Do portable power stations make camping better?

A good portable power station makes camping better. These devices power lights, phones, and small appliances when you’re outdoors. We spent three months testing power stations to find the best portable power stations for camping. We tested 30 portable power stations over 12 camping trips.

Why should you buy a portable power station?

Bring big backup power with you with these expert-recommended portable power stations, which can store enough power to charge electronics, appliances, and more.

Can a portable power station charge a phone?

Some can only charge phones, and others can power your entire house. Check the output wattage and battery capacity to see what a portable power station is capable of. The Westinghouse iGen160s is a basic little power station capable of keeping your electronics charged during a brief power outage or camping trip.

How much power does a portable power station need?

For portable power stations, capacity is measured in watt-hours (Wh), telling you how much energy the unit stores. Weekend adventures typically need 200-300Wh for smartphone charging and LED lighting. Glamping and campground camping with amenities require 500-700Wh units to power fans, portable coolers, and CPAP machines.

Which battery is best for a portable power station?

These days most portable power stations, including all those we recommend here, use LiFePO4 batteries, which are capable of holding far more cycles, which is the number of times a battery goes through a complete discharge and recharge, than older lithium-ion batteries while also being less likely to combust.

How do portable power stations work?

Portable power stations have control panels with LED displays and buttons that turn off and on inputs and display usage and remaining power. Most portable power stations are also compatible with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, allowing you to monitor and control them remotely from a smartphone app.