These stations offer power on the go
Rockpals 300W is modestly priced and weighs only 7.7 pounds.
Portable power stations are the smaller, lesser-known cousin of generators. These versatile, lunch-box-size gadgets can travel with you to keep your phone, power tools and other electronics charged and running smoothly.
The best portable power station for your particular needs will depend on many factors, but it will probably come down to the cardinal two: power delivery performance and price. Each of these is more than just an on-the-go phone battery charger or glamping must-have. These power bank performers have wide-ranging uses from building and construction to staying connected with the office or family to having access to emergency lighting and power wherever you roam.
WHAT Jackery Explorer 1000
THE COST $1,099
AVAILABLE FROM jackery.com
CNET TAKE At 22 pounds, this powerful generator is fairly compact, especially compared with the 44-pound Ego Nexus model. Despite this Jackery portable power station's smaller size, it manages to make space for a trio of three-prong outlets, two USB-C ports, two standard USB-A ports and more to use for your power supply and for charging your devices.
Its display is easy to read and it dominated the performance tests, exceeding its expected battery power run time of 3 hours, 2 minutes (with three work lights connected to it) by an average of 8.5 minutes. For an additional $500, you can tack on a portable solar panel pack and use it as a solar generator for solar power when you're camping.
WHAT Blackfire PAC505
THE COST $499.99
AVAILABLE FROM blackfire.com
When you don't need something quite as powerful as the Jackery Explorer 1000, look to a midrange portable power station with a roughly 500 watt-hour capacity.
The Klein Tools' KTB5 was great for its performance and wide variety of outlets and ports, but that model has since been discontinued. However, Klein Tools owns the brand Blackfire, which makes the PAC505 which has similar specs.
WHAT Rockpals 300W
THE COST $245.99
AVAILABLE FROM rockpals.com
Rockpals replaced its original 300W portable power station with a new model, also called the Rockpals 300W.
The original Rockpals 300W performed well, was lightweight and had multiple ports and outlet options. This updated model has similar specs, including the same 280 watt-hour estimate, but this iteration adds in a USB-C port to provide more charging options.
The following CNET staff contributed to this story: senior writer/editor Megan Wollerton and copy editor Jim Hoffman. For more reviews of personal technology products, visit cnet.com.
