I’ve been a science journalist for more than a decade, covering a wide variety of topics from particle physics to satellite remote sensing. Since joining Wirecutter in 2017, I’ve reported on surge protectors, rechargeable batteries, power banks, wireless chargers, and more.

For this guide:

• I spent 65 hours researching and 98 hours testing dozens of portable power stations.
• I attended the annual Consumer Electronics Show and talked to numerous makers of portable power stations, solar panels, and other charging devices.
• I attended product demonstrations and toured the facilities of several companies that design and/or manufacture charging products.
• Like all Wirecutter journalists, I review and test products with complete editorial independence. I’m never made aware of any business implications of my editorial recommendations. Read more about our editorial standards.

Portable power stations are large batteries in protective boxes, with AC outlets and other charging ports built in. They’re generally much bigger, heavier, more powerful, and more rugged than power banks and portable laptop chargers, which gives them more versatility for activities like camping, tailgating, working in a remote corner of your home, screening a movie in your backyard, or staging a scenic photoshoot.

Given their bulk and weight (some are as heavy as a kindergartner), you probably won’t be carrying one of these around in a backpack. But you can charge it overnight on a wall outlet, pack it into a trunk with the rest of your gear, and bring it with you—keeping your phone, laptop, camera, projector, GPS unit, breast pump, drone, or other electronic device powered for hours, or even days, at a time.

In an emergency, these power stations offer some major advantages over gas-powered portable generators, despite being less powerful. Portable power stations are silent and don’t produce additional emissions, so you can use them safely indoors and while you’re sleeping. And since they have no motor, you don’t need to keep gas handy or perform the oil changes and other minor maintenance that a combustion engine requires.

Battery-powered generators we’ve tested have similar trade-offs. While handy for projects requiring heavy-duty power tools, they tend to be bigger and heavier (and often have a lower capacity) than the top contenders in this guide.

For each round of testing, we peruse the websites of popular retailers and brands, cultivating a list of contenders based on the following criteria:

• Pure sine-wave inverter: We require each model to utilize a pure sine-wave inverter, which produces electrical waveforms as clear and smooth as those of the AC power coming out of any wall outlet. This allows them to safely run appliances with a powerful motor or critical devices such as a CPAP machine.
• Battery capacity of at least 300 Wh: A watt-hour (Wh) is literally the measure of watts per hour, so a battery with a 300 Wh capacity can run a 300 W device for one hour.
• Output rating of at least 200 W: Lower outputs are fine for charging phones and other small electronics, but you need 200 W or more to charge a few devices at a time, especially if one is a high-powered device like a laptop.
• Maximum weight of 50 pounds: Most portable power stations are too big and heavy for the average person to carry them for long distances on foot. We set a weight limit of 50 pounds, a heft that one (strong) person or two people can reasonably carry. Anything heavier than that can be hard to load and unload from a car or to carry around a house in a blackout.
• Rugged and portable design: Since these devices are often used outdoors, we assess their exterior materials’ resistance to scuffs and scratches. We also look for protective features such as port covers to keep out harmful dust and moisture.
• Informative display: Most portable power stations offer a battery meter to show you how much charge they have left, but we prefer displays that provide a precise percentage and other useful data.
• At least two AC outlets: A pair of AC outlets is a bare-minimum requirement, since the majority of gadgets—from desk lamps to baby monitors—run on AC power. None of our picks for the best USB power bank have an AC outlet, and our favorite portable laptop chargers have just one. For this guide, we seek out portable power stations with at least two, which allow you to operate two or more AC-powered devices at the same time.
• At least two USB-A ports: USB-A ports can charge small devices such as phones, tablets, and portable Bluetooth speakers, freeing up an AC outlet that you can then use for more power-hungry items.
• At least one USB-C port, 6 mm DC port, and/or car power socket: We don’t require each model to have all three, but we prefer power stations that have one or more fast-charging USB-C ports, 6 mm DC ports, and/or car power sockets (what my parents, former smokers, incorrectly call “the cigarette lighter”) so they can be connected to a wider variety of devices.
• Included wall charger: At minimum, we require that each model be rechargeable via an AC wall outlet. USB charging is nice to have as a backup, but it’s slower. Some models can also recharge through a car power socket or a solar attachment, which is invaluable if you’re off-grid for more than a couple of days.
• At least a one-year warranty: A one-year warranty ensures that you actually get to use the thing before its warranty expires. No battery lasts forever, and the capacity will usually diminish after the first year, but our picks should keep working well after the warranty has run out.
• Readily available customer support: We contact each company anonymously to gauge how difficult it would be to get in touch with someone and obtain help should a problem arise.
• Certification from a reputable testing organization: A seal of approval from any Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) indicates that a product meets rigorous safety and compliance standards. So we required that each charger have a certification from one or more of these organizations.
• Good value: Instead of setting a hard price cap, we look at capacity (in watt-hours) per dollar. While prices can fluctuate, this approach helps us quantify the bang-for-your-buck factor using hard data.

We then test the performance of each model in a few key areas, including the following:

• Battery run time (hours): We turn on each portable power station and its AC outlet, plug in a 127 W room fan, and let it run on high until the juice runs out. Then we record the number of hours that elapsed between fully charged and fully dead.
• Peak power output (W): We turn on each portable power station and its AC outlet, plug in a Kill A Watt power meter and our favorite surge protector, and then add lamps, coffee grinders, and other appliances until it cries uncle.
• Look and feel: Small details such as a comfortable handle, streamlined shape, and easy-to-read screen often separate the great from the good. We haul each unit from room to room and inspect every inch of the outer surfaces to find those models offering the best overall user experience.

The EcoFlow River 2 Pro is the best portable power station for most people. It’s relatively light, ruggedly built, intuitive to use, and reliable. It has plentiful outlets and charging ports, and it offers more power for the size and price compared with most models we tested.

It has a pure sine-wave inverter. Like all of our picks, the River 2 Pro’s inverter makes it safe to use with most electronics—even those with a powerful motor or critical devices like a CPAP machine.

It’s powerful. This model performed relatively well in our capacity and output tests, keeping our fan running for 8 hours (it has a rated capacity of 768 Wh) and outputting up to 851 W (it has a rated output of 800 W).

It’s compact. This model weighs just 17.2 pounds, and at 10.5 by 10 by 9 inches, it’s smaller than a standard milk crate. It’s light enough for the average adult to lift into a car trunk or closet shelf.

It has lots of outlets and ports. The River 2 Pro has four AC outlets, which is more than many units of this size. And since all four outlets are grounded, they can be used with either two- or three-prong plugs.

It also has three USB-A ports and a USB-C port, allowing you to charge a wide variety of devices.

It has handy accessories. This model comes with cables to recharge itself from a wall outlet, car power socket, or solar panel. EcoFlow sells several compatible solar panels separately or as a bundle—or you can get one of our portable solar charger picks.

It’s sturdy. This model is well built, with a hard plastic shell and protective rubber feet. Unlike some we tested, it has a cap over one of its input ports (the car power socket) to prevent moisture and dust from getting in and potentially damaging the battery.

It has an appealing look and feel. The River 2 Pro has a long handle that’s comfortable to grasp. It has a sleek, neutral-color exterior that doesn’t look out of place—whether you’re storing it in a garage, basement, car, or bedroom. We also appreciated its flat top, which is a convenient place for you to set your phone and other items while they’re charging.

It’s easy to use. This model’s brightly lit screen displays helpful information, such as the input and output wattage, the percentage of battery life remaining, and the estimated hours of battery life remaining. Plus, it’s simple to control with just a few buttons.

It’s a safe purchase. In addition to being certified by an NRTL, this model comes from a brand we trust, with fast and reliable customer support, and it’s backed by a five-year warranty.

It’s relatively inexpensive. At the time of writing, the River 2 Pro costs about $500. That’s a hefty chunk of change, but it’s still cheaper than most models we tested that are less powerful, have fewer ports, or weigh more.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• It’s not as powerful or long-lasting as some competitors. The River 2 Pro doesn’t have the absolute best run time of the portable power stations we tested, and it can’t power high-draw appliances like a large air-conditioning unit. But it has plenty of juice to keep a few key devices charged during a weekend camping trip or short power outage.
• It could do with a second handle. This model isn’t as easy to carry with two hands as some we tested with a dual-handle design. But it still has one of the most comfortable-to-hold handles we’ve found.
• We wish it was more weatherproof. While ruggedly built, the River 2 Pro is less weatherized than some other models we tested. If you plan to take it to especially moist or dusty locales, you may want to buy a separate case.

If you want more power than our top pick can provide, get the EcoFlow Delta Max. It weighs more than twice as much as the EcoFlow River 2 Pro, typically costs more, and has a shorter warranty. But it has more than double the capacity and output, adds a few more outlets and charging ports, and it’s easier to carry with two hands.

Its battery life is unsurpassed. This model has a rated capacity of 2,016 Wh, which is as high as any of our picks. In our testing, like our top pick, it kept a fan running for 19 hours. Plus, if you want to add even more battery life, you can pair it with up to two extra batteries (sold separately) for a combined total of up to 6,144 Wh rated capacity.

It’s powerful. We measured a maximum output of 2,405 W with this model, which is a tad higher than its 2,400 W rating, and more than double the 851 W we measured with our top pick.

It’s heavy but has an unsurpassed look and feel. Though it weighs more than twice as much as our top pick (48 pounds to the River 2 Pro’s 17.2 pounds), the exterior of the Delta Max is almost identical. The main differences are that it has two comfortable-to-hold handles compared with the River 2 Pro’s one, and it’s about the size of a toaster oven.

It’s sturdily built. Like our top pick, this model has a hard plastic shell, rubber feet, and you can choose to buy a separate case to further protect it against the elements. Even better, while the River 2 Pro has a protective cap over one of its input ports to keep out moisture and dust when not in use, the Delta Max has covers on all three.

It’s easy to use. The Delta Max has the same informative screen as our top pick, displaying the input and output wattage, the percentage of battery life remaining, and the estimated hours of battery life remaining.

A yellow button on the front of the unit turns it on and off, and a small light indicates when it’s powered on. Another light just below the screen shows when the unit is paired with a phone to use the optional app.

It can charge a wide variety of devices. This model has six grounded AC outlets, four USB-A ports, and two USB-C ports, so it can charge an even wider array of devices than our top pick.

It has multiple input options. The Delta Max comes with the necessary cables to recharge itself from a wall outlet, car power socket, or solar panel (sold separately or as a bundle with the unit, or you can use one of our portable solar battery charger picks).

It’s a safe buy. Like all our picks, this model has been tested and certified by an NRTL, and it’s made by a brand we trust with fast and responsive customer support. Its two-year warranty is shorter than that of the River 2 Pro, but it still offers ample time for you to take the unit on a few trips and ensure it’s working properly.

It’s costly but a good value. As of this writing, the Delta Max costs $800. That’s more expensive than our other picks, but it’s worth paying more if you want the highest capacity and output and the most outlets and ports.

If portability is your primary concern, the Jackery Explorer 300 is your best bet. It has nowhere near the capacity or output capabilities of our other picks, and just a handful of charging ports, but it offers more power for the size and price compared with any model we’ve tested. Plus, it has many of the same premium features we prize in our other picks.

It’s easy to carry. This unit weighs just 7.1 pounds, or about as much as a newborn baby, so it’s far less strenuous to lift or carry (even for longer distances) compared with our other picks. Plus, it takes up less space in a car trunk or a closet, measuring 9 by 5 by 8 inches.

It offers great battery life for its size. The Explorer 300 has a rated capacity of 293 Wh, and in our tests it ran our tabletop fan for 6 hours (just as long as any other contender weighing under 10 pounds).

It packs a lot of power into a small unit. In our maximum-output test, the Explorer 300 produced an impressive peak of 384 W—well over its 300 W rating and slightly higher than the output of other lightweight options we considered.
It’s sturdy and durable. Like our larger picks, the Explorer 300 has a hard plastic shell, four rubber feet, and a protective cap over the car power socket. Plus, it has an easy-to-grip handle on top.

It provides multiple input options. Like our other picks, this unit comes with the necessary adapters to recharge itself from a wall outlet, car power socket, or solar panel (sold separately or as a bundle with the unit, or you can use one of our portable solar battery charger picks).

Unfortunately, the plug on the included wall charger has only two prongs. To ensure a more stable connection, we’d prefer it to have a third prong as our other picks’ chargers do, but it still does the job.

It has an informative screen. Like our other picks, the Explorer 300 has a backlit screen that shows the percentage of remaining battery life and the input and output wattage.

It has fewer ports but plenty of room for large plugs. This model has two AC outlets, two USB-A ports, and a USB-C PD port. While it can charge fewer devices simultaneously than our other picks, its ports are well spaced on the front of the unit, so large plugs are unlikely to block other outlets.

It can power most devices, with a couple of exceptions. This unit has a pure sine-wave inverter, so the power flowing from its AC outlets is about as smooth and steady as what you get from a standard wall outlet, making it safe to use with most electronics.

However, because of its relatively low capacity and output, we wouldn’t rely on this unit to run motored appliances (such as a blender) or critical equipment (such as a CPAP machine), especially for long periods.

It’s a sound investment. This model is certified by an NRTL, it’s made by a brand we trust with a responsive customer-support team, and it’s backed by a two-year warranty. Plus, for $260 at the time of writing, it costs less than our other picks.

If you want a portable power station with a longer warranty than our upgrade pick’s, and you don’t mind a slightly lower output and a few extra pounds: Get the EcoFlow Delta 2 Max.

Visually identical to the EcoFlow Delta Max, this model weighs 50.7 pounds and has six grounded AC outlets, two USB-C ports, and two USB-A ports.

It comes with cables to recharge itself from a wall outlet, car power socket, or solar panel (sold separately or as a bundle with the unit, or you can use one of our portable solar battery charger picks).

In our testing, it kept a fan running for 19 hours (it has a rated capacity of 2,048 Wh), and we measured a maximum output of 1,859 W (it has a rated output of 1,800 W).

It’s made by a brand we trust with good customer support, and it’s backed by a five-year warranty. As of this writing, it costs $1,000.

If you want a portable power station that’s lighter than our upgrade pick, has a longer warranty, often costs less, and adds a useful light bar, and you don’t mind that it has a shorter run time, lower output, and fewer charging ports: Get the Anker Solix C1000.

It weighs 28.4 pounds, and it has two ergonomic handles, a flat top, and a long light bar that’s handy when using it in the dark.

It has six grounded AC outlets, two USB-C ports, and two USB-A ports, and it comes with cables to recharge itself from a wall outlet, car power socket, or solar panel (sold separately or as a bundle with the unit, or you can use one of our portable solar battery charger picks).

In our testing, it kept a fan running for 9 hours (it has a rated capacity of 1,056 Wh), and we measured a maximum output of 1,847 W (it has a rated output of 1,800 W).

It’s sturdily built, with a hard plastic shell, four rubber feet, and a protective cap over the car power socket. You can also buy it in a bundle with a water-resistant case as an extra precaution against the elements.

It’s made by a brand we trust with good customer support, and it’s backed by a five-year warranty. As of this writing, it costs about $600.

If you want a portable power station that’s lighter than our upgrade pick, often costs less, and adds a small light, and you don’t mind that it has less power, a single handle, and fewer outlets and charging ports: Get the Jackery Explorer 880.

It weighs 21.8 pounds, and has an ergonomic handle on top and a small light built into the side.

It has three grounded AC outlets, two USB-C ports, and two USB-A ports, and comes with cables to recharge itself from a wall outlet, car power socket, or solar panel.

In our testing, it kept a fan running for 7 hours (it has a rated capacity of 880 Wh), and we measured a maximum output of 1,112 W (it has a rated output of 1,000 W).

It’s sturdily built with a hard plastic shell, four rubber feet, and a protective cap over the car power socket.

It’s made by a brand we trust with good customer support, and it’s backed by a two-year warranty. As of this writing, it costs $800.

If you want a portable power station with a handy storage compartment and light bar, and you don’t mind that it offers less battery life per pound than any of our picks: Get the Anker Solix C800.

It weighs 23.1 pounds, and it has two ergonomic handles, a flat top, and a long light bar that’s handy when using it in the dark. Plus, the top has a hidden compartment to hold a few cables and other small items.

It has five grounded AC outlets, two USB-C ports, and two USB-A ports, and it comes with cables to recharge itself from a wall outlet, car power socket, or solar panel.

In our testing, it kept a fan running for 7.5 hours (it has a rated capacity of 768 Wh), and we measured a maximum output of 1,220 W (it has a rated output of 1,200 W).

It’s sturdily built with a hard plastic shell, four rubber feet, and a protective cap over the car power socket.

It’s made by a brand we trust with good customer support, and it’s backed by a five-year warranty. As of this writing, it costs about $450.

If you want a portable power station that has more outlets than the Jackery Explorer 300, often costs less, adds a light bar, and doubles as an uninterruptible power supply, and you don’t mind that it’s heavier and less powerful: Get the Anker Solix C300.

It weighs 9.1 pounds, and it has a flat top and a long light bar. In addition to a small handle on top, it has loops on the side so you can attach carabiners or a strap (not included), so it’s easier to hang or carry.

It has three grounded AC outlets, three USB-C ports, and a USB-A port, and it comes with a cable to recharge itself from a wall outlet (cables to charge it from a car power socket or solar panel are not included, though it has both of those ports).

In our testing, it kept a fan running for 4 hours (it has a rated capacity of 288 Wh), and we measured a maximum output of 312 W (it has a rated output of 300 W).

It’s sturdily built with a hard plastic shell, four rubber feet, and a protective cap over the solar input port.

It’s made by a brand we trust with good customer support, and it’s backed by a five-year warranty. As of this writing, it costs about $250.

Several models were released during or shortly after our latest round of testing, including the BioLite BaseCharge 600+, BioLite BaseCharge 1500+, EcoFlow Delta 3 Series, and EcoFlow River 3. We plan to test them and update this guide with our thoughts as soon as we can.

This is not a comprehensive list of all portable power stations we’ve tested. We have removed discontinued models and those that no longer meet our criteria.

The Anker 521 PowerHouse has a long light bar, a comfortable-to-hold handle, and an informative screen, and it’s relatively light and inexpensive. But it only has two AC outlets, and only one of them can accept a grounded (three-prong) plug at a time.

The Anker Solix C800 Plus is almost identical to the Solix C800, but it costs about $250 more at this writing. The only difference between the two models is that the Plus version includes two small lights and a monopod. Unless it drops significantly in price, you’d be better off buying the regular version and—if you need them—a separate monopod and lights.

The Anker Solix F1200 (PowerHouse 757) offers less output power for the size and price compared with otherwise similar models.

The Anker Solix F1500 offers less battery life for the size than our picks, and three of its six outlets are ungrounded.

The Blackfire 500W PAC505 and Klein Tools KTB500, identical models aside from their branding, have a worse look and feel than our picks. Also, they’re heavier than some models we tested with better capacity and power, and they each offer just two AC outlets.

The EcoFlow Delta 2 has as many outlets as our upgrade pick, a longer warranty, and it’s less than half the price. But four of its six outlets are ungrounded, and it had a worse run time and output in our testing.

The EcoFlow River 2 has a similar design to our top pick, and it weighs just 7.7 pounds. But it only has two AC outlets, one of which is ungrounded, and some otherwise comparable models offer more capacity and output for the size.

The EcoFlow River 2 Max 500 has worse battery life and output than our top and upgrade picks, and it weighs more than the Jackery Explorer 300. Plus, two of its four outlets are ungrounded.

The EcoFlow River Pro is heavier than some options we tested with more power and ports, and since it has a handle on top it’s not stackable like our top and upgrade picks are.

The Geneverse HomePower One weighs 23 pounds and is rated for 1,000 Wh (capacity) and 1,000 W (output). It has three AC outlets, two USB-C ports, and two USB-A ports. But it significantly underperformed in our run-time test, keeping our tabletop fan running for just 5 hours. It also has a clunkier design than many models we tested.

The Goal Zero Yeti 300, 500, and 700 have rubber flaps over all of their outlets and ports, which is useful for keeping out dust and moisture that could damage the battery. However, their handles are less comfortable to hold than many alternatives (including our picks), and they offer less power for the size and price compared with otherwise similar models.

The Goal Zero Yeti 1000X and 1500X have a storage compartment that’s handy for keeping track of a few cables and other supplies. But neither model is certified by an NRTL, and they have just two AC outlets apiece, whereas most units in this size and price range have three or more.

The Jackery Explorer 600 Plus is more powerful than the Explorer 300, but it’s heavier, costlier, and has a less ergonomic handle.

The Jackery Explorer 700 Plus and Explorer 880 Pro are more powerful and have more outlets than the Explorer 300, but they’re heavier, costlier, and have less ergonomic handles.

The Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus is powerful for its size, but it has a less ergonomic handle than our picks, and fewer outlets than most models in this size and price range.

The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 has better battery life and output for its size compared with our top and upgrade picks, but it has a less ergonomic handle and fewer outlets than most models in this size and price range.

The Jackery Explorer 1500 is powerful for its size, but it has fewer outlets than most models in this size and price range (and it’s no longer widely available).

The Massimo MPS-500W has a worse look and feel than our picks, and it only has two AC outlets.

Compared with our picks, the Oupes 600W is uglier and feels less premium. It’s heavier than some options we tested with more capacity and power, and it has only two AC outlets.

Compared with our picks, the Oupes 1800W falls short in look and feel.

The Ryobi RYi1802B6 has a worse look and feel than our picks, and it’s heavier than some options we tested with more capacity.

The Wagan Lithium Cube 1200 has a worse look and feel than our picks, and it weighs more than some models we tested that offer more power.

The Yoshino B2000 SST is heavier than some options we tested with more power and ports.

This article was edited by Ben Keough and Erica Ogg.