I Tested the BEST Cheap Solar Setups (Anker vs EcoFlow vs Jackery vs Bluetti)

Test setups

Kit Price Components Jackery $379 Explorer 300 power station and 40W solar panel. It was the top-selling solar-generator set on Amazon at the time. Anker $329 Solix C300 and 60W panel. EcoFlow $329 River 3 Plus and 45W panel. It has the smallest stated battery capacity, though EcoFlow claims high efficiency. Bluetti $370 Elite 30 V2 and 60W panel.

Device compatibility and appliance tests

DC devices

All four stations powered the DC devices tested: three USB devices at once, a 12V fan, a CPAP power simulator, a 12V mini-fridge, and Starlink Mini. Starlink Mini requires USB-C output of at least 100W, which all four stations provided.

Bluetti has two additional cylindrical DC ports. These can be used alongside its 12V car outlet with an adapter to power multiple 12V devices.

Low-power AC devices

All four stations ran an LED light, Wi-Fi router, and tower fan together. Jackery and Bluetti have two AC outlets, so the host used an extension cord; Anker and EcoFlow have three outlets. Jackery was also shown powering a TV.

Refrigerator

All four stations handled a kitchen refrigerator’s startup surge, which briefly exceeded 300W. The refrigerator then drew about 120W during the Jackery test. The host cautioned that some refrigerators may have a larger startup surge and overload stations of this size.

Window air conditioner

None of the stations could run a window air conditioner through its cooling cycle. Jackery and EcoFlow started the fan but overloaded and restarted when cooling kicked in. Anker could not start the air conditioner, and Bluetti also failed.

Heater and coffee maker

• Heater: Jackery overloaded immediately. Anker ran for about five seconds before overloading. EcoFlow’s X-Boost and Bluetti’s Power Lifting modes each ran the heater at roughly 500W for at least a minute.
• Coffee maker: Jackery and Anker overloaded. EcoFlow and Bluetti ran it at around 600W, apparently using their higher-power modes. Despite an unusual zero-watt display reading, the coffee brewed.

Battery capacity and charging

Battery capacity

In a test using identical 60W bulbs, Anker, Bluetti, and Jackery shut down after a little over 3.5 hours. EcoFlow lasted just under four hours.

Jackery had the largest stated battery capacity but the lowest usable capacity in the test. EcoFlow had the smallest stated capacity by a narrow margin but the highest usable capacity. Estimated runtimes for the tested devices were generally similar, with EcoFlow lasting somewhat longer on lower-power loads.

Wall charging

Anker, EcoFlow, and Bluetti charged in about an hour. Jackery took around 4.5 hours. A second charger can be added to Jackery via USB-C, but it costs extra and still charges more slowly than the other stations.

Included solar panels

In the test conditions, the panels produced:

• Jackery: 32W from its 40W panel
• Anker: 46W from its 60W panel
• EcoFlow: 36W from its 45W panel
• Bluetti: 39W from its 60W panel

The Anker panel stood out for its built-in stand and longest included cable, which allowed the station to sit in the shade while the panel was in the sun. The host found Bluetti’s panel flimsy and difficult to prop up.

After one hour of solar charging from 20%:

• Jackery reached 32%, with an estimated 8–9 hours needed for a full charge in good sun.
• Anker reached 37%, with an estimated charging time of about 6 hours.
• EcoFlow reached 32%, with an estimated 8–9 hours needed for a full charge.
• Bluetti reached 29%, with an estimated 10–11 hours needed for a full charge.

Third-party solar panels

Jackery would not charge from the tested 100W panel, including through an attempted USB-C connection. Anker, EcoFlow, and Bluetti accepted it at about 78–80W.

With a 200W panel, Jackery again failed to charge. Anker took about 94W, EcoFlow about 150W, and Bluetti about 142W. The host noted that Anker’s input limit is 100W, while EcoFlow and Bluetti have higher limits.

Verdict

Best overall: EcoFlow

EcoFlow performed well across the tests, had the greatest usable capacity, and handled the heater and coffee maker when its high-power mode was enabled. Its main weakness was the ordinary included solar panel, which charged relatively slowly. The host recommended pairing the EcoFlow power station with cheaper, more powerful third-party panels for buyers willing to assemble their own setup.

Best bundled kit for fast solar charging: Anker

Anker had the strongest included panel, the quickest one-hour solar-charge result, and a convenient long cable. Its other results were described as average, and it struggled with the heater and coffee maker without the more capable high-power modes.

Bluetti

Bluetti powered all tested DC and low-power devices and handled the heater and coffee maker with Power Lifting enabled. Its included panel was criticized as flimsy, and it had the slowest solar-charge result with the bundled panel.

Not recommended: Jackery

Jackery was the most expensive kit in the comparison, charged very slowly from a wall outlet, had the lowest usable capacity, failed to charge from the tested third-party solar panels, and performed poorly with higher-power appliances. The host described it as a previous-generation station and said its app connection did not work. He could not obtain the newer version to test.

Additional notes

• Ratings: No numerical product scores were given.
• Speakers: The video presents one reviewer, Alex, who conducted the tests and gave the conclusions. No other speaker offered a separate product assessment.