problems and fixes

The laptop gets far less than 67W once other devices are plugged in — the 67W applies to one USB-C port alone. With two USB-C ports the split is 20W + 45W and the port marked with the computer icon (USB-C2) takes priority; one USB-C plus one USB-A gives 45W + 12W; three active ports give 20W + 30W + 12W or 45W + 15W shared across the USB-A pair; all four USB ports in use give 20W on C1, 30W on C2 and 15W shared by A1 and A2. This is Anker’s documented behaviour, so the warranty does not treat it as a defect. Workaround: charge fewer USB devices at once, or give the second laptop its own wall brick. [1][2]
The two USB-A ports share 15W between them — one USB-A port alone delivers 12W (5V/2.4A), but two devices in the A ports get 15W in total, so a phone and a power bank together charge slowly. Same fix: use one USB-A device at a time, and expect no speed increase from the second port. Not a warranty item. [1][2]
Large AC wall bricks block the second outlet — a hands-on inspection measured only about 9mm of separation between the two sockets, and there are just two AC outlets on the whole strip, so a wide adapter in one socket can stop the other being used at all. There is no plug-lock mechanism to keep an adapter seated. Workaround: use low-profile or slim cube plugs and move extra gear to a second strip; the 24-month warranty does not cover mechanical crowding. [3][9]
The surge rating is undocumented on the US unit — Anker Canada’s page for the same model A9129 claims 2100J, the Anker US technical page carries no joule rating, and PCWorld says the travel strip has no surge protection, and no independent US surge certification was found. Before plugging in a desktop, NAS or network device, check the rating on the unit’s own label or buy a strip with a published joule figure. The advertised up to $200,000 connected-equipment warranty is conditional: it needs the original buyer, UL-listed AC-connected equipment, a properly grounded circuit, a direct connection with no extension cords, and a claim filed within 15 days of the damage, so it is not proof of surge hardware. [1][4][5][6]
The 5ft cord cannot be removed, shortened or replaced — the flat cord is permanently attached and the wall plug is about 0.35in thick, which is handy when the outlet sits behind furniture and untidy in a small travel pouch. A damaged mains lead means professional service or replacing the whole unit, and a cut cord must never be spliced; the 24-month warranty covers manufacturing and material defects, not a damaged consumable lead. [1][3][9]
Output can fluctuate under a sustained load — Anker warns that connecting or removing a cable can trigger renegotiation and that output may fluctuate during extended higher loads, and no measured dropout duration or frequency is published. So do not treat this strip as a UPS for anything that needs uninterrupted USB power, and do not read a short dip as a hardware fault. Warranty does not apply to documented behaviour. [1][2]

Parts and consumables

Yearly running cost

There is no proprietary recurring spend: no battery, no cartridge, no filter, no subscription, so the parts bill is $0 a year and owners report nothing scheduled. The 67W figure is maximum USB output rather than idle input draw, and no independent standby-draw or conversion-efficiency measurement was found, so a defensible strip-only annual cost cannot be stated. For illustration only, devices drawing 30W for 4 hours a day receive 43.8kWh a year; at an assumed 90% conversion efficiency and a hypothetical $0.20/kWh, wall energy is 48.7kWh a year, about $9.73. That is the cost of charging the devices, not an extra cost of this strip, and AC appliances plugged into it are separate. [1][2]

When it is a good buy

$39.99 at Anker direct for the A9129, though that page sometimes shows the product sold out and a checkout at that price for a preferred colour was not established.
$39.99 at Best Buy for the blue A9129 (SKU 12005366); the black and white versions display the same figure on their own retail pages.
$39.99 on eBay for a new A9129 (item 358378054509), sold by a third-party shop whose manufacturer-warranty authorisation was not verified.

Under $30 delivered new with legitimate returns is a strong deal; $30-35 is good if the thin flat format matters to you; $35-40 is fair; above $40 it is worth hunting for a better-priced authorised A9129 offer. At $39.99 the three named alternatives are worth weighing: the Anker 525 A91C0 at $39.99 at Anker direct, October 2026, adds a third AC socket and an explicit 300J surge protection but is taller and heavier, and is the better choice when a verified surge rating and an extra socket outweigh the 0.75in-thick body; the Anker 351 at $23.99 at Walmart, October 2026, gives 12 AC outlets and 2100J protection but caps USB-C at 20W, and suits a desktop where many surge-protected sockets matter more than 67W laptop charging; the Anker Nano A91C8 7-in-1 100W at $79.99 at Anker direct, October 2026, adds three USB-C ports with up to 100W on a single port, three AC sockets and an LCD, and is the better pick for charging more than one laptop at higher power. [10][11][12][13][14][15]