Summer power outages, weekend camping trips, off-grid living: the reasons to own a portable power station are plentiful. Depending on the size you buy, they can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, but during Amazon Prime Day, many of the best portable power stations (including the top models we tested) are up to half off.
Our guide to the best portable power stations goes deep into everything to know about buying these useful batteries and looks at reputable brands like Jackery, Bluetti, Anker, EcoFlow, and more. Some of the best Prime Day deals are on tested favorites, including the Jackery Explorer 1000 V2 for $399 (or $599 bundled with a solar panel) and the Anker Solix F3800 Portable Power Station, our whole-home backup pick, at its lowest price of $1,599.
For other deep discounts across all shopping categories, check out our hub for the best Prime Day deals.
Take a smarter break in your day – and see how far you get.
Why we love this deal: The Jackery Explorer 1000 V2 is the portable power station we recommend to most people. It has a practical middle-of-the-road capacity for temporary power needs and delivers some of the best efficiency in our testing. The stand-alone unit is on sale for $399 (originally $799), but the better Prime Day deal to consider is the Explorer, bundled with a 200-watt solar panel, for $599, down from $1,299.
Why we love this deal: The Anker Solix F3800 has a stellar battery life and was able to operate a fan, mini-fridge, and light for 20 hours during our testing, longer than most power outages are expected to last. It’s hefty, but fortunately, wheels make it easier to transport. Bundle with two 200-watt solar panels for more versatility and great savings. This means the power station can generate its own energy rather than just storing it, making it all the more efficient.
Why we love this deal: The Elite 30 V2 is our favorite budget model, and now it’s priced under $200. If you’re looking for a small and highly portable device that can keep small electronics charged, this is a great option to try if you’re looking to dip your toes into what a portable power station can do.
Why we love this deal: The Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 offers about 2,000 Wh in a relatively compact, portable unit. Its quick recharge speed of about 80 minutes has made this our category expert’s go-to model for everything from camping to power outages. If you don’t need something so beefy, also consider the C1000 Gen 2, which is on sale for $ 399, weighs just 25 pounds, and can recharge in about 50 minutes.
Why we love this deal: The EcoFlow Delta Pro is another strong option for home backup, with 3,600Wh of capacity and a full recharge time under three hours. It has a smaller footprint and weighs less than the Anker Solix F3800, though Anker performed better in our battery-efficiency testing, giving us more usable power.
Match the portable power station to how you’ll actually use it. A compact model — roughly under 500Wh — is best for charging phones, laptops, cameras, lanterns, and other small electronics. A midsize model — about 500Wh to 1,500Wh — is a better fit for camping, tailgating, short power outages, CPAP machines, mini fridges, routers, fans, and multiple devices. A large model — usually 1,500Wh and up — makes more sense for longer outages, full-size refrigerators, power tools, or several larger devices at once.
The biggest mistake is buying based only on the biggest discount or the highest capacity. A huge power station may look like the best Prime Day deal, but if you only need to charge phones, laptops, lights, or a small fan, you may be paying extra for weight and capacity you won’t use.
The opposite mistake is buying the smallest, cheapest model and expecting it to handle high-draw appliances. A compact power station may be great for phones and laptops, but it can fall short fast if you need backup power for a fridge, medical device, camping appliance, or anything with a heating element.
It’s important to buy the size best for your needs as many of these portable power stations are marked as not returnable due to transportation restrictions around lithium batteries.
Shopping for more discounts today? Check out our roundup of all of the best Prime Day deals, or browse Amazon for the full selection.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
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