Backup power, without the guesswork

Know what stays on when the power goes out.

Choose the refrigerator, internet, lights, pumps, or other essentials you need. We'll show which current power stations can handle them—and approximately how long each one lasts.

Find my power station Browse equipment

Planning snapshotSample only

12.5 hours

Items selected4

Portable models12

Reserve10%

11 hoursAverage U.S. customer interruption time in 2024

12 stations5 measured models + 7 official-spec planning models

0 brands favoredThe math stays the same regardless of merchant

The method

Simple question, visible assumptions.

The selector starts with household needs, then keeps energy, output, startup demand, and evidence separate.

Start with what matters

Select the appliances and equipment you want during an outage. No battery terminology is required to begin.

Model daily energy

Running watts × daily hours for each selected item produces one repeatable energy-use pattern.

Separate measured from planning

Measured models use shared-method usable AC evidence. Broader official-spec models use a clearly labeled 85% planning factor until comparable measurements exist.

Hold back a reserve

The default keeps 10% of the usable-energy basis in reserve. You can adjust it in the technical assumptions.

Screen output, then rank runtime

A model appears only if it clears combined running power and conservative startup demand. Qualifying stations are ranked by estimated battery-only hours.

Safety boundary

Portable results cover plug-and-play power stations only, and solar recharge is intentionally excluded from the first runtime number. The whole-home result is a load summary and quote-preparation pathway—not an electrical design. This site does not validate panel compatibility, design transfer switches or other transfer equipment, specify fixed wiring, permit an installation, or establish medical or other life-safety backup adequacy. Follow current product manuals and use appropriately licensed professionals. Fuel-burning generators require separate carbon-monoxide precautions.

Planning library

Make the decision before the purchase.

Ten source-backed guides now begin with current power-station capacity evidence and a shared-method portable-solar comparison, then cover appliance runtime, station sizing, solar planning, field testing, the system boundary, and whole-house quote preparation.

01 · Independent comparison

What do current 1–2 kWh stations deliver?

Compare same-method Anker, EcoFlow, Jackery, and BLUETTI measurements before running the outage math.

02 · Independent solar comparison

Which panels held up in sun and clouds?

Compare measured output, portability, setup, and connector tradeoffs across seven brands.

03 · Worked plan

What can 1 kWh actually support?

See usable energy, load schedules, inverter output, and startup demand kept separate.

04 · Solar recharge

How much solar changes the plan?

Cap the array at the station input and test three sunlight scenarios before adding panels.

05 · Evidence standard

What counts as a real field test?

Record the exact setup, load, time, conditions, result, and every miss as well as every hit.

06 · System boundary

Portable or whole-home backup?

Use outage scope and measured loads to know when professional design is the next step.

07 · Whole-house comparison

How should installed systems be compared?

Use backed loads, usable energy, power, outage operation, commissioning, and total installed price.

08 · Appliance runtime

How long did documented C1000 refrigerator tests run?

Separate two owner observations, controlled usable-energy tests, and a transparent planning model.

09 · Brand-neutral size chart

Which of 12 current stations fits the load?

Compare capacity, usable-energy evidence, continuous output, and startup capability before the brand.

10 · Owned-equipment plan

F2600 or C1000 + BP1000?

Compare official specifications and modeled runtime, then see the field test needed for a real verdict.

Browse all guides →

Field-test standard

Claims must survive a real outage rehearsal.

The companion video channel will show the meter, the load, the elapsed time, and the remaining battery—not anonymous stock footage pretending to be a test.

1
Record the exact setup
Model, firmware, charge state, cables, settings, room temperature, and appliance labels.
2
Measure a normal cycle
Show startup behavior and sustained wattage. Do not substitute a manufacturer claim for observed use.
3
Track solar through the day
Record panel orientation, accepted watts, weather, charge limits, and energy added—not just the panel label.
4
Compare estimate to reality
Publish the miss as well as the hit, then update future assumptions when the evidence warrants it.

Read the complete test protocol →

Equipment directory

Browse equipment after you run the numbers.

Go directly to the exact stations and panels used in our comparisons, or continue to the whole-home planning path. Product order follows the evidence—not merchant economics.

Current link status

These are verified official manufacturer pages, not affiliate links. No commission is earned from these buttons today. A link will be marked as an affiliate link only after its tracking URL and exact-product eligibility are verified.

Portable power stations

12 current models

Open five shared-method measured models plus seven broader official-spec planning models across the four primary portable brands.

Official page · Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Official page · EcoFlow DELTA 3 Official page · Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Official page · BLUETTI Elite 100 V2 Official page · Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 Official page · Anker SOLIX C800 Plus Official page · EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max Plus Official page · Jackery Explorer 600 v2 Official page · Anker SOLIX F2600 Official page · BLUETTI Elite 200 V2 Official page · BLUETTI Apex 300 Official page · EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3

Compare measured AC capacity →Browse the 12-model size chart →

Portable solar panels

200–400 W panel references

Check the manufacturer pages, then verify the station's voltage, current, connector, polarity, and input limit.

Official page · EcoFlow 220W Bifacial Official page · Jackery SolarSaga 200W Official page · BLUETTI PV200 reference Official page · Anker SOLIX PS400 reference

Compare sun and cloud results →

Whole-home solutions

8 systems to quote and compare

Use the calculator's whole-home load brief, then take it to qualified installers. No installer or referral relationship is active.

Official page · Anker SOLIX X1 Official page · EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra Official page · Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus Official page · BLUETTI Apex 300 Home Backup Official page · Tesla Powerwall 3 Official page · Enphase IQ Battery 10C Official page · FranklinWH aPower 2 Official page · Generac PWRcell 2

Choose the correct backup lane Compare major system architectures

Bonus preparedness products

Protect food. Add targeted comfort.

These products extend the content and affiliate opportunity beyond batteries while staying tied to real outage needs. Current specifications below are manufacturer claims and still require model-specific testing.

Food protection

Anker SOLIX EverFrost 2

Battery-powered compressor coolers with removable batteries, portable charging options, and several current capacities.

Official page · untracked · verify exact model Food protection

EcoFlow GLACIER Classic

Portable refrigerator and freezer options with battery, vehicle, AC, USB-C, and compatible solar charging paths.

Official page · untracked · verify exact size Targeted comfort

EcoFlow WAVE 3

Portable cooling and heating with an optional add-on battery. Air conditioning is a high-draw load: model rated input and runtime separately.

Official page · untracked · not whole-house HVAC

Current tracking status: no commission-tracking URL has been verified for this build. The official links above will be replaced only after each advertiser relationship, exact-product eligibility, and destination are confirmed.

Portable through whole-house

Choose the right backup lane before the brand.

The site now covers plug-and-play portable power stations, panel-connected modular systems, and permanently installed whole-house backup. Each path uses a different evidence standard and a different professional boundary.

Portable essentialsPower stations + temporary portable solarModel selected plug-in loads, startup demand, stored energy, and portable-solar input—then rehearse the exact setup.

Panel-connected modularLarger ecosystems + supported home panelsCompare the exact station, batteries, accessories, supported circuits, and approved connection method. Fixed electrical work requires qualified review.

Installed whole-houseHome batteries + automatic transfer + solarCompare a site-specific design by backed loads, usable kWh, continuous and motor-start output, outage operation, commissioning, and total installed price.

Choose the outage scope

Separate essential circuits from “everything in the house.” Record large 240-volt loads, well pumps, HVAC, medical needs, and any loads that may be shed.

Bring measured energy

Use utility interval data or a documented daily kWh range. Keep peak power, startup demand, and daily energy as separate constraints.

Compare architectures

Evaluate battery-only, solar plus storage, modular home backup, and standby generation against the same outage goal and fuel or recharge assumptions.

Require a licensed design

Ask qualified installers to document backed-up circuits, usable storage, continuous and surge output, recharge assumptions, warranties, permits, and total installed price.

Choose portable, panel-connected, or installed →Compare major whole-house systems →

No whole-home manufacturer, installer, marketplace, or referral relationship is active. Any future quote handoff must state who contacts the user, what information is shared, and how compensation works.

Primary sources

Start with the evidence.

U.S. Energy Information Administration2024 interruption duration and major-event share U.S. Consumer Product Safety CommissionPortable-generator carbon-monoxide guidance NREL PVWattsLocation and historical-weather context; not a portable-panel output guarantee U.S. Department of EnergyWhy outage resilience requires correctly configured solar plus storage