Best portable power stations in the UK: how to choose

A portable power station is a self-contained battery with its own mains-style sockets, USB ports and a built-in inverter. You can charge it from a wall socket, a car or solar panels, then use it to run things directly: a router and laptop in a power cut, or tools at the end of the garden.

This guide explains how to size one properly, what the battery chemistry and solar figures on spec sheets actually mean, and what UK buyers should watch for. It ends with a shortlist by use case and a comparison table.

How we chose

We compared models on the specs their manufacturers publish: usable capacity (Wh), continuous and surge output (W), battery chemistry and cycle rating, solar input limits, UPS switchover time, weight and the price on the brand's own UK store. We have not hands-on tested these products, and nothing here is a review. Prices and specs are from EcoFlow UK's product pages as of 9 Nov 2026. Prices change often, so check the current figure before you buy. We link to EcoFlow because we have an affiliate relationship with EcoFlow UK. Other brands sell similar units, and we have not ranked anything by commission.

First: is a power station what you actually need?

A portable power station is not a home battery. An installed home battery is wired into your consumer unit, usually charges from solar or a cheap overnight tariff, and only keeps the house running in a power cut if it was designed with backup in mind. If you want a whole home or several circuits covered automatically, read whether a home battery can work during a power cut and how a home battery works first.

A power station makes more sense when you want to keep a few specific things going, need power somewhere without a socket, or rent and cannot install anything permanent.

How to size a portable power station

Watts (W): what it can run at once

The continuous output rating (for example 600W or 1800W) is the most power the inverter can supply at the same time. Add up the wattage of everything you want to run together and keep comfortably below that figure. The wattage is printed on the appliance's label or power adapter; use that rather than a guess.

Watt-hours (Wh): how long it can run

Capacity in Wh is the energy stored. As a rough guide, multiply each appliance's watts by the hours you want to run it, then add the results. For example, if your router's label says 12W and you want 10 hours, that is 120Wh. A 60W laptop charged for 2 hours adds another 120Wh.

Not all of the rated capacity reaches your devices. Converting battery power to 230V AC loses some energy, and the unit uses a little itself. A sensible planning assumption is to expect noticeably less than the headline figure from the AC sockets (many people plan on around 80–85%; this is a rule of thumb, not a manufacturer figure). Using the USB-C or 12V outputs for devices that support them avoids some of that conversion loss.

What can it run, and for how long?

A power station can run an appliance if the appliance's running watts are below the continuous output and its start-up demand is below the surge rating. For runtime, a simple planning formula is: hours ≈ capacity (Wh) × 0.85 ÷ load (W), using the 85% rule of thumb above for AC losses. For example, a 572Wh unit powering items whose labels add up to 20W gives roughly 572 × 0.85 ÷ 20 ≈ 24 hours. A 1024Wh unit running a 100W load gives roughly 1024 × 0.85 ÷ 100 ≈ 8.7 hours. Fridges cycle on and off, so measure or estimate their average draw rather than using the label wattage for the whole period.

Heating appliances are the usual trap. Kettles, heaters, hairdryers and toasters draw a lot of power (check the label; many UK kettles are rated at 2–3kW), which exceeds small units outright and drains even large ones quickly. Power stations are best at running electronics, lights, networking kit and small motor loads.

Surge: the start-up spike

Fridges, freezers, pumps and some power tools draw several times their running wattage for a moment when the motor or compressor starts. That is what the surge (or peak) rating is for. If you want to run a fridge, check that the surge figure is well above its start-up demand, not just its running wattage. Some brands also advertise a "boost" mode (EcoFlow calls it X-Boost) that runs resistive appliances such as kettles at reduced power; it does not increase the battery capacity.

UPS or pass-through

Some units switch over within milliseconds when the mains drops, acting as an uninterruptible power supply. That suits routers, computers and network kit. Check the stated switchover time, and remember that a portable power station's UPS only covers what is plugged into it.

LiFePO4 vs NMC batteries

Most current power stations use lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, also written LFP). Manufacturers typically rate LFP for thousands of cycles before capacity drops to 80%, and the chemistry is more thermally stable. The trade-off is weight: LFP is heavier for the same capacity.

Older and some ultra-light models use NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) cells, which pack more energy into less weight but are usually rated for fewer cycles. If the unit will sit ready for power cuts or be used every weekend, LFP is generally the better long-term choice. If every kilo matters, for example carrying it any distance, NMC can still make sense. Always read the cycle rating on the manufacturer's spec sheet rather than relying on the chemistry name alone.

Solar input: what the numbers mean

Every power station has a maximum solar input in watts and an accepted voltage range. Two things matter:

• Wattage limit. Connecting more panel wattage than the input limit will not charge it faster. The extra is simply not used.
• Voltage range. The panel's open-circuit voltage (Voc), or the combined Voc of panels wired in series, must sit inside the station's input range. Too low and it may not charge; too high and you risk damage. Check the connector type too (for example XT60 or MC4), and whether an adapter cable is needed.

Be realistic about UK sunshine. Portable panels rarely deliver their rated wattage outside ideal test conditions, and winter output in the UK is far lower than summer. Treat solar as a top-up in winter and a meaningful source in summer. For choosing panels themselves, see our guide to the best portable solar panels in the UK.

UK plug and charging notes

• Buy the UK model. Check that the listing shows UK three-pin AC sockets and a UK charging lead. Imported units may have other socket types or a different charging lead.
• Mains charging. Fast-charge inputs on larger units can draw well over 1kW from the wall. Plug the charging lead straight into a wall socket rather than a coiled extension reel, and keep the unit ventilated while it charges.
• Never back-feed your house wiring. Do not connect a power station to your home circuits through a socket with a double-ended lead. It is dangerous and can put network engineers at risk. If you want a power station to supply house circuits, an electrician needs to install a proper changeover or transfer arrangement.
• Car charging. Most units can charge from a 12V car socket, but slowly. Faster in-vehicle charging usually needs a dedicated alternator charger fitted to the vehicle.

Shortlist by use case

For power cuts: router, lights, phones and laptop

For keeping broadband and a laptop running, a few hundred Wh with a fast UPS switchover is usually enough. The EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max is a RIVER 3 Plus with a 286Wh extra battery, for 572Wh in total. EcoFlow UK lists it with LiFePO4 cells rated for 3,000 cycles to 80%, 600W AC output across three sockets (1200W surge), a USB-C port of up to 100W and a UPS switchover of under 10 ms (£329 on EcoFlow UK, as of 9 Nov 2026; EcoFlow UK lists this as a pre-order, shipping from mid-November 2026). The extra battery can be removed, so the RIVER 3 Plus part (4.7kg) can be carried on its own.

For power cuts: a fridge plus essentials

A fridge needs both more capacity and enough surge to start the compressor. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 is listed at 1024Wh LFP (rated for 4,000 cycles to 80%), with 1800W AC output (3600W surge) across four AC sockets, under 10 ms UPS switchover and one 500W solar input (11–60V). It weighs up to 12.5kg and can be expanded with extra batteries to 5kWh (£649 on EcoFlow UK, as of 9 Nov 2026). The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max doubles the capacity to 2048Wh with 2400W AC output (4800W surge) and 500W solar input, but weighs about 20.3kg (£1,199 on EcoFlow UK, as of 9 Nov 2026; EcoFlow UK lists this as a pre-order, with shipment from 21 December 2026).

If you are weighing up whole-home backup instead, our power cut guide covers what an installed battery can and cannot do.

Away from a socket: USB and 12V devices

For phones, laptops, lights, cameras and 12V devices, weight and port mix matter more than huge capacity. The EcoFlow TRAIL 200 DC is a DC-only unit (no AC socket) listed at 192Wh LFP, 1.83kg, with 140W and 100W USB-C ports (£129 on EcoFlow UK, as of 9 Nov 2026). It suits USB kit, not mains appliances, and it charges through USB-C rather than a dedicated solar port. If you need a mains socket, the EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus Solar Generator with a 160W panel pairs a 286Wh LiFePO4 unit (600W AC across three sockets, 1200W surge, up to 220W solar input, 4.7kg) with a 160W portable panel (£418 for the bundle on EcoFlow UK, as of 9 Nov 2026; EcoFlow UK lists the 160W panel option as a pre-order, with shipment from 1 December 2026).

Other brands sell portable power stations too. Whichever you consider, compare the same published figures: usable Wh, continuous and surge watts, cycle rating, solar input range, UPS switchover time and weight.

Pairing with solar panels

A power station plus portable panels is a "solar generator": the panels charge the battery, and you run appliances from the battery's own sockets. Because it is not connected to your home wiring, it is a different thing from plug-in or balcony solar, which feeds your home circuits and has its own UK rules (see plug-in solar in the UK).

Check that a panel's open-circuit voltage and connector match your station's solar input. For panel choices, see our portable solar guide.

Comparison table (published specs, as of 9 Nov 2026)

Source: EcoFlow UK product pages, 9 Nov 2026. "Not listed" means we could not find the figure on EcoFlow UK's page. Pre-order shipping dates are as EcoFlow UK listed them on that date. Prices and stock change often, so check before you buy.

Quick checklist before you buy

1. List what you need to run, with the watts from each label.
2. Check that the continuous output covers everything at once and the surge covers any fridge or pump.
3. Work out the Wh you need, then add headroom for conversion losses.
4. Prefer LFP/LiFePO4 if it will be used often or kept on standby for years.
5. If you will use solar, check the input wattage, the voltage range and the connector.
6. Buy the UK model with UK sockets, and check the warranty on the brand's UK store.

Frequently asked questions

What size portable power station do I need for a power cut?

Add up the watts of what you want to run at the same time (this sets the minimum continuous output), then multiply each item's watts by the hours you need it and add them up (this sets the Wh capacity). Allow headroom for inverter losses and for start-up surges from fridges and pumps. A router, phone charging and a few lights need far less than a fridge-freezer.

Is LiFePO4 better than NMC for a power station?

LiFePO4 (LFP) cells are usually rated for many more charge cycles and are more thermally stable, but they are heavier for the same capacity. NMC is lighter and more compact. For a unit you keep for power cuts or regular use, LFP is the more common choice now.

Can I plug a portable power station into my house wiring?

No. Never connect a power station to your home's wiring through a socket. Feeding power back into the house circuits is dangerous for you and for network engineers. Whole-circuit backup needs a properly installed changeover or transfer arrangement fitted by a qualified electrician.

Can solar recharge a power station in a UK winter?

Sometimes, but slowly. Panels rarely deliver their rated wattage in the UK, and winter output is much lower than in summer. Treat solar as a top-up in winter and plan to recharge from the mains when you can.

Is a portable power station the same as a home battery?

No. A home battery is installed, wired into your consumer unit and usually works with solar and your tariff. A portable power station is a self-contained battery with its own sockets that you plug appliances into directly.