A power station is a battery with an inverter in a box. The number on the front is watt-hours, and that is only half the story: a 500 Wh unit running a 1,000 W appliance lasts 30 minutes, not an hour. Size by the load you will actually run and for how long.
Capacity in watt-hours
| Capacity | Real use |
|---|---|
| 300 Wh | Phones, lights, laptop, camera |
| 500 Wh | Above, plus a fan and a small fridge |
| 1,000 Wh | Fridge for a day, laptop, lights, drone |
| 1,500 Wh | Two days of small loads, or one hot meal |
| 2,000 Wh+ | CPAP, fridge, induction, group use |
A 12 V compressor fridge draws about 500 Wh a day in warm weather. That single appliance is the dividing line between 500 Wh and 1,500 Wh units.
Output watts
| Load | Watts | Needs |
|---|---|---|
| Phone, laptop | 30–100 | Any unit |
| Fan | 40–60 | Any unit |
| LED lights | 10–30 | Any unit |
| Compressor fridge | 45–60 | 300 W+ |
| Coffee maker | 900–1,500 | 1,500 W+ |
| Microwave | 900–1,500 | 2,000 W |
| Induction hob | 1,800 | 2,000 W+ |
Continuous output matters more than peak. A unit rated 1,000 W continuous and 2,000 W peak runs a coffee maker; one rated 600 W continuous does not, whatever the peak says.
Weight
| Capacity | Weight |
|---|---|
| 300 Wh | 7–10 lb |
| 500 Wh | 12–16 lb |
| 1,000 Wh | 22–30 lb |
| 1,500 Wh | 33–40 lb |
| 2,000 Wh | 45–60 lb |
Weight scales with capacity almost linearly. A 1,000 Wh unit is a two-hand carry; a 2,000 Wh unit is a rolling case or a permanent fixture in a vehicle.
Recharge time
| Method | 500 Wh | 1,000 Wh |
|---|---|---|
| Wall outlet | 1.5–2.5 h | 2–4 h |
| Car 12 V | 5–8 h | 10–16 h |
| 100 W solar | 6–8 h | 12–16 h |
| 200 W solar | 3–4 h | 6–8 h |
Solar recharge is slower than most people expect. A 100 W panel on a good day returns about 400 Wh, which is one full charge of a 500 Wh unit — if the sun cooperates all day.
Ports
| Port | Use |
|---|---|
| AC outlet (pure sine) | Laptops, appliances |
| USB-A | Phones, small devices |
| USB-C PD | Laptops, fast charging |
| 12 V DC (cigarette) | Fridge, pump |
| Anderson / XT60 | Solar input |
Pure sine wave matters for laptops, CPAP machines, and anything with a motor. Modified sine is cheaper and can make devices hum or fail.
Price
| Capacity | Price range |
|---|---|
| 300 Wh | $200–300 |
| 500 Wh | $350–550 |
| 1,000 Wh | $700–1,100 |
| 1,500 Wh | $1,100–1,600 |
| 2,000 Wh | $1,600–2,500 |
Price per watt-hour falls as capacity rises: about $0.70/Wh at 500, $0.55/Wh at 1,500. The cheap units are the small ones.
Sizing in three steps
- List the loads and their watts.
- Multiply watts by hours per day, add them up — that is daily watt-hours.
- Multiply by days between recharges, then add 20%.
A fridge at 500 Wh/day for two days is 1,000 Wh, plus 20% is 1,200 Wh. That is a 1,500 Wh unit, not a 500.
Cold weather changes the numbers
Lithium loses usable capacity below freezing: expect 70–80% at 20 °F, and do not charge a cold battery. Keep the unit inside the tent’s insulated zone or in the vehicle cab overnight, and it behaves normally in the morning.
A power station that lives in a cold car all night will underperform exactly when you need it.
What they do not do
| Expectation | Reality |
|---|---|
| Run a heater | 1,500 W drains any unit in an hour |
| Run an air conditioner | Only the largest units, briefly |
| Replace a generator for days | Only with solar and sun |
| Charge fast from a car | 12 V is slow, always |
Where to go next
For RV systems, see the battery and shore power guide; for van setups, the Class B guide; for hookups, the RV hookup guide.
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