Bluetti Elite 100 V2: which Bluetti, and what it runs
For most homes the Bluetti to buy is the Elite 100 V2: about 1 kWh, 1,800 W and the biggest solar input in its class, for £449. It keeps a fridge-freezer, router and two phones going for roughly 8.4 h to 32 h. The popular AC180 is discontinued in the UK, and Bluetti's Elite 100 V2 page compares the two. The smaller AC70 costs more for less battery.
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The short answer
What it runs in a power cut
| What's plugged in | Bluetti Elite 100 V2 | Bluetti AC70 |
|---|---|---|
| Router, fibre box, 2 phones and a lamp | 16 h to 46 h | 12 h to 34 h |
| Fridge-freezer, router and 2 phones | 8.4 h to 32 h | 6.3 h to 24 h |
| Fridge-freezer, router, 2 phones, TV and 2 lamps | 6.5 h to 25 h | 4.9 h to 19 h |
| Fridge-freezer and chest freezer | 5.5 h to 22 h | 4.1 h to 16 h |
Our estimates from the sizer, as a range from heavy to light use, allowing for the energy lost in the power station itself. A modern fridge-freezer uses 0.4-1.5 kWh a day depending on the model and the weather. Not lab figures; try your own list in the sizer.
Elite 100 V2, AC180 or AC70?
| Elite 100 V2 | AC180 | AC70 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery | 1,024 Wh | 1,152 Wh | 768 Wh |
| Output | 1,800 W (3,600 W surge) | 1,800 W (2,700 W lifting) | 1,000 W (1,500 W surge) |
| UK sockets | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Mains charging | 1,200 W, 70 minutes to full | 1,440 W, about 1.3-1.8 hours | 950 W, 45 minutes to 80% |
| Solar input | 1,000 W | 500 W | 500 W |
| Switchover | 10 ms or less | Not stated | 20 ms |
| Weight | 11.5 kg | About 16 kg | 10.2 kg |
| Rated life | 4,000+ cycles to 80% | 3,500+ cycles to 80% | 3,000+ cycles to 80% |
| In the UK | £449, in stock | Discontinued | £499, in stock |
Against the AC180, the Elite 100 V2 has slightly less battery but twice the solar input, a published switchover time, and it weighs about 4.5 kg less. OutdoorGearLab, which tested both in America, says it considers the Elite 100 V2 "much improved and a better product". The AC70 is lighter still, but its 1,000 W limit rules out a microwave alongside the fridge. Bluetti gives all three a five-year warranty.
What testers found
These are measurements other testers have published, credited with links. Some tested the American version, with different sockets.
- Elite 100 V2Trusted Reviews timed a full recharge in Turbo mode at 66 minutes and measured 82.2% round-trip efficiency.
- Elite 100 V2OutdoorGearLab measured 890 Wh out of the rated 1,024 Wh (87%), and about two hours to recharge from empty.
- AC70Trusted Reviews got 643 Wh out in 40 minutes at 1 kW, measured 78.1% round-trip efficiency, and charged it in 86 minutes in Turbo mode; its switchover was "quick enough to prevent my office PC or NAS crashing".
- AC70Trusted Reviews found its two UK sockets "stacked on top of each other, with the top one inverted", and boiled a 1.8 kW kettle in Power Lifting mode, slowly, at 182 V.
Good points and drawbacks of the Elite 100 V2
Good
- One of the two cheapest 1 kWh models from a big brand that we found, at £449.
- 1,000 W of solar input, more than any rival here, so you can add panels later.
- Charges in about an hour in its Turbo mode: 66 minutes for Trusted Reviews.
- A five-year warranty, Bluetti UK says.
Drawbacks
- Two UK sockets, so you may need an extension lead.
- No extra battery.
- Slow to charge without Turbo mode: about two hours for OutdoorGearLab.
Who should buy something else
- Four sockets and a second battery later: the EcoFlow DELTA 3. See EcoFlow DELTA 3.
- More output: the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2, at 2,000 W. See Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2.