I’ve found the best portable power stations for home and outdoor adventures

The delta 3 plus is a top-notch performer, being reasonably portable and offering plenty of power and versatility. It also features lots of ports, including fast-charging USB-C ports, and will charge completely in under an hour. Plus, its 10ms uninterruptible power supply (UPS) feature helps ensure a constant and reliable power supply when you need it, whether for computers, fridges or security systems.

I plugged in my laptop, monitor, phone charger and hair dryer simultaneously, and it maintained its composure without overheating, though the wiring isn’t super neat as the sockets are arranged perpendicularly to fit its tall frame better. I could get around 18 to 20 hours with my laptop and monitor plugged in, which is what I’d expect for a station like this. The fan only kicks in beyond heavy loads of around 1,500W, and I found it fairly quiet and non-intrusive.

There’s very little difference between this and the Solix C1000 as far as performance and stats go, and while the latter has slightly better portability and design, the delta 3 plus beats it for its expandable batteries and quieter fan. It’s still not enough for proper home backups, but for pretty much everything else, this is a solid power station at a reasonable price.

If you need power quickly at your fingertips, the dinky river 3 plus is for you. It impressively packs in three AC sockets, three USB ports, and even a light to use should you find yourself by the roadside in the dark. Its battery is expandable if you need to bulk out the capacity without buying another power station.

It displayed around two and a half hours of runtime with my laptop and phone on fast charge (when not in the trickle charge mode). So while it’s not suited for long trips away from an electrical outlet or for high-wattage appliances, it’s good for less demanding jobs such as powering a cooler for a garden party or a TV for a few hours. And like most power stations, there’s a digital display showing your output, battery level and remaining runtime.

I’m also really impressed with its portability and compact form. You can easily carry it around, courtesy of its large handle, and it can even slip into a backpack without much fuss. It’s handy for keeping in the car or shed when you need power outdoors in a pinch. The low price adds to its charms, too. I’d advise getting the plus model, as the standard version only carries one AC output.

I recommend the Jackery explorer for camping enthusiasts in vans or estates with limited space to work with, as I’m astounded that a 2,000Wh power station is the size of a small cooler box. And, with a lightweight rubberised handle, most people will be able to shift it around a short distance unassisted.

The longest runtime was around 26 hours when fast-charging a laptop and phone, which is fairly impressive. And when I plugged in a hairdryer at maximum power and heat, that swiftly went down to one hour (assuming continuous use), which is par for the course, considering the load.

The fan tends to turn on even with lighter loads, but it’s nearly silent, so it’s fine to work around. Its display is a little small and simplistic, but it provides a clear picture of your use, runtime and charge status. My only gripe is that there are only two mains outlets, when rivals offer three or even four.

Still, the explorer 2000 V2 is great to bring camping, in trucks and when you need to power energy-sapping appliances such as kettles and stoves, particularly where space is at a premium.

It makes total sense for a company heavily focused on drones and action cameras to get involved in the portable power station game, so here comes DJI with the power 2000.

This 2,048Wh station comes with a massive number of ports, including four mains, four USB-Cs, four USB-As and two of DJI’s proprietary SDC ports for fast charging drones. It displayed 15 hours of runtime while fast-charging a laptop and phone, and with trickle charge the runtime extended to around 33 hours, though the number did sporadically fluctuate. I then plugged in a hairdryer on max power and heat, and it had just over an hour of runtime.

It’s got lots of power to run almost any appliance, and you can combine it with a DJI solar panel for living independently off the grid, provided you get enough sunshine. Plus, its generous ports ensure everyone’s power-hungry devices get charged.

It’s also excellent for videographers and photographers who want to charge multiple devices such as laptops, drones, cameras and phones simultaneously while on the go. However, the placement of the main charging port at the front of the unit is a questionable choice. It kind of spoils the neatness of the machine, and restricts the reach and practicality of the station.

Well designed and both modern and robust in look and feel, the second-gen C1000 boasts the 2025 Guinness World Record for the fastest recharging portable power station, able to fully charge its 1,024Wh battery in just 49 minutes.

I tested it with my laptop and mobile, which it could comfortably keep powered for more than 16 hours. When they both reached more than 90 per cent capacity and reverted to a slow charge, that time further extended to more than 20 hours. I also tested the fan by running my laptop, second monitor, mobile charger, tower fan and hairdryer simultaneously – this vastly cut down its battery longevity to about 30 to 40 minutes – and while it wasn’t too loud, it’s definitely audible.

It’s fairly weighty to carry, and it lacks the capacity to keep multiple household appliances running for long periods during a power outage, so it’s best to look elsewhere if you need that high-capacity backup. But this is a great little unit for weekend work or overnight remote use, with plenty of plug outlets and USB ports to charge your camera, phone and laptop with no hassle.

This absolute beast of a power station can keep a home running in the event of a blackout. I could run my standing fridge-freezer for more than four days – so no more melted peas. It could fast-charge my phone and laptop for 23 hours, extending to more than 42 hours once it hit trickle charge mode, and with a fully cranked hairdryer added into the mix, you get one and a half hours of runtime. Still, with only two USB-C ports, if the power goes down, you might have a fight on your hands deciding who gets to charge their phones.

The F3000 is also super heavy, so I’ve never been more thankful for Anker incorporating a retractable long handle and a pair of wheels into the design, making shifting it about far more doable. However, clearing high thresholds and stairs is often a two-person job.

The inflated price tag of £3,000 makes it a tough sell, but with a discount, it becomes more tempting, particularly for off-grid users, campervan owners or those who need high-capacity and reliable power backup at home. However, note that its 20ms UPS switch time (how long it takes for the battery to take over once the mains fails) is on the slow side, meaning you may need to look elsewhere if you have critical appliances.

The elite 200 V2 is as compact as the Jackery explorer 2000, another 2,000Wh station mentioned above. In my test, I got 22 and a half hours of runtime while fast-charging a laptop and mobile, and one hour of concurrent use with a hairdryer. Once fast-charging was complete (and without the hairdryer), that extended to more than 37 hours in trickle charge mode.

I also plugged my fridge into the elite 200, which yielded very efficient results, with barely any power draw when idle and a reported runtime of at least 75 hours (as there’s no days option on the display readout).

However, its 24kg weight and the angle of its handles make it uncomfortable and awkward to carry. Some wheels and a retractable handle would have made this a great choice for mobile use, as moving it from a car or camper can be hard work. Still, it’s a solid home backup option, but I’d have liked to see one or two more mains sockets added to the existing two alongside the four USB ports.