I used the C1000 Gen 2 for 36 days — a kitchen outage drill, two camping weekends and a stint running tools in the garage — and it's the unit I'd recommend to anyone who needs a full 1 kWh back in under an hour. It refilled from empty in 52 minutes, its 2,000 W output ran a kettle, its 10 ms switchover kept my desktop PC up when I pulled the plug, and at 24.9 lb it's light for its size. The catch is noise while it fast charges: at around 1,600 W of input the fans roar. And the UltraFast mode that makes that 52 minutes possible is buried in the app.
What I measured
I charged it to full, then ran a constant 300 W load until it shut off, with a meter at the AC outlet. It ran for 2 hours 58 minutes and delivered 884 watt-hours from a rated 1,024 Wh — 86.3%.
That's within 6 Wh of the 890 Wh OutdoorGearLab published, which is reassuring.[1] It's a little behind the Bluetti Elite 100 V2's 892 Wh from the same rating, and ahead of the EcoFlow Delta 3's 862 Wh, both on my bench under the same load.
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Wall recharge, empty to full (UltraFast) | 52 min |
| Peak AC input | 1,612 W |
| Max solar input accepted | 588 W |
| Continuous output held 10 minutes | 2,000 W |
| Overload trip point | 2,950 W |
| Weight on my scale | 24.9 lb |
| Noise at ~500 W, 1 m | 41 dBA |
| Noise at max output, 1 m | 52 dBA |
| Idle draw, inverter on | 14 W |
| UPS switchover | 10 ms |
| Max USB-C output | 140 W |
| Ports | 5 AC, 2 USB-C, 2 USB-A, 12 V car |
- Result
- 52 min
- Result
- 1,612 W
- Result
- 588 W
- Result
- 2,000 W
- Result
- 2,950 W
- Result
- 24.9 lb
- Result
- 41 dBA
- Result
- 52 dBA
- Result
- 14 W
- Result
- 10 ms
- Result
- 140 W
- Result
- 5 AC, 2 USB-C, 2 USB-A, 12 V car
How it did in real use
I put it through all seven of my use cases:
| Use case | My rating | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Fridge and essentials | 4/5 | Mini fridge and router ran 21 hours; fridge alone about 22 |
| CPAP overnight | 4/5 | My ResMed ran two nights and left it at 58% |
| Car camping | 4/5 | Two weekends; twin handles balance well for the walk to the pitch |
| Van and RV | 3/5 | Did the job, but the fans are intrusive in a small space while charging |
| Home blackout | 4/5 | Kitchen outage drill; 10 ms switchover kept my desktop PC running |
| Solar charging | 4/5 | My 450 W array peaked at 410 W into it |
| Everyday devices | 5/5 | Laptop, phones and router for a working day without thinking about it |
The 2,000 W output is what separates it from its class. It held 2,000 W for ten minutes — the most of any 1 kWh unit I tested — ran a kettle, and handled corded garage tools without complaint.
What 884 watt-hours runs
Calculated from my measured capacity — assumptions here.
| Load | Draw | Calculated runtime |
|---|---|---|
| 12 V camp fridge | 45 W average | 19 h 39 |
| CPAP, humidifier off | 35 W | 25 h 15 |
| Full-size household fridge | 150 W at 35% duty | 16 h 50 |
| Laptop and phone charging | 90 W | 9 h 49 |
| Microwave | 900 W | 0 h 59 |
| Electric kettle | 1,500 W | 0 h 35 |
Recharge — fast, if you find the setting
52 minutes from empty to full on the wall, with input peaking at 1,612 W. That's the fastest of the four 1 kWh units I tested, and close to Anker's 49-minute claim.[2]
The frustration is how you get there. UltraFast charging only works when you enable it in the app, and after a firmware update it quietly reset to standard. If you don't know to look, you'll get a much slower charge and wonder why. I rated the app 3 out of 5 for exactly this reason.
Solar ceiling is 600 W, and it accepted 588 W in my testing — respectable, behind the Bluetti Elite 100 V2's 1,000 W but ahead of the Jackery's 400 W and the EcoFlow's 500 W.
Carry, build and noise
24.9 lb on my scale. The twin handles balance well, and I moved it between the kitchen, the garage and the car without thinking about it. I rated handling 4 out of 5.
The seams are tight and nothing rattles, but the top scuffed easily — a few weeks of sliding it in and out of the car left marks. The screen is clear in shade and dim in direct sun.
Noise depends entirely on what it's doing. Under 500 W it's quiet: 41 dBA at one metre in a 32 dBA room. At maximum output, 52 dBA. But during UltraFast charging at around 1,600 W of input, the fans roar — loud enough that I wouldn't charge it in a bedroom. I rated noise 3 out of 5.
LiFePO4 cells rated for 4,000 cycles to 80% capacity, with a five-year warranty.[2] The 80% matters: Jackery rates the same headline cycle count to 70%.
Where it falls short
Not expandable. There's no expansion battery for the C1000 Gen 2.[2] If you might want more capacity later, the EcoFlow Delta 3 grows to 5 kWh.
UltraFast is hidden. The 52-minute recharge needs the app, and the setting reset after a firmware update.
Loud while fast charging. The fans roar at around 1,600 W of input.
Scuffs easily. The top marked up within weeks.
One 140 W USB-C up front. I wanted a second.
My hands-on ratings
| Category | Score | What I found |
|---|---|---|
| Handling and carry | 4/5 | Light for 1 kWh; the twin handles balance well |
| Build and finish | 4/5 | Tight seams, but the top scuffs easily |
| Controls and display | 4/5 | Clear screen, fine in shade, dim in direct sun |
| Ports and layout | 4/5 | Good mix; wanted a second 140 W USB-C up front |
| App and software | 3/5 | UltraFast is buried in the app and resets after updates |
| Noise and fan | 3/5 | Fans roar at 1,600 W charging, quiet under 500 W |
| Setup and first run | 5/5 | Out of the box and running in two minutes |
| Charging experience | 4/5 | 49 min claim needs the app; I got 52 min |
| Value | 5/5 | Best Wh per dollar in the 1 kWh group |
| Hands-on average | 4.0 / 5 |
How it scores
The measured score ranks second of the eleven units I tested. It's fifth overall once my hands-on ratings are blended in — the app and fan noise cost it.
How this score is built →
FAQ
How long will the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 run a refrigerator?
In my outage drill, a mini fridge and router ran for 21 hours, and the fridge alone about 22. Calculated from my measured 884 Wh, a 45 W camp fridge would run about 19 hours 40 minutes.
How fast does it really charge?
52 minutes from empty to full on my wall socket — but only in UltraFast mode, which you have to switch on in the app. It reset to standard mode after a firmware update.
Is the C1000 Gen 2 better than the EcoFlow Delta 3?
It refilled faster (52 against 58 minutes), delivered more usable energy (884 against 862 Wh), has more output (2,000 against 1,800 W) and costs $200 less at list. The Delta 3 has six AC outlets, a better app and quieter fast charging, and it expands to 5 kWh — which the Anker can't do at all.
Does it work as a UPS for a computer?
Yes. I measured a 10 ms switchover, and it kept my desktop PC running when I cut the mains.
Is 2,000 W enough for power tools?
For most corded tools in my garage, yes. It held 2,000 W for ten minutes and tripped at 2,950 W, so heavy motor start-ups near that figure are where it'll stop.
Full in under an hour — just find the setting first
After 36 days I'd buy the C1000 Gen 2 again. It refilled in 52 minutes, ran a kettle, kept my PC up through an outage, and at $0.57 per usable watt-hour it's the best value 1 kWh unit I tested.
The catches are real but specific. The fans roar while it fast charges, UltraFast is hidden in the app and resets after updates, and it doesn't expand.
Buy the EcoFlow Delta 3 if you might want more capacity later or want six AC outlets. Buy the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 if you'll sleep beside it or charge from a big array. Buy the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 if every pound of carry matters. Otherwise, this is a strong choice at a sensible price.
Sources
- OutdoorGearLab. Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Review. Independent lab test · accessed 5 September 2026
- Anker SOLIX. SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 — specifications. Manufacturer spec · accessed 5 September 2026