The best portable power stations for a UK power cut
A portable power station is a big rechargeable battery with ordinary plug sockets. It's quiet, gives off no fumes, so it can be used indoors, and needs no fuel. For most homes, the question is simply how big.
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Our picks
- Best for most homesEcoFlow DELTA 3About 1 kWh, 1,800 W and four UK sockets: keeps a fridge-freezer, router and phones going through many overnight cuts, and switches over in under 10 ms if left plugged in.£649 at EcoFlowSee today's price at Amazon
- Best valueJackery Explorer 1000 v2A similar amount of energy for less, with two sockets and a 1,500 W limit. Sold out at Currys when we checked on 5 November.See today's price at AmazonSold out at CurrysSold out at Jackery
- For longer cutsEcoFlow DELTA 3 MaxTwice the capacity and 2,400 W, for rural homes where cuts can run into a second day.£1,199 at EcoFlow£1,199 at CurrysSee today's price at Amazon
- For a flatEcoFlow RIVER 3 PlusSmall and light, with three sockets and 600 W: keeps the router, phones, a lamp and a laptop going. Sold out at EcoFlow when we checked on 4 November.Sold out at EcoFlowSearch Amazon
Jump to a model (15)
- EcoFlow RIVER 3 (UPS)245 Wh, 300 W
- EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus286 Wh, 600 W
- Jackery Explorer 300 Plus288 Wh, 300 W
- Bluetti AC70768 Wh, 1,000 W
- EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max Plus (Wireless)858 Wh, 600 W
- EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus1,024 Wh, 1,800 W
- EcoFlow DELTA 3Our pick for most homes
- EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic1,024 Wh, 1,800 W
- Bluetti Elite 100 V21,024 Wh, 1,800 W
- Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 21,024 Wh, 2,000 W
- Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus v21,024 Wh, 1,800 W
- Jackery Explorer 1000 v21,070 Wh, 1,500 W
- EcoFlow DELTA 3 15001,536 Wh, 1,800 W
- Jackery Explorer 2000 v22,042 Wh, 2,200 W
- EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max2,048 Wh, 2,400 W
The best budget portable power station
For about 1 kWh, the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 was £449 when we checked, and the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2£398 at Currys, sold out there when we checked: both keep a fridge-freezer, router and phones going overnight. If you only need the router and phones, the EcoFlow RIVER 3 (UPS) costs £199. EcoFlow vs Jackery vs Bluetti.
The best for home backup
Leave it plugged in and it switches over when the power drops. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 does that in under 10 ms, has four UK sockets and takes a second battery later. For cuts that run into a second day, the DELTA 3 Max holds twice as much. To recharge from the sun as well, see solar generators.
What size do you need?
Capacity is measured in watt-hours (Wh): how much energy it holds. Output is in watts (W): how much it can supply at once. You need enough of both.
- Router, phones, lamps: 250-600 Wh, from an evening to a day or more depending on the size.
- Add a fridge-freezer: around 1,000 Wh, enough for an overnight cut unless the fridge works hard.
- Long rural cuts, or a chest freezer too: 1,500-2,000 Wh or more.
For your own list, use What will it run? It shows a range for each model below.
Tick Compare on up to three models to see them figure by figure.
Comparing
Runtimes are our estimate from the sizer, as a range: a modern fridge-freezer uses 0.4-1.5 kWh a day depending on the model and the weather. They are not lab figures.
The models
EcoFlow RIVER 3 (UPS)
The UPS version of the RIVER 3: one UK socket and 300 W, so it suits a router and phone chargers, not a fridge. It switches over in under 10 ms. EcoFlow's warranty on it is two years, against five on the RIVER 3 Plus.
- Capacity
- 245 Wh
- Continuous output
- 300 W
- UK sockets
- 1
- Weight
- 3.55 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- under 10 ms
- Surge
- 600 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4 (3000 cycles to 80%)
£199 at EcoFlowSee today's price at AmazonSpecs from the maker's page
More on this model: EcoFlow RIVER 3: which one, and what it runs
Back to the list of modelsEcoFlow RIVER 3 PlusFor a flat
Our pick for a flat: three sockets, 600 W and a five-year warranty. Fine for a router, lamps, phones and a laptop; too small to keep a fridge-freezer going for long. The RIVER 3 Max Plus (Wireless) is the same power station with an extra battery. If it's sold out, the RIVER 3 (UPS) does the router and phones in the meantime.
Sold out at EcoFlow when we checked on 4 November.
- Capacity
- 286 Wh
- Continuous output
- 600 W
- UK sockets
- 3
- Weight
- 4.7 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- under 10 ms
- Surge
- 1,200 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4 (3000 cycles to 80%)
Sold out at EcoFlowSearch AmazonSpecs from the maker's page
More on this model: EcoFlow RIVER 3: which one, and what it runs
Back to the list of modelsJackery Explorer 300 Plus
Similar size to the RIVER 3 but with a little more capacity. Jackery UK wasn't selling it when we checked.
Sold out at Jackery when we checked on 4 November.
- Capacity
- 288 Wh
- Continuous output
- 300 W
- UK sockets
- 1
- Weight
- 3.75 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- under 20 ms
- Surge
- 600 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4
Sold out at JackerySold out at CurrysSearch AmazonSpecs from the maker's page
Back to the list of modelsBluetti AC70
- Capacity
- 768 Wh
- Continuous output
- 1,000 W
- UK sockets
- 2
- Weight
- 10.2 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- 20 ms
- Surge
- 1,500 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4 (3,000+ cycles to 80%)
£499 at BluettiSearch AmazonSpecs from the maker's page
Back to the list of modelsEcoFlow RIVER 3 Max Plus (Wireless)
- Capacity
- 858 Wh
- Continuous output
- 600 W
- UK sockets
- 3
- Weight
- Not published
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- under 10 ms
- Surge
- 1,200 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4 (3000 cycles to 80%)
£419 at EcoFlowSearch AmazonSpecs from the maker's page
More on this model: EcoFlow RIVER 3: which one, and what it runs
Back to the list of modelsEcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus
The DELTA 3 with twice the solar input (1,000 W), faster USB-C ports and a link that tells a computer or network drive the mains has gone. Worth the extra £50 if you'll charge it from big solar panels or use it to protect a computer.
Pre-order only at EcoFlow when we checked on 4 November.
- Capacity
- 1,024 Wh
- Continuous output
- 1,800 W
- UK sockets
- 4
- Weight
- 12.5 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- under 10 ms
- Surge
- 3,600 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4 (4000 cycles to 80%)
See today's price at AmazonPre-order at EcoFlowSold out at CurrysSpecs from the maker's page
More on this model: EcoFlow DELTA 3: which one, and what it runs
Back to the list of modelsEcoFlow DELTA 3Best for most homes
Our pick for most homes. It supplies 1,800 W continuously. The 2,400 W you may see is X-Boost, which runs some appliances, mainly heating ones, at reduced voltage; it isn't 2,400 W of normal output, so plan on 1,800 W. It is the same power station as the DELTA 3 Plus apart from half the solar input, slower USB ports and no computer link, for £50 less.
- Capacity
- 1,024 Wh
- Continuous output
- 1,800 W
- UK sockets
- 4
- Weight
- 12.5 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- under 10 ms
- Surge
- 3,600 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4 (4000 cycles to 80%)
£649 at EcoFlowSee today's price at AmazonSpecs from the maker's page
More on this model: EcoFlow DELTA 3: which one, and what it runs
Back to the list of modelsEcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic
- Capacity
- 1,024 Wh
- Continuous output
- 1,800 W
- UK sockets
- 2
- Weight
- 12.1 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- 10 ms
- Surge
- 3,600 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4
£499 at CurrysSee today's price at AmazonSold out at EcoFlowSpecs from the maker's page
More on this model: EcoFlow DELTA 3: which one, and what it runs
Back to the list of modelsBluetti Elite 100 V2
- Capacity
- 1,024 Wh
- Continuous output
- 1,800 W
- UK sockets
- 2
- Weight
- 11.5 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- up to 10 ms
- Surge
- 3,600 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4 (4,000+ cycles to 80%)
£449 at BluettiSee today's price at AmazonSpecs from the maker's page
More on this model: Bluetti Elite 100 V2: what it runs
Back to the list of modelsAnker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2
- Capacity
- 1,024 Wh
- Continuous output
- 2,000 W
- UK sockets
- Not published
- Weight
- 11.29 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- under 10 ms
- Surge
- 3,000 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4 (4,000 cycles to 80%)
See today's price at Amazon£599 at AnkerSold out at CurrysSpecs from the maker's page
More on this model: Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2: what it runs
Back to the list of modelsJackery Explorer 1000 Plus v2
- Capacity
- 1,024 Wh
- Continuous output
- 1,800 W
- UK sockets
- 3
- Weight
- 10.8 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- up to 10 ms
- Surge
- 3,600 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4 (6,000 cycles to 70%)
£749 at JackerySee today's price at AmazonSpecs from the maker's page
Back to the list of modelsJackery Explorer 1000 v2Best value
Slightly more capacity than the DELTA 3 but less output (1,500 W) and two sockets rather than four. Jackery's published switchover is up to 20 ms rather than 10. The best value of the 1 kWh models at the price we found.
Sold out at Currys when we checked on 5 November.
- Capacity
- 1,070 Wh
- Continuous output
- 1,500 W
- UK sockets
- 2
- Weight
- 10.8 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- up to 20 ms
- Surge
- 3,000 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4 (4000 cycles to 70%)
See today's price at AmazonSold out at CurrysSold out at JackerySpecs from the maker's page
More on this model: Jackery Explorer 1000 v2: what it runs
Back to the list of modelsEcoFlow DELTA 3 1500
The same output as the DELTA 3 with 50% more capacity.
Sold out at EcoFlow when we checked on 4 November.
- Capacity
- 1,536 Wh
- Continuous output
- 1,800 W
- UK sockets
- 4
- Weight
- 16.5 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- under 15 ms
- Surge
- 3,600 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4 (3000 cycles to 70%)
Sold out at EcoFlowSold out at CurrysSearch AmazonSpecs from the maker's page
More on this model: EcoFlow DELTA 3: which one, and what it runs
Back to the list of modelsJackery Explorer 2000 v2
Double the capacity of the 1 kWh models, and heavier. Worth it if your cuts tend to be long.
- Capacity
- 2,042 Wh
- Continuous output
- 2,200 W
- UK sockets
- 2
- Weight
- 17.5 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- under 20 ms
- Surge
- 4,400 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4
£765 at CurrysSee today's price at AmazonSold out at JackerySpecs from the maker's page
More on this model: Jackery Explorer 2000 v2: what it runs
Back to the list of modelsEcoFlow DELTA 3 MaxFor longer cuts
Twice the capacity of the 1 kWh models and 2,400 W of output, at about 20 kg. It can't take an extra battery; the Max Plus can.
- Capacity
- 2,048 Wh
- Continuous output
- 2,400 W
- UK sockets
- 4
- Weight
- 20.3 kg
Full specifications (3 more)
- Switchover if the power drops
- 10 ms
- Surge
- 4,800 W
- Battery type
- LiFePO4
£1,199 at EcoFlow£1,199 at CurrysSee today's price at AmazonSpecs from the maker's page
More on this model: EcoFlow DELTA 3: which one, and what it runs
Back to the list of modelsBefore you buy
- Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries last thousands of charge cycles and are the safer chemistry. The battery type for each model is in its specs above.
- Keep it charged. A power station is only useful if it's full when the power goes. Top it up every few months.
- It won't run a kettle or a fan heater for long, if at all. Boil water on a gas hob or a camping stove, used outdoors.
- It can't run a boiler through a plug unless an electrician fits a proper connection. Why the heating stops in a power cut.
- Not for medical equipment: the makers say they aren't designed for it.