Best Jackery Power Stations

When it comes to portable power stations for camping, Jackery’s products are known for being leaders in the field, and are renowned for their durability and design.

If you are looking for a portable power station, a Jackery product might be just what you need. Here are the best Jackery power stations and information about how to choose the correct portable power station for your needs.

 

Portable Power Station Size: How Much Is Enough?

There are several uses for portable power stations. Some people rely on them for backup power, particularly if they live in storm-prone areas or areas where the power grid is unreliable. For these people, battery capacity and power longevity are the primary concerns when buying a portable power station.

For people who want their power station to be truly portable, size, weight, and maneuverability are all important factors. For example, if you’re hiking and want to take power with you, you most likely want the smallest power station that has your desired capacity.

For an in-depth look at power station capacities, you can refer to our complete guide here; however, for a quick idea about power station capacities, here is a chart of the common sizes and a chart of some devices that they can power.

 

Portable Power Station Sizes

 

Common Small to Medium Electronics and Their Wattage

*Microwaves are not measured in watts per hour, but rather the amount of watts drawn while cooking.

Additional appliances and their wattages can be found here.

Any power station that you buy needs to have enough watts to sustain your appliance and enough watts to deal with the initial energy of activation. Make sure that the station you use has enough power for this. Most small consumer electronics don’t have a high energy of activation– but bigger appliances may, so pay attention to your appliances’ specifications.

 

The Best Jackery Power Stations

With all that in mind, let’s look at the best Jackery power stations that you can take camping– or use for anything else. If you’re wondering how these power stations compare to other similar models, check out our comparison article about Jackery versus Anker power stations.

 

Jackery Solar Charging

Every single Jackery power station features solar charging. While the solar panels are sold separately (or as part of a bundle– they are not integrated into the machines), even the smallest model can take advantage of the sun’s power. If you’re camping in a sunny area, it means that you’ll never truly be cut off from power.

One important note about solar charging: Jackery’s power stations let you plug in multiple solar panels at once, and the amount of solar panels changes the charging time. More solar panels means faster charging. Jackery gives times for various solar panel configurations; we’ve noted their most readily available charging times with the recommended number of solar panels for that charging time.

 

Mini Power Stations

Mini power stations are ideal for situations that call for more power than you can feasibly carry with a power bank, but don’t need to power anything large. If you’re camping and want to power a fan, or perhaps charge up several small personal electronics, a mini power station is a good option.

 

Jackery Explorer 160

(Update: It appears Jackery just removed this product from the product lineup. We may be removing this from the list if this doesn’t go back in stock.)

Jackery’s smallest option, the Explorer 160, was designed for convenient, on the go power in the outdoors. What makes this portable power station truly great is its small size. At less than four pounds, it’s lighter than some large power banks!

 

Small Power Stations

Small power stations are best for short camping trips and quick weekend getaways. They aren’t large enough to run any major appliances and they may struggle with the power draw of long-term space heater use, but for fans, plug-in coolers, camp lighting, and more, they’re sufficient. A small power station is more versatile than a mini, but not as bulky or cumbersome as a larger unit.

 

Jackery Explorer 240

The Explorer 240 is a great small-sized power station that won’t struggle with your whole group’s appliances. This includes charging up cameras, drones, laptops, and other big-battery appliances.

 

Jackery Explorer 300

If you’re camping with a slightly larger group or for more than just a couple of days, you will likely want a little extra power. Before scaling up to a mid-sized power station, take a look at the Jackery Explorer 300. With an extra 100 W of power output and more battery capacity, it can handle appliances with a much greater power draw than the 240 can.

 

Mid-Size Power Stations

Mid-size power stations are ideal for the campers who want a reliable source of power for a group. Bringing one of these stations with you means days of power and the capability to power appliances like car fridges, heaters, and more.

 

Jackery Explorer 1000

Jackery makes two 1000W power stations, and for hiking, the Explorer 1000 beats its pro relative. Why? Simple, it weighs more than three pounds less. It’s also smaller and easier to carry, so it takes up less space in the car.

 

Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro

If you don’t mind the extra weight, the Explorer Pro may be preferable in the long run. It supports twice as many recharge cycles and supports fast charging– so it’s better for powering PCs and laptops. This is a great medium-sized power station for remote working.

 

Large Power Stations

Large power stations pack serious wattage. These stations can do a lot more than their little siblings; they are capable of powering larger appliances and giving you several full charge cycles for laptop batteries and other rechargeable electronics. At this size, it’s unlikely you’re carrying these around on their own– you are probably bringing them in the car to a cabin or other “home base” location.

 

Jackery Explorer 1500 Pro

The Jackery Explorer 1500 Pro charges extremely fast for a power station this size; with the full solar panel array, it can go from 0 to 100% in about two hours. This makes it great for emergencies and intensive power needs. For long camping trips, this is a useful option.

However, at this size and the next size up, weight starts to be an issue with some Jackery devices. Don’t expect to throw these power stations in your backpack, or even loose in the car– they take up a lot of space and require some thoughtful packing.

 

Extra-Large Power Stations

Jackery recently added an exciting new extra-large option to their lineup, so now consumers who need lots of portable power have two options. You can even run demanding electronics like large appliances and power tools from these stations.

 

Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro

This extra-large option is the perfect domestic backup or big battery for van life, cabin camping, or car camping with a group. It can handle running virtually any appliance you might have with you, including TVs, PCs and laptops, space heaters, mini fridges, and more.

 

Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro

Jackery’s newest offering is the biggest portable power station on the market, and it is a behemoth of a battery. Its lightning-fast charging time means that this device can be fully charged from the wall in less than 2.5 hours.

Most major household appliances can run on less than 3,000 W, so this is an incredible backup for your house’s power. If you’re camping at a cabin, using this device and some of Jackery’s solar panels is almost like carrying a miniature power grid around with you.

Also, this design seems to answer the major complaint that people have about Jackery’s largest stations’ design, namely their bulky unwieldiness. This model has an integrated pull handle and wheels, making it much easier to transport.

 

 

The Best Jackery Power Station to Buy

Some folks are tempted by the biggest, fanciest equipment. Others go the other way and stick to entry-level, budget options to save money. But the best way to choose a power station is to think carefully about what you need it for. If you want a station that will run your cabin’s AC window unit for a week, going any smaller than a large power station is a mistake. Pick the product that meets your needs and you’ll be a happy camper with your new portable power station.