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Power stations for outage essentials: which are enough

Of the 54 power stations in the Enough Watts data set, 17 are enough for one full day without a recharge, 27 run it but not long enough, and 10 cannot power it. The closest fit is the BLUETTI Apex 300 (2,765 Wh), with 25.9 h of this routine.

Updated

The setup in numbers

  • 369W

    Running, all at once

  • 1,094W

    Starting watts needed

  • 2,180Wh

    Energy a day

  • 17 of 54

    Enough for 24 h

The setup

The loads, with the goal of one full day without a recharge
ApplianceHow manyRunningEnergy a day
Refrigerator (modern, full size)1275 W1.3 kWh a day × 24/24 h = 1,300 Wh
Wi-Fi router and modem128 W28 W × 24 h = 672 Wh
Phone charging220 W20 W × 2 h × 2 = 80 Wh
LED bulb, 60 W equivalent (800 lumens)38.5 W8.5 W × 5 h × 3 = 128 Wh
Running, everything on at once
275 + 28 + 2 × 20 + 3 × 8.5 = 369 W
Starting watts needed
369 - 275 + 1,000 = 1,094 W
Watt hours a day
1,300 + 672 + 80 + 128 = 2,180 Wh
Goal
one full day without a recharge (24 h)

Change this setup in the calculator

  • Watts vary by model and age. Check the label on your own appliance and enter it for an exact answer.

Enough17 of 54 stations

The 54 power stations in the data set, ranked smallest capacity first (the closest fit), then lower price, then lighter. Whether a link can earn us money never changes the order.

Enough Watts may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never changes the math or the ranking.

11 more stations that are enough, in the same order
Power stationCapacityRuntime of this routineEverything nonstop
ALLPOWERS R35003,168 Wh29.7 h7.3 h
ALLPOWERS R40003,456 Wh32.3 h8.0 h
BLUETTI Elite 4003,840 Wh35.9 h8.9 h
Anker SOLIX F38003,840 Wh35.9 h8.9 h
Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus3,840 Wh35.9 h8.9 h
Goal Zero Yeti PRO 40003,994 Wh37.4 h9.2 h
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 34,096 Wh38.3 h9.4 h
OUPES Guardian 6000 V24,608 Wh43.1 h10.6 h
Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus5,040 Wh47.2 h11.6 h
EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra6,144 Wh2.4 days14.2 h
EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X12,288 Wh4.8 days28.3 h

Runs it, but not long enough27 of 54 stations

They pass the output, surge and voltage checks but run out before the goal. Longest runtime first.

Stations that run the setup but not for 24 hours
Power stationCapacityRuntime of this routineEverything nonstop
Anker SOLIX F26002,560 Wh23.9 h5.9 h
BLUETTI Elite 200 V22,074 Wh19.4 h4.8 h
Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v22,048 Wh19.2 h4.7 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max2,048 Wh19.2 h4.7 h
Pecron E2400LFP2,048 Wh19.2 h4.7 h
Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 22,048 Wh19.2 h4.7 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus2,048 Wh19.2 h4.7 h
OUPES Mega 2 Pro2,048 Wh19.2 h4.7 h
DJI Power 20002,048 Wh19.2 h4.7 h
Jackery Explorer 2000 v22,042 Wh19.1 h4.7 h
ALLPOWERS R2500 V21,920 Wh18.0 h4.4 h
Jackery Explorer 1500 v21,536 Wh14.4 h3.5 h
Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra1,536 Wh14.4 h3.5 h
Goal Zero Yeti 15001,505 Wh14.1 h3.5 h
Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus1,265 Wh11.8 h2.9 h
BLUETTI AC1801,152 Wh10.8 h2.7 h
ALLPOWERS R15001,152 Wh10.8 h2.7 h
Jackery Explorer 1000 v21,070 Wh10.0 h2.5 h
Anker SOLIX C10001,056 Wh9.9 h2.4 h
BLUETTI Elite 100 V21,024 Wh9.6 h2.4 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic1,024 Wh9.6 h2.4 h
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 21,024 Wh9.6 h2.4 h
EcoFlow DELTA 31,024 Wh9.6 h2.4 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus1,024 Wh9.6 h2.4 h
Pecron E1000LFP1,024 Wh9.6 h2.4 h
DJI Power 10001,024 Wh9.6 h2.4 h
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus286 Wh2.7 h40 min

Cannot power it10 of 54 stations

Show the 10 stations and the number each one fails on
  • BLUETTI Elite 10 Mini Needs 369 W running at once; this station gives 200 W. Needs 1,094 W to start; this station peaks at 300 W.
  • Jackery Explorer 240 v2 Needs 369 W running at once; this station gives 300 W. Needs 1,094 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.
  • BLUETTI Elite 30 V2 Needs 1,094 W to start. Its surge rating is not published, and its 600 W continuous rating is lower.
  • Jackery Explorer 300 v2 Needs 369 W running at once; this station gives 300 W. Needs 1,094 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.
  • Goal Zero Yeti 300 Needs 369 W running at once; this station gives 350 W. Needs 1,094 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.
  • Goal Zero Yeti 500 Needs 1,094 W to start; this station peaks at 1,000 W.
  • DJI Power 500 Needs 1,094 W to start. Its surge rating is not published, and its 1,000 W continuous rating is lower.
  • Jackery Explorer 600 v2 Needs 1,094 W to start; this station peaks at 1,000 W.
  • Goal Zero Yeti 700 Needs 1,094 W to start; this station peaks at 1,000 W.
  • BLUETTI Elite 100 mini Needs 1,094 W to start; this station peaks at 1,050 W.

What to know

This list covers what a household wants first when the grid goes down: food kept cold, the internet up, phones charged and a few lights on in the evening.

The refrigerator decides almost everything. It takes 60% of the energy the list uses in a day, and its compressor sets the 1,094 W of starting watts every station has to cover. 6 of the 10 stations that cannot power the list fail on that start alone, with enough running watts.

The goal is one full day without a recharge. An outage can last longer than that, so read the runtime on each card: a station that reaches 24 hours with little to spare will not cover a second night. Set the goal to 48 or 72 hours in the calculator to see which stations do.

Every hour you switch something off is battery saved. The router counts here for 24 hours a day and the bulbs for 5 hours each; switching the router off for 8 hours at night saves 224 Wh. Food in a shut refrigerator stays cold for about four hours with no power at all, so the fridge can rest while the station runs something else.

An older refrigerator uses more energy a day than a new one, and the question below works out how much more. The refrigerator guide covers starting watts and runtime in detail. For an exact answer, enter the watts from your own labels in the calculator.

Read more: Watts vs watt hours, explained, Why you get less than the rated capacity, Starting watts explained and Can a power station run a refrigerator?.

Questions

What size power station do you need for outage essentials?
This setup uses 2,180 Wh a day. Lasting 24 hours takes 2,180 Wh usable, about 2,564 Wh of rated capacity at 85% efficiency. It also needs 369 W of continuous output and a surge rating of 1,094 W for the start.
Which is the smallest power station that is enough?
The BLUETTI Apex 300, at 2,765 Wh: 2,350 Wh usable gives 25.9 h of this routine. The ranking puts the smallest capacity first, then the lower price, then the lighter unit.
What changes with an older refrigerator?
With an older refrigerator (1990s to 2010) in place of a modern full size refrigerator, the setup uses 2,660 Wh a day and needs 369 W running and 1,094 W to start. 11 of the 54 power stations are enough for one full day without a recharge, against 17 for the setup above. The closest fit is the ALLPOWERS R3500 (3,168 Wh).