Best Portable Solar Generator Reviews 2024: Top 9 Picks + Buying Guide

Portable solar generators offer a viable and simple solution for powering devices on the go, keeping the lights on outside, recharging critical devices and providing power in emergencies.

The idea of portable generators isn't new, but recent advancements in battery and solar energy technologies have made it cost-effective to use portable generators that run on sunlight alone.

We have relied on portable gas generators for years. While effective, fuel-driven generators suffer from a few major drawbacks. Firstly, gas generators are incredibly loud.

And, they require a constant supply of fuel to keep running.  If you want to be portable, that means you have to carry fuel in addition to the generator. 

And wall-socket charged battery packs can keep your power on for a while, but they, too, eventually need a recharge.

Solar portable generators are completely quiet, require no fuel and can run indefinitely wherever there is sunlight. 

The portable aspect of solar generators cannot be overemphasized. You can carry power with you wherever you go, whether it's camping, a fun fishing trip or a fieldwork project.

There are plenty of solar generators today that can supply small appliances and electronics with a lot of power and can run for several hours or even days in a single charge. 

This guide will walk you through what we believe are the best portable solar generator systems sold today.

Best Portable Solar Power Generator Reviews

1. Best For Camping: Jackery Explorer 500

Choosing the ideal portable solar generator for camping is a balance between portability and power.

You need a solar generator that’s powerful enough to meet all your power needs, but also light and compact enough that it easily fits in your car and you can easily carry it around by hand. 

The best portable solar generator that fits this description is the Jackery Explorer 500. 

With a 518Wh capacity and a 500W AC output, it’ll charge and power just about anything you carry on your camping trips. As for portability, the Yeti 500X is compact and weighs just 13.3lbs. 

Our Review 

Most campers carry small appliances, their gadgets and an assortment of electronics when they venture into the wild. The Jackery Explorer 500 can charge or power most of this stuff. 

It packs a capacity of 518Wh, which is enough to run small appliances for several hours. In most cases, you’ll find that a single full recharge at home is enough to last you through the entire camping trip. 

The Jackery 500 has a power output of 500W, which will run most camping appliances including a car fridge, CPAP, electric blanket and others. 

The Jackery 500 is compact and portable, making it a great choice whether you go camping in your truck or car. It weighs 13.3lbs and includes a built-in handle. 

What Can The Jackery Explorer 500 Power?

Here’s roughly how long the Jackery 500 will power various appliances and electronics (assuming you plug in only that item).  

Output Options

The Jackery Explorer 500 comes with one AC outlet where you can plug in your appliances. 

Since campers mostly use 12V appliances and electronics, Jackery included three 12V DC outlets on the Explorer 500. 

There’s a 12V/10A car outlet (great for most 12V electronics and appliances) and two 6.5mm 12V/7A DC outlets for smaller electronics. Note that you may need a 5.5mm to 6.5mm adapter to use the two 6.5mm DC outlets.

For your rechargeable gadgets and devices, the Jackery 500 offers three USB-A outlets. 

Three Recharge Options 

As for recharging the Jackery 500, you have three options. 

You can plug it into a wall outlet at home or wherever you can while on the road. It takes about 7.5 hours to fully recharge. 

If you don't want to run out of power while camping, get a 100W solar panel. It’ll charge the Jackery 500 in about 9.5 hours (probably two days of good sunshine). 

You can also plug the Jackery 500 into your vehicle’s 12V outlet to charge it while you are on the road. It takes 7.5 hours to recharge. 

Limitations

Limited Output Options

The Jackery Explorer 500’s output options are a bit limited. You get just one AC outlet, meaning you cannot run more than one appliance at the same time. 

It would have also been nice to get a fast-charging USB-A port and a USB-C port. 

Slow Charging

Relative to newer portable solar generators in the market, the Jackery 500 charges slowly. Most solar generators these days can charge in 2-3 hours. The Explorer 500 takes over 7 hours. 

2. Best for Devices & Small Electronics: Bluetti EB3A

If you need a portable solar generator to keep your devices charged and power small electronics like a CPAP, fan and mini fridge, I recommend the Bluetti EB3A. 

It doesn't have much capacity (just 268Wh), but it’s good enough for devices and electronics. Its wide variety of outlets lets you charge or power just about any gadget. 

Our Review 

With a capacity of 268Wh, the Bluetti EB3A is one of the smallest portable solar generators you’ll find. It weighs about 10 pounds, so traveling with it is not an issue. 

It’s especially ideal for those who travel or go camping with multiple gadgets like a smartphone, Kindle, tablet, drone, camera and so on. 

The EB3A is also great for powering small electronics like lights, air compressor, CPAP, or a mini cooler. 

You could plug small appliances like a mini fridge or even kitchen refrigerator into the EB3A, but we don't recommend it. It has an output of 600W (1200W surge), which is quite impressive for a solar generator this compact.    

But because of the limited capacity, most appliances will drain the battery too quickly. The 600W output is useful for powering appliances for a short time such as making a smoothie with a 500W blender or making a cuppa in a 600W travel drip coffee maker. 

Generally, the Bluetti EB3A is best for charging your gadgets and powering small electronics. 

What Can The Bluetti EB3A Power?

Outlet Options For All Kinds of Gadgets and Electronics

The output interface is a big reason I recommend the Bluetti EB3A for electronics and gadgets. Most compact portable solar generators tend to have limited outlets. Not so with the EB3A. 

For AC power, there are a couple of 120V sockets for running appliances and AC electronics. 

For your 12V DC tools and electronics, there are three DC outlets. There’s the main 12V/10A car outlet. You also get a couple of 5.5mm (DC5521) 12V/10A outlets that are great for powering small electronics such as an internet router. 

And for your smartphone and other devices, there are four charging options: two USB-A ports, a powerful 100W USB-C port, and a 15W wireless charging pad. 

Fast Charging

Another surprising feature of the compact Bluetti EB3A is how fast it charges. It has a max solar input of 200W. Many solar generators of this size or even bigger have 100W or less solar input. 

A 200W solar panel will charge the EB3A in 2-4 hours. 

AC charging is even crazier. Max input from a wall outlet is 430W, which charges the EB3A in just an hour. 

The Bluetti EB3A also has dual AC + solar charging, a feature you typically get only in larger solar generators, which recharges it in just 30 minutes. 

The fast charging performance is handy when you are outdoors or on the road. You can charge or power your electronics and quickly recharge the power station and have it ready for use again in just a couple of hours or so. 

Issues & Limitations 

Not Suitable for Appliances

If you want a portable solar generator mostly to run appliances, the Bluetti EB3A is not the best pick. 

I recommend something with a bit more capacity like the EcoFlow Delta for small appliances or the Bluetti AC200P for large appliances. 

3. Best for Powering Small Appliances: EcoFlow Delta

To run small appliances like a mini fridge, water purifier, blender or small power tools, you need a portable solar generator with enough output to provide the right amount of power and capacity to last a decent amount of time. 

We recommend the EcoFlow Delta. It has a capacity of 1260Wh and an output of 1800W. 

Our Review

The EcoFlow Delta is great for small and medium size appliances. With a power output of 1800W it can also power larger appliances like a heater or a washing machine. 

But you’ll drain the 1260Wh Li-ion too fast. That’s why we recommend it for smaller appliances like a kitchen refrigerator, a blender, car fridge, fan and so on. 

It’s also great for large appliances that run for just a few minutes like a coffee maker, microwave or blow dryer. 

What Can The EcoFlow Delta Power?

All The Outlets You Need

The EcoFlow Delta has a wide range of output options to cover just about any appliance, gadget or tool. 

There are six 120V AC outlets, so you can run multiple appliances at the same time. There’s a single 12V/8A car output for your 12V electronics and appliances. 

There are also plenty of USB - six to be specific. They include a pair of regular USB-A 5V ports, a pair of fast-charging USB-A ports, and a pair of 60W USB-C ports. 

Excellent Charging Performance 

EcoFlow solar generators are known for their super fast charging speeds. The EcoFlow Delta takes in up  to 1200W from a wall outlet to charge to 80% in less than an hour and 100% in 1.6 hours. 

Solar charging is a bit slower. Max solar input is 400W, which charges the Delta in 4-8 hours depending on the weather. 

You can also charge the EcoFlow Delta from your vehicle’s 12V/24V port, but this takes 13.5 hours so it’s mostly ideal as a way to top up the solar generator when you are on the go. 

Surprisingly, the EcoFlow Delta doesn't have dual AC + Solar charging. But AC charging is fast enough on its own. 

Issues & Limitations

A Bit Heavy 

The EcoFlow Delta sacrifices some portability to provide more power and capacity. It weighs 30.9lbs, so it’s not as easy to carry around by hand. 

But you can still easily travel with it in your car or truck. It doesn't take up much space. 

4. Best for Powering Large Appliances: Bluetti AC200L

To power large appliances and electronics like a kitchen refrigerator or a well pump, get a portable solar generator with at least 2kW output and 2kWh capacity.  

The best one we found that’s not too bulky or expensive is the Bluetti AC200L. You can use it outdoors when camping or overlanding, power your appliances off-grid or keep it at home for emergency backup. 

Our Review 

Bluetti sells some of the best value solar generators in the market. Their AC200L solar generator is no exception. 

It’s a solid, reliable and feature-packed 2000Wh solar generator that’s a lot cheaper than similar size power stations from many other brands. 

The AC200L is a great pick if you want a good bargain on a solar generator that can run most household appliances. 

Its 2400W output means you can plug in most of the stuff in your home including the kitchen refrigerator, a microwave, a washing machine and so on. 

The Bluetti AC200L uses a LiFePO4 battery, which lasts much longer than regular Li-ion batteries. It can last over 6500 cycles or more than 10 years of daily use. In contrast, Li-ion batteries last about 5 years with daily use. 

What Can The Bluetti AC200P Power?

Versatile Outlets

The Bluetti AC200L has 17 outlets, more than most portable solar generators. 

There are six AC outlets, so you can easily power multiple appliances simultaneously. You also get a 12V car outlet and a couple of 12V DC5521 outlets for smaller electronics. 

There’s also a 12V/25A RV port that you can use to directly power the 12V circuit in your RV, motorhome or boat. . 

For devices and gadgets, the AC200L has two 15W wireless charging pads, four USB-A ports and one USB-C PD 60W port. 

Good Charging Performance 

The AC200L’s charging speed is not as good as the EcoFlow Delta, but it’s still pretty good. 

Max AC input from a wall outlet is 500W, which charges the AC200L in about 4.5 hours. Max solar input is better at 700W, which charges the AC200L in 3.5 hours if the weather is good.

You can combine solar + AC charging to get a 2.2hr charge time or use dual AC chargers to cut charging time to 2.5-3hrs. 

You can also charge the AC200L from your car’s 12V/24V outlet or a lead acid battery (requires a special adapter). 

Issues & Limitations

Heavy

The Bluetti AC200L weighs 60.6lbs. As far as portable solar generators go, that’s heavy. It’ll not be easy to carry it around by hand. I recommend setting it up somewhere in your home, RV or truck and leaving it there. 

If you need to carry it over a short distance, get someone to help you or buy this trolley from Bluetti.

Note: The added weight is mostly because the AC200L uses a LiFePO4 battery. You can get 2kW Li-ion solar generators that are much lighter (like the Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro), but these have a shorter battery lifespan. 

5. Best For Home Backup & Off-grid Power: EcoFlow Delta Pro

Yes, you can back up your home with a portable solar generator. The EcoFlow is especially suited to that task thanks to its massive 3600Wh capacity and 3600W output.   

It’s also a great pick if you want reliable off-grid power for your cabin, tiny home, workshop or RV. 

Our Review 

The EcoFlow Delta Pro is massive, but still somewhat portable. It weighs 99 lbs, but has wheels so you can easily move it around your home. 

It’s not ideal for camping or road trips, but it’s perfect for home backup. It has a massive capacity of 3600Wh. 

It can keep essential appliances and electronics powered/charged through an hours or days long blackout. 

The best part is that you can further expand this capacity to 25,000Wh by ordering extra battery packs. This is great if you want to power an off-grid home or prepare for an extended emergency. 

The Delta Pro’s output is equally impressive. It produces up to 3600W of power. You can power extra-large appliances like a portable AC, a space heater or an electric range. You can also power multiple home appliances like the fridge, TV, blender, washer, coffee maker and others. 

If you need even more power, the Delta Pro has a feature called X-Boost that increases output to 4500W. 

What Can The EcoFlow Delta Pro Power?

Multiple Outlets and Home Integration

One of the reasons the Delta Pro is great for home backup is that you can integrate it directly into your home grid, so you can power appliances from your home outlets. You’ll need to order the Smart Home Panel.

Alternatively, plug appliances directly into the Delta Pro. It has four 120V/20A AC outlets plus a 30A AC outlet for home integration, RV connection, or to power large appliances that need more than 20 amps. 

For 12V DC power, there’s two DC5521 ports, a 12V/10A car port, and a 12V/30A RV port. 

And for devices, you get two regular USB-A ports, two fast-charge USB-A ports and two 100W USB-C ports.

Versatile Charging Options

There are several ways to charge the EcoFlow Delta Pro. 

If there’s mains power, plug it into a wall outlet. AC input is 1800W and the Delta Pro charges in 2.7 hours, which is really fast for a solar generator of this size. 

In an emergency, use solar charging. Max solar input is 1600W, which charges the Delta Pro in 3-4 hours on a sunny day. 

You can also take the Delta Pro to any level 2 EV charging station (you’ll need a special adapter). It’ll charge in just 1.7 hours. 

Other charging options include the EcoFlow smart generator, dual AC + solar, AC + solar + smart generator, and your vehicle’s 12V outlet.    

Issues & Limitations

Pricey & Heavy

If you are shopping for a budget home backup solar generator, the Delta Pro is not it. It is pricey, especially once you start expanding it. 

It’s also not ideal if you want a highly portable solar generator that you can use at home and away. The Delta Pro weighs close to 100lbs.

6. Best Expandable: EcoFlow Delta 2

The EcoFlow Delta Pro is expandable, but it’s too heavy and bulky for most people looking for a portable solar generator. 

At 26.4lbs, the EcoFlow Delta 2 is actually portable and you can expand it from 1kWh to 3kWh.

Our Review

An expandable portable solar generator offers added flexibility. On its own, the 1024Wh Delta 2 solar generator is great for camping, road trips, fishing weekends and other uses where portability is important. 

It weighs 26.4lbs, so you can carry it around with relative ease. 

Add one or two extra batteries and suddenly, you have a decent home backup system. With the 3kWh max capacity, you can backup essential appliances and keep your devices charged for hours or a couple of days. 

You can also use the expanded system to power select appliances in your RV, boat or off-grid cabin. 

By the way, the Delta 2 comes with a longer lasting LiFePO4 battery instead of the Li-ion battery used in the original EcoFlow Delta. It lasts about twice as long. 

The EcoFlow Delta 2 produces up to 1800W of power, so it can run most household appliances like your kitchen refrigerator, TV, blender and microwave.

Similar to most other EcoFlow solar generators, the Delta 2 also comes with X-Boost that increases output to 2200W, allowing you to run more appliances at the same time or heavier appliances. 

What Can The EcoFlow Delta 2 Power?

15 Outlets

The Delta 2 has no shortage of outlets. 

You can plug appliances into one of the six AC outlets and power your 12V electronics from the 12V/10A car outlet or the two DC5521 12V/3A outlets. 

To charge smartphones and other gadgets, the Delta 2 comes with two 100W USB-C ports, two 12W USB-A ports and two fast charge 18W USB-A ports.

Fast Charging

Whether you are using solar panels or a wall outlet, the Delta 2 recharges super fast, ensuring the solar generator is ready for use in no time. 

Max solar input is 500W, which is pretty good for a 1kWh solar generator. A 500W array can recharge the Delta 2 in just 3 hours if the weather is right. 

Max AC input is even higher at 1200W. A wall outlet will take Delta to from 0 to 80% in just 50 minutes. A full recharge takes 80 minutes. 

Delta 2 also comes with a car charging cable. 

Issues & Limitations 

Pricey Battery Packs

The Delta 2 is actually a pretty good bargain compared to other 1kWh solar generators. But the extra batteries are not cheap. Each costs almost the same as the solar generator. 

If you are planning to expand the Delta 2 solar generator to the max 3kWh, the total cost will be over $2,500. 

Luckily, you can buy the solar generator first and add the extra batteries later, maybe even one at a time.

7. Best for Truck Camping/Overlanding: Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro

If you often go on truck camping and overlanding trips, you probably travel with more electronics and appliances. 

Luckily, you can afford to carry a bigger and more capable solar generator like the Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro. 

It’s big enough to run multiple appliances, but not too bulky that it takes up a lot of space. It’s also light enough to carry to and from the campsite. 

Our Review 

The Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro is an upgrade to the highly popular Explorer 2000. In the Pro model, Jackery has slightly increased capacity, added more outlets and increased charging performance. 

The Explorer 2000 Pro has a capacity of 2160Wh and an output of 2200W. It can power most appliances while also running 12V electronics and charging devices.   

This capability is what makes the 2000 Pro great for truck campers and overlanders. Regardless of which electronics, tools, gadgets and appliances you travel with, the Explorer 2000 Pro can handle them all. 

And it does this without taking up much space or being too heavy. It measures 15.5"L x 8.1"W x 10.2"H and weighs 43lbs. 

What Can The Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro Power?

Versatile Outlets

The Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro has the outlets you need to keep all your stuff running or charged. 

There’s three AC outlets for appliances, a 12V/10A car outlet for 12V electronics (no 5.5mm outlets, unfortunately) and four USB ports for devices (two fast charge USB-A and two 100W USB-C). 

Fast Charging

Another reason we recommend the Jackery 2000 Pro for overlanders and truck or van campers is how fast it charges - with either solar or AC.

Plug it into a wall outlet and it charges in just 2 hours. That’s impressive for a 2000Wh+ solar generator. So if you are at a hotel or campsite with power outlets, you can quickly recharge your solar generator. 

Max solar input is also impressive at 1400W, which can charge the 2000 Pro in about 2.5 hours. If you get enough solar panels, you can be sure the solar generator will be able to recharge fully before the end of the day.

There’s also a car charging option, but it takes forever so it’s only suitable for topping up on the go. 

Issues & Limitations 

Li-ion Battery 

If you plan to use the Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro occasionally when you go on your adventures, the li-ion battery inside will serve you for a long time. It can last up to 10 years. 

But if you are on the road daily or multiple times a week, the Explorer 2000 Pro may not last long since you’ll cycle the battery more frequently. 

The li-ion battery has a lifespan of 2000-3000 charge & discharge cycles, so the quicker you burn through them, the sooner the battery - and the solar generator - will die.

For frequent use, I recommend a LiFePO4 solar generator like the Bluetti AC200L. It has a lifespan of 6500+ cycles.