Reviewers Say These Portable Power Stations Are Worth Their ‘Weight In Gold’ — And You’ll Want Them In An Emergency

Being prepared during storms can look like stocking up on food and supplies and refreshing your safety gear. If it’s not on your list already, a personal portable power station can be a great tool for safety and peace of mind in the event of power outages.
To help you stay connected and prepared in an emergency or routine power loss, we rounded up some of the highest-rated portable power stations that reviewers have used during storms or bad weather.
Whether you’re just looking to charge your phone or hope to keep a space heater running, these options have a variety of sizes and power levels to work for you and your home this winter. And when the weather makes a positive turn, all of them are great options for camping or spending time in the outdoors as well.
If you know your area is due for some major storms this winter or just like to be prepared in every season, we think grabbing a portable power bank is a bright idea.
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Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars Known for its speed, this powerful power bank can recharge its battery up to 80% in less than one hour. It’s made to run larger home appliances like microwaves or fridges and power tools under 1800W. It’s not a budget option, nor is it easy to throw in a backpack (it weighs a little over 30 pounds), but it’s a workhouse that will safe you major peace of mind in a storm. Clip the on-page coupon for added savings and note this currently has a 13-14 day ship time. Promising review: “The day I received this I charged it to 100% after reading the instructions. The following day we lost our electricity due to a bad storm this little gem was worth it’s weight in gold. it provided power to everything we needed for the next 24 hours. It was smaller and lighter than I pictured it and so far I’m 100% satisfied in the purchase. Way to go Ecoflow !” — GERALD COUSINS
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars For under $200, this Grecell power bank packs a big punch. Use it for your personal tech like phones and tablets but also CPAP devices, TVs and mini fridges in an emergency (it has an output of up to 330W). Its multiple outlets let you power up to eight devices at once and you can recharge it in your car when you need more juice. Grab the on-page coupon for an additional discount.Promising review: “Recently had a power outage due to winter storm. The Grecell 2000 was on hand when needed. Was able to bring router, tv and computer online to stay updated and safe. And kept space heater going to keep the chill off. Would definitely recommend this product and plan on purchasing a third one. The versatility of the charging inputs and the outputs were a big factor when deciding on the purchase.” — Amazon customer
Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars Jakcery power banks are a hot commodity among HuffPost readers, and for good reason. They’re easy to use, surprisingly powerful and aren’t total eyesores. The Explorer 500 has a 518Wh capacity to power mid- and smaller-watt devices like mini-fridges, projectors and lights (and it can also charge your phone 53 times). It’s about the size of a basketball and has one AC port, three USB-A ports and two DC ports. It takes 7.5 hours to fully charge from a wall outlet (it comes with a car charger port, too) and can also be powered by the optional Jackery SolarSaga 100W portable solar panel.Promising review: “In February 2021, we had a late winter freeze with rolling blackouts. Even though my entire neighborhood was with out electricity for several days, my Jackery Explorer 500 was able to keep my cell phone charged and I was able to run small fan in the evenings. This Jackery Explorer 500 packs a big punch, do not let its size fool you, it was able to power my ARB fridge for 2 1/2 days without a single charge. One of my favorite features is being able to charge it through my vehicle’s 12 volt oulet and their solar panel in addition to a regular outlet. I carry my Jackery everywhere I go, especially to the hunting blind. Instead of using propane heaters which are costly and dangerous, I now take my jackery and a heated blanket with me, much safer and quieter.” — Jesse I.
Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars Don’t be fooled by the size of this portable camping lantern — it can work as a light for up to 144 hours between charges and can also charge an iPhone four and a half times. It’s waterproof and drop-resistant, making it a perfect thing to take with you camping or to use in the middle of bad storms. You can control the brightness to set the right tone and use the handle to position it or hang it where you need. Promising review: “I bought this lantern for family members due to winter storm outages. They absolutely love this product as it provided the lighting needed and the power bank to charge cell phones. The 3 light features was a plus as well to control brightness levels. I’ve now purchased one for me and I’m very pleased as well with the results. The long lasting battery charge is definitely a plus. It’s a perfect compact emergency must have.” — Amazon customer
Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
Another popular option from Jackery, this high-capacity Explorer 1000 can charge eight devices at the same time. It’s made to run bigger appliances like refrigerators, space heaters or portable air conditioners. Best, this option can be recharged via solar, if the power is out or if you’re camping and comes with two 200W solar panels that can recharge the device in two hours.
Promising review: “This Jackery Solar Generator is an absolute great investment. Beside using it at the beach, park, camping, or even at home, this generator last a long time on full charge. Having the Jackery generator will always give you power when you need it. If you live in a place where you have alot of storms and blackouts, this is a no brainer to have. We love it!” — Tab1200
Rating: 4.4 out of 4 stars
At less than five pounds, this Westinghouse portable power bank can charge your phone 21 times but can run mid-size devices like TVs and mini-fridges too. Designed with multiple ports, charge six devices at the same time and enjoy the built-in flashlight. This option also allows you to recharge it with solar panels.
Promising review: “Must have. Just got my gen160 today. Just in time to charge it up. Storm knocked out power for few hours. Hooked up my wi fi had internet all day. Going to by another one.” — Paul Bacigalupi
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
This high-capacity option lets you charge 10 devices at the same time, including a wireless phone charging option on the top. It powers bigger appliances like electric grills, coffee makers, fridges, microwaves and electric stoves and has a safety LED light. Charge it via your car, an AC outlet or solar via this compatible panel. Grab the coupon for an added discount.
Promising review: “I did not think I would need to use this so fast. I bought this in case of emergency in my house to run electronics. Later the following week a snow storm came out took out my power. I work from home so my desktop needs to be ran. This plugged in my gaming PC, 3 monitors and other accessories with zero hesitation. I am glad I got the 1000W option. When I was not needing it for my desktop, it easily ran my smaller space heater. Lasted days running my computer slowly as needed. I look forward to integrating a solar charger with this to recharge. The wireless charger on top is a nice touch as well. I think this would be a great gift to a man honestly, youll end up finding some use for it.” — Ross K
Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
A known name in the tech world, Anker makes a selection of great products including this durable portable power bank. Charge six devices at the same time as well as mid-size appliances up to like coffee makers, mini-fridges or fans.
Promising review: “I bought this 2 years ago, used it for a particular project and then forgot about it 18 months ago. Well, we had a monsoon type storm here in New Hampshire 2 days ago that snuffed our electricity for 26 hours. Dug this out and it still had 94% charge! Mostly used to charge back up phones and utility flashlight (before realizing the length of outage and firing up regular generator). Enabled us to see well in the dark also to get the gas powered generator out and hooked up. Without it, would’ve been fumbling about with weak phone light and what not. Just super!” — highmetab
Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars In colder months, you don’t want to get caught with a dead car battery. This handy device can jumpstart your car but also works as a portable power bank for cellphones, smart watches and tablets. It has flashlight for extra safety measures and notably works in temperatures as low as -4 degrees, whereas many other lithium ion jump starters are likely to become less effective in the cold. Promising review: “This jump pack has gotten me started in the dead of winter multiple times on a single charge. And then it’s been great to offer to others when they need a jump as well and I don’t have long enough cables to reach them. I really couldn’t ask for a better tool to have in the car just in case.” — Max
Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars
About the size of a lunch box and weighing under four pounds, this compact power station can give your phone 14 charges or juice your laptop 2.25 times. With multiple output ports, you can charge eight devices simultaneously, and the built-in LED light gives you extra safety.
Promising review: “This is a must have if you don’t have alot of money for the higher priced over $500 generators. We had a horrible storm that blew our electricity out for 2 days. This little guy powered our phones, able to plug in our skillet for meals and has a super bright light. We were set.” — Paula