- 600W
- while running, 1,200W to start
- 5,760Wh
- used over a full day
- 12 of 15
- models we track can run it
- Best value for a full nightAnker Solix F380013.6 hr$1,979.99Check price
- Longest runtimeEcoFlow Delta Pro 314.5 hr$2,799Check price
- Budget pick for short outagesJackery Explorer 1000 v23.8 hr$499Check price
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Runtime for every model
| Model | Runtime | Capacity | Output | Weight | Price | Per Wh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow River 3 | Can't run it | 245Wh | 300W | 7.8 lb | $239 | $0.98 |
| Jackery Explorer 300 v2 | Can't run it | 288Wh | 300W | 8.2 lb | $299 | $1.04 |
| Anker Solix C300 | Can't run it | 288Wh | 300W | 9.1 lb | $249 | $0.86 |
| EcoFlow River 3 Plus | 1.0 hr | 286Wh | 600W | 10.4 lb | $299 | $1.05 |
| Bluetti AC70 | 2.7 hr | 768Wh | 1,000W | 22.5 lb | $359 | $0.47 |
| EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus | 3.6 hr | 1,024Wh | 1,800W | 27.6 lb | $669 | $0.65 |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 3.8 hr | 1,070Wh | 1,500W | 23.8 lb | $499 | $0.47 |
| Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 | 3.6 hr | 1,024Wh | 2,000W | 24.9 lb | $499.99 | $0.49 |
| Bluetti Elite 100 V2 | 3.6 hr | 1,024Wh | 1,800W | 25 lb | $489 | $0.48 |
| EcoFlow Delta 3 Max | 7.3 hr | 2,048Wh | 2,400W | 44.8 lb | $879 | $0.43 |
| Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 | 7.2 hr | 2,042Wh | 2,200W | 39.5 lb | $899 | $0.44 |
| Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 | 7.3 hr | 2,048Wh | 2,400W | 41.7 lb | $899.99 | $0.44 |
| Bluetti Elite 200 V2 | 7.3 hr | 2,073Wh | 2,600W | 53.4 lb | $899 | $0.43 |
| EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 | 14.5 hr | 4,096Wh | 4,000W | 113.5 lb | $2,799 | $0.68 |
| Anker Solix F3800 | 13.6 hr | 3,840Wh | 6,000W | 132.3 lb | $1,979.99 | $0.52 |
Shaded rows are our picks. Assumed load: A gas furnace whose blower and controls pull 600W, running 40% of the time on a cold day, with a 1,200W startup surge.
Why a gas furnace needs electricity
The gas makes the heat. Electricity moves it. A blower fan pushes the warm air through the ducts to every room, and an electronic control board runs the whole sequence. With no power, a modern gas furnace will not light.
The blower and controls pull about 600W while the furnace runs. The blower is a motor, so it also needs a short burst to get spinning, about 1,200W in our numbers. That burst is called startup surge.
This is the best heating job you can give a battery. A 1,500W space heater warms one room. A furnace uses 600W and delivers the heat of the gas to the whole house.
How many hours of heat you get
A furnace does not run nonstop. It heats the house to the set temperature, rests, and starts again. The share of time it runs is called the duty cycle. Our table assumes 40% on a cold day, which makes the average draw 240W.
At that rate a 1,000Wh unit lasts about 3.6 hours and a 2,000Wh unit about 7.3. The EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 lasts 14.5. A full 24 hours would take about 5,760 watt-hours at the furnace, which is more than any single unit here holds. A watt-hour is a unit of energy: one watt used for one hour.
Lower the thermostat to stretch it
The colder you let the house get, the less often the furnace has to run. Turning the thermostat down a few degrees costs nothing.
If the furnace runs 30% of the time and not 40%, the 7.3 hours from a 2,000Wh unit becomes about 9.7.
For the night itself, heat the people and not the house. An electric blanket uses about 60W, a tenth of the furnace’s draw. The electric blanket guide has the numbers.
Connect it safely or not at all
Most furnaces are hardwired. That means the furnace is wired straight into the house’s electrical system and has no plug. You cannot simply plug it into a power station.
There are two safe ways to do it, and both are jobs for a licensed electrician. A transfer switch moves the furnace circuit from grid power to backup power, so the two can never be connected at once. A furnace inlet is a small box near the furnace that accepts a cord from the power station.
Get the quote before you buy. The hookup decides which unit fits. A 120V unit can feed a single furnace circuit. A 120/240V unit, like the Delta Pro 3 or Anker F3800, can feed the breaker panel through a transfer switch.
Never backfeed. Backfeeding means pushing power into the house wiring through an ordinary outlet with a homemade cord that has a plug on both ends. The exposed prongs are live, and it can kill.
Ask about the neutral
Some furnaces refuse to stay lit on a portable power source. A common cause is called a floating neutral. The furnace’s flame sensor expects the neutral wire to be bonded, or tied, to ground, as it is in normal house wiring. On some power sources it is not, so the furnace cannot confirm the flame and shuts down.
Tell the electrician which power station you plan to use and ask about it. Do not try to fix it yourself.
The picks in detail
Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2
- 7.3 hr
- Gas furnace blower
- $899.99
- $0.44 per Wh
- 41.7 lb
- Weight
It lists 7.3 hours on a cold day, enough to hold a house through an evening outage or the coldest part of a night. Its 4,000W surge rating is more than three times the blower's 1,200W start. It is the only 2,000Wh unit here that takes an expansion battery, which brings it to 4,096Wh and would roughly double the hours. At $899.99 it costs $0.44 per watt-hour.
What fits
- 7.3 hours on a cold day
- Expandable to 4,096Wh with one expansion battery
- $0.44 per watt-hour
What does not
- 7.3 hours covers part of a cold night, not all of it
- 41.7 lb to carry to the furnace
Anker's list price is $1,499.99. Anker lists a 9W idle draw, which is low for this size.
Anker Solix F3800
- 13.6 hr
- Gas furnace blower
- $1,979.99
- $0.52 per Wh
- 132.3 lb
- Weight
This is the cheapest way to buy a full night of furnace time in one box. The F3800 lists 13.6 hours for $1,979.99, or $0.52 per watt-hour, against $0.68 for the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3. It is a 120/240V unit, the kind an electrician can connect to the home's breaker panel through a transfer switch, so the furnace runs on its normal circuit.
What fits
- 13.6 hours on a cold day
- 120/240V output for a transfer switch hookup
- $0.52 per watt-hour
What does not
- 132.3 lb
- No wall charge time listed, only an 1,800W input
Anker's list price is $2,199.99. A newer F3800 Plus is sold alongside it for more.
EcoFlow Delta Pro 3
- 14.5 hr
- Gas furnace blower
- $2,799
- $0.68 per Wh
- 113.5 lb
- Weight
The Delta Pro 3 lists 14.5 hours, the longest furnace runtime in the table, and it is also a 120/240V unit. Its extra cost over the Anker F3800 buys under an hour more heat, so judge it on the other specs. It recharges to 80% in 50 minutes, where Anker lists no charge time for the F3800, and it is 18.8 lb lighter, with wheels and a pull handle. At $2,799 it costs $0.68 per watt-hour.
What fits
- 14.5 hours on a cold day, the longest here
- 120/240V output for a transfer switch hookup
- Recharges to 80% in 50 minutes
What does not
- About $820 more than the Anker F3800 for 0.9 hours more runtime
- 113.5 lb
EcoFlow's list price is $3,699. It has wheels and a pull handle; at 113.5 lb you will need them.
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2
- 3.8 hr
- Gas furnace blower
- $499
- $0.47 per Wh
- 23.8 lb
- Weight
If your outages usually end within an evening, a 1,000Wh unit can keep the blower going long enough to matter. This one lists 3.8 hours, the longest of the four 1,000Wh units, for $499. Its 3,000W surge rating is two and a half times the blower's 1,200W start. But 3.8 hours on a cold day will not get a house through the night.
What fits
- 3.8 hours, the longest of the 1,000Wh units
- $499, or $0.47 per watt-hour, the lowest in its class
- 23.8 lb, the lightest in its class
What does not
- Under 4 hours of furnace time
- Cycle life is rated to 70% capacity, not 80%
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%.
Verdict
Buy the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 if you want to keep the heat on through an evening or the coldest hours of the night. Buy the Anker Solix F3800 if you need a full night and want the lowest cost for that much storage. Choose the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 only if its listed recharge time and lower weight are worth about $820 to you. The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 suits short outages. Whichever you pick, budget for an electrician before you buy.
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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