3 Best Budget Portable Power Stations in 2024

As I was scrolling through Reddit, a interesting question caught my eye:

I’m working remotely from home and I am going to buy a power station. Ideally, I need something that would last for 5-10 hours so I can work a full day even when we have power outages. Would be amazing to find something under £800, any ideas?

As appliances and devices bring convenience to our lives, it is indispensable to get reliable power sources. However, it is not easy to get traditional power sources, such as wall outlets, when you are on outdoor adventures, or during power outages by emergencies. Therefore, portable power stations with high capacity and portability draw people's attention as reliable backup power sources. More and more individuals or families are considering buying one. However, there is a wide of portable power stations available, each with different features and prices, you know, which is dazzling and makes it hard to choose.

For most people, they have a limited budget and need to spend most of their money on necessities of life to keep their lives running. So they won't have a lot of money on portable power stations. Inspired by questions from Reddit users above, let's explore some solutions to make a balance between budgets and power station needs.

Understand What Your Needs

Let's check the questions posed by Reddit users above again. We can see that most of them have a clear budget and intended use for the station. However, they seem to lack a comprehensive understanding of their specific needs, such as what appliances need to be charged, and how much a power station can meet your needs. Therefore, understand what your needs are before considering a cheap portable power station.

Make A List of Appliances That Need to Be Charged

We need to make an appliance list and determine how many appliances need to be powered by a portable power station, such as your smartphone, laptop, and LED light.

Then, write its input wattage (W) down. Usually, you can find this power rating behind your appliances or in your user manual. I will tell you what this value does in the next paragraphs.

Calculate Your Power Consumed

As we all know, for various appliances and devices, there are different input wattage (W) requirements. Wattage (W) is a unit of measurement for electrical power, which describes the amount of power consumed by an appliance. With wattage (W), we can calculate the total power consumption of an appliance over a given period (in Wh).

Amount of Power Consumed over Time (Wh) = Wattage (W) x hour (h)

Let me help you understand this value and formula clearly. For example, an appliance you need to power has a wattage rating of 60W, and it will be running for 2 hours. Use this formula below:

Amount of Power Consumed over Time (Wh) = Wattage (W) x hour (h) = 60W x 2H = 120Wh.

From this formula, we know that the appliance can consume 120W of energy every 2 hours. So, you may need a power station with a capacity of at least 120Wh.

If you have more appliances that need to be powered by a portable power station, we can still use this formula:

Amount of Power Consumed over Time (Wh) = Sum of Wattage (W) of All Appliances x hour (h)

Key Features to Consider A Best Budget Portable Power Station

There are so many options available, and it can be a challenge to choose one power station that suits you, especially if you have a limited budget. In the next paragraphs, we will discuss what key features are considered when choosing a budget portable power station. We will help you find a balance between budget and features.

Capacity

Without a doubt, the battery capacity is the most important factor in choosing a budget portable power station. Generally speaking, we suggest a high-capacity power station at the same price. But as we mentioned in earlier paragraphs, you should assess your power requirements so that you can determine how much capacity you need before making a decision.

Output Wattage

The higher output wattage of a portable power station allows you to power higher-wattage appliances, such as car refrigerators and small ovens. Check the input wattage of your appliances first, and determine whether a portable power station is right for you. But if you only want to power some small-wattage appliances, a small power station will suffice. Please refer to the early paragraph for how to calculate the output wattage of a portable power station to match your needs.

Output Ports

The number and variety of output ports are important, too. The number of output ports allows you to charge multiple appliances and devices simultaneously (the sum of the wattage of appliances and devices should not be over the output wattage of the power station). In addition, the variety of output ports, such as AC outlet ports, DC outlet ports, and USB ports, enable you to connect specific appliances. Of course, it's better to choose a power station with more output ports. But please take priority to choose the types of ports that match your needs.

The Portability

The portability of portable power stations is crucial, if you plan to use power stations for outdoor camping, and RV life. A smaller and lighter power station is easier to transport and won't take up much of your space. But a small power station may have a small capacity. Try to strike a balance between portability and battery capacity. Assess your portability needs and choose a power station that fits seamlessly into your lifestyle without sacrificing essential features.

Charging Options

Charging options also can be an important factor, especially, if the users are in off-grid life. For instance, it is easy to achieve traditional power sources if you are living/traveling in a van, and camping outdoors. So, please ensure the power station supports the charging methods that are most convenient for you, such as car charging, traditional wall outlets, and solar panels.

Life Span and Durability

As a backup power source, the life span and durability of portable power stations are the key. You will never want your power station to malfunction during emergencies or outdoor activities. Look for power stations with LiFePO4 batteries as they are highly stable and good quality with little to no maintenance, and even can last up to 10 years. With the longer lifespan of a portable power station, you can maximize your return on investment over the long term.

3 Best Budget Portable Power Stations

There are a lot of different models on the market. But which is the best budget portable power station? Our expert review team went hands-on with the top units, testing battery capacity, connectivity, and port selection. We also assessed the weight and portability of those regularly transporting the unit. Battery health, charging times, and our first-hand experience using the best portable power stations also came sharply into focus during our review process.

Below you'll find our top picks for the best budget portable power stations in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

While the options are numerous, the Aferiy P210 is the best budget portable power station I've tested overall. Its battery boasts a capacity of 2048Wh and an output wattage of 2400W, all packed into a portable 22kg unit. This versatility makes it ideal for camping trips or RV outings, easily fulfilling most of your power requirements.

However, if your power needs are minimal and you only require a smartphone charger, the Aferiy P010 would be the perfect choice.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is most important to understand your power needs and potential usage scenarios. Once you have a clear understanding of your needs, you can prioritize essential features such as battery capacity, output wattage, output ports, portability, charging options, and lifespan. By carefully evaluating these factors, you can make a balance between prices and features. Always remember the key point, choosing what you actually need but not their flashy features within your budget constraints.