Be prepared for power outages and off-the-grid outings with these expert … Contact online >>
Be prepared for power outages and off-the-grid outings with these expert
If you''ve ever used a pocket-sized power bank to recharge your phone, you''ll appreciate the utility of a portable power station. It''s essentially a large rechargeable lithium-ion battery with an array of outlets that you can use to power appliances and other devices, both in your home and on the road.
Unlike a generator, a power station is sleek, quiet, and easy to use. It doesn''t saddle you with messy gasoline refills or clogged carburetors. Even more important, it eliminates the potentially deadly carbon monoxide fumes associated with generators.
Before you rush out and buy one, though, consider the trade-offs. Power stations can be pricey and weighty and, well, you have to plug them into an outlet to recharge the battery, which is hard to do when the power''s out in your home.
To help you weigh the pros and cons, we recently tested six of the most popular models for emergency prep. They range in price from $2,000 to $3,800. All have the capacity to provide backup power for key appliances in your home. They''re also quite large—about the size of a beefy microwave oven—and reasonably heavy, stretching from 40 to more than 130 pounds.
If your blackout is relatively short, a power station can deliver what you get with a generator—enough electricity to run essential systems and appliances for a few hours'' time. And it does so without the hassle of jump-starting an engine that''s been sitting idle in the garage for months.
The number of devices you can power depends on the capacity of the power station, which ranges from 1,800 to 6,000 watts in the models we tested. (The chart below can help you determine what you need.) The run time is measured in watt-hours.
By contrast, a large 6,000-watt power station, like the Anker Solix F3800, can run a refrigerator, lights, and other essentials, such as a furnace or small central air-conditioning unit. It''s best if a unit this large is connected to your home''s breaker panel via a transfer switch or an interlock device—a piece of equipment that allows you to plug the power station into your electrical panel and run a well pump or other hardwired equipment.
A power station can also be used like an inverter generator to supply power at a campsite or a tailgate party. Indeed, power stations have become an on-the-road staple for those who revel in the adventures of van life.
They''re also a bit more flexible than generators in delivering power, because they often supplement the standard 110-volt, three-prong outlets with the USB-A and USB-C ports used to power phones, laptops, and portable speakers.
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Since it doesn''t have an internal combustion engine, a portable power station is very quiet. Many don''t even have a cooling fan, so models like the ones we tested are dead silent. While tranquility may not be a huge consideration when your electricity is out, a near-silent power source at a campsite allows you to hear the lilting birdsong of the wood thrush instead of the rumble of a generator.
More important, power stations emit no dangerous carbon monoxide fumes. So they don''t require the safety precautions of a generator: outdoor placement, at least 20 feet from a home or garage, with the exhaust directed away from windows, doors, and air conditioners. You can run a power station in your kitchen, basement, or garage, eliminating the need for an awning to keep the unit dry in the case of a generator. And that makes a power station a compelling alternative for apartment dwellers who want emergency backup power but lack the outdoor space to run a generator.
Our testers report that all of the power stations we tested earn top marks for power quality, which is the ability to deliver clean power without the dips and spikes that can damage sensitive electronics.
Power stations are rated both in watt-hours, which is how much power they can deliver in a stretch of time, and in watts, which is essentially equivalent to the watt ratings of generators in their ability to power devices. They come in all sizes, from models that can keep a laptop and a few lights alive to much larger ones that can be daisy-chained into a whole-house backup power solution.
So your first task is to decide which devices and appliances you want to power and how much capacity you need to get the job done (see the chart above). Since a larger appliance like a refrigerator can kick on and off and cause a power surge, our experts recommend that you leave a little leeway between the total wattage of your appliances and the max power of your station.
The biggest disadvantage is that, like any battery, your power station runs out of power. And when that happens, you have to disconnect the unit and find a way to recharge it—a process that can take hours.
That''s an inconvenience if you''re using the power station to charge your laptop, but it''s a major problem if you''re relying on it to keep those bags of Trader Joe''s Mandarin Chicken in your freezer cold, or at another level, to power vital medical equipment for a loved one.
A generator has a big advantage here. Yes, it runs out of fuel, but when that happens, you just turn it off and refill the tank from a gas can, with only the briefest interruption of power.
Not all portable power stations recharge at the same rate. When calculating Overall Scores, our testers assign the highest weight to recharge speed. Our three top-rated models—the Eco Flow Delta Pro, the Anker Solix F3800, and the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Pro—all earn top marks for recharging speed, and complete the refueling process about six times as fast as the slowest-charging models in our testing.
"The faster models will get you to a meaningful level of charge sooner," says Bernie Deitrick, who heads our portable power station testing. "If you need 1,800 watt-hours to perform your tasks, a model that charges at around 1,200 watts per hour, like our three top-rated power stations, will get there in about 90 minutes, while a model that charges at 200 watts per hour, like our slowest-charging model, the Goal Zero Yeti 3000x, will take around 9 hours."
Each of the models we tested has portable solar panels that can be used to recharge the unit, but it''s often a slow process, especially when the sky is filled with storm clouds. You''re better off using the panels to extend the range of the battery, not to refill it, Deitrick says.
Power stations can be connected to the roof-mounted solar panels on some homes as well, but we didn''t test that option.
And, for what it''s worth, the portable power stations we evaluated are not all that portable. The Anker Solix F3800 weighs a whopping 132 pounds while the relatively svelte Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Pro comes in at a substantial 43 pounds. Our two top-rated models have luggage-style wheels, but you still might have to lift them into a vehicle for off-site recharging. Yes, portable generators can be large and heavy, too, but they don''t need to be moved for recharging.
Finally, portable power stations are quite expensive, too. Our top-rated model—the ECO flow Delta Pro Portable—puts out 3,600 watts and costs almost $3,000. You can buy a top-rated 3,700-watt inverter generator like the Champion 201049 for as little as $600.
Our ratings chart can help you zero in on a model that charges in a hurry and delivers high-quality power, but for many people, a gas-powered generator will be cheaper and more effective in a power outage, when it''s easier to access fuel than electricity or sunshine.
But if a portable power station''s most important virtues—quiet operation and the placement flexibility that comes with a lack of dangerous emissions—suit your needs, you might find it worthwhile to pay more than you would for a comparably sized generator.
Here are the best portable power stations from our testing:
In our labs, CR test engineers evaluate six key measures to rate portable power stations: recharge speed, power delivery, power quality, portability, ease of use, and noise. We did not test the manufacturer''s run time claims.
Recharge speed is based on how quickly the station takes a charge while plugged into a 120-volt power source. Models that can be recharged more quickly can be returned sooner to the task of running critical equipment within your home.
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