Other portable power stations we tested
Ampce Andes 600 Pro for $449: This compact power station weighs 19 pounds and has an easy-to-carry handle on top. It stores 584 Wh of power and can be fully charged in one hour (30 dB sleep mode). It can provide 600 watts (1,800 watts surge), and has plenty of ports (2 x AC, 2 x USB-C, 2 x USB-A, 2 x DC 5521, 1 x Car). There’s also a remote control app where you can change the light bar function or the colored lights on top. It worked well in my tests and can be useful if you want something portable for small gadgets on camping trips, but the EcoFlow River 2 Pro above gives you more power for less.
Photograph: Simon Hill
EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus for $699: I like the stylish, compact design of EcoFlow’s Delta 3 Plus, with the screen and ports on one end. It provides 1,024 watt-hours, can provide 1,800 watts continuously, and has a 2,600-W surge mode. It can charge in an hour and has lots of ports (6 x AC, 1 x Car, 2 x USB-A, 2 x USB-C, 2 x DC5521). You can add capacity with the EcoFlow’s impressively compact and stackable add-on battery ($599), though it’s expensive. The Plus version includes two solar ports for fast solar charging and can pull UPS duty with an impressive 10-millisecond response time. The reason it doesn’t get a full recommendation is because of the fans. The fan was on all the time, even when I was only charging one phone, and remained on at about 55 decibels even after it was fully charged and unplugged. When I charged the Delta 3 Plus from a wall outlet it was faster. This can bother you, and it gave me concerns about overheating. Aside from the fan noise, I liked this power station, and the app also works well if you want to control it remotely. There is a quiet charging mode, but it reduces the rate to 200 watts, meaning it will take more than five hours to fully charge.
Photograph: Simon Hill
Acer 600W Portable Power Station at £499: This power station is definitely portable, with the LiFePO4 battery offering 512 watt-hours through nine ports (two AC, two USB-A, two USB-C, two DC5521, and one car port). It’s a good size for a campsite and is suitable for charging light and portable gadgets, but with a maximum output of 600 watts, I wouldn’t plug in anything too demanding. You can fully charge it from a wall outlet in about two hours. There is a small LCD for remaining battery percentage, estimated remaining run time at current usage rates, and wattage input and output. It worked fine in my tests, but it seems to be only available in the UK and is quite expensive for the capacity.
Photograph: Simon Hill
Bluetee AC200L for $1,599: It was replaced by the aforementioned Elite 200 V2, but is still a good power station with a similar feature set. Its capacity is a bit low, and it’s still heavy and expensive, but it’s expandable to 8,192 watt-hours with BlueAT’s add-on battery. The design and performance are similar, but the Elite 200 V2 suits me better and is a better buy, especially if you can get it at a lower price.
Dabson DBS1000 Pro Portable Power Station for $569: This 1024-watt-hour capacity power station has a good mix of LiFePO4 batteries and ports to charge and power your gadgets. The US model has four AC outlets, three USB-A ports, three USB-C ports, a car socket, and two DC5521 barrel ports. It can charge up to 80 percent within an hour if you plug it in, but expect some fan noise. You can also charge from solar panels or through the carport. You can connect via Wi-Fi and control it from the app, but the display gives you the information you need even without it and has a customizable light below it. The 2,000-watt output is impressive, and there are Boost and Surge modes to briefly take it to 3,000 and 4,000 watts, respectively. It performed well in my tests and can function as an EPS with a 15-millisecond delay. It’s a solid alternative to our options above, but doesn’t stand out. The fan runs frequently and can be annoying. I also had an issue with a USB port that would sometimes refuse to charge the phone. Purchase the DBS2000B with the battery expansion to increase capacity to 3,072 watt hours and output up to 2,400 watts. It comes with 5 years warranty with registration.
BlueAT AC180 for $499: I also tested this little power station from BlueTie, and it’s a solid option if you don’t need as much juice as the above pick. There’s also a LiFePO4 battery inside the AC180, but with a 1,152-watt-hour capacity. Its maximum capacity is 1,800 watts, but it can increase to 2,700 watts for smaller bursts. The US model has four AC outlets, one USB-C (100 W), and four USB-A ports (15 W each). There’s also a wireless charging spot at the top that runs up to 15 watts. You can fully charge the AC180 from an outlet in an hour, and it comes with solar and a car charging cable as options. It can also function as a UPS with a 20-millisecond switching time. This power station is good for small gadgets and appliances like a TV or mini fridge. Under heavy load the fan noise reaches about 45 decibels, which isn’t too bad. What I don’t like is the weight (35 pounds feels relatively heavy for this capability), and I would have liked more USB-C ports.
Zendure SuperBase Pro 2000 for $2,099: With a massive 2,096-watt-hour capacity, plenty of outlets (6 x AC, 1 x Car, 3 x DC5521, 4 x USB-C), and a maximum output of 2,000 watts (an increase from 3,000 watts), this is a great portable power station. It’s 47 pounds but has two wheels, a carry handle, and a separate telescopic handle. Zendure’s app is simple; This power station can serve as an uninterruptible power supply, and it performed well in my tests, but the fans were on almost constantly. I’m also concerned about its longevity. There’s a Li-NMC battery inside the SuperBase Pro 2000, probably because it offers more energy density than LiFePO4 (the similar-sized SuperBase Pro 1500 has a LiFePO4 battery and only 1440 Wh capacity), but Li-NMC batteries don’t last that long. The warranty is 2 years, but you can extend it by one year by registering with Zendure.
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