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Best picks › Under $500

Best portable power stations under $500

9 models cost less than $500 right now. The most capacity this budget buys is 1,152Wh (Bluetti AC180); 6 of them can start a full-size fridge.

Category	Winner
Most capacity	Bluetti AC180 (1,152 Wh)
Highest output	Bluetti AC180 (1,800 W)
Best value ($/Wh)	Bluetti Elite 100 mini ($0.43/Wh)
Lightest	EcoFlow RIVER 3 (7.8 lb)

Prices come from each brand's own store where available and are checked daily, so a model can move in or out of this list during a sale.

1kWh$499

Bluetti AC180

Capacity: 1,152 Wh
Output: 1,800 W
Weight: 35.3 lb
$/Wh: $0.43

Most capacity in the 1kWh class, but the heaviest.

Check on Amazon Check price at Bluetti

1kWh$499

Jackery Explorer 1000 v2

Capacity: 1,070 Wh
Output: 1,500 W
Weight: 23.8 lb
$/Wh: $0.47

Lightest 1kWh-class unit here; lower solar input than rivals.

Check on Amazon Check price at Jackery

1kWh$449

EcoFlow DELTA 2

Capacity: 1,024 Wh
Output: 1,800 W
Weight: 27 lb
$/Wh: $0.44

Previous-generation favorite, now often deeply discounted.

Check on Amazon Check price at EcoFlow

1kWh$429

Bluetti Elite 100 mini

Capacity: 1,004.8 Wh
Output: 700 W
Weight: 23.6 lb
$/Wh: $0.43

Lightest 1kWh unit here (23.6 lb), but only 700W continuous output; Power Lifting runs resistive loads such as kettles up to 1,400W. Bluetti quotes 0–80% in 90 minutes on AC.

Check on Amazon Check price at Bluetti

Mid-size$369