I’ve spent the last 6 years traveling in three different Sprinter Van conversions, and during that time, I’ve experimented with a variety of campervan toilet options. Understandably, where you go to the bathroom is one of the most commonly asked van life questions, so in this blog post, I share the most common toilets used by van lifers.
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Over the years, I’ve tried portable cassette toilets, a composting toilet, pee jars, and my favorite Go Anywhere Toilet. Through personal experience and my conversations with so many van lifers, I can share the pros and cons of the best campervan toilet options for van life and how to pick the right one for your van conversion.
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You might be wondering whether you need a toilet or not in your campervan. I’ve done van life with and without one, and after 6 years, I’ve determined that you do need some way of going to the bathroom inside of your van. You don’t necessarily need a permanent toilet or an entire bathroom, but having something you can use for emergencies or in the middle of the night is really helpful.
Who wag bag toilets are good for: people who want something small, compact, inexpensive and portable and don’t mind using a public bathroom when they are available
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Wag bag toilets are a low-tech, inexpensive camper van toilet option for van lifers who want a toilet for occasional use and/or emergencies. They are very basic, they have a base, a toilet seat to sit on, and a bag to catch solid waste. They are designed specifically for poop, but depending on the type of wag bag you use, the bag may be able to handle some liquid as well.
Wag bags can be expensive, and many van lifers will makeshift their own wag bags using normal garbage bags in order to save money. In our van, we have the Cleanwaste Foldable GO Anywhere Toilet described below. Since we don’t want to be paying to use wag bags every single day, we only use our toilet when we are camping on public lands and there are no clean public toilets available.
The major advantage of wag bag toilets is that there really are no chores associated with them. You do your business, seal up the bag, and throw it in any garbage can. It’s really that simple.
If you choose a wag bag toilet, you will also likely utilize a pee jar for going pee. In our van, Ryan goes pee in a Nalgene and I go in an empty risotto jar from the grocery store. This method of going to the bathroom in your van requires you to be very comfortable with anyone you might be traveling with. I share more about this at the bottom of the post.
After traveling in my second Sprinter van for 2 years without a toilet, in we decided to get the Cleanwaste Foldable GO Anywhere Toilet. We wanted an emergency toilet on board, as well as to avoid public restrooms at that time. Since our van conversion wasn’t designed with a toilet in mind, we didn’t have a dedicated space for a toilet. Therefore, we needed something small and compact that could be stored out of the way. This portable toilet fits on a shelf right under our bed with immediate access whenever we need to use it.
The GO Anywhere Toilet is about the size of a briefcase when stored. When you’re ready to use it, you unfold the toilet legs, lift the lid, and attach a wag bag. It takes about 1 minute to set up. Then you sit down, poop into the wag bag, throw any used toilet paper into the wag bag, seal it up, and toss the wag bag into a garbage can. I really like this campervan toilet because there are no weekly chores associated with it. You never have to deal with dump stations or emptying compost.
Cleanwaste makes wag bags specific for this toilet that have powder in them that will solidify any liquids. While not designed as a toilet for liquids, the powder means you don’t have to worry if you accidentally pee in the wag bag while you are pooping. The wag bags also come with toilet paper and an alcohol wipe that you can use to wipe down the toilet seat or your hands when you are done.
The GO Anywhere Toilet is quite economical, but only if you truly utilize them occasionally vs. everyday use. The wag bags can be expensive, but you can save on them by buying the wag bags in bulk or by sharing a wag bag with another person before you seal it up. You can also buy the powder separately and make your own bags.
The Reliance Products Luggable Loo is a very simple 5-gallon bucket with a snap-on toilet seat lid, and it is the cheapest option on this list. You could go pee straight into the bucket and dump and rinse in the morning, but that could get messy quickly if you can’t clean it regularly.
For poop, you can line the bucket with their compatible Double Doodie Bag which contains an absorption powder to neutralize odors. When you are done, you simply seal up the bag and throw it in the trash. Because of the size of the toilet, the bags are designed to be used multiple times before you throw them away.
This option takes up more space than the Go Anywhere foldable toilet, but it’s much cheaper and if you only use it for #2 (with lined bags), you can use it for storage when not in use. Another advantage is because it’s a simple 5-gallon bucket, any type of trash bag will fit helping to save money on the wag bags.
Who cassette toilets are good for: people who want access to a normal toilet in their van but don’t want to have to deal with installing anything permanent, people who want a toilet that feels the most similar to home
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Portable cassette toilets function most like a regular toilet in that you sit on the seat, and everything goes into a toilet, or “cassette” bowl. Then you flush it, and it rinses everything down into the holding tank. You have to use a healthy amount of scented deodorizer, which breaks down the poop into a liquid and prevents it from smelling. Then once you reach the max fill line, you have to find an RV dump.
I used a cassette toilet in my first Sprinter van, and I really hated dumping it. To dump it, you take the entire toilet out of your van, as there is no permanent plumbing. Then you separate the holding tank from the bowl, unscrew the hose, and pour it down the dump drain. Then rinse and repeat. As you can imagine, it’s not the most pleasant of activities. I’d recommend wearing gloves and closed-toed shoes. This type of portable campervan toilet is also very affordable relative to the composting toilet.
I know plenty of van lifers who have cassette toilets that are perfectly happy with them, so it really just comes down to personal preference and budget. Here are a few top choices for cassette toilets:
The Porta Potti Curve Portable Toilet by Thetford is the one I had in my first Sprinter Van. It’s comfortable and has a 4-gallon fresh water tank with a battery-powered electric flush. The waste water tank is 5.5-gallons and the bottom section can easily be removed for dumping. There are plenty of options from Thetford for portable van toilets depending on your space and needs.
Compared to the Dometic portable toilet mentioned below, this one is taller and feels more like a normal toilet. The downside is it takes up quite a bit of room and won’t fit as tight in a cabinet.
The Dometic Portable Toilet is a smaller cassette toilet option that is popular among van lifers. It uses a touch-button flush so no pumping or batteries are required.
It comes in two sizes – 2.6 gallons and 5 gallons, depending on your needs. Personally 2.6 gallons seems very small, especially if being used by two people. Using the 5-gallon toilet, you will need to find a dump station every 4-5 days with everyday use. If you go for the 2.6 gallon version, you might consider using this only for poop and utilizing a pee jar for pee. That way you won’t have the dump the toilet as frequently.
Who composting toilets are good for: people who want to use their van toilet for both pee and poop, people who go off-grid frequently
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Composting toilets are quickly becoming one of the more popular toilets for van life due to some advantages over the cassette toilet described above. For most composting toilets, you fix it to the floor using a pair of brackets, hook it up to a 12-volt power source, and then run the ventilation hose to the outside of your van. Composting toilets separate liquids and solids tank which means you can use the toilet for both #1 and #2.
On the poop side, you use composting fibers (coconut, wood shavings, and peat moss are popular materials) and instead of flushing away your waste at dump stations, the poop begins the composting process to become nutrient-rich soil.
Because of the compact nature of these composting toilets, the poop won’t be fully composted before the toilet is full. That means you wouldn’t want to spread the compost on your garden or just toss it in the forest since it will still be full of bacteria. Instead, most van lifers will put the poop/compost mixture in a garbage bag and throw it in the trash. Check out this blog post about how to responsibly dispose of solid waste from a composting toilet.
The big differences between the best composting toilets for van life have to due with their overall size, how much pee they can hold, and whether they ned to be vented to the outside of your van.
Here are some popular composting van toilet options:
In my last Sprinter Van and most recently my Rossmonster Baja LX truck camper (see my Rossmonster tour here), I’ve been testing the Trelino Evo Composting Toilet. It’s one of the lightest, most compact, and easiest “composting” toilets to dump. I put quotes around composting because this toilet separates the pee and poo like a composting toilet, but the solid waste bin is lined with a bag. It’s kind of like a mix between a wag bag toilet and a composting material.
You can add compost material (such as wood shavings) to the bag after you go poop, and this allows you to get multiple uses out of each bag before throwing it away. But technically there is no composting going on.
The process of cleaning the poop bin is so simple and doesn’t feel like a gross chore. However, in my experience I’ve found that this toilet works best when you are throwing the bag away every day rather than pooping in it multiple days adding compost material in between. I’ve found that it quickly starts to smell, but only when you open the toilet lid. There is no built-in fan or vent to the outside which is great for portability, but not so great for condensation and odors.
The Trelino comes in a few different sizes. The medium has a pee jug capacity of 1.3 gallons. If you’re a solo person this might last 2-3 days. The large toilet holds 2.6 gallons, which is the size I’d recommend if 2 people will be using the toilet regularly. The pee jug also starts to stink after a few days, so regularly cleaning is necessary.
One downside is there is no indicator that tells you how full it is, so you have to be careful to not overfill it (ask me how I know….). As a woman I’ve also found that sometimes pee accidently goes in the poo bin, and I find myself shifting back and forth on the toilet alot.
Overall this campervan toilet is easy to use and is a good non-permanent solution for van lifers.
The CompoCloset Cuddy is about the same size as a cassette toilet, making it smaller than most other composting toilets. Many reviewers comment that they love how the toilet has a wooden toilet seat option to make it more aesthetically appealing in their van.
Similar to the Trelino Evo, it doesn’t require permanent installation or venting to the outside, making it another portable option. However, the Cuddy has a small built in fan with a carbon filter to reduce odors which makes it a better choice as far as odors. This fan requires power, and it can be hardwired into your battery or plugged into an AC outlet.
I experimented with this toilet when it first came out, and once I got the ratio of water-to-compost material right (I used coconut coir), the toilet did not stink. I love the compact and streamlined design.
Due to its small size, it does have a smaller capacity than the Nature’s Head and Air Head (below), and both the pee and poop need to be emptied more frequently. The pee bottle is opaque, but it has an LED light that indicates when the pee bottle is full and needs to be emptied. This is a big advantage over the Trelino.
The Nature’s-Head Composting Toilet is a self-contained composting toilet that tackles odors by separating the pee and the poop. When the pee side is full, you can dump it anywhere – in an outhouse, in a pit toilet, or in the forest (make sure to be respectful to other campers and to follow local regulations and Leave No Trace principles by emptying it more than 200 feet from any water sources). According to reviews, the 2.2-gallon urine container needs to be emptied every 1-2 days if used regularly by 2 people.
There are two versions of the Nature’s Head, but the only difference is the handle. The spider handle adds 2″ to the width of the toilet, while the crank adds 5″. Reviewers note the crank is easier to use, but it’s personal preference as far as space saving goes.
The Air Head Composting Toilet is the oldest composting toilet on the market and is super popular on boats. This toilet works in the same way as the Nature’s Head, and it’s gaining popularity in the van community because it’s slightly smaller than the Nature’s Head (but still larger overall than other toilet options). In terms of solid capacity, this toilet can hold the most before you need to dump it.
You can also customize the Air Head’s liquid tank size (1 or 2 gallons), tank shape, and what side of the toilet you want the crank and plumbing on. Similar to the Trelino Evo, the Air Head allows you to dump your liquids tank without opening the solids tank. Its liquid tank is opaque (vs. Nature’s Head) which makes dumping your pee a little more inconspicuous.
Several years ago, I traveled without a campervan toilet in my van. I didn’t want to deal with the chores, and I personally didn’t mind digging a hole when camping in the forest. However, with the increasing number of van lifers living on public lands, I’ve since decided that not having a toilet is an irresposible decision for those of us who spend a significant amount of time on the road. Having a toilet in your van is a more environmentally responsible choice that will help keep our campsites clean for others to use.
With that said, if you are a weekend warrior or you spend most of your time in paid campgrounds with bathroom facilities, you may decide you don’t need a toilet in your van. Toilets are certainly a sacrifice in space and can be an inconvenience to deal with, but you should be aware that there are an increasing number of places that no longer allow you to legally dig a hole due to overuse. Fortunately in many of those areas, we are starting to see more outhouses being installed for campers to use, but it’s always a good idea to have a couple of wag bags on hand for emergencies.
One really important thing to keep in mind if you choose to go the no toilet route is that you need to be very well-versed with Leave No Trace guidelines on how to properly poop outdoors and ALWAYS PACK OUT YOUR TOILET PAPER. This means throwing your used toilet paper in your garbage, not leaving in your fire pit for the next campers to burn.
Free dispersed camping areas are being closed due to campers not following Leave No Trace principles (ie taking surface dumps and not packing out their toilet paper). It’s really gross, and as van lifers who often live and recreate on public land, we have a responsibility to do better.
If you are relying on public facilities, there are toilets everywhere…campgrounds, gas stations, grocery stores, rest areas, trailheads, McDonald’s, and the list goes on. Some of them are cleaner than others, but it’s usually pretty easy to find a bathroom in town or at a trailhead after a night of dispersed camping.
There is nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night in your van, putting shoes on, and going outside in the dark to pop a squat. If you don’t have a toilet or you use a wag bag toilet, you’re going to want a solution for going pee inside your van.
Introducing the pee jar…Men can easily pee into a Nalgene, and women are going to want to look for a large, empty plastic wide-mouthed jar that they can pee into while standing up. It’s just like peeing in a cup at the doctor’s but a lot easier due to the large size of the opening and the jar itself.
As I mentioned, I use an empty risotto or cous cous jar. I find them to have enough capacity for a couple of pees, and they are easy to hold onto while I’m going. When I’m done, I just screw the lid on, put it in a cabinet, and then I dump it in the morning, either outside away from any campsites following Leave No Trace principles or in a campground toilet. After dumping it, I rinse it out, spray it with a 1:1 mixture of vinegar and water, and then it’s good as new.
Now, I’ll admit, I don’t feel that ladylike when I’m doing this, and I can literally see some of your squealing faces as you read this… but ladies…realizing that you don’t need a bathroom to go pee is one of the most liberating feelings. If the trailhead toilet is gross, I just go in my jar. If we are driving down the highway, and I can’t hold it until we find a restroom, I go in my jar. No big deal. And dealing with the aftermath isn’t a big deal either.
If you are worried about people seeing your pee in a jar, then I’d recommend putting duct tape around the outside so no one can see what’s in it. You can also use a dark-colored Nalgene water bottle with stickers on it. Stickers are a good reminder that it’s not your water bottle that you want to drink out of.
If you’re traveling with a significant other and you are worried about what they might think, then you might want to rethink who you are choosing to do van life with. It’s close quarters, and to cohabitate in a van, you have to be very comfortable with one another.
What about those pee funnels? Some people swear by pee funnels and others (including myself) don’t find them necessary. With a wide-mouthed plastic jar, you won’t need a pee funnel. One of our team members uses the P Style, but it really comes down to the individual and what works for your body.
We've extensively tested almost 40 of the best portable power stations. In fact, our reviewer, Collin, is basically in love with off-grid power solutions, using them to power his home in case of emergencies. So, whether you're camping, working, in your RV, or need a home back-up system, these are the units we recommend.
For most people, the EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus is the ideal solution. It's not too large or heavy, with more than enough battery capacity to keep you going when you need it most. I'm also giving a shout-out to the Anker 521, which fits nicely in the budget range if you don't need the largest battery going but might need to power a few devices while you're off the grid.
As usual, what we want to see from a good portable power station is high battery capacity and output, plenty of ports and outlets for charging and powering everything from small devices to household appliances, and, of course, a portable design for easy transportation. As part of our review process, we also want to see features like Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), for seamless and continuous power during unexpected outages.
EcoFlow power supplies have long been a favorite of ours, and after extensive tests, the Delta 3 Plus proved an insight into the next generation of off-the-grid power.
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Specs-wise, you’re looking at Wh battery capacity, W output, and a great port selection. For charging the device itself, you have the option of using AC, solar, car, or smart generator, making it a versatile device. .
So, what was our experience using it? Well, we tested this device in the home office, garden, in a Jeep, and out on the road, and it proved to be a lot of fun. Operation was quiet, and we liked the rapid charging features and overall robust build quality. But what particularly impressed us is the UPS with a 10ms switchover, which means your core devices shouldn’t lose connection. During review, we simulated several power outages and our router, laptop, even lights stayed on for as long as the portable power station held charge.
Price is admittedly high, and accessories are limited. However, for the cost, we found this unit delivered a solid balance of power, portability, and features, and an ideal solution for most uses.
Read our full EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus review
I don’t like including models in this round-up without a full review, but I’ll make an exception for the Anker 521, which is one of the cheapest portable power stations you can get.
I’m a big fan of Anker products in general and you’ll find them across my house, from wireless charging pads and power banks to headphones and earbuds. My team and I have also tested and reviewed a host of Anker power stations, and they’ve all proved good for a range of uses and budgets.
The Anker 521 is a compact unit with an LED display and a built-in LED light, which I like especially if you’re using it for camping or during a power outage. You’ll find five ports here - a single AC socket, two USB-A and one USB-C ports, and a car outlet. The trade-off for getting a budget portable power station comes from the lower battery capacity, which sits at just 256Wh. So, you won’t be able to power most household appliances or anything like that, but it’s more than enough to keep smaller devices like your and laptop on charge.
For slightly more power capacity for the price, the Jackery Explorer 300 is an option, although it doesn’t have the longer-lasting LiFePO4 battery. If your budget stretches a little further, I recommend checking out my Bluetti AC70 review. But for a decently specced portable power station under $200 typically, the Anker 521 should prove a great option.
Almost all compact portable power stations will be suitable for camping, but I rather like the Bluetti Handsfree 2 for this role - mostly because many of them are big, boxy, unwieldy units that take up a fair amount of space. The Bluetti Handsfree 2, on the other hand, has a unique tower design that fits snugly inside its own fairly well-made backpack, with room for accessories and essentials you’ll need for camping, hiking, drone operation, photography. It’s pretty versatile (although the bag can feel pretty chunky once full).
In use, we had no issues carrying and charging a range of devices thanks to the 512Wh capacity battery with a 700W output. There are five ports here, so you get one AC socket and two USB-A and two USB-C ports. In other words, we felt it ideal for anyone who needs a relatively simple solution for charging everyday devices like phones and laptops.
It’s not the most powerful portable power station we’ve ever tested, although it’s on par with other units of this size and price. A good alternative we’ve tried is the excellent Deeno GT X (check out our Deeno GTX review). But, at least, the unit is now more readily available across the US, UK, and Australia. If you want a truly portable device and possibly the slimmest model we’ve ever laid out hands on, there’s a lot to like about this one.
Read our full Bluetti Handsfree 2 review
US company Jackery is a core player in the portable power supply game, and one of those brands you typically can’t go wrong choosing. For on-site and field work, though, I like what’s on offer with the Jackery Explorer V2, an update on the V1 unit that increases the power output and improves both port selection and overall portability.
The capacity here is Wh with a W output and W surge protection, capable of powering most household devices and appliances. In our own tests, we found it easily kept up charging three computers, a camera, drone, and lighting for the day. When we hooked up a MacBook Pro, it stayed fully charged with almost a continuous 100W power draw for six hours. We were delighted with the number of ports on offer - three AC sockets, one USB-A and two USB-C ports, and a car outlet - letting you power up a full suite of devices and appliances at once. Usefully, for those using this for work (or even at home), there’s also UPS, and when simulating an outage with a 3D printer, we experienced seamless switchover with no downtime when the power was cut.
At 10kg, it might be slightly too heavy for some, and the W output won’t power every household appliance, like irons, but in short, there wasn’t much we didn’t like about the Jackery Explorer V2 when used for off-site work.
Read our full Jackery Explorer V2 review
There’s no denying that the Anker Solix F is a big beast - but then, with a Wh battery capacity and W output, it needs to be. You can even expand power supply up to 26.9kWh with additional battery packs. We’re just thankful this 132lb monster comes on wheels for portability.
It’s been one of our favorite portable power stations for some time, and I can’t see that change anytime soon. If you need a lot of power for, say, your RV or van life, this is one of the best out there - according to Anker, the unit will capably handle running an air conditioner, or even directly charge an electric vehicle.
And after extensive testing, we can believe that. We ran a router, space heaters, and lights, charged laptops and iPads, and it handled everything we threw at it without issue. Port selection is excellent, boasting three UPS AC sockets and three standard AC sockets, a NEMA 14-50 AC port, L14-30R AC port, a DC port, three USB-C and two USB-A ports, home panel and dual solar panel ports, a car input port, and room for battery expansion.
Beyond the sheer size, weight, and cost, the only real downside here is that we couldn’t charge up another portable power station using this device (and we tried - and the unit warned us of potential damage).
Read our full Anker Solix F review
Depending on connector type, almost all the best portable power stations here will charge a drone - but for my money, the DJI Power 500 would be my pick, since it includes a SDC Lite port specifically designed to power up DJI drones.
Alongside the SDC Lite port, you’ll find two AC output sockets, two USB-C and two USB-A ports, so even if you’re not charging a drone, the unit is still a good power station for general use and back-up power supply for smaller devices. I had a lot of fun reviewing this unit, which weighs just 16lb and is nicely compact. It has a carry handle to the rear which also doubles as a stand, tilting the unit upward and letting you keep an eye on the display while controlling your drone. During testing, I had no issues charging a laptop, , and a Nintendo Switch, and the device stayed quiet throughout operation.
With its 512Wh capacity, it’s not an ultra-powerful unit, and it’s not the best if you’re not a drone operator, as you’re losing an extra port to make space for the SDC Lite connection. However, for anyone looking for neat on-the-go and off-the-grid power for a range of devices, I recommend giving it a try.
Read our full DJI Power 500 review
We've reviewed more than 30 units, and while not all of them can make our round-up, these are some of the best portable power stations if our featured round-up of top-rated devices don't tick all the right boxes.
The EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 is an outstanding portable power station that boasts a Wh battery capacity in a delightfully small form factor. That it's even on wheels makes this model particularly good for true portability, despite its weight. After testing, we came away feeling this is a great pick for home back-up and use in your RV - especially with the ports available here, which can easily power household appliances. It's notably expensive, but there's plenty on offer to justify the price if you need a relatively compact power station that will ably support most electricals when you need off-grid power. Bonus points for seamless smart home integration, too.
Read our full EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 review
The Anker Solix C is compact, portable, reasonably priced, but still full of power - and really shines as a back-up power station for home offices, where our reviewer found it capably powered a host of laptops, monitors, light strips, and more. The device certainly got a workout during our testing, where we also used it to run a pressure washer, charge large-capacity batteries, and living room lamps during a power outage. As expected from an Anker unit, we had no issues here. The only downside, really, was the price - but since our review, we're seeing it a lot cheaper now.
Read our full Anker Solix C review
Earning an Editor's Choice badge after review, the Deeno GT X is a great all-rounder for portable power supply with wireless charging and a good port selection for most standard use-cases. Better still, for those who want a well-built unit for camping or field work, this one also boasts a built-in LED light. And a camping trip is exactly how we tested this device, where we found it easily powered several lights, charged a , smartwatch, and flashlights. In the home, we also tested out how well it could handle running carpet cleaners and shop vacs, charge up drills, and space heaters. It handled all this very well. However, we did note that the unit was slow to charge up using an oversized power brick, not especially quiet in operation, and we would've really liked to see some sort of grip on the wireless charging pad. Greater availability would've likely seen this model make the list.
Read our full Deeno GT X review
I'd characterize the Bluetti AC70 as a solid all-round device for the home - and that's where I spent most of my time when reviewing this model. I found it easily charged a range of smaller devices, including a laptop, , and the Nintendo Switch - and had no problems here at all. But note, it simply doesn't have the output to handle larger devices or household appliances. Design-wise, it's pleasant enough, small and boxy with curves edges and a decent amount of weight. I also liked the clarity of the LED display that kept me up to date on the status of the unit and connected devices. Port selection is fair, too, but won't be ideal for those looking to hook up a multitude of devices.
Read our full Bluetti AC70 review
The FossiBot F promises a simple power station that has all the core features you need and none you don't - and that largely held up during review. Port selection is great, including three AC outlets and an RV outlet for those living the van life, while the built-in flashlight and W output also impressed us. But what we especially enjoyed was the inclusion of a discreet cable compartment atop the unit, letting us storage all the important leads we need within the device itself. Overall, we enjoyed our time with this device, and experienced no issues when it came to charging up a range of devices. On the other hand, we were disappointed by the lack of battery expansion capabilities, the screen can be difficult to see, and navigating to find the right buttons for the job is also tricky. Otherwise, there's a lot to like about this device.
Read our full FossiBot F review
Bluetti is another one of those portable power station companies that make a power station for just about every scenario and every size. However, while they make very good power stations for nearly every person and need, the one thing they do best is emergency power. Especially in light of all of the recent hurricanes in the US, Bluetti has stepped up their game in providing coverage to those in need, proving just how good they are for providing this kind of power in emergency situations. The AC500 + B300K setup is powerful enough to run a surprising amount of gear, and is plenty portable enough to be transported around by hand, cart, vehicle, or boat to get to where power is needed most. Plus, as many others can as well, the AC500 + B300K setup can intake solar power too, making it self-sustainable as well.
Read our full Bluetti AC500 review
It might be small, but the Jackery Explorer 300 offers a surprisingly impressive battery capacity inside its tough plastic shell. In our own tests, we found this one relatively lightweight, highly portable, and very easy to use. In many ways, it's the ideal portable power station for basic use - not too heavy, not overly complicated. Just throw it on the back-seat for keeping devices alive when you're working on the road (or just embarking on your next road trip). We especially liked the ability to charge through the USB socket, which we don't often see and proved to be very practical. If you're familiar with portable power stations, this is effectively a Jackery Explorer that's been shrunk by about two-thirds. It includes a 300W pure-sine inverter and a 293Wh lithium-ion NMC battery, which will be enough for smaller devices like laptops and phones. However, you'll struggle with anything that demands more power. And we were disappointed not to see a built-in flashlight, which would've made this near-perfect for its size. Still, the Jackery Explorer 300 is great at what it does, boasting a high battery capacity in a portable chassis with an excellent build quality.
Read our full Jackery Explorer 300 review
Ugreen’s GS power station is an affordable medium-sized unit for home and office use. The Wh LiFePo4 battery provides over charge cycles before losing 20% of its charge. With a good mix of DC and AC sockets providing W, Wi-Fi, UPS, and fast charge, this station will make life more bearable during power outages. The GS isn’t perfect by any means. The station’s Wi-Fi will turn off without warning, while a 400W solar input represents two and a half hours before the unit is fully charged. The always-on mode still allows a suspended PC to be turned off due to too little power consumed. The GS remains a great buy for anyone looking for their first power station and comes with a five-year warranty out of the box.
Read our full Ugreen PowerRoam GS review
The Mega 2 power station from Oupes packs a Wh battery and a W AC inverter that can surge to W for short periods. With an efficiency of 86%, the unit gets barely warm and generates very little noise through the fans. If more battery capacity is needed, additional power packs can be added, bringing the total capacity to over 10kWh. The station can fully charge in less than two hours, providing UPS mode and wireless accessibility through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It lacks a flashlight but includes a TT30 power socket for RVs and trailers. The Mega 2 has fifteen low-power outputs, including a 12V cigar lighter socket and two 100W USB Type-C. The mobile app for Apple and Android is a joy to use and provides complete control over the station remotely.
Read our full Oupes Mega 2 review
Yes, but it depends on how often you use it and how many devices you're charging. There are a lot of models on the market, and the best portable power stations can handle everything from charging mobile devices and laptops to powering appliances and even EVs. If your needs are simple, you can pick up a good portable power station for around $150-200.
Generally speaking, a portable power station is charged and outputs electricity. Generators tend to refer to units that use fuel like gasoline to generate energy and power.
Both can be used for back-up purposes, and both have different pros and cons.
Power stations are quieter, cleaner and more eco-friendly, and . However, their battery capacity can be low, and if it runs out of charge during a power-cut, you'd best hope it has built-in solar panels to re-charge.
Power generators are ideal for running heavy appliances, as they have a higher capacity, and isn't reliant on electricity, making it perfect for a back-up solution.
It depends on how often you use your power station and the type of battery inside. Like any battery, for example one in a or laptop, this will wear down over time until the power station no longer holds charge. General estimates put the lifespan of a portable power station at around ten years. Expect it to last approximately five years minimum with standard use.
So long as your portable power station has the right ports and enough capacity, it can run a massive range of devices, including phones, laptops, and desktops. Higher capacity units will also let you power appliances and charge electric vehicles.
Check which ports your preferred model has, including USB Type-A and Type-C, AC and mains sockets.
It all depends on the power station and the device or devices you're charging. As a general rule of thumb, to figure out how long your portable power station can run, divide battery capacity (Wh) by power drawn by the device (W).
UPS stands for Uninterrupted Power Supply, and it’s a really important feature if you’re powering devices like routers and household appliances like fridges, or working on-site and need reliability. If you experience a power outage, the portable power station will automatically and seamlessly continue charge your devices without dropping the supply.
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When selecting a portable power station, it's essential to identify your primary needs and priorities for owning one. Most portable power stations have main common features (such as a battery and ports to pull power from that battery). However, port options, battery sizes, UPS ability, and recharging ability are some features that could vary from product to product.
For example, suppose you need a portable power station at the office to back up a vital computer or other technology. In that case, you will need a different portable power station than if you plan on running a campsite or your kitchen fridge in a power outage. In the office, a main focus point would be the UPS ability so that the battery backup would kick in if there is a power outage, yet you can safely keep it plugged in at all times so that when it can, the power station with UPS can pull from the outlet's power. For camping, having that UPS feature may not be nearly as vital, but what would be more important is a balance of size and capacity while also featuring all the ports you need, the proper output, and perhaps even multiple ways to recharge the battery. Maybe you'll need several USB-C outlets to charge camera gear, perhaps you'll need a high-output AC outlet to plug in an air mattress for inflation, and maybe you'll want the ability to recharge via solar or DC power from your truck so you can be completely off the grid.
It's important to consider whether weight is a factor in your situation. Will you need to move it to a campsite or will it stay put once it's set up? Will you keep it in your vehicle for emergencies or use it in remote locations? Your answer to these questions will determine whether weight is a deciding factor in your choice. Some power stations come with handles or wheels, while others are designed to be portable but will mostly be used in one spot. Whatever your scenario, make sure to choose the power station that fits your needs.
If you aren't quite sure which one to get, guides like this can help. We've done the hard work of testing these power stations, and our expert team of reviewers is here to help you decide which portable power station you may want to buy for whatever adventures lie ahead.
Our team of expert reviewers have hand-tested a range of outdoor-ready equipment, including the best rugged smartphones, the best rugged laptops, and the best rugged tablets for working out in the field. We've even tested out the best rugged hard drives. So, we know what to look for when it comes to technology for rural locations and hostile environments.
We test the best portable power stations on volume, weight, battery chemistry, and additional feature sets. Before writing any review, we try to fully understand the unit to describe each device's pros and cons best and accurately compare them. Part of this process is through benchmark tests, part is through daily use, and part is through simulated or real scenarios.
As the main function of these devices is to be batteries, we test charge and discharge cycles on every unit. First and foremost, this is the most important feature of the portable power stations we test. If they cannot meet our standard here or do not come near what the other portable power stations in this guide are capable of, we will most likely not include them.
Next, we push the power stations to their limits and beyond. We intentionally exceed the maximum power allowed on each generator, then observe and note the recovery from the over-power protection. This helps us promote safe power stations for you and your family.
To ensure reliability, these tests are designed to learn the features, the downfalls, and the limits of the power stations tested by our subject matter experts.
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