Best Portable Power Station for Camping (UK)
What size you need for a weekend of phones and lights, a coolbox or a CPAP, worked out from what that kit actually uses. Plus campsite hook-up and generator rules, and 7 stations compared.
What size do I need?Disclosure: The Jackery, BLUETTI, EcoFlow and Amazon links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We pick on fit for the trip, not commission.
Quick Answer: Which Power Station for Camping?
For a weekend of phones, lights and a laptop, a 250–300 Wh station is enough: the BLUETTI Elite 30 V2 (£179 at BLUETTI) gives the most output of that size. To run a 12 V coolbox for a weekend, get about 500 Wh: the Jackery Explorer 500 v2 (£329 at Jackery). For a CPAP, or a coolbox for three days, get a 1 kWh station: the BLUETTI Elite 100 V2 (£399 at BLUETTI) charges fastest from solar, and the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 (£419 at Jackery) is the lightest.
Run a coolbox from the station's 12 V socket, not an AC socket: by Jackery's formula the inverter's own draw more than halves the runtime. Why.
Most output
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2: 2,000 W, 49-minute recharge
£591.84 at Amazonwith a 100 W solar panelHow Big a Power Station Do You Need?
Add up the watt-hours (Wh) you'll use, then allow for losses. We use Jackery's own runtime formula, from the calculator on its UK product pages and the only maker figure we found: 82% of a station's capacity is usable, and anything on an AC socket also pays the inverter's own draw (10 W on smaller stations, 15 W at 1 kWh). We apply it to every brand.
Weekend: phones and lights
Two phones charged three times (about 91 Wh) and a lantern refilled twice (about 38 Wh): 129 Wh, so a station of about 157 Wh. Add a laptop charge and it's 222 Wh.
Any 245–288 Wh station
Coolbox for 2–3 days
A Dometic CFX3 35 uses about 282 Wh a day on a 32°C day. Two days need a 688 Wh station, three days 1,033 Wh.
About 1 kWh, or 500 Wh plus a 100 W panel in summer
CPAP overnight
A ResMed AirSense 11 uses 56.1 W typically. Eight hours through the AC socket, with the inverter's draw, need about 694 Wh. A 512 Wh station lasts about 6.4 hours.
A 1 kWh station
| Kit | Uses | 300 Wh station | 1 kWh station |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dometic CFX3 35 compressor coolbox, 32°C outside source | About 12 W average (0.98 Ah an hour at 12 V), 282 Wh a day (12 V socket) | 20 hours | 71 hours |
| ResMed AirSense 11 CPAP source | 56.1 W typical (73.2 W peak) (AC) | 3.6 hours | 12 hours |
| Beurer TS 15 double electric blanket source | Up to 100 W (AC) | 2.1 hours | 7.3 hours |
| Russell Hobbs 23840 travel kettle source | 1,000 W (AC) | Too powerful | 50 minutes |
| Goal Zero Lighthouse 600 lantern (recharges) source | 19 Wh battery, 5 hours on high (USB) | 12 charges | 44 charges |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 phone (recharges) source | About 15 Wh (3,885 mAh; we assume 3.88 V) (USB) | 15 charges | 55 charges |
| MacBook Air 13-inch (recharges) source | 53.8 Wh battery (USB) | 4 charges | 15 charges |
"Too powerful" means the device draws more than the station's rated output (300–600 W on the small stations here, 1,500–2,000 W on the 1 kWh ones). Real runtimes vary with the device and the temperature.
Camping Power Stations Compared
| Station | Capacity | AC output | Weight | Solar input | Coolbox (12 V) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLUETTI Elite 30 V2 | 288 Wh | 600 W | 4.3 kg | 200 W | 20 hours | £179 at BLUETTI |
| EcoFlow RIVER 3 | 245 Wh | 300 W | 3.55 kg | 110 W | 17 hours | £159 at EcoFlow |
| Anker SOLIX C300X | 288 Wh | 300 W | 4.1 kg | 100 W | 20 hours | £213 at Amazon |
| Jackery Explorer 500 v2 | 512 Wh | 500 W | 5.7 kg | 200 W | 36 hours | £329 at Jackery |
| BLUETTI Elite 100 V2 | 1,024 Wh | 1,800 W | 11.5 kg | 1,000 W | 71 hours | £399 at BLUETTI |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 1,070 Wh | 1,500 W | 10.8 kg | 400 W | 75 hours | £419 at Jackery |
| Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 | 1,024 Wh | 2,000 W | 11.3 kg | 600 W | 71 hours | £591.84 at Amazonwith a 100 W solar panel |
Coolbox: Dometic CFX3 35 on a 32°C day, from the 12 V socket, by Jackery's formula. Specs from each maker's UK page, 2 October 2026. Direct prices update twice a day (last checked 2 Oct 2026); the retailer's price at checkout applies.
Amazon prices as of 2 Oct 2026, 19:19 UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.
Small (245–288 Wh): phones, lights and a laptop
Light enough to carry from the car. Enough for a weekend of devices, or a coolbox for less than a day.
BLUETTI Elite 30 V2
Best small station: the most output and solar input of the 300 Wh class
Capacity
288 Wh
AC output
600 W (1,500 W surge)
Weight
4.3 kg
Solar input
200 W
Mains recharge
70 min from the mains (80% in 45 min)
USB
USB-C 140 W, 2 × USB-A
Coolbox (12 V)
20 hours
CPAP (AC)
3.6 hours
- 600 W output, double the RIVER 3 and Anker C300X
- 200 W solar input, the most of the 300 Wh class here
- One AC socket only
EcoFlow RIVER 3
Lightest: phones, lights and a laptop for a weekend
Capacity
245 Wh
AC output
300 W (600 W surge)
Weight
3.55 kg
Solar input
110 W
Mains recharge
60 min from the mains
USB
USB-C 100 W, 2 × USB-A
Coolbox (12 V)
17 hours
CPAP (AC)
3.0 hours
- 3.55 kg, the lightest here
- 245 Wh, the smallest here
- 110 W solar input
Anker SOLIX C300X
On Amazon: three USB-C ports for a family of devices
Capacity
288 Wh
AC output
300 W (600 W surge)
Weight
4.1 kg
Solar input
100 W
Mains recharge
80% in 50 min from the mains
USB
3 × USB-C (one 140 W in/out), USB-A
Coolbox (12 V)
20 hours
CPAP (AC)
3.6 hours
- Three USB-C ports, one 140 W that also charges the station
- 300 W output
- 100 W solar input
Medium (about 500 Wh): a coolbox for a weekend
Runs a compressor coolbox for about a day and a half, or longer with a solar panel in summer.
Jackery Explorer 500 v2
A coolbox for a weekend, or indefinitely in summer with a panel
Capacity
512 Wh
AC output
500 W
Weight
5.7 kg
Solar input
200 W
Mains recharge
1.3 hours from the mains
USB
USB-C 100 W + 30 W, USB-A
Coolbox (12 V)
36 hours
CPAP (AC)
6.4 hours
- Runs a Dometic CFX3 35 coolbox for about a day and a half on a 32°C day, from the 12 V socket
- On an average June or July day a 100 W panel makes more than that coolbox uses
- Two UK sockets, 5.7 kg
Large (1 kWh): a CPAP, a coolbox for three days, a kettle
10.8–11.5 kg. Runs a CPAP all night, a coolbox for about three days, or a 1,000 W travel kettle.
BLUETTI Elite 100 V2
Best 1 kWh for camping with solar: 1,000 W of panel input
Capacity
1,024 Wh
AC output
1,800 W (3,600 W surge)
Weight
11.5 kg
Solar input
1,000 W
Mains recharge
80% in 45 min from the mains
USB
USB-C 140 W + 100 W, 2 × USB-A
Coolbox (12 V)
71 hours
CPAP (AC)
12 hours
- 1,000 W solar input, the most here
- 1,800 W output runs a travel kettle or an electric blanket
- 11.5 kg
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2
Lightest 1 kWh: a CPAP for a night with charge to spare, or a coolbox for three days
Capacity
1,070 Wh
AC output
1,500 W (3,000 W surge)
Weight
10.8 kg
Solar input
400 W
Mains recharge
1.7 hours from the mains (about 1 hour in emergency mode)
USB
USB-C 100 W + 30 W, USB-A
Coolbox (12 V)
75 hours
CPAP (AC)
12 hours
- 10.8 kg, the lightest 1 kWh station here
- 400 W solar input, the lowest of the 1 kWh picks
- Quiet: 22 dB or less in Quiet Charging Mode
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2
Most output (2,000 W) and the fastest mains recharge (49 min)
Capacity
1,024 Wh
AC output
2,000 W (3,000 W surge)
Weight
11.3 kg
Solar input
600 W
Mains recharge
49 min from the mains (UltraFast, at 1,600 W)
USB
USB-C 140 W
Coolbox (12 V)
71 hours
CPAP (AC)
12 hours
- 2,000 W output, the most here
- Its fastest charge draws 1,600 W, more than a 5 A hook-up gives
- 11.3 kg
Run the Coolbox From the 12 V Socket
A compressor coolbox averages about 12 W, less than the inverter itself uses in Jackery's formula (15 W on the 1000 v2). Plugged into an AC socket through its mains adapter, the Dometic CFX3 35 would run for about 33 hours on a Jackery Explorer 1000 v2; from the 12 V socket, about 75 hours. The CFX3 35 draws 7.5 A at 12 V, inside the 10 A rating of the Jackery's 12 V socket; check your station's rating.
Campsite Hook-Up and Generator Rules
Electric hook-up
Most Caravan and Motorhome Club pitches give up to 16 A, though some sites limit it to 10 A or less. Camping and Caravanning Club sites mostly have 16 A (3.68 kW) or 10 A (2.3 kW); Certificated Sites can have as little as 5 A, about 1,150 W.
SourceFast charging on a small hook-up
Some stations' fastest charge draws more than a 5 A hook-up gives: 1,600 W on the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2, 1,200 W on the BLUETTI Elite 100 V2. Use the standard charge on a small supply, and remember the hook-up also runs your caravan or motorhome.
SourceGenerators
The Caravan and Motorhome Club bans generators from 6pm to 9am. The Camping and Caravanning Club allows them only with site staff's permission, at the times they set. Neither club's rules mention power stations, which make no engine noise or fumes.
SourceQuiet hours and splitters
The Caravan and Motorhome Club asks campers not to disturb others after 10pm; the Camping and Caravanning Club has quiet hours from 11pm to 7am. The Camping and Caravanning Club bans hook-up splitters.
SourceTopping Up With a Solar Panel
A 100 W panel facing south makes about 340–410 Wh a day on average in June and July, more than a compressor coolbox uses, but only 40–140 Wh in December and January. Averages from the EU's PVGIS model; cloudy days give less.
| 100 W panel in | June | July | December | January |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exeter | 410 Wh/day | 400 Wh/day | 120 Wh/day | 140 Wh/day |
| Birmingham | 380 Wh/day | 370 Wh/day | 110 Wh/day | 130 Wh/day |
| Inverness | 350 Wh/day | 340 Wh/day | 50 Wh/day | 60 Wh/day |
| Birmingham, panel flat on the ground | 400 Wh/day | 380 Wh/day | 40 Wh/day | 50 Wh/day |
PVGIS 5.3, 2005–2023 data, panel at its best tilt (about 40°) unless flat, 14% system loss. Check that a panel's plug and voltage suit your station before you buy; see solar generators.