What Size Portable Power Station Do I Need? A UK Guide

You need two numbers to size a portable power station. Watts (W) show how much power you draw at once, and watt-hours (Wh) show how long the battery lasts. First, add up the watts of everything you will run together. Then multiply each device’s watts by its hours of use to find the capacity you need.

As a rule of thumb, 250 to 300Wh covers phones, lights and a laptop for a weekend. A 1kWh unit adds a small fridge for a short outage. Above 2kWh is home-backup territory. This guide shows the sums, so you can check your own list.

Watts and watt-hours: what is the difference?

Output in watts is the most a unit can supply at one moment. Capacity in watt-hours is the size of the tank. The “W” in a “1000W” or “3000W” label is output. However, output alone says nothing about how long the unit lasts.

Divide capacity by load to estimate runtime. For example, 1,070Wh divided by 60W gives 17.8 hours. Jackery’s own runtime table for the Explorer 1000 v2 lists 15 hours for a 60W portable fridge. That is about 16% less (15 divided by 17.8 is 0.84). So allow roughly one sixth for conversion losses, and treat every runtime as a best case.

Step 1: list your devices and their watts

Write down each device you want to power. Then find its watts on the label or in the manual. A plug-in meter shows the real draw of a single appliance, and our home energy monitor guide explains how it works. For a whole-home view, see home energy monitors.

Kettles deserve a check, because they draw a lot of power. Morphy Richards says most household kettles run between 2,200 and 2,400W. Rapid-boil designs reach 3,000W, while travel kettles sit nearer 1,000W. Jackery’s table for the 1000 v2 uses a 600W kettle, so look at your own kettle’s label before you trust any “runs a kettle” claim.

Step 2: work out the output you need

Add the watts of everything that might run at the same time. That total must sit below the unit’s rated output. For example, a 60W laptop charger, a 10W router and a 100W fridge add up to 170W. Any unit covers that load.

Two extra figures matter for heavy loads. First, makers list a surge rating for short peaks. EcoFlow lists 3,600W surge for the DELTA 3 Classic, which has a rated output of 1,800W. Second, EcoFlow says its X-Boost technology supports devices up to 2,400W on that same unit. So a kettle rated above 1,800W may still run, but check the maker’s notes first.

UK sockets set a ceiling as well. Jackery’s Explorer 3000 v2 lists three 230V, 13A UK sockets. Multiply 13A by 230V and you get 2,990W. So a single socket tops out near 3kW, however large the battery behind it.

Step 3: work out the capacity you need

Multiply each device’s watts by the hours you will use it. For example, a 60W laptop for 4 hours needs 240Wh. A 10W router for 8 hours needs 80Wh. Add them up, then divide by 0.84 to allow for the losses above.

Fridges need a different method, because the compressor cycles on and off. Instead of nameplate watts, take the annual kWh from the energy label and divide by 365. As an illustration, a label of 150kWh a year works out at about 410Wh a day (150,000 divided by 365). Add that to the laptop and router, and the day totals 730Wh. Divided by 0.84, that comes to about 870Wh, so a 1kWh unit fits.

What do 1000W, 2000W and 3000W power stations suit?

The examples below use the maker’s UK listing. Output class and capacity do not always match, so read both figures. Stock changes often. EcoFlow’s page showed the DELTA 3 Max series on preorder when we read it.

• About 1kWh and 1,500 to 1,800W: The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 lists 1,070Wh and 1,500W. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic lists 1,024Wh and 1,800W. These suit a laptop, lights, a router and a small fridge.
• About 2kWh and 2,200 to 2,400W: The Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 lists 2,042Wh and 2,200W. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max lists 2,048Wh and 2,400W, and the Bluetti AC200L lists the same capacity and output. A fridge alone at 410Wh a day would run about four days from 2,042Wh after losses (2,042 multiplied by 0.84, divided by 410, is 4.2).
• 3,000W and above: The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus lists 2,048Wh and 3,000W. The Jackery Explorer 3000 v2 lists 3,072Wh and 3,600W. The EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 lists 4,096Wh and 4,000W.

Notice the catch with the biggest outputs. At full load, 2,048Wh divided by 3,000W lasts about 41 minutes before losses. The Jackery 3000 v2 gives 3,072 divided by 3,600, which is about 51 minutes. Therefore a 3,000W label suits short bursts of power tools or a kettle, not hours of heavy use. For a side-by-side look at these brands, read our Jackery vs EcoFlow vs Bluetti comparison.

How much solar do I need to recharge it?

Sunlight is the limit in Britain. PVGIS gives a 200W panel in London about 820Wh on an average June day, and about 230Wh in December. Those figures assume a south-facing panel at a 35 degree tilt. So a 1,070Wh unit needs about 1.3 average June days, or about 4.7 December days.

In practice, many owners top up from the mains and use solar to extend a trip. If you only need phone charging, a lighter option works better. Read our comparison of a solar power bank versus a folding solar panel, and see portable solar chargers. Our power station buyer’s guide covers the larger panels.

Frequently asked questions

Can a power station run my whole house?

No, not through normal sockets. A portable unit runs chosen appliances for some hours. EcoFlow says the DELTA Pro 3 needs its manual transfer switch fitted by a certified electrician to power house circuits. Our solar generators and power stations hub explains the difference from a fixed home battery.

Do I need one for garden lighting?

Usually not. Garden lights charge themselves, and a power station is far more than they need. Start with our guide to solar fence lights. If a set stops working, our fix guide for solar garden lights that stop working helps. You can also read about solar garden lighting and the IP ratings explained for outdoor kit.

Are these figures tested?

No. We chose the examples from manufacturers’ published UK specifications and have not tested the units. Our page on how we choose explains the method.

Sources

• Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 product page: 1,070Wh, 1,500W, runtime table (60W portable fridge 15 hours; kettle row uses 600W). Jackery UK.
• Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 product page: 2,042Wh, 2,200W. Jackery UK.
• Jackery Explorer 3000 v2 product page: 3,072Wh, 3,600W, 7,200W peak, 3x 230V 13A UK sockets. Jackery UK.
• EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic product page: 1,024Wh, 1,800W, 3,600W surge, X-Boost to 2,400W. EcoFlow UK.
• EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max series product page: 2,048Wh, 2,400W (Max) and 3,000W (Max Plus); preorder, shipping from 30 October 2026, when read. EcoFlow UK.
• EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 product page: 4,096Wh, 4,000W, manual transfer switch needs a certified electrician. EcoFlow UK.
• BLUETTI AC200L product page, UK store: 2,048Wh, 2,400W. BLUETTI.
• How Many Watts Does a Kettle Use?: 2,200 to 2,400W typical, 3,000W rapid-boil, about 1,000W travel kettles. Morphy Richards.
• PVGIS photovoltaic estimates: London, PVGIS-SARAH3, 2005 to 2023, 35 degree south-facing, 14% losses. European Commission Joint Research Centre.
• Arithmetic shown in the text: runtime is capacity divided by load; a socket’s limit is 13A multiplied by 230V; fridge use is the label’s annual kWh divided by 365. Example loads (60W laptop, 10W router, 100W fridge, 150kWh label) are illustrations, not measurements.