Jackery Explorer 300D
Top of the ranking on this page, using the criteria below.
288 Wh · 300 W AC · 5.5 lb · $0.73/Wh
Best of · Small & light
Best small portable power stations
Small stations are a portability purchase: phones, cameras, a laptop and lights — not a fridge overnight. This list caps capacity at 600 Wh and ranks on watt-hours per pound first, then value.
WattPicks does not test power stations, and this page does not claim to. Every specification, price and derived figure is read from the manufacturers’ own product pages; the ranking is computed from that data using the criteria stated above, not from first-hand use.
How this list was chosen
- Capacity under 600 Wh — above that the unit leaves the “small” band this page is about.
- Portability first: watt-hours per pound, so capacity you can carry outranks capacity you cannot.
- Value as the tie-breaker: list price per watt-hour.
- Only models with a published weight can be ranked here, because the metric needs it.
29 models in the dataset match this page’s scope, and 29 of them publish a list price, which is what the value figures need. Nothing here has been tested by us.
Quick picks
BOUGERV JuiceGo 240 (modified sine)
The lowest published list price in this shortlist ($135.99).
240 Wh · 150 W AC · 6.3 lb · $0.57/Wh
The shortlist, with what to accept
Every entry carries its trade-offs. They are computed by comparing the model with the others in its own capacity band, so they are statements about this dataset rather than opinions.
1. Jackery Explorer 300D
52.4 Wh/lbWhy it is here: Most portable (Wh per pound) — capacity in Wh ÷ net weight in lb (higher is better)
What you accept
- No published maximum solar input, so we cannot say how fast it recharges off-grid.
- No published UPS switchover time — unverified for keeping electronics alive through a blip.
Who should skip it: Skip it if you need to run a fridge overnight or back up a house — the capacity is not there.
2. Jackery Explorer 100 Plus
47.1 Wh/lb
Why it is here: Most portable (Wh per pound) — capacity in Wh ÷ net weight in lb (higher is better)
What you accept
- Costs $1.51 per watt-hour against a band median of $0.95 — you are paying for something other than stored energy.
- No published maximum solar input, so we cannot say how fast it recharges off-grid.
- No published UPS switchover time — unverified for keeping electronics alive through a blip.
Who should skip it: Skip it if you need to run a fridge overnight or back up a house — the capacity is not there.
3. OUPES Exodus 700
41.4 Wh/lb
Why it is here: Most portable (Wh per pound) — capacity in Wh ÷ net weight in lb (higher is better)
What you accept
- Costs $0.69 per watt-hour against a band median of $0.49 — you are paying for something other than stored energy.
- No published noise figure, which matters if it will run in a bedroom or a tent.
Who should skip it: Skip it if you want the cheapest watt-hours in this size; the value ranking has cheaper options.
4. PECRON E500LFP
38.4 Wh/lb
Why it is here: Most portable (Wh per pound) — capacity in Wh ÷ net weight in lb (higher is better)
What you accept
- No published UPS switchover time — unverified for keeping electronics alive through a blip.
- No published noise figure, which matters if it will run in a bedroom or a tent.
Who should skip it: Skip it if you want the cheapest watt-hours in this size; the value ranking has cheaper options.
5. EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max
38.2 Wh/lb
Why it is here: Most portable (Wh per pound) — capacity in Wh ÷ net weight in lb (higher is better)
What you accept
- No data-derived weakness stands out in this band.
Who should skip it: Skip it if you want the cheapest watt-hours in this size; the value ranking has cheaper options.
6. BOUGERV JuiceGo 240 (pure sine)
38.1 Wh/lb
Why it is here: Most portable (Wh per pound) — capacity in Wh ÷ net weight in lb (higher is better)
What you accept
- No published UPS switchover time — unverified for keeping electronics alive through a blip.
- No published noise figure, which matters if it will run in a bedroom or a tent.
Who should skip it: Skip it if you need to run a fridge overnight or back up a house — the capacity is not there.
Full JuiceGo 240 (pure sine) spec sheet → All BOUGERV models →
7. BOUGERV JuiceGo 240 (modified sine)
38.1 Wh/lbWhy it is here: Most portable (Wh per pound) — capacity in Wh ÷ net weight in lb (higher is better)
What you accept
- No published UPS switchover time — unverified for keeping electronics alive through a blip.
- No published noise figure, which matters if it will run in a bedroom or a tent.
Who should skip it: Skip it if you need to run a fridge overnight or back up a house — the capacity is not there.
Full JuiceGo 240 (modified sine) spec sheet → All BOUGERV models →
8. Goal Zero Yeti 200X
37.4 Wh/lb
Why it is here: Most portable (Wh per pound) — capacity in Wh ÷ net weight in lb (higher is better)
What you accept
- NMC chemistry: 500 rated cycles, well short of the LiFePO4 models in this dataset.
- No published maximum solar input, so we cannot say how fast it recharges off-grid.
- No published UPS switchover time — unverified for keeping electronics alive through a blip.
Who should skip it: Skip it if you need to run a fridge overnight or back up a house — the capacity is not there.
Buying guide
What a small station is for
Phones, tablets, camera batteries, a laptop, LED lights and a CPAP without a heated humidifier are the realistic loads. A compressor fridge and anything that heats are out of band.
- Under 300 Wh: day-trip and ultralight kits.
- 300–600 Wh: a weekend of devices, or one night of CPAP without a humidifier.
Why Wh per pound is the ranking
Small units always look better on portability than large ones when compared across the whole dataset, which is why this page stays inside one band. Within the band, the metric still separates efficient packs from heavy enclosures.
When to step up
If a fridge, a kettle or home backup is on the list, leave this page for the 500Wh or 1,000Wh class rankings. Paying for capacity you will not carry is the usual mistake in the other direction.
Frequently asked
What is the best small portable power station?
The one that carries the most watt-hours per pound for your budget inside this band. There is no overall winner once the job changes — a backpacking pack and a car-camping fridge battery are different purchases.
Is a small power station enough for backpacking?
For phones, lights and a camera, usually yes. For a laptop-heavy trip, check watt-hours and weight together; some mid-band units are still a heavy carry.
Can a small power station run a CPAP?
Often for one night without a heated humidifier. Roughly 30–40 W over eight hours is around 300 Wh before inverter losses — check your machine’s draw.