Best portable power station: quick menu
Whether you're working or camping in the great outdoors, the best portable power stations are an essential for staying connected outside.
Portable power stations let you power and charge electrical devices when you're in rural locations. Thanks to the high-capacity rechargeable battery, they tend to be quieter and cheaper to run compared to fuel generators and longer-lasting versus even the best laptop power banks. You'll find them loaded with plug sockets USB ports, and much more. It effectively means you can run almost any device off-the-grid - so long as you charge up the power station first.
There are a lot of different models on the market, from brands like EcoFlow, Bluetti, Ugreen, and Anker. But which portable power station is best?
Our expert review team went hands-on with the top units, testing battery capacity, connectivity and port selection. We also assessed weight and portability for those regularly transporting the unit. Battery health, charging times, and our first-hand experience using the best portable power stations also came sharply into focus during our review process.
The quick list
Want to cut to the chase and find out what the best portable power stations are? Below, you’ll find a roundup of our choices, and you can jump to a more detailed review of every pick, along with our price comparison tool to help you find the best deals.
Best overall
1. EcoFlow Delta 2 Max
Best portable power station overall
EcoFlow has truly built an absolutely massive machine in capacity and ability with the Delta 2 Max. It has a maximum capacity of 6144Wh, can charge 15 independent outputs at a time, with 6 of those being full 3-pronged AC outlets. Plus, EcoFlow includes a featured companion app to help run this power station even better.
Best for outdoors
2. Anker PowerHouse 767
Best portable power station for outdoors
The Anker PowerHouse 767 power station has a built in retractable arm and wheels to help move this behemoth around In addition to four standard three-pronged outlets, this also has two car sockets, some USB-C ports, USB-A ports, a TT-30 port for RVs and a built in light bar.
Best for multiple devices
3. Deeno GT X1500
Best portable power station for charging multiple devices
The Deeno GT X1500 has a lot of things going for it. It's a great size with great handles to help carrying this power station a bit easier, there are a great selection of USB-A, USB-C, DC car outlet, AC three-prong outlet, and even a qi wireless charger on top. All around, this powerstation is great to top off devices in a rush, or let your electronics sit by and charge.
Best lightweight
4. Renogy Phoenix 200
Best lightweight portable power station
The Renogy Phoenix 200 is a part of the portable power station lineup from Renogy for a good reason. It's one of the lightest power stations in its class, coming in at only 5.3lb while still housing a battery with 222Wh. That comes out to around 42Wh/lb, which is great for this size. It still has great port offerings, a quick charge, and an integrated handle to make it easier to carry.
Best for camping
5. BioLite BaseCharge 1500
Best portable power station for camping
The BioLite BaseCharge 1500 is a great portable power station for many reasons. It's lightweight, has great charging abilities, and has a solid battery size. But where we saw ourselves using this, the most would be at a worksite. That could mean backup for a home office, backup for camera gear, power for some tools, or just a great place to plug things in at your makeshift work-from-home setup.
The best portable power station of 2024
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Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best portable power stations in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.
Best portable power station overall
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1. EcoFlow Delta 2 Max
Our top choice of portable power station
Specifications
Capacity: 2048Wh
Charge Cycles: 3000 cycles to 80+% capacity
Weight and Dimensions: 23kg / 19.6 × 9.5 × 12 in
Ports: 6x AC Outlet, 4x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 2x DC5521, 1x Car Outlet,
Reasons to buy
+Expandable Storage
+Bluetooth / Wi-Fi Connectivity
+6x three-pronged AC outlets
+Superfast Charging
+Solar panel input
Reasons to avoid
-Can trip breakers at home when recharging if not careful
-No wireless charging top
Buy it if
✅ You want the Cadillac of portable power stations: This is EcoFlow's top-tier portable power station with all the bells and whistles including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity to track metrics, divert power, and check status.
✅ You want six three-pronged AC Outlets: EcoFlow's full-featured option stands out with its six three-pronged AC outlets, unlike the usual two-pronged ones.
✅ You want solar options: If you're looking for a high-capacity portable power station that can also recharge off the grid using the sun, the EcoFlow Delta 2 Max has fantastic solar panels that recharge the large battery quickly.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You’re looking for a mid-priced portable power station: EcoFlow's Delta 2 Max is just under $2000 base, with an additional $500 - 600 for the solar panels, and another $1400 for an extra battery. It's pricy, but EcoFlow runs deals occasionally dropping that price a bit.
❌ You want wireless charging: The trend these days with portable batteries, regardless of the main intent of the battery, is to include wireless charging. This power station missed the memo though, without qi charging built in.
❌ You need wheels to tote this around: Sometimes when power banks get this big and heavy, manufacturers add wheels to help when moving the power station. EcoFlow didn't feel that was necessary for the Delta 2 Max though.
The bottom line
🔋 The Delta 2 Max is EcoFlow's top-tier portable power station with phenomenal performance, plenty of ports, expandability, and solar input. This model even has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity which pairs with a companion app, allowing for even more detailed control and metrics. ★★★★★
What you need to know
The EcoFlow Delta 2 Max Portable Power Station is impressive. Not only is it a demanding power station due to its stature, but also because of just how well it works. It has the ability to charge nearly all appliances in a home in case of a power outage, it can run solely from 1000W Max solar power input if desired, it can be expanded up to 6kWh with additional batteries, and even has an attachment to be a plug and play solution to take over as smart-controlled redundant backup in case of a power outage at your house. Usually, portable power stations have some cool features, but the EcoFlow Delta 2 Max seems to be in a race of its own, ahead of the pack with quite a few remarkable specs to find in a portable model.
Design: The overall design of this portable power station is fairly simple. Unlike what we normally see on power stations with the control panel and outlets on the widest side of the device, this power station uses the narrower side as the interface side, with the exact opposite side (the other narrow side) being the place to plug in cables to add power to the bank and all the AC outlets are back there too. If you want to take advantage of the extra power banks, the ports for those connections live on the right side if you're looking at the control panel. On the left lives some vents to help circulate air.
Performance: During our time testing the EcoFlow Delta 2 Max, it performed wonderfully without any issues at all. We were able to connect to the smart features with ease, perform some firmware updates, and we were up and running in no time. Even while this thing is running a heavy load, it's still whisper quiet compared to what we would expect, and especially compared to an equivalent gas generator. The solar panels are easy to unfold and set up, if you choose to harness the power of the sun for your electricity. Beyond that, another area we were shocked with is just how fast the battery fully charges. According to the spec sheets, this massive battery charges to 80% in 1.1hrs on standard AC outlet power, or 43 minutes utilizing the 1000W solar input in addition to the AC outlet.
Battery Capacity: Looking again at the specsheets, the max capacity of the EcoFlow Delta 2 Max with two battery packs is over 6kWh at 6144Wh. Without the extra battery packs, the main unit itself still has a max battery capacity of 2048Wh.
Value for money: All together, the package we have is worth about $2,540. That includes the main unit, and a pack of 220W solar panels. If you wanted to choose to pick up both battery extensions and the solar panels, a fully kitted system would run well over $5,000. But, depending on what you will be using the system for, that may be entirely worth it.
Swipe to scroll horizontally| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Expensive, but high quality | ★★★★☆ |
| Design | Simple, powerful, lightweight | ★★★★★ |
| Performance | Outstanding, while quiet | ★★★★★ |
| Battery Capacity | Large capacity, can be expanded | ★★★★★ |
Best portable power station for outdoors
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2. Anker 767 PowerHouse
Ideal when you're heading outside
Specifications
Capacity: 2048Wh
Charge Cycles: 3,000
Weight and Dimensions: 20.7 x 15.5 x 9.8 in
Ports: 2x USB-C, 3x USB-A, 4x AC Outlet 2x Car outlets, 1x TT-30R,
Reasons to buy
+Wheels and "Tow" arm
+TT-30R Outlet
+Built-in Light Bar
+Companion App for more control
Reasons to avoid
-No wireless charging top
-Heavy, needs the wheels for easy transport
Buy it if
✅ You want a high capacity battery: This battery is quite large coming in at 2048Wh. With an expansion, it can jump to 4096Wh. That's a huge, currently matching our #1 in size.
✅ You want an easy to maneuver powerstation: The Anker 767 PowerHouse has built in wheels and a retractable handle to make moving this beast of a powerstation as easy as moving a suitcase.
✅ You have an RV: The 767 PowerHouse boats quite a few ports, one of the most surprising is the inclusion of the TT-30R outlet, which is used heavily by RVs.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You’re looking for a lightweight power station: The Anker PowerHouse 767 is not for the faint of heart. It weighs a whopping 67lb. Granted, it has wheels, but it's still hefty.
❌ You want a kWh of battery backup: Even with the battery extension, this power station maxes out at 4096Wh, just under half of a kWh.
❌ You want easy home installation as a backup: While this power station could absolutely run aspects of your home, and, with some fancy wiring, could be ran into your main breaker, that's not something this model promotes.
The bottom line
🔋 The PowerHouse 767 is Anker's (Anker Solix)'s flagship portable power station, and it shows. It has a wide range of ports, great capacity, easy maneuverability and a built in light bar. What more could you ask for? ★★★★★
What you need to know
Anker's PowerHouse 767 Portable Power Station is an impressive powerstation to say the least. It really thrives in the outdoors though in our mind. Yes, it could be used just around the house, but with the built in wheels, RV outlet, and built in light bar, this feels like a portable power station designed to be taken on fun adventures and put to the test. While we did not get them to test, there is an option to get solar panels with this power station, as with many high end models we see. Also, this power station can be controlled via the companion app. Through the app we can divert power to certain port types, see the discharge or recharge status and much more.
Design: As mentioned, this massive portable power station has a few unique features worth noting. First off, this power station has wheels and a retractable handle much like that of a rolling suitcase. The wheels are rugged enough and large enough to go over some outdoor terrain, and the handle itself can hold well over the weight of the PowerHouse 767. Next, this power station has an RV outlet. We've seen a lot of power stations and not many have this outlet, So, if you have an RV and are looking for a power station, knowing that this could run your entire RV if needed is a huge gain. In fact, pro tip, if where you are staying does not have one, this could even act as an adapter. Lastly, this power station has a built in, multi-brightness LED light bar to help illuminate whatever you are plugging in, your campsite, garage, or wherever you are.
Performance: During our time reviewing the Anker PowerHouse 767 Portable Power Station everything worked as promoted. We were able to dial in every aspect of how this power station operated including details like how quickly (balanced with how loudly) the unit recharged, we can trigger a light SOS mode in emergency, we can toggle power save mode and more. As like we have seen on most portable power stations that have companion apps or zone control, we also have the ability to enable or disable ports by type, i.e. we can enable all of the AC outlets at once.
Battery Capacity: 2048Wh is a large battery. At the time of writing this, that matches our number one offering as well in size. Without breaking beyond the portable power station size, this is probably one of the lager options you're going to find. Even just the fact that this model has wheels should tell you that beyond this, it's no longer that portable. Because of that, we think the capacity has hit its sweet spot for those times you need portable power.
Value for money: The Anker PowerHouse 767 portable power station is reasonably priced for what it is and all that it can do. At the time of writing, the base cost for just the PowerHouse is $2000. If you want to add the expansion, that's going to be another $1000, if instead you wanted to add 3x 200W solar panels, the price jumps $3000 from the original cost, and so on. It's expensive, but sometimes the things you want are not what "fits in the budget", but still end up being a fantastic choice.
Swipe to scroll horizontally| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Well priced for the features and size | ★★★★★ |
| Design | A great design making it easy to move | ★★★★★ |
| Performance | Works great, lightbar included | ★★★★☆ |
| Battery Capacity | Great capacity overall | ★★★★★ |
Best portable power station for multiple devices
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Perfect if you have a lot of devices to charge
Specifications
Capacity: 1036Wh
Charge Cycles: 3500
Weight and Dimensions: 5.47 x 8.94 x 9.41in
Ports: 3x AC ports, 3x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x Car outlet, 2x DC5.5
Reasons to buy
+Wireless Charging pad built in
+LED light bar built in
+Solar recharge option
+Comfortable carrying handles
Reasons to avoid
-Slow charging
-Huge charging brick
-no grip on wireless charging pad
-Can get loud
Buy it if
✅ You want a great value for the money: At just about $1000 MSRP and frequent sales (currently this is $800) this portable power station is a fantastic value for the money.
✅ You want a wireless charger: The big seller on this portable power station is the ability to use it to charge a dozen devices at once. What better way to charge a phone with qi charging than with a qi charger. This power station has one built into the top of the device.
✅ You like all ports on the front: Some power stations on this page have a split port location, with some in front and some behind. Personally, I don’t mind the location of the port.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You’re wanting wheels for ease of use: The Deeno X1500 Portable Power Station, unlike others, does not have wheels to move this around. Thankfully, since it's slow, then wherever he they respond
❌ You want a quick charging power station: In our experience with this power station, it takes quite a bit to recharge for use. The specs say a full charge through the AC outlet would take 5.5-6.5 hrs and we saw about 6 hours to go from no battery to 100%
❌ You plan to drop your phone on the wireless charging pad: While this power station has a wireless charger that is great to use, it does not have a bumper of any kind. So, if you don't want to risk having your beloved handheld fall or get knocked over, gently place your phone down and hope for the best.
The bottom line
🔋 The X1500 Portable Power Station is Deeno's 1036Wh offering in the portable power world. It's got a phenomenal value for the money, can power 12 devices simultaneously and has a wireless charger built into the top. ★★★★★
What you need to know
The Deeno X1500 Portable Power Station is a 1036Wh battery bank that can charge up to 12 devices simultaneously. In addition, this power station has a wireless charger built into the top. It has a decent capacity, especially for the size and price, however it is important to note that this portable power station takes quite a bit of time to recharge.
Design: Overall, the design is quite simple. It's a rectangular box with all of the ports on the front, a light bar on the back and some vents on the side. On the bottom there are some grippy feet for if you are putting this on a table or something that it may otherwise slip. The top is where the qi wireless charger lives, though it is a flat smooth surface, which your phone could potentially fall off of with a vibration from a phone call or message. For transporting this power station back and forth, there are some unique handles that when grabbed, extend away from the power station to give your hands a bit more breathing room.
Performance: Overall, this power station performs as well as we would hope in most areas. As we have mentioned already, the device charges slow, but that's not the end of the world. In addition to that, we wish that the Qi charger had some grip to it. When it comes to the handles, it feels a bit unnecessary to have them extend the way they do. There have only been a few times of picking this power station up that it has felt helpful, the rest of the times it feels like something that is over engineered and could have been the same handle without the extension and been fine. Another area of performance worth mentioning is that Deeno has made the shell out of ABS+PC 94-V0 fireproof materials, helping keep things safe in worst case scenarios.
Battery Capacity: 1036Wh is a good amount of battery for this size battery bank. It's enough to recharge the average smartphone nearly 90 times, an average laptop around 15 times or a light for nearly 100 hours. For something of this size, we are very pleased with the capacity. Deeno does not have an expansion battery as some other companies on this list do, so what you see is what you get.
Value for money: For under $800 with the current deal or right around $1100 MSRP, the Deeno X1500 Portable Power Station is a great value for the money. It can charge 12 devices at once, has great port offerings to charge just about anything on the go, and it has a small enough form factor that you can tuck it just about anywhere on a trip, in a vehicle, at a campsite, or at a worksite.
Read our full Deeno X1500 portable power station review
Swipe to scroll horizontally| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Great price, great value | ★★★★★ |
| Design | Solid design, a few quirks | ★★★★☆ |
| Performance | Great output, input speed is lacking | ★★★★☆ |
| Battery Capacity | Great for the size of device and price. | ★★★★☆ |
Best lightweight portable power station
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4. Renogy Phoenix 200
A lightweight power station you won't mind lugging
Specifications
Capacity: 222Wh
Charge Cycles: 500 Cycles
Weight and Dimensions: 5.3lb
Ports: 1x USB-C, 2x USB-A, 1x Car Port, 2x AC outlet
Reasons to buy
+Integrated handle on top of the power station
+LIghtweight
+Solar panel connectivity
Reasons to avoid
-No expandable battery
-Only 1 USB-C
Buy it if
✅ You want a light and small power station: This power station is only 5.3lb making it quite light and small enough to fit into a bag if needed.
✅ You want an an option to use AC, USB-A, USB-C and car outlet: The Renogy Portable Power Station 200 is small but mighty power station with a great port offering.
✅ You want quick recharging: Renogy's Portable Power Station 200 can recharge from 0 to 80% in 1.5hr when charging USB-A and USB-C inputs at one time.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You’re looking for a large power station: If you're looking for a large capacity portable power station, this one probably isn't at all what you're looking for.
❌ You want expandability: While many portable power banks can be expanded by way of a cable to a battery pack, the Renogy 200 cannot, what you get is what you get here.
❌ You want multiple USB-C ports: Of the available ports, this device has only one USB-C port, used for in and out.
The bottom line
🔋 The Portable Power Station 200 is Renogy's highly portable model. You could grab some portable power banks that can fit in a pocket, but when you need power station levels of power check out Renogy's 200 option ★★★★½
What you need to know
The Renogy Portable Power Station 200 is a small portable power station with 222Wh battery capacity and an ultra-portable design. We can easily flt this in a bag or in the backseat of a car without any problems. There is no extra battery addition, but for a device this small, we're not shocked. The Renogy Portable Power Station 200 is well priced, works well, and has some quick charging options which is pretty helpful. Much like on other portable power stations, there is a way to control which kind of power ports will receive power. For this model, we can control if the AC outlets or the car / cig outlet works and the USB-A and USB-C port stays operational at all times.
Design: The power station features a unique design with a front panel shaped like a tall octagon, ensuring easy access to all the ports. The ports, including AC outlets, car/cigarette lighter outlet, USB-A, and USB-C ports, are conveniently located on the front of the device for effortless connectivity. Additionally, the top of the power station features an integrated handle, making it more convenient to carry around.
Performance: In terms of performance, the Renogy Portable Power Station 200 delivers reliable and efficient operation. It includes a 200W Pure Sine Wave inverter, which ensures a stable power output and protects your sensitive devices from power fluctuations or damage. Whether you're charging electronics, running small appliances, or using power tools, this power station provides a consistent and safe power supply.
Battery Capacity: The Renogy Portable Power Station 200 is equipped with a 222Wh battery, providing a decent amount of power considering its compact size. While it may not have the ability for battery expansion, this limitation is to be expected given the device's small form factor. You can rely on the available battery capacity to keep your essential devices and appliances running for an extended period, such as charging smartphones, laptops, portable fans, or small appliances.
Value for money: The Portable Power Station 200 from Renogy offers excellent value for money, especially considering its functionality and performance. Priced at just over $200, it provides a cost-effective solution for portable power needs. While the optional solar panel combo may increase the overall cost, it offers the convenience of harnessing renewable energy to recharge the power station, making it even more versatile and environmentally friendly.
Swipe to scroll horizontally| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Well priced for feature set | ★★★★☆ |
| Design | Very simple design overall | ★★★★☆ |
| Performance | Easy operation, quick charging | ★★★★☆ |
| Battery Capacity | For the size, good capacity | ★★★★☆ |
Best portable power station for camping
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5. BioLite BaseCharge 1500 / 600
A perfect choice if you're camping
Specifications
Capacity: 1521Wh
Charge Cycles: 1000 cycles to 80%+ capacity
Weight and Dimensions: 28.5lb / 14.4 x 12.2 x 8.2in
Ports: 1x DC Car port, 2x DC Barrel, 1x Wireless charger, 3x AC, 2x USB-A, 3x USB-C
Reasons to buy
+Wide range of usability
+Drop and vibration tested
+lightweight
Reasons to avoid
-Expensive
Buy it if
✅ You want a highly versatile power station: Sometimes when camping, you need to keep some electronic essentials, with the BaseCharge 1500 or 600, that's now easily doable.
✅ You want wireless charging: This power station has a wireless charging top, with a somewhat helpful top material to help hold your phone where it needs to be to charge.
✅ You want an easy to use LCD screen: The LCD readout on this power station is simple and helpful.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You’re looking for quick re-charge: The 1500 model takes over 13 hours to recharge, which is quite a long time for this size battery.
❌ You want expandable capacity: BioLite does not have expansion battery packs or the ability to add on.
❌ You want UPS mode: While you can use this device while plugged in, BioLite did not include true UPS mode.
The bottom line
🔋 The BaseCharge 1500 is BioLite's largest offering, with the smaller of the two being a 600 model. Both models look identical and work very well. Both have wireless charging on the top and ports on the front. ★★★★½
What you need to know
The BioLite BaseCharge 1500 and 600 look identical. The only differences is that the 1500 model has slightly more ports, and a larger battery. Both models have the 10W wireless charger on the top, both have an energy odometer and they both have solar charging capability. The 1500 has 1521Wh and the 600 model has 633Wh. BioLite not only has a great product, but they also provide energy to over 5 million people worldwide who rely on BioLite to power their homes.
Design: The BioLite BaseCharge 1500 and 600 has two handles to help carry around from campsite to vehicle or storage to home turned campsite thanks to lack of power. All of the ports in and out on these power stations are on the front of the unit. Each bank of port types have a single button to enable power to those ports, except for the USB-A and USB-C ports.
Performance: The BioLite BaseCharge 1500 offers wall outlet performance anywhere. We can run multiple ports at a time, and has a great range of ports that can be plugged in. The maximum output is 1200W and a surge possibility of 2400W. The solar panels can charge the BaseCharge in a matter of 4 hours if you are using the maximum of four 100W panels.
Battery Capacity: Thanks to the 1521Wh on board, this battery can power the average fridge for up to 20 hours,could charge a laptop over 20 times (depending on the laptop) or it could chargetools at a worksite, or lights at a campsite.
Value for money: All around, the BioLite BaseCharge provides excellent value for the available features. BioLite has two models of the BaseCharge, the 1500 and 600. Naturally, the smaller of the two options is a bit cheaper, however it lines up with the drop in capacity as well.
Swipe to scroll horizontally| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Well priced for features | ★★★★☆ |
| Design | High functioning design | ★★★★☆ |
| Performance | high end performance from a little box | ★★★★☆ |
| Battery Capacity | Multiple options to match your need | ★★★★☆ |
Also Consider
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6. GoalZero Yeti 1000X
The best portable power station for emergencies
Specifications
Capacity: 983Wh
Charge Cycles: 500 Cycles to 80% capacity
Weight and Dimensions: 31.68lb / 15.25 x 10.23 x 9.86in
Ports: 2x USB-C, 2x USB-A, 2x AC, 3x 6mm, 1x car port, expansion module port
Reasons to buy
+Plenty of connection options
+rugged design
+Daisy chain-able
Reasons to avoid
-Expensive
For some people, a battery backup only comes to mind when disaster strikes. For example, what would you do if the power in your home were to go out? That's where the Yeti 1000X comes in. It's great for quick backup power. It won't run your whole hose for days, but it will back up a handful of devices such as the fridge with ease.
If you are needing something that has quite a bit more power, you can daisy chain and add on power supplies, or you could jump up to a larger Yeti power station model.
The Yeti is a fantastic portable power station, and, it's part of a wider ecosystem that could potentially power your home for several days.
There is an option to recharge this battery with solar power, and there is an option to wire into your home to be able to make that redundant switch in case of power outage very simple. If you wish to keep things simple though, you'll find several ports on the front that will work for plugging in a multitude of devices as well.
Best first buy
Specifications
Capacity: 1024Wh
Ports: 2x Type-A, 2x Type-C
Reasons to buy
+Up to 2500W output power
+LiFePo4 battery
+WiFi/Bluetooth connectivity
+Compact
Reasons to avoid
-Automatically turns AC off even with a small load
-400W solar input
Ugreen’s GS1200 power station is an affordable medium-sized unit ideal for home and office use. The 1024Wh LiFePo4 battery provides over 3000 charge cycles before losing 20% of its charge. With a good mix of DC and AC sockets providing a total of 1565W, WiFi, UPS, and fast charge, this station will make life more bearable during power outages.
The GS1200 isn’t perfect by any means. The station’s WiFi will turn off without warning, while a 400W solar input represents two and a half hours before the unit is fully charged. The always-on mode still allows a suspended PC to be turned off due to too little power consumed. The GS1200 remains a great buy for anyone looking for their first power station and comes with a five-year warranty out of the box.
A perfect road trip companion
Specifications
Capacity: 378Wh
Number of charge cycles: Over 1000
AC output power: 400W, Surge to 800W
DC output power: 254W
Reasons to buy
+Bluetooth low-energy
+Quiet
+Small and lightweight
Reasons to avoid
-External power adapter
-NCM based battery
The 70mai Hiker 400 is what everybody wants in a portable power station. It is tiny, lightweight, and can easily fit in a backpack. The plastic case is tough and integrates a small handle. A single fan provides the necessary airflow for the unit, producing barely any noise during regular operation. The NCM battery is not the best available in terms of lifetime, but with a capacity of 378Wh, it has enough energy to charge a laptop over five times.
The technology behind the 400W inverter yields an efficiency of 74% and limits the amount of energy wasted as heat. A built-in Bluetooth low-energy interface controls the unit over a short distance, allowing turning on the built-in flashlight remotely, among other things. The device features four USB ports, but only one is Type-C. Two AC sockets complete the output section.
Best portable power station FAQs
How to choose the best portable power station for you
When selecting a portable power station, it's essential to identify your primary needs and priorities for owning one. Most portable power stations have main common features (such as a battery and ports to pull power from that battery). However, port options, battery sizes, UPS ability, and recharging ability are some features that could vary from product to product.
For example, suppose you need a portable power station at the office to back up a vital computer or other technology. In that case, you will need a different portable power station than if you plan on running a campsite or your kitchen fridge in a power outage.
Another thing to consider is whether weight is an issue for your scenario. Will you be carrying it to a campsite? Or will it be stationary once placed in position? The answer to this question will determine if weight is a deciding factor for your selection.
How we test the best portable power stations
Our team of expert reviewers have hand-tested a range of outdoor-ready equipment, including the best rugged smartphones, the best rugged laptops, and the best rugged tablets for working out in the field. We've even tested out the best rugged hard drives. So, we know what to look for when it comes to technology for rural locations and hostile environments.
We test the best portable power stations on volume, weight, battery chemistry, and additional feature sets. We try to fully understand the unit before writing any review to describe each device's pros and cons best and accurately compare them. Part of this process is through benchmark tests, part is through daily use, and part is through simulated or real scenarios.
On every unit, as the main function of these devices is to be a battery, we test charge and discharge cycles. First and foremost, this is the most important feature of the portable power stations we test. If they cannot meet our standard here or do not come near what the other portable power stations in this guide are capable of, we will most likely not include them.
Next, we push the power stations to their limits and beyond. We intentionally exceed the maximum power allowed on each generator, then we observe and note the recovery from the over-power protection. This helps us ensure that we promote safe power stations for you and your family.
To ensure reliability, these tests are designed to learn the features, the downfalls, and the limits of the tested power stations tested by our subject matter experts.
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