Which portable power station is the best value?
The AC180 Solar ranks #1 of 6 on value here, at 2.31 Wh/$. It costs $499.00 at BLUETTI and holds 1152 Wh. The Elite 200 V2 is right behind at the same 2.31 Wh/$, ranked #2 of 6.
At $899.00, it buys you a 2073.6 Wh battery. Value in this list means how much stored energy each dollar buys, measured in watt-hours per dollar. It does not tell you how much continuous power a station can deliver to your appliances at one time.
At the other end, the DELTA 2 Max ranks #6 of 6, with 1.99 Wh/$.
| Product | Best current price | Watt-hours per dollar | Value rank |
|---|---|---|---|
 BLUETTI AC180 Solar | $499.00 at BLUETTI | 2.31 Wh/$ | #1 of 6 |
 BLUETTI Elite 200 V2 | $899.00 at BLUETTI | 2.31 Wh/$ | #2 of 6 |
 EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Series | $1,369.00 at EcoFlow | 2.24 Wh/$ | #3 of 6 |
 BLUETTI Elite 100 V2 | $499.00 at BLUETTI | 2.05 Wh/$ | #4 of 6 |
 EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic | $499.00 at EcoFlow | 2.05 Wh/$ | #5 of 6 |
 EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max | $1,029.00 at EcoFlow | 1.99 Wh/$ | #6 of 6 |
Why does the AC180 Solar rank first on value?
The AC180 Solar earns its rank by packing 1152 Wh for $499.00, which works out to 2.31 Wh/$. BLUETTI rates its AC output at 1800 W and lists surges up to 2700 W. Solar comes in through a dc7909 connector at up to 500 W, and in the best case a full refill at that input works out to about 2.3 hours.
It weighs 36.16 lb, and its UPS switchover is 20 ms or less. BLUETTI backs it with a warranty of 5 years.
Strengths
- UPS switchover speed: 20 ms or less
How strong is the AC output on the Elite 200 V2?
BLUETTI rates the Elite 200 V2 at 2600 W of continuous AC output, and its power lifting mode reaches 3900 W. From the wall, BLUETTI lists AC charging in 1.4 hours on turbo or 3 hours in silent mode. Solar input goes up to 1000 W, and the quickest full refill at that input is about 2.1 hours.
You get 4 AC outlets, 2 USB-A ports and 2 USB-C ports. It weighs 53.35 lb, which puts it in the heavy (over 50 lb) class, and it cannot add batteries.
Strengths
- Large-load output: 2000 W or more of continuous AC output
- UPS switchover speed: 20 ms or less
Gaps
- Weight class: heavy (over 50 lb)
- Charging in freezing weather: does not charge below 0 °C
- Battery expansion: cannot add batteries
- Built-in light: none
How much power does the DELTA 3 Ultra Series put out?
EcoFlow lists 3600 W of steady output for the DELTA 3 Ultra Series and 7200 W of surge. Its battery holds 3072 Wh for $1,369.00 at EcoFlow. On value it lands at #3 of 6, with 2.24 Wh/$.
It has 2 ports for solar and a max solar input of 800 W, and a full solar refill at that max takes about 3.8 hours at best. EcoFlow gives a UPS switchover time of 10 ms or less. It is large: 72.1 lb and 24.6 in tall.
Strengths
- Large-load output: 2000 W or more of continuous AC output
- UPS switchover speed: 20 ms or less
Gaps
- Weight class: heavy (over 50 lb)
- Charging in freezing weather: does not charge below 0 °C
How light is the Elite 100 V2?
At 25.3 lb, the Elite 100 V2 is easy to carry (under 30 lb). It holds 1024 Wh and sells for $499.00 at BLUETTI, which places it at #4 of 6 on value with 2.05 Wh/$. Solar input reaches 1000 W, and in the best case a full solar refill at that input takes about 1.0 hours.
BLUETTI lists 80 percent from the wall in 45 minutes. It has 4 AC outlets and an AC input of 1200 W. BLUETTI rates its AC output at 1800 W and its UPS switchover at 10 ms or less.
Strengths
- Weight class: easy to carry (under 30 lb)
- UPS switchover speed: 20 ms or less
Gaps
- Charging in freezing weather: does not charge below 0 °C
- Battery expansion: cannot add batteries
How fast does the DELTA 3 Classic charge from the wall?
EcoFlow says the DELTA 3 Classic reaches 80 percent from the wall in 45 minutes. Its battery is 1024 Wh, and at $499.00 from EcoFlow that ranks it #5 of 6 on value, at 2.05 Wh/$. It weighs 26.6 lb, which puts it in the easy to carry (under 30 lb) class.
Solar tops out at 500 W through an xt60i connector, while EcoFlow lists 1800 W of AC output with surges up to 3600 W. The warranty runs 5 years, that is 3 years as standard, plus 2 more when you register it in the EcoFlow app.
Strengths
- Weight class: easy to carry (under 30 lb)
- UPS switchover speed: 20 ms or less
Gaps
- Charging in freezing weather: does not charge below 0 °C
- Battery expansion: cannot add batteries
Can you add batteries to the DELTA 2 Max?
Yes, the DELTA 2 Max can add batteries. It holds 2048 Wh for $1,029.00 at EcoFlow, though on value it ranks #6 of 6 at 1.99 Wh/$. You get 6 AC outlets, 4 USB-A ports and 2 USB-C ports.
EcoFlow rates it at 2400 W, with 4800 W of surge. It has 2 ports for solar and a max solar input of 1000 W, and the fastest full solar refill at that input comes to about 2.0 hours. It weighs 50.7 lb, which puts it in the heavy (over 50 lb) class.
Strengths
- Large-load output: 2000 W or more of continuous AC output
- UPS switchover speed: 20 ms or less
- Battery expansion: can add batteries
Gaps
- Weight class: heavy (over 50 lb)
- Charging in freezing weather: does not charge below 0 °C
How should you choose between them?
For energy per dollar, the AC180 Solar ranks #1 of 6 and the Elite 200 V2 ranks #2 of 6. Start with the largest appliance you need to run, and compare its running watts against each station's continuous output rating. How long the power lasts depends on both the battery capacity and how many watts your devices actually draw while they are running.
If you will carry the station often, check the weight first. For carrying, the Elite 100 V2 and the DELTA 3 Classic are easy to carry (under 30 lb). For large loads, the Elite 200 V2, the DELTA 3 Ultra Series and the DELTA 2 Max each have 2000 W or more of continuous AC output.
If you want to grow the battery later, the DELTA 2 Max can add batteries.