- 25W
- while running, 120W to start
- 200Wh
- used over a 8-hour night
- 15 of 15
- models we track can run it
- Best for longer tripsJackery Explorer 1000 v24.8 nights$499Check price
- Best small unitEcoFlow River 3 Plus1.3 nights$299Check price
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Runtime for every model
| Model | Runtime | Capacity | Output | Weight | Price | Per Wh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow River 3 | 1.1 nights | 245Wh | 300W | 7.8 lb | $239 | $0.98 |
| Jackery Explorer 300 v2 | 1.3 nights | 288Wh | 300W | 8.2 lb | $299 | $1.04 |
| Anker Solix C300 | 1.3 nights | 288Wh | 300W | 9.1 lb | $249 | $0.86 |
| EcoFlow River 3 Plus | 1.3 nights | 286Wh | 600W | 10.4 lb | $299 | $1.05 |
| Bluetti AC70 | 3.5 nights | 768Wh | 1,000W | 22.5 lb | $359 | $0.47 |
| EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus | 4.6 nights | 1,024Wh | 1,800W | 27.6 lb | $669 | $0.65 |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 4.8 nights | 1,070Wh | 1,500W | 23.8 lb | $499 | $0.47 |
| Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 | 4.6 nights | 1,024Wh | 2,000W | 24.9 lb | $499.99 | $0.49 |
| Bluetti Elite 100 V2 | 4.6 nights | 1,024Wh | 1,800W | 25 lb | $489 | $0.48 |
| EcoFlow Delta 3 Max | 9.2 nights | 2,048Wh | 2,400W | 44.8 lb | $879 | $0.43 |
| Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 | 9.2 nights | 2,042Wh | 2,200W | 39.5 lb | $899 | $0.44 |
| Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 | 9.2 nights | 2,048Wh | 2,400W | 41.7 lb | $899.99 | $0.44 |
| Bluetti Elite 200 V2 | 9.3 nights | 2,073Wh | 2,600W | 53.4 lb | $899 | $0.43 |
| EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 | 18.4 nights | 4,096Wh | 4,000W | 113.5 lb | $2,799 | $0.68 |
| Anker Solix F3800 | 17.3 nights | 3,840Wh | 6,000W | 132.3 lb | $1,979.99 | $0.52 |
Shaded rows are our picks. Assumed load: A 12V diesel air heater averaging 25W once lit, with a glow plug that pulls close to 10 amps (about 120W) for a few minutes at startup and shutdown.
What a diesel heater uses electricity for
A diesel air heater makes its heat by burning fuel. Electricity only runs the helpers: a fan that moves air, a small pump that feeds diesel, and the controller. Once the heater is lit, those add up to about 25 watts. A 1,500W electric space heater uses 60 times as much.
A watt-hour counts energy: one watt, used for one hour. Eight hours at 25W is 200 watt-hours a night. After losses, the 300Wh-class units give 1.1 to 1.3 nights. The 768Wh unit gives 3.5 nights, and the 1,000Wh class gives 4.6 to 4.8.
The heat setting moves the number. On high, the fan and pump run faster and use more. On low, they use less.
The glow plug is the catch
A glow plug is a small heating element that lights the fuel. It pulls close to 10 amps, about 120 watts, for a few minutes at startup and again at shutdown.
The energy is tiny. A few minutes at 120W is under 10 watt-hours, so the glow plug barely dents your runtime. The problem is the amps. The car-style 12V sockets on all but one of these power stations are rated 120 to 126W, which is about 10 amps. That puts the glow plug right at the limit. It is like a door exactly as wide as the couch you are carrying. It may go through. It may not.
Some setups will trip the socket, and the heater will fail to light. You will not know until you try, so try it at home and not on the first cold night out.
The one exception is the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3. Its 12V output is rated 30 amps, or 378W, three times the usual socket. At 113.5 lb and $2,799 it is far too much station to buy for a heater, but if you already own one, the glow plug is no worry.
If the 12V socket trips
The fallback is an AC-to-12V power supply rated for 15 amps or more. It plugs into the station’s AC outlet and gives the heater a 12V feed with room above the glow plug’s peak. Every station in the table has enough AC output for one.
It costs you some runtime. The station now has to run its inverter, the part that turns battery power into household AC. In our math, a battery delivers 90% of its energy from the 12V socket and 85% from the AC outlet. The power supply then takes its own cut. Expect somewhat fewer nights than the table shows.
Wiring matters either way. Keep the wires between the station and the heater short and thick. Thin or long wires lose voltage under the glow plug’s load, and the heater can fault when the voltage sags.
Never cut the power mid-burn
A diesel heater needs its cool-down cycle. When you switch it off at the controller, the fan keeps running for a few minutes to carry heat out of the burn chamber. If the power vanishes while it is burning, that cool-down never happens, and the trapped heat can damage the heater.
So always shut down with the heater’s own controller. Never pull the plug or switch off the station to stop it.
A flat battery cuts the power just the same. Do not plan to run a station down to zero overnight. This is why the 245Wh unit, at 1.1 nights, is too thin for a full night of heat, and why our top pick leaves more than two nights in reserve.
Safety
The heater burns fuel, so its exhaust must vent outside the space you sleep in, and the pipe joints must be tight. Fit a carbon monoxide alarm. It is a must with any fuel heater. Follow the heater’s manual for mounting, fuel line, and exhaust routing, and have an installer check the work if you are unsure.
The picks in detail
Bluetti AC70
- 3.5 nights
- Diesel air heater
- $359
- $0.47 per Wh
- 22.5 lb
- Weight
3.5 eight-hour nights on a charge covers a long weekend with margin, and margin matters because this heater must never lose power mid-burn. The 12V socket is rated 120W, the same as the glow plug's peak, so some heaters will trip it at startup. If yours does, the 1,000W AC outlet has plenty of room for a 15-amp 12V power supply. It costs $0.47 per watt-hour, and the 500W solar input suits a roof panel.
What fits
- 3.5 nights per charge
- $0.47 per watt-hour
- 500W solar input
What does not
- 120W socket is right at the glow plug's draw
- 22.5 lb
Coupon deals well under this price have appeared.
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2
- 4.8 nights
- Diesel air heater
- $499
- $0.47 per Wh
- 23.8 lb
- Weight
4.8 nights per charge is the most of any 1,000Wh unit, and at 23.8 lb it is the lightest of them, only 1.3 lb more than the AC70. It costs $499, so the extra night and a third comes to $140 more, at the same $0.47 per watt-hour. Its 12V socket carries the same 120W rating, so the same glow plug caution applies. Note the fine print on lifespan. Jackery rates its 4,000 cycles to 70% capacity, not 80%.
What fits
- 4.8 nights per charge
- Lightest of the 1,000Wh units at 23.8 lb
- $0.47 per watt-hour, the same as the AC70
What does not
- 400W solar input is the lowest in its class
- Cycle life is rated to 70% capacity
Jackery's list price is $559, and it has sold for less at other retailers. Jackery rates its 4,000 cycles to 70% capacity, not 80%.
EcoFlow River 3 Plus
- 1.3 nights
- Diesel air heater
- $299
- $1.05 per Wh
- 10.4 lb
- Weight
For a single night away, this 10.4 lb unit gives 1.3 nights. Its 12V socket is rated 126W, a little above the 120W on the Bluetti and Jackery picks. Six watts is not much, and it is still about 10 amps, so do not count on it to settle a glow plug that trips other sockets. What sets it apart is room to grow. Add-on batteries take it to 858Wh, and its 220W solar input is double what the other small units list.
What fits
- 126W 12V socket
- Expands to 858Wh with add-on batteries
- 220W solar input
What does not
- 1.3 nights leaves no margin for a second night
- $299 is only $60 less than the AC70, which runs 3.5 nights
This is EcoFlow's regular price. It has sold for far less during sales.
Verdict
Buy the Bluetti AC70 if you take weekend trips and want real reserve for $359. Choose the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 for longer stays, since it adds more than a night for $140 and barely any weight. Pick the EcoFlow River 3 Plus if you only heat one night at a time and want a unit you can carry easily. Whatever you buy, test a cold start at home first. If the 12V socket trips, add a 15-amp AC-to-12V power supply.
How these numbers were worked out. Runtime = battery capacity × efficiency ÷ average watts. We use 85% efficiency for AC outlets and 90% for DC and USB ports, because some energy is lost as heat on the way out. A model is marked "can't run it" when the device needs more watts than the outlet gives, or a bigger startup surge than the unit is rated for. Your own device may draw more or less than our assumed load, so treat these as estimates. Prices were checked on 2026-10-04 and change often. Full method
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