If you’ve ever bought a solar generator or you are currently shopping for one, you’ve most likely come across the name Jackery.
Being one of the biggest solar generator brands, Jackery is hard to miss. Their products are highly popular especially among outdoor enthusiasts.
If you are wondering who Jackery is and whether it’s a good brand, you’ve come to the right place.
A Brief History Of Jackery
Jackery was one of the first companies (along with Goal Zero) to come up with the idea of a portable power station.
Jackery was launched in 2012 by a group of engineers, one of whom was a former Apple engineer.
The focus of Jackery in the beginning and even up to date is providing clean power on the go. They started out with small and compact power stations, and introduced larger units over the years to give travelers and outdoor enthusiasts more freedom.
Today, Jackery sells portable power stations as well as portable solar panels to charge them.
Is Jackery An American Company?
Jackery is an American company. It was founded in California and is still headquartered there, specifically at Fremont.
However, Jackery solar generators and solar panels are manufactured in China.
Who Owns Jackery?
As far as I can tell, Jackery is a private independent company.
There’s a misconception that Jackery is owned by Honda. This is not the case. The only relationship we know of between them is that Honda chose Jackery to make the Honda 290 portable power station.Is Jackery A Good Brand?
Jackery products have overwhelmingly positive reviews. They are well made, reliable and they last a long time.
For instance, the Jackery Explorer 500, one of their most popular products, has an almost perfect rating on Amazon from thousands of reviews.
Reading through the customer reviews, it’s clear that Jackery’s customer service is great. They respond quickly and offer no-hassle replacements and repairs.
Jackery Portable Power Stations
Jackery’s power stations range from the compact Explorer 160 to the massive Explorer 2000 Pro. Here’s a quick summary of their line of portable power stations.
Jackery divides their power stations into two categories: the Compact Explorer series and the Mighty Explorer series.
Compact Explorer Power Stations
This series features ultra-compact power stations that have relatively low capacity and power output, but are excellent for portability.
If you want a lightweight solar generator you can easily carry in your hand, pick from this list.
Jackery Explorer 160: The Explorer 160 is their smallest and cheapest power station with a capacity of 167Wh (46,400mah) and a single 150W AC outlet. It also has USB-A, USB-C and DC ports. The Explorer 160 is designed to charge devices and power small electronics. Weight: 3.9lbs.
Jackery Explorer 240: Next in line is this compact 240Wh power station. It has one 200W AC outlet plus USB and DC ports. Like the 160, it’s best suited to charging devices and powering lights and other small electronics outdoors. Weight: 6.6lbs
Jackery Explorer 300: The Explorer 300 boosts capacity to 293Wh and has two AC outlets with an output of 300W. It’s ideal if you want a compact power station that can power several small appliances like a mini fridge and CPAP. Weight: 7.1lbs.
Jackery Explorer 500: The Explorer 500 is Jackery’s biggest compact solar generator. With 518Wh in capacity and a 500W inverter, it’s one of the best portable solar generators. It can power multiple small appliances while also charging devices from its multiple USB ports. Weight: 13.3lbs.Mighty Explorer Series
If you need a portable power station with bigger capacity and more power, pick one from the Jackery Mighty Explorer series.
While a bit heavier, these larger models are still highly portable if you travel in an RV, camper van or car. They are great for car camping, RV boondocking, and van lifers.
They can also power select appliances and keep your devices charged if there’s a blackout at home.
Jackery Explorer 1000: The Explorer 1000 packs a 1002Wh battery and a 1000W output inverter. It can easily handle larger appliances like a TV or fridge. It’s a great pick if you want more portable power for extended outdoor trips. Weight: 22lbs.
Jackery Explorer 1500: Need to power a large appliance or multiple appliances? The Explorer 1500 has a powerful 1800W inverter that can power most household appliances. Battery capacity is 1534Wh, enough for several hours or days of power. Great for car camping, overlanding trips, RVs, boats and home backup. Weight: 35.2lbs.
Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro: The Explorer 2000 Pro is the latest power station from Jackery, and their biggest one yet. It’s one of the best 2000W solar generators in the market and comes with a huge 2kWh lithium battery. Great for home backup, RVs, camper vans, and overlanders. Weight: 43lbs.
Jackery Portable Solar Panels
Jackery introduced their SolarSaga solar panels in 2018. They design these solar panels to go along with their portable power stations.
They are highly portable to make it easy to take them on the road. The panels are foldable and include a kickstand for quick and easy setup on the ground.
Currently, Jackery sells four SolarSaga solar panels: 60W, 80W, 100W and 200W.
The bigger your Jackery solar generator is, the bigger the solar panel you should get to enjoy fast charging.
With a Jackery solar generator and solar panel, you can get unlimited power when outdoors. This combo is great if you plan to go camping for several days or you are planning a weeks long overlanding trip.
Jackery Solar Generator Kits
Jackery also sells pre-configured solar generator kits that are easy to set up at home, in your RV, van or boat. You can also carry the entire kit with you when going camping.
The Jackery solar generator kits combine one of their power stations with one or several SolarSaga panels. You’ll also get all the cables and connectors you need to complete the setup.
The best Jackery solar generator kit depends on your power needs.
For instance, this Explorer 240 + SolarSaga 60W kit is perfect for camping, while this Explorer 2000 Pro + SolarSaga 200W bundle is ideal for home backup or an RV.
How Long Do Jackery Solar Generators Last?
Some of Jackery’s products like the Explorer 160 have been around for years. Many owners say they’ve had their Jackery power station for years without any problem.
Jackery offers a 2 year warranty on all their power stations and you can extend that to three years by registering your unit on their website.
A 3-year warranty is a good indicator of longevity. Your Jackery power station will likely last well over three years as long as you take good care of it.
What limits the longevity of solar generators is the battery. Once the battery reaches the end of its life, so does the rest of the power station.
All of Jackery’s solar generators contain NMC lithium-ion batteries that last longer than lead acid batteries.
The batteries last through 500 cycles before falling to 80% capacity (that’s about 2-3 years of normal use).
Total lifespan before the battery is completely dead can be up to 5 years or more depending on how frequently you use the power station.
Overall, most Jackery owners can expect their power station to last 3-5 years.
Best Jackery Alternatives
If you want to consider more options beyond Jackery, there are some great alternatives in the market. Here are a few to check out.
Other noteworthy brands include EcoFlow, Inergy, Anker and Rockpals.
Bottom Line
Jackery doesn't have the fanciest or most cutting edge solar generators in the market. But when it comes to reliability, they are one of the best brands.
We recommend Jackery power stations and solar generator kits especially for outdoor enthusiasts and people who spend a lot of time on the road in an RV, van or truck.
