Best Portable Power Stations and Solar Generators (2026): Picks for Camping, Home Backup and Small Budgets

How we reviewed this: this is a research-based review. We did not buy or test the product ourselves. We checked the official website, policies and independent customer feedback, and every fact below links to its source. Facts checked 2026-11-01. How we review · Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you.

Quick answer: the best portable power stations

A portable power station is a big rechargeable battery with wall outlets. It runs lights, phones, laptops and small appliances during a power outage or on a camping trip, and it recharges from the wall, your car or solar panels. We picked these from OutdoorGearLab’s July 2026 lab tests, which measured how much power each unit really delivers and how fast it recharges, then checked each company’s prices, warranty, returns and record.

Best for most people: Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 ($699.99 list). OutdoorGearLab’s Best Value pick: about 890Wh of usable power and a full recharge from the wall in under an hour.
Best for off-grid camping: Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 ($999). OutdoorGearLab’s Editors’ Choice, scoring 81, with about twice the battery of a 1kWh unit.
Best for home backup: EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 ($2,799). Tied for the top score (81) and delivered 93% of its 4,096Wh rating; you can add batteries as your needs grow.
Budget 1kWh pick: BLUETTI Elite 100 V2 ($499). Same usable power as the Anker in testing, but it took about 2 hours to recharge from the wall.
Best small one: Jackery Explorer 300 ($289). OutdoorGearLab’s Best Buy for phones and laptops; 7 pounds.

Read this first: every brand on this page has a BBB grade of F, mostly for not answering complaints, and every one charges you return shipping if you change your mind. A class action says Jackery inflates its “was” prices, and a law firm is looking at the same claims against Anker, EcoFlow and BLUETTI. So ignore crossed-out prices, compare the real price, and buy where you can return it easily. Details are in the fine print below.

Comparison: price, real capacity and charge time

Power station	Price (Nov 1, 2026)	Battery	Usable power (tested)	Wall recharge (tested)	Weight	OutdoorGearLab score
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2	$699.99 list	1,024Wh	890Wh (87%)	0.9 hr	25.2 lb	70, Best Value
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2	$999	2,042Wh	1,710Wh (84%)	2.5 hr	38.9 lb	81, Editors’ Choice
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3	$2,799	4,096Wh	3,790Wh (93%)	3.2 hr	114.1 lb	81, Best for Home Backup
EcoFlow DELTA 3	$629	1,024Wh	870Wh (85%)	0.8 hr	28.1 lb	67
BLUETTI Elite 100 V2	$499	1,024Wh	890Wh (87%)	2.0 hr	25.0 lb	65
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2	$559	1,070Wh	910Wh (85%)	1.9 hr	24.4 lb	67
Jackery Explorer 300	$289	293Wh	260Wh (89%)	4.0 hr	7.1 lb	52, Best Buy for Phones and Laptops

Prices from each brand’s official US site on November 1, 2026 (before coupons). Usable power, recharge times, weights and scores are OutdoorGearLab’s measurements from its July 2026 roundup. Every power station loses some energy converting battery power to wall power, so you never get the full rated capacity.

Best for most people: Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2

The C1000 Gen 2 is the one we’d send most people to. In OutdoorGearLab’s tests it delivered 890Wh, about the same as rivals with the same size battery, but recharged from the wall in about 0.9 hours, where the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 took about 1.9. Anker rates it at 2,000W continuous (3,000W peak) with 10 ports, up to 600W of solar input, a 5-year warranty, and a battery that keeps at least 80% of its capacity after 4,000 cycles. OutdoorGearLab: “The fast charging on the C1000 Gen 2 is incredibly valuable.”

The catches: the fastest charging mode has to be switched on in Anker’s app, you can’t add extra batteries, and the company behind it, Anker Innovations, has a BBB F with 321 of 348 complaints unanswered (that profile covers all Anker products). Anker’s 2025 recalls were power banks, not power stations. Its price swings: $699.99 list, but it was $499.99 with a site-wide code through November 2, 2026.

See the Anker C1000 Gen 2 →

Best for off-grid camping: Jackery Explorer 2000 v2

The Explorer 2000 v2 won OutdoorGearLab’s Editors’ Choice for off-grid camping, with a score of 81. It holds 2,042Wh (OutdoorGearLab measured 1,710Wh usable), puts out 2,200W (4,400W surge), and weighs about 39 pounds. OutdoorGearLab: “The Jackery 2000 v2 is my go-to for camping.” Jackery says it switches to battery in under 20 milliseconds if the power cuts out.

The catches: it can’t take extra batteries, solar input tops out at 400W, and it took about 2.5 hours to recharge from the wall in testing. Jackery has a BBB F (44 of 71 complaints unanswered) and faces a pending class action over its “was” prices. Its warranty depends on charging the battery at least every 6 months. No Jackery safety recalls turned up. Read our full Jackery review.

Check the Jackery 2000 v2 price →

Best for home backup: EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3

For backup power through long outages, the DELTA Pro 3 is OutdoorGearLab’s home backup pick. It delivered 3,790Wh of its 4,096Wh rating (93%, the best efficiency in the test), puts out 4,000W at 120V or 240V, takes up to 2,600W of solar, and can grow to 12kWh with EcoFlow’s extra batteries, or 48kWh with three units and EcoFlow’s home panel. OutdoorGearLab: “the Delta Pro 3’s ample power and battery expansion potential made it my go-to choice.”

The catches: it weighs about 114 pounds, costs $2,799, and its 5-year warranty is 3 years standard plus 2 more only if you register in EcoFlow’s app. EcoFlow has the weakest record here: a BBB F with 124 of 127 complaints unanswered, a 3.6 Trustpilot score with 24% one-star reviews, and an October 2025 recall of about 25,030 older DELTA Max 2000 units after six fires (fixed with a free firmware update; the DELTA Pro 3 wasn’t part of it).

See the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 →

Budget pick: BLUETTI Elite 100 V2

At $499, the Elite 100 V2 matched the Anker’s 890Wh of usable power in OutdoorGearLab’s tests and takes up to 1,000W of solar, the most of any 1kWh unit here. BLUETTI also has the best Trustpilot record of these brands (4.5 from 756 reviews, 7% one-star). The trade-off is charging: about 2 hours from the wall in testing, more than twice as long as the Anker or the EcoFlow DELTA 3.

The catches: BLUETTI’s product page doesn’t state the warranty length (its policy says power stations get 24 to 72 months), BLUETTI Power Inc. has a BBB F (7 of 37 complaints unanswered), and returns cost you shipping both ways.

See the BLUETTI Elite 100 V2 →

Best small power station: Jackery Explorer 300

For keeping phones, a laptop and a Wi-Fi router alive, the 7-pound Explorer 300 ($289) won OutdoorGearLab’s Best Buy for phones and laptops. It delivered 260Wh of its 293Wh rating (89%), more than the Anker SOLIX C300’s 80% in the same test, with 300W of output and a 100W USB-C port. The catch: it took about 4 hours to recharge from the wall in testing.

Check the Explorer 300 price →

Also worth a look: EcoFlow DELTA 3

The DELTA 3 ($629) recharged fastest of everything OutdoorGearLab tested, in about 0.8 hours, and unlike the Anker it can expand to 5kWh with extra batteries. It delivered 870Wh usable and scored 67. Choose it over the Anker if you think you’ll want more battery later, and keep EcoFlow’s support record (above) in mind.

See the EcoFlow DELTA 3 →

Solar generator vs portable power station: what’s the difference?

Nothing, really. A “solar generator” is a portable power station sold together with solar panels. Jackery’s Solar Generator 1000 v2, for example, is its Explorer 1000 v2 bundled with a 200W SolarSaga panel. If you already own panels, or only plan to charge from the wall, buy the power station alone and save the difference. Check that your panels fit the station’s solar input limit: 400W on the Jackery 1000 v2 and 2000 v2, 600W on the Anker C1000 Gen 2, and 1,000W on the BLUETTI Elite 100 V2.

What size power station do you need?

Look at watt-hours (Wh) for how long it lasts and watts (W) for what it can start. A rough way to estimate run time: take the usable watt-hours and divide by the watts your devices draw. For example, a station with 890Wh usable runs a 100-watt load for about 8.9 hours (890 / 100). Find each device’s watts on its label or manual, and add them up if they run at the same time.

Phones, laptop, router, lights: a small 300Wh unit like the Explorer 300.
Weekend camping, short outages, small appliances: a 1kWh unit like the Anker C1000 Gen 2, EcoFlow DELTA 3 or BLUETTI Elite 100 V2.
Several days off-grid, bigger loads: 2kWh, like the Jackery 2000 v2.
Whole-home essentials through long outages: 4kWh and up, expandable, like the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3.

Medical devices: Jackery says its power stations “are not recommended for use with medical devices, life-support equipment.” If you need power for a CPAP or other medical equipment, ask your doctor or equipment supplier what backup they recommend.

The fine print every brand leaves out

Brand	BBB	Trustpilot	Safety recalls (CPSC)	Change-of-mind returns
Anker SOLIX	F (321 of 348 unanswered, all Anker products)	4.3 (815 reviews, 15% one-star)	None for power stations; 2025 power bank recalls	30 days from delivery; you pay shipping
Jackery	F (44 of 71 unanswered)	4.4 (1,117 reviews, 21% one-star)	None found	30 days; shipping and handling deducted
EcoFlow	F (124 of 127 unanswered)	3.6 (10,578 reviews worldwide, 24% one-star)	DELTA Max 2000, Oct 2025 (about 25,030 units)	30 days; shipping plus a 2.6% card / 3.6% PayPal fee
BLUETTI	F (7 of 37 unanswered)	4.5 (756 reviews, 7% one-star)	None found	30 days, unused only; you pay shipping both ways

“Was” prices: a class action filed in May 2026 (Olomon et al. v. Jackery Inc., W.D. Washington) says Jackery advertises discounts off inflated reference prices; the case is pending. The law firm Warren Terzian says it is evaluating similar claims against sellers including Anker, EcoFlow and BLUETTI; no case had been filed that we could find. Compare real prices, not the crossed-out ones.
Claims that don’t match: BLUETTI’s AC180 page markets capacity that “grows as needed,” but its own FAQ says the AC180 doesn’t support capacity expansion. Jackery’s Explorer 1000 v2 page lists 1,070Wh in its specs and 1,024Wh in its marketing.
Warranty strings: EcoFlow’s fifth warranty year requires registering in its app, and Jackery’s battery warranty requires a full charge within 7 days of purchase and every 6 months after.

See Jackery power stations →

FAQ

What is the best portable power station in 2026?

For most people, the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2: in OutdoorGearLab’s July 2026 tests it delivered 890Wh and recharged from the wall in about 0.9 hours. For off-grid camping, the Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 (Editors’ Choice); for home backup, the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3.

What is the best solar generator?

A solar generator is a power station bundled with solar panels, so pick the station first. Our picks are the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 for most people, the Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 for camping, and the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 for home backup, then add panels that fit the station’s solar input limit.

EcoFlow vs Jackery: which is better?

In OutdoorGearLab’s tests, EcoFlow’s 1kWh DELTA 3 recharged much faster than Jackery’s Explorer 1000 v2 (0.8 vs 1.9 hours) with similar usable power, and EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro 3 is the better home backup. Jackery’s Explorer 2000 v2 won for off-grid camping. EcoFlow has the weaker customer record (BBB F with 124 of 127 complaints unanswered; Trustpilot 3.6).

Can a portable power station run a refrigerator?

Check your fridge’s label for its running watts and make sure the station’s continuous output is higher, then divide the station’s usable watt-hours by the fridge’s average watts for a rough run time.

How long does a portable power station last on a charge?

Divide its usable watt-hours by the watts you’re drawing. OutdoorGearLab found most units deliver about 80% to 93% of their rated capacity, so an 890Wh-usable station runs a 100W load for about 9 hours.

Are portable power stations safe indoors?

Unlike gas generators, they don’t produce exhaust. Buy from a brand with no open recalls for your model, and check CPSC recalls: EcoFlow recalled about 25,030 DELTA Max 2000 units in October 2025 over fire risk (fixed with a firmware update).

Can I return a power station if I don’t like it?

Anker, Jackery, EcoFlow and BLUETTI all allow returns within 30 days, but all four make you pay return shipping for change-of-mind returns, EcoFlow adds a 2.6% to 3.6% transaction fee, and BLUETTI only accepts unused units.

Do portable power stations go on sale?

Yes, often with large crossed-out “was” prices. Anker’s C1000 Gen 2 was $499.99 with a code through November 2, 2026, against a $699.99 list price. Because a lawsuit challenges how Jackery sets its reference prices, compare the actual price between brands rather than the discount.