Which Jackery Should I Buy?

For most people, the Explorer 1000 V2: it runs a refrigerator overnight and still weighs 23 lb. Choose the 300-class Explorer for phones, laptops and a CPAP; the Explorer 2000 Plus for multi-day outages or RV use; and the HomePower 3600 Plus or Solar Generator 5000 Plus for home circuits through a transfer switch.

Check two numbers. Output: the total watts of everything running at once must be below the station's continuous rating. Capacity: multiply each load's watts by the hours you need it, add them, and allow about 15% for losses. Pick the smallest model that clears both.

The Explorer 1000 V2 is the smallest Jackery we would plan around for a refrigerator, roughly overnight. For a fridge and freezer through a multi-day outage, the Explorer 2000 Plus or larger is the realistic choice.

An Explorer is the power station on its own. A Jackery “Solar Generator” is a power station bundled with SolarSaga solar panels. If you already have panels, compare against the station-only price.

For essential circuits through a transfer switch, the HomePower 3600 Plus. For whole-home backup that includes 240V loads such as a well pump, the Solar Generator 5000 Plus. For plugging in a fridge, freezer and lights during an outage without a transfer switch, the Explorer 2000 Plus.

Of the models we track, the Explorer 2000 Plus (to about 24 kWh), the HomePower 3600 Plus (about 21 kWh) and the Solar Generator 5000 Plus (about 60 kWh) accept add-on batteries. The 2000 Plus is the one that starts portable and grows into home backup.

Yes — it is one of the longest-established portable power brands, and our editorial ratings for the Jackery models we track run from 87 to 93 out of 100. Its main trade-off is that some competitors offer more output or faster charging at the same capacity. Our Jackery brand guide covers the full picture.