At the smaller end of the watt-hour spectrum, you can get anything from a basic power bank with a built-in rechargeable panel to a more illustrious multi-port battery generator that can power a weekend trip and keep you going the extra mile. I think if you are going to invest in a solar generator, it should do more than a basic power bank, even if it has a solar panel on it’s lid. This article looks at some of the best portable power stations that are under 1000 Wh.

Takki T88

The Takki T88 is cheap and cheerful. It deserves a second look, as a first glance can be quite deceiving. This isn’t going to keep lots of devices powered up simultaneously, but for those who need an ultra-lightweight, cheap power station to get by on a camping or fishing trip or just to have a spare power source at work or in the car, this is not a bad choice. It only has an 83.25 watt-hour capacity, but with that comes a cheap price and the ability to keep small devices running when you are away from AC power sources.

It has 2 x USB A ports and 1 x 30-watt USB C PD port. At 7 x 4 inches, this will not eat up a lot of your transport space, so it’s a good asset for kids on camping trips, or just to store as a backup emergency power source. It can also be charged by an 18W solar panel, which takes 6–8 hours, which is quite a lot of time for a small battery, but that’s what keeps the price so low.

The Takki T88 will run appliances and devices up to 83W and has a surge of 120W, but it’s only really suitable for running electronics and small devices, lightweight USB fans, and charging laptops. It can get an iPhone nearly up to full charge in 30 minutes. It also has lots of built-in protection features and heat dispensation slots, so you can safely use it at home or in your tent or glamping pod if you are prone to luxuries.

Jackery E160

Moving up the scale quite a few notches leads us to the next station, the Jackery E160. Jackery only launched their Explorer (E) series in 2015, it was the world’s first premiere of a lithium-ion battery system. Since then, they haven’t looked back and have gone on to sell millions of power stations. They are one of the market leaders.

The E160 has double the amount of battery capacity that the Takki T88 offers, at 167 Wh (46,400 mah). It also has 1 x 110V AC outlet, can run appliances up to 100W, and has a 150W peak surge capacity. It has 3 USB ports (2 x USB-A, 1 X USB-C), 1 X 12V DC port, and weighs about twice as much as the T88 above, clocking in at 3.97 pounds.

With this power station, you can run a 5W LED light for 5 hours, power up a Macbook Pro 13 for 10 hours, and charge an iPhone 8 up to 16 times.

The battery has a 500-recharge life cycle, so it can be recharged approximately 500 times before the capacity starts dropping towards the 80% mark. This is currently Jackery’s lightest and smallest power station. it is certainly more robust than the Takki T88 and has a solid built-in handle that gives it a rugged, professional work-type veneer. Combined with a LED flashlight on the side, it can light and power your way if you venture off the beaten track.

Here’s an example of what it can run:

• Macbook Pro 13 : 2 hours
• iPhone 8: 16 charges
• 10W Digital Camera: 20 recharges
• 15W USB Fan: 15 hours
• 5W LED Light: 29 hours
• 60W Drone: 3 recharges

If you are going off road for a short trip, this 4-pound power station will excel at keeping your low-power devices going. As it is so small and light, it won’t burden your load or take up much carrying space. It can easily fit in a backpack if you are trekking, or you can clip it on to the outside with a carabiner. Take it with you where power is not available.

Jackery could obliterate any post featuring the best solar battery systems under 1000 Wh, but more from them later.

Bluetti EB3A

Keeping to the lower end of the power scale, the Bluetti EB3a tops out at 268 watt-hours. I’ve done a full review of it here, so this section will summarize the basics.

Not only can you turn this little beast into a fully free rechargeable solar generator, but it charges super fast in under 2 hours with 1 x 200W PV200 solar panel. You can also get it up to 80% charged in 30 minutes by combining a wall charger and solar panel.

Now, the EB3A is a very capable portable power station, and that shows in the nine output ports that it has, including a wireless charge pad. It has a hefty 600 continuous watt output, which is remarkable for it’s small size and battery capacity. Once you switch on Power Lifting mode with the Bluetti app, you can run devices up to 1200W.

This small unit really punches above its weight, and apart from the 2 year standard warranty, the real deal-clincher for me is that it has a massive 2500+ battery cycle life. It uses an ultra fast deep-cycle LifeP04 lithium-ion battery, which guarantees super-fast recharge times, and an extra-long battery life. In a unit that costs so little, having such a high-quality battery is outstanding.

So you will love taking this little unit on the road, and you can get it fully recharged (in six ways!) and ready to deploy so quickly. You can recharge it as you drive in under 4 hours, or use your car battery when you are parked up, or if you have a wall charger and/or solar, it can be up to full capacity in under 2 hours. And as it supports pass-through charging, you can use it out on any vast landscape and recharge it at the same time, meaning it can effectively power most of your needs all weekend. This is a unit that is portable and packs plenty of punch.