3–3 on 6 shared metrics
DaranEner DARAN vs EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max
On 6 shared published metrics they split 3–3. Capacity sits about 13% apart (576 Wh vs 512 Wh) — close enough for a shortlist, different enough to feel. Choose DARAN when the outage or campsite stretch matters — stronger on capacity.
- Carry / campingSplit
- Longer runtimeDARAN
- Heavy AC loadsDARAN
- Value per WhRIVER 2 Max
Who wins which job
Pick DARAN when
DaranEner DARAN
- Capacity: 576 Wh vs 512 Wh
- Continuous AC output: 600 W vs 500 W
- Watt-hours per pound: 42.0 Wh/lb vs 38.2 Wh/lb
Value buyers who will verify Wh, watts and warranty on the listing themselves.
Pick RIVER 2 Max when
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max
- Weight: 13.4 lb vs 13.7 lb
- List price: $249 vs $449.99
- Cost per watt-hour: $0.49 vs $0.78
Buyers who want one system to grow from camping into home backup.
Spec by spec
A green mark is the better published figure on that row. Blank cells mean the vendor did not publish the number — we do not estimate.
| Metric | DARAN | RIVER 2 Max | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 576 Wh | 512 Wh | How much energy the unit stores. Sets how long everything else can run. |
| Continuous AC output | 600 W | 500 W | The largest load the inverter will run continuously, not counting surge. |
| Weight lower is better | 13.7 lb | 13.4 lb | The spec buyers most often regret ignoring. |
| List price lower is better | $449.99 | $249 | Hub catalogue list price (same figure as product pages). Historical lows stay off this column. |
| Cost per watt-hour lower is better | $0.78 | $0.49 | Price divided by capacity. The fairest single value metric. |
| Watt-hours per pound | 42.0 Wh/lb | 38.2 Wh/lb | Capacity you get per pound carried. |
| Max solar input | — | 220 W | Caps how large an array is useful, and therefore off-grid recharge speed. |
| AC recharge time lower is better | — | 60 min | Vendor-stated time to full from a wall outlet. |
| Rated cycles | — | 3,000 cycles | Vendor claim for charge cycles before capacity degrades to 80%. |
| UPS switchover lower is better | — | 30 ms | How long the unit takes to switch to battery. Under 20 ms keeps a desktop alive. |
| Warranty | — | 60 months | Stated warranty length from the vendor listing. |
How each one ranks overall
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max
- #11 of 51 for Best value (cost per watt-hour) ($0.49)
- #22 of 50 for Most portable (Wh per pound) (38.2 Wh/lb)
- #45 of 51 for Most inverter headroom (98 W/100Wh)
- #18 of 25 for Fastest AC recharge (512 W)
- #32 of 40 for Highest solar input (220 W)
- #32 of 42 for Longest service life (1536 kWh)
- #27 of 51 for Most output per dollar (2.01 W/$)
- #25 of 25 for Best for home backup (48/100)
- #17 of 51 for Longest warranty (60 mo)
- #22 of 22 for Quietest under load (62 dB)
The brands behind them
DaranEner
The deal hunter who wants a usable box without paying the Jackery / EcoFlow premium
Best for: Value buyers who will verify Wh, watts and warranty on the listing themselves.
Not for: Buyers who need a mature app, dealer support, or a household-name brand for gifts.
All DaranEner models →EcoFlow
The tech-forward buyer who reads the spec sheet and wants room to grow
Best for: Buyers who want one system to grow from camping into home backup.
Not for: Buyers who want the lowest cost per watt-hour and will never use an app.
All EcoFlow models →Looking past the DARAN vs RIVER 2 Max head-to-head? Our DaranEner vs EcoFlow brand comparison covers both line-ups.
Where these numbers come from. WattPicks does not test power stations — this is a spec profile, not a review. Every figure on this page is taken from DaranEner’s own product listing and is stored with the vendor’s exact wording, reproduced below. We do not estimate missing specs — a field the vendor does not publish is shown as “—” and excluded from rankings. Source: DaranEner listing on Amazon.
Vendor wording for each figure (3)
capacityWh: “576 Wh”acOutputW: “600 watts”weight: “13.7 pounds”
Where these numbers come from. WattPicks does not test power stations — this is a spec profile, not a review. Every figure on this page is taken from EcoFlow’s own product listing and is stored with the vendor’s exact wording, reproduced below. We do not estimate missing specs — a field the vendor does not publish is shown as “—” and excluded from rankings. Source: us.ecoflow.com.
Vendor wording for each figure (8)
capacityWh: “Capacity => 512Wh”acOutputW: “AC Output => 120V 50Hz/60Hz, 500W (Surge 1000W)”weight: “Approximately 13.4lbs”solarInputW: “11-50V, 13A, 220W Max”rechargeAcMinutes: “Charge 0-100% in only 60 mins”cycleLife: “80%+ capacity after 3000 cycles”upsSwitchoverMs: “30ms switch-over mode”warrantyMonths: “5-year Warranty”
Frequently asked
Which is better for most buyers, the DaranEner DARAN or the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max?
Neither sweeps the scoreboard (3–3 on 6 shared metrics). Match the winning rows to your job — Carry / camping usually decide it faster than brand preference.
I care most about carry / camping — which should I buy?
Carry / camping is split on the published rows — weigh the table, not the brand story.
Method and sources
Every row on this page is a published manufacturer figure from the WattPicks catalog at build time. WattPicks does not run laboratory tests on these units, and blank cells mean the vendor did not publish that metric — not that we estimated it.
Read our methodology for how the catalog is normalized, and about WattPicks for who publishes it.
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