Power Stations Ranked on Lab Data

The premise

I buy every unit at retail, drain it on the same 300 W bench, then live with it for a month or more. Every figure is labelled measured, observed or calculated, and the arithmetic is on the page.

Scott Caine Tests every unit on this site · no manufacturer relationships

How this site works →

How every unit is scored

Usable capacity & output 30%

Recharge & solar input 20%

Build, ports & durability 20%

Portability 15%

Value 15%

Full method →

Start here

The two pages most people need

Roundup The Best Power Stations for Home Backup (2026) — What Kept My Fridge Cold I ran outage drills on eight power stations, including two through a transfer switch. The EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 is my pick: 3,772 Wh measured, verified 240 V. Updated 6 October 2026 · 9 min Review EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 Review — 92% Delivered, 240 V Verified, and a Well Pump on Battery I used the Delta Pro 3 for 44 days, including a whole-house outage drill through a transfer switch. It ran my fridge. Updated 6 October 2026 · 9 min

Browse by category

5 sections

Category Portable power stations Reviews and comparisons, ranked on independently measured usable capacity. Category Home backup Whole-home and partial-home battery backup: what actually runs a house, and for how long. Category Off-grid & energy independence Load math, solar sizing and the arithmetic behind living without a grid connection. Category Camping, van & RV Portable power you carry: weight, nights of fridge, and how fast you can refill it. Category Budget picks What you actually get for under $700 — measured, not advertised.

Start with the job you need done

10 use cases · each with a pick

Off-grid living Sizing, chemistry and solar maths Home blackout Whole-home and fridge-only picks Car camping Carry weight against nights of fridge Van & RV Recharge on the move CPAP overnight Nights per charge, calculated Under $700 Cost per usable watt-hour Running a fridge What 1 kWh really buys Sizing a system Load math, no guessing Rated vs usable Why the box overstates it Which brand Four brands, one table

Best-of rankings & comparisons

10 pages · every unit ranked on measured capacity

Roundup The Best Budget Power Stations Under $700 (2026) — Cost Per Watt-Hour I Actually Measured I tested six power stations under $700 and divided each price by the watt-hours I metered out of the socket. Roundup The Best Power Stations for Camping (2026) — What I'd Actually Carry to a Pitch I took nine power stations camping and weighed and metered every one. The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 is my pick — the lightest 1 kWh unit. Roundup The Best Power Stations for a CPAP (2026) — Nights I Slept On Them, and the Arithmetic I ran my ResMed CPAP overnight on eleven power stations and measured how loud each one was. The Bluetti Elite 100 V2 is my pick — three nights. Roundup The Best Power Stations for Vans and RVs (2026) — Two Nights and a Way to Refill I fitted or carried ten power stations in a van and RV. The Bluetti Elite 200 V2 is my pick: 1,902 Wh measured, 2,600 W out. Roundup The Best Power Stations for Home Backup (2026) — What Kept My Fridge Cold I ran outage drills on eight power stations, including two through a transfer switch. The EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 is my pick: 3,772 Wh measured, verified 240 V. Comparison EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 vs Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus — I Tested Both Through My Home Panel I ran both units through outage drills on my home's wiring. The Anker puts out 50% more power for $1,300 less; the EcoFlow delivered more usable energy. Roundup The Best Power Stations for Off-Grid Living (2026) — Ranked on the Solar I Actually Got In Off-grid, your daily energy is capped by how much solar the unit will accept. I measured it on ten units. The Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus is my pick. Roundup The Best Portable Power Stations of 2026 — 11 Units I Drained, Weighed and Lived With I tested 11 power stations from EcoFlow, Jackery, Bluetti and Anker for 27 to 44 days each, metering every watt-hour out of the socket. Comparison EcoFlow vs Jackery vs Bluetti vs Anker — Which Brand Is Actually Best in 2026? I tested 11 units across four brands on the same bench. Bluetti delivered the most of its ratings, EcoFlow was the best to live with, Jackery carried best. Comparison Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 vs EcoFlow Delta 3 — I Tested Both. Which 1 kWh Unit Should You Buy? I used both for over a month. The Jackery holds more usable energy and is nearly 4 lb lighter. The EcoFlow has twice the AC outlets, a better app.

Individual reviews

7 units with independent measurements

Review EcoFlow River 2 Pro Review — 17 lb, Easy to Live With, and Limited by 800 W I used the River 2 Pro for 30 days of car camping, tailgating and home office work. It's a one-hand carry. Review EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 Review — 92% Delivered, 240 V Verified, and a Well Pump on Battery I used the Delta Pro 3 for 44 days, including a whole-house outage drill through a transfer switch. It ran my fridge. Review Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Review — Full in 52 Minutes, 2,000 W Out, and Loud While It Does It I used the C1000 Gen 2 for 36 days — a kitchen outage drill, two camping weekends and garage tools. It refilled in 52 minutes, ran a kettle. Review Bluetti Elite 100 V2 Review — The Quietest Unit I Tested, With 1,000 W of Solar I used the Elite 100 V2 for 37 days — two camping weekends, a home office UPS and solar on the deck. It ran my CPAP for three nights without me hearing it. Review EcoFlow Delta 3 Review — My Pick for Most People, and the One That Grows With You I used the Delta 3 for 37 days — a kitchen outage, a van weekend and solar on the deck. It refilled in 58 minutes, has six AC outlets and the best app I used. Review Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Review — The Best 1 kWh Unit to Carry, and Only Three Outlets I used the Explorer 1000 v2 for 34 days of car camping, tailgating and a simulated outage. It's the lightest 1 kWh unit I tested, with the best handle. Review Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 Review — 2 kWh You Can Lift Alone, Held Back by 400 W of Solar I used the Explorer 2000 v2 for 40 days — a weekend cabin, a kitchen outage and power tools in the yard.

Guides & load math

6 guides

Guide Generator vs Battery for Home Backup — Fuel, Noise, Permits and Total Cost A generator runs indefinitely but needs fuel and ventilation. A battery is silent and safe indoors but finite. What I learned running battery outage drills. Guide Running a Fridge Through a Power Outage — What Each Battery Size Actually Buys Hours of refrigeration each battery size delivers, calculated from measured capacity, plus the food-safety window that decides if you need one. Guide How to Size a Power Station — Load Math for a Fridge, a CPAP and a Camp Kitchen Work out the watt-hours you need in five steps, with typical appliance draws, the efficiency correction I measured on 11 units. Guide LiFePO4 vs NMC — Which Battery Chemistry Should Your Power Station Use? LiFePO4 lasts four to eight times longer and is far harder to ignite. But the spec that really varies is what those cycles are rated to. Guide Rated vs Usable Capacity — Why Your Power Station Gives Back Less Than the Box Says Every power station delivers less than its rating — independent testing puts the loss between 7% and 25%. Where it goes and how to plan for it. Guide Solar Recharge in Practice — Why a 100 W Panel Does Not Give You 100 Watts A 100 W panel was independently measured averaging 50.7 W in full sun. Where the rest goes, and the input ceiling that wastes half some arrays.

Independent power-station analysis for real budgets

Portable power is a category where the number on the box and the number you get differ by 8% on a good unit and 20% on a bad one. Manufacturers rarely publish that gap. This site's whole job is to measure it on every unit worth considering, on the same bench, and put both figures next to each other.

I cover EcoFlow, Jackery, Bluetti and Anker SOLIX because that is what the US market actually buys.

Standing policy

＋Buy every unit at retail and test it on the same bench

＋Publish the arithmetic behind every runtime I calculate

＋Label every figure as measured, observed or calculated

＋Keep manufacturer claims and my own measurements separate

−Accept free, loaned or discounted hardware from any manufacturer

−Accept sponsored placements, paid scores or paid reviews

−Run display advertising anywhere on the site

−Build a score or a comparison on a street price I have not checked

Read the full policy →

The box says 1,024 watt-hours. My bench says 862.