Choosing between the Bluetti AC200P and the Jackery 1500?
You’ve come to the right place.
In this one on one matchup, we compare the Bluetti AC200P vs. the Jackery Explorer 1500 solar generators.
Both are excellent mid-size solar generators that are ideal for use both at home and away from home in RVs, boats and camping. Price-wise, they are both midrange power stations that cost about the same.
In this comparison, we discuss the differences and similarities between the two solar generators in several areas including power output, capacity, outlets, charging and portability.
Bluetti AC200P vs. Jackery 1500 Compared
Let’s start with a quick comparison of the specs of each solar generator. It’ll give you a general idea of the difference in performance and capability.
Bluetti AC200P | Jackery 1500 |
|---|---|
2000Wh LiFePO4 battery | 1534Wh Li-ion battery |
2000W continuous, 4800W surge output | 1800W continuous, 3600W surge output |
17 outlets: 6 AC, 5 USB, 2 wireless, 1 RV, 3 DC | 7 outlets: 3 AC, 3 USB, 1 DC |
7 ways to recharge | 4 ways to recharge |
Max solar input: 700W | Max solar input: 500W |
AC adapter recharge time: 4.5hrs | AC adapter recharge time: 6hrs |
3500 cycles to 80% capacity | 500 cycles to 80% capacity |
60.6lbs | 35.2lbs |
2yr warranty | 2yr warranty |
Capacity
The Bluetti AC200P is the bigger of the two solar generators. It has a capacity of 2000Wh, making it the better choice if you need to run multiple appliances and electronics.
It’s also great for home backup, since the battery can power essential electronics for longer.
The Jackery 1500 has a smaller battery with a capacity of 1534Wh. That’s still big enough to run multiple appliances, but it won’t last as long as the AC200P.
To give you an idea of the battery life of each solar generator, here’s a table comparing the run times of various appliances and devices.
Appliance/device | AC200P runtime | Jackery 1500 runtime |
|---|---|---|
Mini fridge (60W) | 28.3hrs | 21.7hrs |
Full size refrigerator (150W) | 11.3hrs | 8.7hrs |
TV (100W) | 17hrs | 13hrs |
Smartphone (10Wh) | 170 recharges | 130 recharges |
Laptop (60Wh) | 28 recharges | 21 recharges |
CPAP (40W) | 42.5hrs | 32.6hrs |
Battery Chemistry & Lifespan
Capacity is not the only important thing when looking at the battery of a solar generator. The type of battery matters too, particularly when it comes to lifespan.
That’s because the lifespan of the battery determines how long the solar generator will last.
The Bluetti AC200P uses a LiFePO4 or lithium-phosphate battery.
The Jackery Explorer 1500 uses a standard lithium-ion battery (specifically, an NMC or nickel manganese cobalt oxide battery).
You can read our in-depth comparison of LiFePO4 vs. Li-ion solar generators. But to summarize, LiFePO4 batteries have a big advantage when it comes to longevity.
Bluetti says their AC200P solar generator is good for 3500 cycles before capacity drops to 80%. In contrast, the Jackery 1500 lasts 500 cycles to 80%.
Where lithium-ion solar generators shine is portability. Because li-ion batteries have higher energy density, they can be lighter while packing the same amount of energy.
The Jackery Explorer 1500 is almost half the weight of the Bluetti AC200P.
Power Output
Both the Bluetti AC200P and Jackery 1500 are equipped with a pure sine wave inverter that produces clean AC power.
The Bluetti AC200P can produce up to 2000W of continuous power and up to 4800W of peak power.
The Jackery Explorer 1500 produces up to 1800W of continuous power and up to 3600W of peak power.
When it comes to power output, the two solar generators are very close. They can both run most household appliances including larger ones like a fridge, TV, coffee maker and microwave.
The Bluetti AC200P has a higher peak power output, so it’s more suitable for tools and appliances with very high startup power.
Thanks to its higher continuous power output, the AC200P solar generator can also power more appliances at the same time.
Outlets
Bluetti solar generators stand out in the market for their many and versatile outlets. The AC200P solar generator has 17 outlets.
In contrast, the Jackery Explorer 1500 has 7 outlets.
If you have plenty of appliances, tools, devices and electronics to power and charge, go with the Bluetti AC200P.
The AC200P has 6 AC outlets compared to 3 on the Jackery 1500.
For devices and gadgets, the Bluetti AC200P has 5 USB ports: 4 USB-A 5V/3A ports and 1 USB-C PD 60W port. On top of that, there’s a pair of 15W wireless charging pads on the solar generator.
The Jackery Explorer 1500 has just 3 USB ports: 1 USB-A 5V/2.4A port, 1 Quick Charge USB-A 18W port, and 1 USB-C PD 60W port.
As for DC power, the Bluetti AC200P has four outlets: a 12V car port, two DC 5521 ports, and a dedicated 12V/25A RV outlet.
The Jackery Explorer has just one DC outlet - a 12V/10A port.
Recharging Options & Speed
Another unique feature of Bluetti solar generators is their lightning fast charging speed. So even though the AC200P has a bigger battery, it charges faster than the Jackery 1500.
Bluetti also offers a host of recharging options - 7 to be specific. They include:
The main advantage of having all these options is that you’ll always have a way to charge your Bluetti no matter the situation, whether you are at home, on the road, outdoors, when it’s cloudy and so on.
The Jackery Explorer 1500 offers four charging options. They include.While Bluetti has an edge in charging options and speed, the Jackery 1500 also does a pretty good job. The dual AC charging feature is especially useful when you need to quickly recharge either solar generator.
Portability
If portability is important for you, the Jackery Explorer 1500 is the better choice between the two solar generators.
The Bluetti AC200P uses LiFePO4 batteries that have a lower energy density, and are thus heavier. In addition, the AC200P has a larger battery capacity.
This brings the weight of the AC200P to 60.6 pounds. You may struggle to lift the solar generator on your own. We recommend it for situations like home backup, a camper van or an RV where you’ll set it somewhere and leave it there most of the time.
The Jackery Explorer 1500 with its smaller and lighter battery pack weighs 35.2 pounds, almost half as light as the Bluetti power station.
That’s light enough for most people to lift and carry over short distances on their own. I recommend the Explorer 1500 for camping, tailgating and other outdoor activities.
Price
As of this writing, the Bluetti AC200P and the Jackery Explorer 1500 cost roughly the same, with the Jackery unit being slightly more expensive.
That’s why I’m giving the Bluetti AC200P the award for value for money.
It costs about the same as the Jackery 1500, yet it has a larger capacity, higher output, more outlets, more charging options, and a longer lifespan.
During the lifetime of a single Bluetti AC200P, you’d probably need to buy the Jackery 1500 2-3 times.
Bluetti’s 2-year warranty should give you confidence that the solar generator is well built and reliable.
Bluetti AC200P Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
Jackery Explorer 1500 Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
Bluetti AC200P vs. Jackery Explorer 1500: Which Should I Get?
The Bluetti AC200P is best for you if:
The Jackery Explorer 1500 is best for you if:
Bottom Line
In short, the Bluetti AC200P is a better solar generator than the Jackery Explorer 1500.
The main reason to go with Jackery over Bluetti is if portability is a big concern for you. If you go camping a lot or you are in a situation where you’ll need to carry the solar generator around often, go with the Explorer 1500.
Otherwise, we recommend the Bluetti AC200P for most other situations.
Alternatives To The Bluetti AC200P and Jackery Explorer 1500
If neither of these meet your needs, there are a couple of good alternatives to consider.
The Bluetti AC200MAX is an improved version of the AC200P. The two are similar in a lot of ways, but there are some key upgrades in the MAX version.
The biggest one is expandability. With the AC200MAX, you can connect extra battery packs from Bluetti to add more capacity up to 8192Wh.
The AC200MAX also comes with a bit more output (2200W), app control & monitoring, and higher solar input (900W).
Another alternative to consider is the new Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro. This is a bigger and more powerful upgrade from the Explorer 1500.
The 2000 Pro has a capacity of 2160Wh and an output of 2200W. It also accepts more solar power up to 1200W.
Though it has a bigger battery, the Jackery 2000 Pro is still significantly lighter than the Bluetti AC200P and AC200MAX. It’s perfect if you want a lot of power on the go.
