A portable power station can keep your devices charged when you’re off-grid and has a selection of built in outlets, ports and other power output options. They can quickly become essential, especially when there is no traditional electricity available including during power failures or while you’re camping. The best portable power stations keep your appliances running and phones charged for long periods of time.
After considerable research and hands-on testing, we’ve compiled our recommendations for the best power stations currently available. They range in price from under $225 to more than $1,600, and many of these devices can run medical gear if you lose power in your home.
Generator rating: 1,300w | Number of devices simultaneously supported: 10 | Number of charging methods: 5 | Display: Yes | Dimensions: 17.1 x 9.7 x 10.2 inches | Weight: 39 pounds
Best for: Powering small appliances or devices at home during a power failure, camping or while tailgating.
The Rockpals 1300w Portable Power Station can keep up to 10 devices running at once. You get three AC outlets, two DC ports, three USB Type-A ports and one USB Type-C port—all built into a rectangular power station that has two handles for easy transport. The Rockpals 1300W Portable Power Station also offers five recharging methods, including an optional portable solar panel.
The built-in battery management system protects the power station from overheating and other potential dangers. Recharging takes between 5 and 12 hours, depending on the method used. During our testing, we found this power station works exceptionally well, keeping a computer, printer and extra monitor running for a full business day—while also keeping a smartphone and tablet fully charged.
What the writers say: “I have been using this portable power station for several years. It comes in handy during a power failure or if I opt to work remotely from a location that has no traditional electricity. It’s kept two computers, a printer, a portable light and an additional monitor running for a long time on several occations when my home lost power.”
Pros:
Able to power a mini fridge, TV, other small appliances or CPAP machine
Easy to operate and quiet
Portable with solar recharging option
Cons:
Heavy to transport
Best Budget Portable Power Station
Keep Small Devices Powered For Hours At A Time
Good Value
Bluetti EB3A
Generator rating: 600W | Number of devices simultaneously supported: 9 | Number of charging methods: 6 | Display: Yes | Dimensions: 10 x 7.1 x 7.2 inches | Weight: 10 pounds
Best for: Powering small appliances or devices for a limited time.
If you only need to keep one or two small device powered for a few hours, the Bluetti EB3A Power Station offers an affordable option. With this power station, you can operate up to 9 devices. Among the ports and outlets you get are two AC outlets, two USB Type-C ports and one USB Type-A port. Weighing in at just 10 pounds, you can take this affordable power station on the go.
Pros:
Lightweight and portable
Inexpensive
9 total power outlets
Cons:
Power lasts only a few hours
Best Rugged Portable Power Station
It’s Easy To Take With You
Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro
Generator rating: 1000w | Number of devices simultaneously supported: 8 | Number of charging methods: 3 | Display: Yes | Dimensions: 10.1 x 10.3 x 13.4 inches | Weight: 25.4 pounds
Best for: Powering multiple devices—indoors or outdoors—with a solar recharging option.
Whether at home or while experiencing an outdoor adventure, if you need power for your small appliances and mobile devices, the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro Portable Power Station offers both portability and versatility. Power up to 8 devices at once. When you need to recharge the power station’s battery, it can fully charge in 1.6 hours with either an AC outlet or optional solar panel. The unit operates quietly and has a large built in handle for easy transport.
The Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro Portable Power Station features a bright and easy-to-read smart display. We love the rugged design of this portable power station and the plethora of outlets and ports it offers, and its built-in LED light is useful in emergencies.
Pros:
Quiet operation
Shock resistant design
Cons:
Solar panel and carrying case sold separately
Best Portable Power Station For Emergencies
Power When And Where It’s Needed
Anker PowerHouse 757
Generator rating: 1,500w | Number of devices simultaneously supported: 13 | Number of charging methods: 3 | Display: Yes | Dimensions: 18.2 x 9.3 x 11.3 inches | Weight: 43.9 pounds
Best for: Keeping your appliances running when unexpected power outages occur.
Rated for 3,000 charge cycles, the Anker PowerHouse 757 is designed to provide the power you need to keep your devices and small appliances operational when and where you need them. This unit offers a durable, drop-proof design. Using the HyperFlash feature, you can recharge the battery in less than 2 hours by plugging it into an AC outlet. You get 13 ports in all, including six AC outlets, four USB Type-A ports and two USB Type-C ports.
With the Anker PowerHouse 757, you can keep a portable fridge running for over 18 hours. One unique feature of this power station is that it can be used as an uninterruptible power supply for a computer or medical device—with a switchover time of less than 20ms. There’s also a built in LED emergency light with three brightness settings and an SOS mode.
Pros:
Powers up to 13 devices simultaneously
Built-in LED light
Cons:
Heavy to carry
Optional solar panel
Best Portable Power Station For Camping
Get Up To 30 Hours Of Continuous AC
EcoFlow Delta Mini
Generator rating: 1,400w | Number of devices simultaneously supported: 12 | Number of charging methods: 3 | Display: Yes | Dimensions: 14.9 x 7.2 x 9.4 inches | Weight: 26.3 pounds
Best for: Providing power at your campsite or keeping small devices running outdoors.
Designed with portability in mind, the EcoFlow Delta Mini Portable Power Station can charge up to 12 devices at once. Recharge time is as little as 1.6 hours using its X-Stream fast charging system or 2.5 hours with an optional solar input.
Using the app, you can glance and see how many hours of power you get when operating specific types of equipment. You can typically count on up to 30 hours of continuous AC power.
Pros:
Powers up to 12 devices at once
Lighter weight than many competitors
Very quick recharging
Cons:
Not as powerful as some other competitors
Best High-Capacity Portable Power Station
Power Multiple Devices For Extended Periods
Best Features
Bluetti AC200MAX
Generator rating: 2,048w (but expandable) | Number of devices simultaneously supported: 16 | Number of charging methods: 7 | Display: Yes | Dimensions: 11 x 16.5 x 15.2 inches | Weight: 61.91 pounds
Best for: Anyone who needs remote power and the ability to expand their power consumption.
The Bluetti AC200MAX can power your small devices using its rechargeable battery pack. It also works with optional portable solar panels to generate electricity. And if you need more power than what the base unit provides, connect up to two Bluetti B230 or B300 battery modules (sold separately) to achieve up to 8,192-watts of power.
You get a total of 16 outlets, including four USB Type-A ports, four AC outlets, one NEMA TT-30 outlet, one USB Type-C port and a cigarette lighter port, plus seven ways to recharge the power station.
Pros:
Power up to 16 devices simultaneously
Scalable power using optional external battery packs
7 recharging methods, including optional solar panels
Cons:
Heavy and not as easy to transport as other models
With solar and optional expansion batteries, the bundle gets costly
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
The Forbes Vetted tech team strives to offer accurate and trustworthy product assessments that are the result of intensive research and hands-on testing. Our writers and editors have years of experience writing about a broad range of consumer electronics and have the background and expertise to help you make the best buying decisions possible.
How We Chose The Best Portable Power Stations
We combined research with hands-on testing and experience, and we spoke with product experts and industry leaders to help us determine the products that made the cut. We carefully evaluated each portable power station’s features, power rating, accessory options and more.
In checking each portable power station, we combed through reviews at Amazon, Home Depot and more, taking into account what buyers liked and disliked about them. All portable power stations on our list exceeds four stars or more from reviewers to make sure you’re getting a top-quality product. We also paid attention to what sets each portable power station apart from its competition.
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