The best portable power station for a campervan can make a real difference to any camping experience, acting as a stand-alone power source and allowing you to keep your various gadgets topped up.
Generally coming with their own inverter, portable power stations are available in a variety of sizes, with larger models providing longer run times and offering more outlets than their smaller – but more budget-friendly – counterparts. However, these bigger options are typically heavier, so they will need to be moved around carefully. Owners will also have to factor this weight into their ‘van’s payload when planning out which of the best campervan gadgets to take on tour with them.
The vast majority of portable power stations come with a built-in inverter which links to a 240V socket (if not more than one), as well as USB-A, USB-C and 12V sockets, so you can stay powered up when you’re pitched up at one of the best campervan sites in the UK.
However, packing a portable power station for a campervan doesn’t mean you can suddenly take your own 3000W electric kettle from your home kitchen on tour with you. You’ll generally be using electrical items which run on less than 500W. If you’re planning to power more delicate items, such as a coffee machine, laptop or similar, you’ll need one with a pure sine wave inverter, which smooths the electrical current, and also works with the majority of 240V equipment.
This contrasts with a modified sine wave inverter, which is completely different but cheaper. Choose the right one, though, and you’ll be set for powering tour-enhancing accessories such as the best air fryer for a motorhome.
To help you find the right one for you, we’re running through our favourite options for the best portable power station for a campervan, including models from brands such as Bluetti, Jackery and Ecoflow.
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The best portable power station for campervans
Bluetti EB3A
Jackery Explorer 1000 V2
Ecoflow River 2 Max
Anker Portable Power Station 521
Bluetti AC200L
Ecoflow Delta 2
The best portable power station for van life:
Bluetti EB3A Portable Power Station
- Battery capacity: 268.8Wh (12Ah)
- Dimensions: 255 x 180 x 183mm
- Weight: 4.6kg
- Outlets: 1 x 12V socket, 2 x 12V DCs, 2 x USB-As, 1 x USB-C, 1 x 220-240V AC/600W port
Reason to buy:
- Budget-friendly, fairly lightweight, wireless charging pad provided
Reason to avoid:
- Motorhome owners could want better battery capacity
We were instantly impressed by the weight of the EB3A when we tested it. At only 4.6kg, it’s among the lighter options in our guide, ideal if you’re looking for a more manoeuvrable portable power station or simply want to avoid denting your payload too much.
One of our favourite features is the 15W wireless charging pad, very handy for giving your phone a top-up when needed. Charging is fairly simple too, just requiring plugging into the mains with its AC charging cable – we found it took around 1.5 hours to fully charge this way. Other options include charging via a 12V port, via a solar panel or with a generator, but you’d need separate accessories for this.
Thanks to its 600w AC pure sine wave inverter (1200W surge) and 268Wh capacity, it could power numerous items such as mini rice cookers, but we were especially keen to look at its ability to simultaneously charge several smaller devices. It proved more than up to the challenge, with four iPhones and a laptop staying topped up when our tester Paul went off-grid for a couple of days. Usefully, it also comes with a LiFePO4 battery, so it should be rechargeable over 3,000 times.
Full review: Bluetti EB3A
Jackery Explorer 1000 V2
- Battery capacity: 1070Wh
- Dimensions: 32.7 × 22.4 × 24.7cm
- Weight: 10.8kg
- Outlets: 2 x USB-C, 1 x USB-A, 1 x DC Car, 2 x Pure Sine Wave AC
Reason to buy:
- Updated version of a tried and trusted model, offering faster charging and more power
Reason to avoid:
- At 10.8kg, it’s fairly heavy
We previously tested the original Jackery Explorer 1000 and found it an effective and straightforward power station to use. It has since been updated, and, according to Jackery, the revised model provides 50% more power and also charges significantly quicker; in fact, it will be 7.5x faster if you opt to use the app-controlled 1-hour charging.
The Explorer 1000 V2 has an output of 1500W and a surge peak of 3000W. Thanks to its LiFePO4 battery, we like how it should offer an excellent lifespan, supporting up to 4,000 life cycles and keeping a capacity of more than 70%.
The selection of ports will always be important when choosing the best portable power station, and here, we think you get a good range: two USB-C ports, a USB-A port, a DC Car Port, and two Pure Sine Wave AC Ports, with one of the USB-Cs providing 100W PD Fast charging.
With these, you will find it’s capable of recharging a phone up to 74 times, a laptop up to 14 times, and operating a coffee maker for up to 94 minutes.
We like how the CE-certified portable power station provides a range of safety features too, giving you peace of mind when touring.
We will highlight its weight – at 10.8kg, it’s not the most lightweight portable power station on the market, something to look out for if you’re particularly lacking in payload in your campervan or motorhome. However, we appreciate that it comes with a handle, which should help to make it easier to manoeuvre – unlike the previous version, this can also be folded in when it’s not in use.
Ecoflow River 2 Max
- Battery capacity: 512Wh
- Weight: 6kg
- Dimensions: 270 x 260 x 196 (in mm)
- Outputs: 1 x USB-C socket; 3 x USB-A sockets; 2 x AC sockets, 1 x DC socket, 1 x DC5521
Reason to buy:
- Quick to charge
Reason to avoid:
- The handle location may not be as practical as it is on other models
Taking only an hour to recharge via an AC outlet, we continue to be impressed by the River 2 Max. We like how it’s capable of running up to nine appliances simultaneously, thanks to its capacity of up to 512Wh. At 6kg, it’s fairly lightweight considering what it offers – that’s only 1.4kg heavier than the Bluetti EB3A, for instance, while providing a capacity of nearly double.
It’s also impressively fast to top up the battery – you can get to a full charge from 0% in only an hour, something that we think will be especially helpful if it needs some a quick charge just before you head off. Its LFP long-life battery should also last for over 3000 charges, giving you a long lifespan.
Once it’s charged up, the manufacturer says it should be able to charge a laptop around six times and a phone 41 times. A particularly useful feature is the USB-C cable can be used to charge up as it’s both an input and output port – helpful if you’ve set off but inadvertently forgotten your AC cable.
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Anker 521
- Battery capacity: 256Wh
- Weight: 3.7kg
- Dimensions: 216 x 144 x 212 (in mm)
- Outputs: 1 x car outlet, 1 x USB-C, 2 x USB-A, 1 x AC
Reason to buy:
- Compact, lighter than Bluetti, clear display
Reason to avoid:
- Limited amount of outlets, slower recharge time than other portable power stations
We’d say the Anker 521 is an ideal option for anyone who wants an entry-level gadget to power their other touring accessories that run at under 200W. It’s worth noting just how lightweight it actually is – at only 3.7kg, it’s the lightest model in our guide, nearly a whole kg lighter than its nearest rival, the Bluetti EB3A. It does come with fewer ports, but if weight is an important factor to you, that could be a price worth paying.
That’s not to say you don’t get a good selection though – with two USB-A ports, a USB-C port and both an AC port and a car outlet, you still get some good options for keeping your products charged up when you’re touring in your campervan. It takes around two and a half hours to charge, which is longer than the Bluetti (which takes one and a half hours), and significantly slower than the Ecoflow River 2 Max (which takes only an hour).
A feature we do really like with the Anker is the clear display it comes with, allowing you to keep track of its battery level. Also, if you need it, the portable power station, which has a LiFePO4 battery, usefully includes an inbuilt light.
Anker SOLIX C800
- Capacity: 768Wh
- Dimensions: 20.5 x 24.99 x 37.08cm
- Weight: 10.5kg
- Ports: 3 x AC, 1 x 120W car outlet, 2 x USB-A (24W total), 1 x 100W USB-C, 1 x 30W USB-C
Reason to buy:
- Comes with a built-in storage compartment
Reason to avoid:
- Other options will last for 4,000 cycles, similar weight to higher capacity Jackery
Capable of running up to eight gadgets simultaneously, this Anker should be a good source of power on tour. With it, you could run a phone up to 48.7 times and, for those who love winter touring, a heated blanket for up to 11.8 hours.
A small feature we like about it is the built-in storage compartment, which we think would be ideal for storing any small charging leads.
We like that it comes with a good selection of ports too, thanks to its three AC ports, one 120W car outlet, two 24W USB-A ports, a 100W USB-C port, and a 30W USB-C port.
Another feature we particularly like with this Anker is its speedy charging, which can see it charge up in only 58 minutes if you use UltraFast charging via the Anker app. Its battery is good for over 3,000 cycles, too. However, while it should last for 10 years, this is less than the 4,000 cycles seen in other brands.
Something else we will highlight with this Anker is its weight, which comes in at 10.5kg. This is only 0.3kg lighter than the higher-capacity Jackery Explorer 1000 v2. Which of the two you ultimately opt for would depend on whether you would have more capacity or the versatility of the two extra ports seen in the C800.
Bluetti AC200L
- Capacity: 2048Wh
- Dimensions: 31.4 x 20.95 x 25.58cm
- Weight: 28.3kg
- Outputs: Four x 20A AC ports, two x USB-C ports, two x USB-A ports, one x 48V DC Port, one x car port
Reason to buy:
- Provides plenty of capacity and can be extended to up to 8,192Wh
Reason to avoid:
- Very heavy and more powerful than many will require
We’d recommend this Bluetti for motorhomers and campervanners who are prioritising a high capacity in their portable power station.
With an immense capacity of 2048Wh, this Bluetti is ideal for gadget-loving campervanners and motorhomers. We like how it comes with an impressive 10 ports, and its already high capacity can be further expanded to reach up to 8192Wh if you buy compatible battery packs.
Its 10 ports include four 20A ACs, two USB-Cs, two USB-As, one 48V DC, and a car port, while a LiFePO4 battery should give it a good 10-year lifespan.
There is an impressive selection of recharge options too; plug it into a suitable AC socket, and you can achieve a maximum 2400W of AC power to top the battery up from 0-80% in just 45 minutes. Alternatively, it can be charged via solar panels, through a combination of AC and solar, or via a car lighter port.
However, there is a downside to this impressive capacity – it has a weight to match, coming in at 28.3kg, making it the most payload-hungry power station in our guide. It’s not going to be for everyone, but if you need an immense source of power on tour and the weight allowance for it, this Bluetti could be the best portable power station for a campervan for you.
Ecoflow Delta 2
- Battery capacity: 1kWh
- Weight: 12kg
- Dimensions: 400 x 211 x 281 (in mm)
- Outputs: 2 x USB-A fast charge sockets, 2 x USB-A, 2 x USB-C, 4 x AC sockets , 2 x DC5521 Outputs
Reason to buy:
- Excellent capacity, capacity can be further increased with additional batteries
Reason to avoid:
- Requires additional batteries to maximise its potential, heavy
The EcoFlow Delta 2 may have a lower capacity than the Bluetti AC200L, but it still comes with an impressive 1kWh capacity as standard and also offers extra outputs. That’s not all – there’s the option of buying additional batteries to boost it to as much as 3kWh, ideal for families on the road who want plenty of power.
The inclusion of built-in handles will make its 12kg weight easier to move around. It also has an LFP battery, giving you a product you can charge over 3,000 times.
Its main selling point is its sheer versatility, as it’s capable of powering an impressive 13 devices at once. The manufacturer says it could charge a laptop 16 times, a phone 89 times and a mini-fridge for a minimum of 16 hours, offering plenty of power. It’s also impressively fast if it needs charging before setting off – it can be topped up from 0 to 80% within 50 minutes via the AC outlet.
There’s no getting away from its price, but if you want a powerful gadget with an excellent battery capacity, this could be the best portable power station for you.
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