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Ever since this summer brought disastrous storms to the east coast, I've received regular updates from friends who say things like, “We’re making do around the campfire,” because their power is still out from a weather event that occurred weeks or months earlier. I was a trained Red Cross disaster volunteer, and one of the most basic things we taught people is how to shelter in place. I am now convinced that power stations like the Ecoflow should be part of your sheltering plan, and it's currently a great time to prepare: For Black Friday, many of these devices are majorly discounted (up to 60% off).
I added two of these backups to my home this year, and it made a weeklong freeze a lot more bearable. The Ecoflow Delta 2 in particular is a beast, keeping my heater going, my fridge on, and my modem, router, and TV running.
One of the best aspects of these power stations is that you can consider them renewable energy if you pair them with a solar panel, which Ecoflow also sells (be sure to grab a compatible panel for the station you choose; as they’re not always interchangeable). If you can’t afford a whole home backup, even a small 300- or 500-watt battery may mean the difference between keeping your phone charged and being cut off from emergency services.
The key to knowing the ideal size backup for your home is to look at essential devices you want to keep running, like your fridge, dryer, A/C or heater, and see what kind of wattage they require. Ensure the backup has enough watts, or you will learn, as I did, that you can’t power your Instant Pot or mini heater with a 240-watt backup.
This is my top recommendation because it's a nice midsize model at an absurd discount: It’s 54% off right now. 1800 watts means that you can power your A/C, most of your countertop appliances, and a newer fridge (they’re more energy efficient)—not for long without a recharge, but that’s where the solar panels come in.
ECOFLOW Portable Power Station DELTA 2: on sale for $399 (regularly $999)
ECOFLOW 220W Portable Solar Panel: on sale for $329 (regularly $549)
This 15-outlet beast can power almost anything in your home. You can daisy chain it to additional batteries in the range for even more power. It charges lightning fast on AC or solar, and it's really powerful (2,400 watts is a lot). The Ecoflow app helps you manage what you’re charging, and you can actually plug this backup into your home's power system if you have the right hardware (such as a mini sub panel), meaning you can run your home directly off the station. If you can afford it, go with this higher capacity station.
EF ECOFLOW Portable Power Station DELTA 2 Max: on sale for $999 (regularly $1,899)
ECOFLOW 400W Portable Solar Panel: on sale for $649 (regularly $999)
While not offering the beefiness of the previous two models, the Delta 3 has some nice features. It has an onboard UPS (uninterrupted power supply) for your more precious electronics; you can expand the system by daisy chaining with additional units; and it charges quickly. More interestingly, there’s a storm-management feature in the app that will deliver storm updates and help you manage the power load until the storm is over.
EF ECOFLOW Portable Power Station DELTA 3 Plus: on sale for $649 (regularly $899)
ECOFLOW 400W Portable Solar Panel: on sale for $649 (regularly $999)
Among smaller units, don’t overlook this little powerhouse, which offers the same capacity and watt hours as Delta 2 and adds features: ultrafast charging (under an hour), 4000 cycles, and 1500 watt input. I really like the fast car charging, too. Access to the app gives you power management on top of everything else.
EF ECOFLOW Portable Power Station DELTA 3 Plus: on sale for $649 (regularly $899)
ECOFLOW 400W Portable Solar Panel: on sale for $649 (regularly $999)
With four AC inputs and a combo of USB inputs as well, this compact unit still delivers serious power, but less watt hours than it’s bigger siblings. Those four AC inputs each have 400-watt output to reach 1,600 total.
EF ECOFLOW Portable Power Station RIVER 2 Pro: on sale for $369 (regularly $599)
ECOFLOW 400W Portable Solar Panel: on sale for $649 (regularly $999)
