The best portable power stations, for your job and your budget
For most people, start with Anker SOLIX C1000: enough battery for useful overnight power without a home-backup unit’s bulk. Match capacity and starting watts to your appliances.
The picks
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Best overall3.9/5 overall
Score from the maker's figures and 3 independent reviews
Why it’s here Its 1,056 Wh battery covers overnight essentials without a large backup unit's bulk. At 28.4 lb, it is a practical size to move between the house and car.
Before you choose You cannot combine wall and solar charging. When both are connected, wall charging takes priority.
Rated: 1,056 Wh. Estimated at the AC outlets: 898 Wh, using the same loss allowance for each battery.
Measured runtime and fan noise: unavailable in this comparison.
Why it’s here 1,024 Wh, mid-size. $0.52 per Wh ($529), more battery for the money in this size.
Before you choose Even at its full solar input, replacing 1,024 Wh takes at least 2 hours before charging losses. Plan for longer in changing sunlight.
Rated: 1,024 Wh. Estimated at the AC outlets: 870 Wh, using the same loss allowance for each battery.
Measured runtime and fan noise: unavailable in this comparison.
Why it’s here Holds 3,072 Wh against the 2,323 Wh needed for a day of home backup and a 7,200 W surge for the 1,351 W start-up. $0.46 per Wh ($1,399), 72.1 lb.
Before you choose Even at its full solar input, replacing 3,072 Wh takes at least 3.8 hours before charging losses. Plan for longer in changing sunlight.
Rated: 3,072 Wh. Estimated at the AC outlets: 2,611 Wh, using the same loss allowance for each battery.
Measured runtime and fan noise: unavailable in this comparison.
Why it’s here Holds 1,070 Wh against the 627 Wh needed for a night of CPAP and a 3,000 W surge for the 124 W start-up. 23.8 lb, one of the lightest options with enough power.
Before you choose Extra batteries do not attach. Choose enough capacity for the whole trip before buying.
Rated: 1,070 Wh. Estimated at the AC outlets: 910 Wh, using the same loss allowance for each battery.
Measured runtime and fan noise: unavailable in this comparison.
The overall pick and the value pick come from carryable units that cover our starting CPAP load. The job picks come from the units that hold enough for that job. Picks for an RV and van life are on their own pages.
Every unit, one table
Overall score, highest first. The same overall score appears on every pick card; job picks also require enough capacity and starting power for that job.
Why it’s here 1,070 Wh for a CPAP night with the humidifier, a fridge for a weekend, a working day. $0.47 per Wh ($499), more battery for the money in this size.
Before you choose Extra batteries do not attach. Choose enough capacity for the whole trip before buying.
Rated: 1,070 Wh. Estimated at the AC outlets: 910 Wh, using the same loss allowance for each battery.
Measured runtime and fan noise: unavailable in this comparison.
Why it’s here 768 Wh for a CPAP night with the humidifier, a fridge for a weekend, a working day. 18.2 lb, one of the lightest options with enough power.
Before you choose Even at its full solar input, replacing 768 Wh takes at least 3.5 hours before charging losses. Plan for longer in changing sunlight.
Rated: 768 Wh. Estimated at the AC outlets: 653 Wh, using the same loss allowance for each battery.
Measured runtime and fan noise: unavailable in this comparison.
Why it’s here 3,072 Wh for a full-size refrigerator for a day or two, tools, a microwave. $0.46 per Wh ($1,399), more battery for the money in this size.
Before you choose Even at its full solar input, replacing 3,072 Wh takes at least 3.8 hours before charging losses. Plan for longer in changing sunlight.
Rated: 3,072 Wh. Estimated at the AC outlets: 2,611 Wh, using the same loss allowance for each battery.
Measured runtime and fan noise: unavailable in this comparison.
Why it’s here 2,048 Wh for a full-size refrigerator for a day or two, tools, a microwave. 41.7 lb, one of the lightest options with enough power.
Before you choose Even at its full solar input, replacing 2,048 Wh takes at least 2.6 hours before charging losses. Plan for longer in changing sunlight.
Rated: 2,048 Wh. Estimated at the AC outlets: 1,741 Wh, using the same loss allowance for each battery.
Measured runtime and fan noise: unavailable in this comparison.
Why it’s here 3,840 Wh for multi-day refrigerator backup, a well pump, an RV air conditioner. $0.47 per Wh ($1,799), more battery for the money in this size.
Before you choose Extra batteries do not attach. Choose enough capacity for the whole trip before buying.
Rated: 3,840 Wh. Estimated at the AC outlets: 3,264 Wh, using the same loss allowance for each battery.
Measured runtime and fan noise: unavailable in this comparison.
Start with the appliances you need during an outage or away from a socket. A battery can have enough watt-hours for the night and still be unable to start a compressor. The watt-hour calculator checks stored energy, running watts and startup power together.
The capacity printed on the case is not all delivered through the AC outlets. The cards estimate that difference using the same loss allowance for every model. Those estimates cannot tell you how loud the fan will be beside your bed or how the battery behaves in the cold. Read the limits of these estimates before choosing backup for an overnight load.
For phones and a laptop, carry weight may matter more than extra outlets. The Explorer 300 comparison keeps the compact AC model separate from the USB-focused 300D. For a longer outage, use the home-backup load list before moving up to a heavier battery.
How to choose
Size first. Watt-hours (Wh) are how long the unit runs. Add up what you will run, in watts, times the hours, divide by 0.85 for the inverter's losses and add 20% headroom. The sizing page does the sum from real device draws, and each job page above is pre-set.
Then output and surge. Continuous watts are how much it can run at once; surge watts are whether a compressor or motor will start. Check your appliance's startup draw as well as its running watts. Enough stored energy cannot make up for an inverter that cannot start the load. The table's Output column shows both limits.
Chemistry for years, weight for carrying. 93% of the units here use LiFePO4 cells. Compare the maker's cycle rating and the capacity remaining at that point, not chemistry alone. For frequent use, that rating matters; for a battery carried to camp, weight matters too. The chemistry guide explains how to read the ratings.
Solar input caps recharge speed. Divide battery watt-hours by the station's maximum solar-input watts for an ideal minimum charging time, before losses or changing sunlight. The solar generators page does that arithmetic for each unit with a published input limit.
Two columns worth opening the details for. 26 of 56 units accept extra batteries, and the units that publish a UPS or EPS transfer time still have a delay when wall power fails. Check whether your appliance can tolerate that interruption, especially before relying on overnight medical equipment. Expansion and transfer-time figures are on each unit's page and in the full comparison table.
Questions buyers ask
Why not just pick one best unit?
A battery that runs a laptop all weekend may not start your refrigerator. Stored energy, continuous output and startup power all need to cover your appliances. Then compare the weight you will carry and the price for that capacity.
What should I check before the score?
Choose the unit that holds enough energy and starts your largest appliance, then compare weight, charging and price. A portable unit should be comfortable to carry as well as powerful enough.
Is a bigger unit always better value?
Compare price per watt-hour rather than assuming a bigger battery is cheaper. Extra capacity also adds something to carry and something to recharge. Start with the appliances and hours you need; compare expansion options if your load list may grow.
How much does LiFePO4 matter?
Look at the exact model's cycle rating and the remaining-capacity percentage used for that rating. They matter most when you charge and discharge the battery often. Chemistry alone does not tell you how long the finished station will last or how easily you can carry it.
Which brand is best?
None across the board. At each size the brands trade price per watt-hour, output, weight, solar input and expandability against each other. The brand pages and the brand-versus-brand pages put the ranges side by side, class by class.
Why is a cell sometimes a dash?
The maker does not state that figure, and the table never fills a gap from a retailer listing or a review. A brand that publishes less is shown publishing less; the method page explains the rule.
