What size power station for a chest freezer?

It needs a station with at least 300 W of continuous output and a surge rating of at least 750 W to start it. At the default 85% efficiency it takes about 314 Wh of rated capacity for 8 hours of running, and 941 Wh for 24 hours of running. 49 of the 54 power stations in the Enough Watts data set can power it. The smallest one that keeps it going for 24 hours of running is the BLUETTI Elite 100 mini (1,005 Wh).

Updated October 6, 2026

300W
Continuous output
750W
Surge to start it
314Wh
Capacity for 8 hours of running
941Wh
Capacity for 24 hours of running
49 of 54
Stations that power it

Watts

Typical figures for this type, from the sources at the foot of this page. Watts vary by model and age. Check the label on your own appliance and enter it for an exact answer.

Running, typical: 300 W
Running, low to high: 100 W to 500 W
Starting: 750 W500 W to 1,000 W, 2.5 times running
Energy per day: 0.8 kWh0.55 to 1.26 kWh; the compressor cycles on and off
Typical use a day: 24 hthe calculator starts from this, and you can change it
Average draw while on: 33.3 W
Voltage: 120 V

Explained in: Watts vs watt hours, explained, How to read an appliance label for watts, Starting watts explained and Can a power station run a refrigerator?.

The math

Worked with the typical figure, as the calculator does it.

Output300 W running, so the station's continuous output must be at least 300 W.
Surge750 W to start, so its surge rating must be at least 750 W.
Average draw0.8 kWh a day × 1,000 ÷ 24 h = 33.3 W, because it cycles on and off.
A typical day33.3 W × 24 h = 800 Wh a day.
8 hours of running33.3 W × 8 h = 267 Wh usable, ÷ 0.85 = 314 Wh of rated capacity.
24 hours of running33.3 W × 24 h = 800 Wh usable, ÷ 0.85 = 941 Wh of rated capacity.
On the BLUETTI Elite 100 mini1,005 Wh × 0.85 = 854 Wh usable, ÷ 33.3 W = 25.6 h.

Stations that run it

Every power station in the data with this appliance alone plugged in, at 85% efficiency. Type the running watts from your own label and the table works it out again.

Running watts

Typical 300 W, from 100 W to 500 W. Watts vary by model and age. Check the label on your own appliance and enter it for an exact answer.

49 of 54 power stations run it at 300 W and 750 W to start.

Power stations for a chest freezer at 300 W
Power station	Can it power it	Running time	Output	Start surge
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus	Runs it	7.3 h	600 W	1,200 W
Goal Zero Yeti 500	Runs it	12.7 h	500 W	1,000 W
DJI Power 500	Runs it	13.1 h	1,000 W	not published
Jackery Explorer 600 v2	Runs it	16.3 h	500 W	1,000 W
Goal Zero Yeti 700	Runs it	17.3 h	600 W	1,000 W
BLUETTI Elite 100 mini	Runs it	25.6 h	700 W	1,050 W
BLUETTI Elite 100 V2	Runs it	26.1 h	1,800 W	3,600 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic	Runs it	26.1 h	1,800 W	3,600 W
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2	Runs it	26.1 h	2,000 W	3,000 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3	Runs it	26.1 h	1,800 W	3,600 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus	Runs it	26.1 h	1,800 W	3,600 W
Pecron E1000LFP	Runs it	26.1 h	1,800 W	3,000 W
DJI Power 1000	Runs it	26.1 h	2,200 W	4,400 W
Anker SOLIX C1000	Runs it	26.9 h	1,800 W	2,400 W
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2	Runs it	27.3 h	1,500 W	3,000 W
BLUETTI AC180	Runs it	29.4 h	1,800 W	2,700 W
ALLPOWERS R1500	Runs it	29.4 h	1,800 W	3,000 W
Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus	Runs it	32.2 h	2,000 W	4,000 W
Goal Zero Yeti 1500	Runs it	38.4 h	2,000 W	3,600 W
Jackery Explorer 1500 v2	Runs it	39.2 h	2,000 W	4,000 W
Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra	Runs it	39.2 h	1,800 W	3,600 W
ALLPOWERS R2500 V2	Runs it	2.0 days	2,500 W	4,000 W
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2	Runs it	2.2 days	2,200 W	4,400 W
Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v2	Runs it	2.2 days	2,400 W	4,800 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max	Runs it	2.2 days	2,400 W	4,800 W
Pecron E2400LFP	Runs it	2.2 days	2,400 W	4,000 W
Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2	Runs it	2.2 days	2,400 W	4,000 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus	Runs it	2.2 days	3,000 W	6,000 W
OUPES Mega 2 Pro	Runs it	2.2 days	2,500 W	not published
DJI Power 2000	Runs it	2.2 days	3,000 W	not published
BLUETTI Elite 200 V2	Runs it	2.2 days	2,600 W	not published
Anker SOLIX F2600	Runs it	2.7 days	2,400 W	2,800 W
BLUETTI Apex 300	Runs it	2.9 days	3,840 W	not published
BLUETTI Elite 300	Runs it	3.2 days	2,400 W	4,800 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra	Runs it	3.3 days	3,600 W	7,200 W
Anker SOLIX F3000	Runs it	3.3 days	3,600 W	7,200 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus	Runs it	3.3 days	3,600 W	7,200 W
Pecron E3600LFP	Runs it	3.3 days	3,600 W	7,000 W
ALLPOWERS R3500	Runs it	3.4 days	3,200 W	6,000 W
ALLPOWERS R4000	Runs it	3.7 days	3,600 W	6,000 W
BLUETTI Elite 400	Runs it	4.1 days	2,600 W	5,200 W
Anker SOLIX F3800	Runs it	4.1 days	6,000 W	9,000 W
Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus	Runs it	4.1 days	6,000 W	9,000 W
Goal Zero Yeti PRO 4000	Runs it	4.2 days	3,600 W	7,200 W
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3	Runs it	4.4 days	4,000 W	8,000 W
OUPES Guardian 6000 V2	Runs it	4.9 days	6,000 W	9,000 W
Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus	Runs it	5.4 days	7,200 W	14,400 W
EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra	Runs it	6.5 days	7,200 W	10,800 W
EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X	Runs it	13.1 days	12,000 W	not published
BLUETTI Elite 10 Mini	Cannot power itNeeds 300 W running at once; this station gives 200 W. Needs 750 W to start; this station peaks at 300 W.	none	200 W	300 W
Jackery Explorer 240 v2	Cannot power itNeeds 750 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.	none	300 W	600 W
BLUETTI Elite 30 V2	Cannot power itNeeds 750 W to start. Its surge rating is not published, and its 600 W continuous rating is lower.	none	600 W	not published
Jackery Explorer 300 v2	Cannot power itNeeds 750 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.	none	300 W	600 W
Goal Zero Yeti 300	Cannot power itNeeds 750 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.	none	350 W	600 W

Add it to the runtime calculator with the rest of your list

What moves the number

The compressor cycles, so the daily energy sets the runtime: 0.8 kWh a day for a typical recent model under 16.5 cubic feet, 0.55 to 1.26 kWh from the smallest certified model to the largest. Running watts, 100 W to 500 W, matter only for the output check, and the start of about 750 W for the surge check.

A full freezer stays frozen for about 48 hours with the lid shut, so it can rest for long stretches during an outage.

Questions

How many watts does a chest freezer use?

About 300 W while running, from 100 W to 500 W across the models in our sources. It needs about 750 W for a moment at start. Over a day it uses about 0.8 kWh, because it cycles on and off. Watts vary by model and age. Check the label on your own appliance and enter it for an exact answer.

Can a portable power station run a chest freezer?

Yes. 49 of the 54 power stations in the Enough Watts data set can power it on its own. It takes at least 300 W of continuous output and a surge rating of 750 W.

How long will a power station run a chest freezer?

It depends on the battery. At 85% efficiency the smallest station that powers it, the EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus (286 Wh), gives about 7.3 h. The largest, the EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X (12,288 Wh), gives about 13.1 days.

Why does a chest freezer need a high surge rating?

Its motor draws about 750 W for a moment at start, 2.5 times its 300 W running figure. A station whose surge rating is below that cannot start it, even when the continuous output is enough. 49 of the 54 stations pass that check.

Sources

Researched from these pages, then checked against them a second time.

Generator Wattage Chart: Common Appliances & Tools - Champion Power Equipment generator maker guide, checked October 6, 2026
ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Freezers (data.energystar.gov dataset 8t9c-g3tn) government, checked October 6, 2026
ENERGY STAR Flip Your Fridge Calculator data script (Use of Existing kWh/year by configuration, age and size) government, checked October 6, 2026

We read published figures and do the math; we do not measure appliances. The methodology states every formula on this page. Capacities are rated watt hours: 1,000 Wh rated gives 850 Wh usable at the default.