- 50W
- while running
- 1,200Wh
- used over a full day
- 15 of 15
- models we track can run it
- Best for a night and the next dayJackery Explorer 1000 v219.3 hr$499Check price
- Best for a beach day or a picnicJackery Explorer 300 v25.2 hr$299Check price
- Cheapest way past a full dayEcoFlow Delta 3 Max36.9 hr$879Check price
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Runtime for every model
| Model | Runtime | Capacity | Output | Weight | Price | Per Wh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow River 3 | 4.4 hr | 245Wh | 300W | 7.8 lb | $239 | $0.98 |
| Jackery Explorer 300 v2 | 5.2 hr | 288Wh | 300W | 8.2 lb | $299 | $1.04 |
| Anker Solix C300 | 5.2 hr | 288Wh | 300W | 9.1 lb | $249 | $0.86 |
| EcoFlow River 3 Plus | 5.1 hr | 286Wh | 600W | 10.4 lb | $299 | $1.05 |
| Bluetti AC70 | 13.8 hr | 768Wh | 1,000W | 22.5 lb | $359 | $0.47 |
| EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus | 18.4 hr | 1,024Wh | 1,800W | 27.6 lb | $669 | $0.65 |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 19.3 hr | 1,070Wh | 1,500W | 23.8 lb | $499 | $0.47 |
| Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 | 18.4 hr | 1,024Wh | 2,000W | 24.9 lb | $499.99 | $0.49 |
| Bluetti Elite 100 V2 | 18.4 hr | 1,024Wh | 1,800W | 25 lb | $489 | $0.48 |
| EcoFlow Delta 3 Max | 36.9 hr | 2,048Wh | 2,400W | 44.8 lb | $879 | $0.43 |
| Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 | 36.8 hr | 2,042Wh | 2,200W | 39.5 lb | $899 | $0.44 |
| Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 | 36.9 hr | 2,048Wh | 2,400W | 41.7 lb | $899.99 | $0.44 |
| Bluetti Elite 200 V2 | 37.3 hr | 2,073Wh | 2,600W | 53.4 lb | $899 | $0.43 |
| EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 | 3.1 days | 4,096Wh | 4,000W | 113.5 lb | $2,799 | $0.68 |
| Anker Solix F3800 | 2.9 days | 3,840Wh | 6,000W | 132.3 lb | $1,979.99 | $0.52 |
Shaded rows are our picks. Assumed load: A thermoelectric plug-in cooler pulling 50W from the 12V socket. Unlike a compressor fridge it never cycles off, so it draws 50W the whole time.
Why this cooler never rests
A thermoelectric cooler has no compressor and no refrigerant gas. It cools with a flat solid plate that gets cold on one side and hot on the other when current runs through it, plus a fan that blows the heat away. That makes it cheap to buy. It also means it runs flat out the whole time it is plugged in.
Our numbers use 50W. Nonstop, that is 1,200 watt-hours a day. A watt-hour is a unit of energy: one watt used for one hour.
A compressor fridge works like the one in your kitchen. It runs hard, reaches its set temperature, and rests. The 45-litre 12V fridge in our numbers runs about 35% of the time and uses about 380Wh a day. One is a car that cruises and then coasts. The other has the pedal held down all day. So the cheap cooler costs about three times the battery. The 12V car fridge guide has the full math.
What that means in hours
Plug the cooler into the station’s car-style 12V socket, which is what its cord is made for. Every model’s socket is rated for 120W or more. In our math 90% of the battery reaches the cooler this way, so a day costs about 1,330Wh of battery.
- 300Wh class: 4.4 to 5.2 hours
- Bluetti AC70: 13.8 hours
- 1,000Wh class: 18.4 to 19.3 hours
- 2,000Wh class: about 37 hours
No unit under 2,000Wh reaches a full day. Only the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 at 3.1 days and the Anker Solix F3800 at 2.9 days get past two, and both weigh more than 110 pounds.
It only cools relative to the air around it
These coolers can hold roughly 35 to 40 degrees F below the surrounding air, and no more. In a 75 degree tent that is fridge-cold. In a parked car at 100 degrees, the inside sits around 60 to 65. That is fine for drinks. It is not safe storage for raw meat or dairy, which need 40 degrees or below.
The battery cost is the same either way. Hot air does not make the cooler draw more. It makes the cooler do less with the same 50W.
How to get more from it
- Pre-chill everything. Load it with food and drinks already cold from the home fridge. The cooler is slow at pulling heat out of warm things.
- Add ice packs or frozen water bottles. They do the cooling the plate cannot.
- Give it shade and air. Keep it out of the sun and leave the fan vents clear.
- Use the car while you drive. Run the cooler from the car’s own 12V socket on the road, and save the power station for when you are parked.
Who should buy a compressor fridge
If you camp a few times a year and already own the cooler, a station sized for one night makes sense. If you camp often, the numbers point the other way. A compressor fridge costs more to buy, but it needs about a third of the battery, so a smaller station does the job. The same Bluetti AC70 that runs this cooler for 13.8 hours runs a 12V fridge for 1.8 days. The fridge also holds the temperature you set, even in a hot car.
The picks in detail
Bluetti AC70
- 13.8 hr
- Thermoelectric cooler
- $359
- $0.47 per Wh
- 22.5 lb
- Weight
13.8 hours covers an evening, a night and breakfast. Plug in at 6 pm and it runs until just before 8 the next morning. At $359 it is the cheapest unit that gets a cooler through a night, and its $0.47 per watt-hour is well under the rate of every 300Wh unit. Its 500W solar input is the largest under 1,000Wh, which helps on a second day. It does not reach a full 24 hours.
What fits
- 13.8 hours, enough for one night
- $359, the lowest price that covers a night
- 500W solar input
What does not
- Stops about 10 hours short of a full day
- 22.5 lb
Coupon deals well under this price have appeared.
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2
- 19.3 hr
- Thermoelectric cooler
- $499
- $0.47 per Wh
- 23.8 lb
- Weight
19.3 hours is the longest runtime of any unit under 2,000Wh, 5.5 hours more than the AC70. It weighs 23.8 lb, only 1.3 lb more, so the extra hours cost $140 and almost no extra carrying. Plugged in at 6 pm on Friday, it runs past 1 pm on Saturday. It still falls short of 24 hours, and its 400W solar input is the lowest of the 1,000Wh class.
What fits
- 19.3 hours, the longest under 2,000Wh
- Only 1.3 lb heavier than the AC70
What does not
- Still short of a full day
- 400W solar input, the lowest in its class
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%.
Jackery Explorer 300 v2
- 5.2 hr
- Thermoelectric cooler
- $299
- $1.04 per Wh
- 8.2 lb
- Weight
At 8.2 lb this is light enough to carry with the cooler from the car to the sand. It gives 5.2 hours, which covers an afternoon and no more. Price is the weak point. $299 is $1.04 per watt-hour, and only $60 less than the AC70, which runs the same cooler for 13.8 hours. Buy it for the weight. The EcoFlow River 3 is lighter at 7.8 lb and costs $239, but it runs 4.4 hours and stock may be limited.
What fits
- 8.2 lb
- 5.2 hours covers an afternoon
What does not
- $1.04 per watt-hour, more than double the AC70's rate
- Will not last a night
This model replaced the Explorer 300 Plus. Jackery rates its 4,000 cycles to 70% capacity, not 80%.
EcoFlow Delta 3 Max
- 36.9 hr
- Thermoelectric cooler
- $879
- $0.43 per Wh
- 44.8 lb
- Weight
36.9 hours, about a day and a half, for $879. That is the lowest price of any unit that runs the cooler past 24 hours. Its car socket is rated for 126W, well above the cooler's 50W. Before you spend this much, compare. A 12V compressor fridge on the $359 AC70 runs 43.9 hours in our numbers, longer than this unit runs the cooler. That $520 gap is money toward the fridge.
What fits
- 36.9 hours per charge
- $879, the lowest price in the 2,000Wh class
What does not
- 44.8 lb
- A lot of battery for a cooler that cannot hold fridge temperatures in a hot car
EcoFlow's list price is $1,199. The Delta 3 Max Plus is a separate, pricier model.
Verdict
For an overnight trip, buy the Bluetti AC70. It runs a thermoelectric cooler for 13.8 hours and costs $359. The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 adds 5.5 hours for $140 more. For an afternoon, the Jackery Explorer 300 v2 is easy to carry. If you need more than a day, price a 12V compressor fridge before you buy the EcoFlow Delta 3 Max. The fridge uses about a third of the battery and holds a set temperature, which this kind of cooler cannot do in the heat.
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
Related guides
- Best Portable Power Station for 12V Car FridgeA 45-litre 12V compressor fridge uses about 380Wh a day. A 768Wh power station runs one for 1.8 days from the 12V socket. Runtime math for 15 models.
- Best Portable Power Station for Mini FridgeA mini fridge averages about 26W because its compressor rests two thirds of the time. A 768Wh power station runs one for about a day. Math for 15 models.
- Best Portable Power Station for Tent CampingLights, a fan, phones and a speaker use about 280Wh a day in a tent. A 768Wh power station covers a weekend. Days per charge for 15 models.
- Best Portable Power Station for Chest FreezerA chest freezer averages about 30W, and a full one stays frozen 48 hours unopened. A 768Wh power station runs one for 21.8 hours. Math for 15 models.
- Best Portable Power Station for Full-Size RefrigeratorA full-size fridge needs about 1,200W to start, which rules out 300W power stations. A 1,000Wh unit runs one for about 14.5 hours. Math for 15 models.