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Best Solar Generators for Off-Grid Trips, RVs, and Home Backup
It's easier and more affordable than ever to capture and channel solar energy for your home. These handy portable batteries can harness the power of the sun to give you free electricity for your campsite, RV, or home. Simply pair them with some of the best portable solar panels, and you have the means to generate your own electricity whenever the sun is out.
I’ll run through my top recommended brands with a few examples, the also-rans, what to avoid, and round things out with tips in an FAQ. Many of the best portable power stations are also great solar generators. If you want something smaller, check out the best power banks, best laptop power banks, or best MagSafe and Qi2 power banks.
Rather than pinpoint specific products, I've found that it's smarter to narrow it down by brand. There are a few brands that I’ve tested extensively over the last few years, and most folks will be best served by opting for a solar generator from one of these four manufacturers. For me, that starts with Jackery.
While Jackery’s solar generators aren’t the most affordable or innovative, they have consistently hovered around the top of my testing charts when it comes to delivering the stated capacity. Having tested several solar generators up and down the Jackery range, I recommend them as easy to use, reliable, relatively quiet, and built to last. Jackery’s SolarSaga panels are also among the most efficient I have tested.
The downside is that Jackery employs the proprietary DC8020 barrel port for its panels and generators. While it is possible to find adapters online, there doesn’t seem to be an official Jackery option, and I can’t vouch for what is available. If you don’t plan on matching your generator with solar panels from Jackery, I’d go for another brand.
If you need a decently chunky backup, this Jackery solar generator boasts a 3,600-watt output (7,200-W surge) and a 3,072-watt-hour (Wh) capacity. You can charge it from solar panels at up to 1,000 watts via two proprietary DC8020 charging ports (500 watts apiece). With decent sunlight, you can fully charge it in around 11 hours with a pair of 200-watt panels. The surge works well for power hungry appliances and tools, and you could use it to power a mini fridge, lights, and recharge your small gadgets over a weekend of camping, even if the sun isn’t out. The design is nice and durable with two handles, and there are plenty of ports, but I wouldn’t want to carry it far because it weighs 60 pounds. It works well as a home backup (it can also serve as an uninterrupted power supply with a less than 20 millisecond fallover) or with an RV (it has a TT-30 port).
I recommend opting for the HomePower 3000 bundle with two 200-watt Jackery SolarSaga panels, but only if there’s a good discount on it. At the time of writing, it is $1,900. Jackery also offers various accessories for this solar generator, including a carry bag and a trolley. My test unit is badged as the Jackery Explorer 3000 v2, but it seems to be called the HomePower 3000 in the US.
If you’re going further off-grid and want something that’s both a bit more rugged and easier to carry, I recommend the Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra. It’s smaller, so the capacity is around half the 3000 above, at 1,536 Wh, but you can charge it at up to 800 watts via two DC8020 ports (400 watts apiece). It’s rated at 1,800 watts (3,600-W surge) for output and has plenty of ports. With an IP65 rating, you don’t need to worry about rain or dust, and it’s shock-proof, so it can survive an accidental drop (up to one meter). The handle is relatively comfy, so it’s easy to carry from the car to your campsite one-handed, along with other stuff (most power stations this size have two handles). It weighs just shy of 40 pounds.
If you don’t need as much power, both the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 ($799) and the Explorer 2000 v2 ($1,499) are worth a look. I tested the smaller model, and it’s ideal for keeping small gadgets charged up on a trip, has a built-in lig