8 Best Portable Power Stations (2024): Power, Portability, Camping, and More
Dabbsson DBS1000 Pro Mobile Power Station for $999: This 1,024-watt-hour power station has a LiFePO4 battery and a good mix of ports for charging and powering your devices. The US version has four AC outlets, three USB-A ports, three USB-C ports, a car outlet, and two DC5521 ports. It can charge to 80 percent in under an hour if you plug it in, but be prepared for fan noise. You can also charge from a solar panel or through your garage. You can connect via Wi-Fi and control it from the app, but the display will give you the information you need without it, and there are customizable lights underneath. The 2,000-watt output is impressive, and there are boost and surge modes to push the output to 3,000 and 4,000 watts, respectively, for short periods of time. It performed well in my tests and can act as an EPS with a 15-millisecond delay. This is a solid alternative to our picks above but doesn’t stand out. The fan comes on constantly and can be annoying. I also had issues with one of the USB ports, sometimes refusing to charge my phone. Buy with DBS2000B extended battery ($2,300) to increase to 3,072 watt hours. Product comes with a five-year warranty with registration.
Bluetti AC180 for $999: I also tested this smaller power station from Bluetti, and it’s a solid option if you don’t need quite as much power as the option above. The AC180 also has an internal LiFePO4 battery, but it’s rated at 1,152 watt-hours. It maxes out at 1,800 watts, but can burst up to 2,700 watts for short bursts. The US model has four AC outlets, one USB-C port (100W), and four USB-A ports (15W each). There’s even a wireless charging point on top that can output up to 15 watts. The AC180 can be fully charged from an outlet in an hour, and it comes with a solar charging cable and a car charger as an alternative. It can also act as a UPS with a 20-millisecond switching time. This power station is suitable for small gadgets and devices like a TV or mini fridge. The fan noise peaks at around 45 decibels under heavy load, which isn’t too bad. What I don’t like is the weight (35 pounds seems pretty hefty for this size), and I’d like more USB-C ports. Interestingly, Bluetti has partnered with Fragile to offer this power station as a subscription ($40 per month) no upfront payment required, including free replacement if any problems occur, although excluding theft or user damage.
Ugreen PowerRoam 1200W Portable Power Station for $799: This 1,024-watt-hour power station houses a LiFePO4 battery inside and boasts a variety of ports (6 x AC, 2 x USB-C, 2 x USB-A, 1 x Auto, 2 x DC5521). It can output up to 1,200 watts and weighs a hefty 25 pounds, but there’s a large handle on top for carrying it around. You’ll also find a standard AC input and an XT60 for connecting solar panels. You can control everything with buttons and a display on the front, and there’s a light that can flash in an emergency. The app connects via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth for a few more options. Unfortunately, the app is flaky, and I had to create an account and add the power station multiple times because it refused to accept my login information. Ugreen sent me the version with the 200-watt solar panel, which worked well for charging the station but rarely produced more than 130 watts. The PowerRoam 1200W worked pretty well, but it ran out of power early in one test, making it hard to recommend. It comes with a five-year warranty.
Zendure SuperBase Pro 2000 for $1,700: With a whopping 2,096 watt-hours, tons of outlets (6 x AC, 1 x Car, 3 x DC5521, 4 x USB-C), and a maximum output of 2,000 watts (3,000 watts burst), this is a great portable power station. It weighs 47 pounds, but it has two wheels, a handle, and a separate telescoping handle. Zendure’s app is slick, this power station can function as an uninterruptible power supply, and it worked well in my tests, but the fan was on almost constantly. I’m also concerned about its longevity. The SuperBase Pro 2000 has a Li-NMC battery inside, probably because it offers a higher energy density than LiFePO4 (the similarly sized SuperBase Pro 1500 has a LiFePO4 battery and only has a 1440Wh capacity), but the Li-NMC battery doesn’t last as long. The warranty is two years, but you can extend it for an additional year by registering with Zendure.
Jackery Explorer 1000 for $999: If you need a power station, the Jackery Explorer 1000 is a solid place to start. It strikes a good balance between ease of use, power, and capacity. It may not be enough to run your air conditioner (it has a maximum output of 1,000 watts), but it can handle just about everything else. I used it to power everything from a table saw to a small refrigerator, as well as charge all my regular gadgets. It’s well built, easy to carry (22 pounds), and about the size of a small refrigerator. In my capacity tests, it performed a little better than its advertised 1,002 watt-hours. A full charge takes a while, especially if you use the solar panel (sold separately), which took about a day and a half. I highly recommend at least a 200-watt panel.
