Best portable power stations

The right size for the draw most people actually have. Light enough to carry one-handed.

This is the size that matches what car campers actually draw: a fan at night, a laptop in the evening, phones, a light. It is light enough to carry around a site one-handed, which matters more than it sounds, and it refills from the car while you drive rather than needing mains power. The honest limits are chemistry and capacity. Lithium-ion gives fewer cycles over a lifetime than LiFePO4, and a continuously running fridge needs several times this capacity.

LiFePO4 chemistry and very fast mains recharging. The best value per cycle here.

The chemistry is the reason this leads on value over a lifetime. LiFePO4 cells tolerate many more charge cycles than the lithium-ion used in cheaper stations, so a unit that costs a little more per watt-hour can be considerably cheaper per cycle. Fast mains recharging is the other genuine advantage: on a trip with one hotel night in the middle, being able to refill in a couple of hours rather than overnight changes what the station can do. Expect slightly less capacity for the money as the trade.

768Wh of LiFePO4 with high AC output. The size that genuinely runs a fridge.

The size that is justified by one thing: a continuous load. A 12V fridge draws steadily rather than in bursts, and that is the use case where the 300Wh class runs out overnight and this does not. High AC output also means it will run tools and appliances the smaller units reject. If you do not have a fridge or a similar continuous draw, this is a lot of money and cargo space for capacity you will not use -- which is the single most common mistake in this category.

268Wh of LiFePO4 at a low price. Good value, with a fan that runs more than you would like.

The value pick in the small class, and the chemistry is why: LiFePO4 at this price is unusual and means a much longer useful life than a cheap lithium-ion unit. The output range is generous for the money. The one complaint that comes up repeatedly from owners is fan noise -- it runs readily and it is audible, which is a real consideration if the station sits inside a tent or a vehicle you are sleeping in. For daytime and outdoor use it matters much less.

1,000Wh class with multiple AC outlets. For genuinely extended off-grid use, and heavy.

The size for extended off-grid trips where you are not driving every day to recharge. Multiple AC outlets and high output mean it behaves like a small mains supply rather than a charging device, and the solar input is what makes multi-day independence realistic -- though the panel is a separate and substantial purchase. The costs are weight, bulk and price, all significant. Buy this because you have a specific multi-day off-grid plan, not as a general upgrade.

Not a power station. For phones, a laptop and lights, this is the honest answer.

Included deliberately, because the most common mistake in this category is buying a power station for a job a power bank does. A phone battery holds roughly 15 to 20 watt-hours; a 300Wh station holds the equivalent of many phone charges, at many times the weight and cost. If your draw is phones, a headlamp and a lantern, buy this. Full options in <a href="/camp/best-portable-power-banks-for-camping">power banks for camping</a>.