Under $1,700: Our Top-Tested Solar Generator—With Panels Included

2 min read

• Solar generators are becoming more and more popular.
• The devices are an emissions-free alternative to gas generators, making them safer to operate.
• Our top-tested pick, the Jackery HomePower 3000 Portable Power Station, is currently on sale at Amazon.

Solar generators are one of the biggest developments in backup power for the home. Also known as portable power stations, the devices are an emissions-free alternative to gas generators, making them safer to operate, since there’s no risk of carbon monoxide poisoning or the need to store and handle flammable fuel.

In recent years, our experts in the Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab have tested more than 20 solar generators. The Jackery HomePower 3000 Portable Power Station is our current top pick, combining power capacity and portability better than any model on the market.

It’s an even smarter purchase now that shoppers can get the power station and two solar panels to go with it for 43% off—that’s a $1,300 savings.

If you’ve been considering a solar generator, whether as a source of backup power during weather-related outages or to run electronic devices at the campsite, job site, or other remote location, there’s no time like the present.

The HomePower 3000 can generate up to 3,600 watts of power output, or 7,200 watts in surge mode, which is plenty of juice to keep a full-size refrigerator running for several days. It’s equipped with five AC ports and four USB ports. Our experts like the lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, which charges faster than standard lithium-ion batteries; it reached a full charge in just two hours via a wall outlet in our tests, and about 10 hours using the pair of 200-watt solar panels.

Weighing 60 pounds, the HomePower 3000 is not the lightest solar generator we looked at (the Anker SOLIX F1500 Portable Power Station, for example, weighs in at 43.7 pounds, but its capacity is roughly half that of the Jackery). Like we said, though, it strikes the sweet spot between power and portability, plus it features a relatively compact form factor, and the built-in handles make it easy to transport, especially if you’re working with a buddy.

The HomePower 3000 is reliable, too, with a claimed battery life of 4,000 cycles and the ability to hold a charge for months on end. As one GH staffer who evaluated the unit at home told us, “We had the generator sitting in a closet for close to six months and when we powered it back up the battery was still at 100%.”

While the generator alone is also on sale too right now, our experts recommend at least 100-watt solar panels to go with it any solar generator. Generators can recharge from a wall outlet, but solar panels let you keep them powered during outages or off-grid use using nothing but sunlight.

Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.