How to Size a Power Station for Your Needs (Calculator + Guide)

The most common mistake when buying a portable power station is getting the wrong size. Too small and it dies before your trip is over. Too large and you’ve overpaid for capacity you’ll never use. Here’s how to get it right.

The Simple Formula

Add up the watts of everything you want to run. Multiply by the hours you need to run them. That’s your minimum watt-hours (Wh).

Device Watts × Hours of Use = Wh needed

Add all your devices together, then add a 20% buffer (batteries don’t deliver 100% of rated capacity in real-world conditions). That’s your target.

Common Device Power Draws

Device	Watts	8 hrs usage
Smartphone charge	15W	15 Wh (one charge)
Laptop charge	60W	60 Wh (one charge)
LED camp light	10W	80 Wh
12V mini fridge	60W	480 Wh
CPAP machine	30-60W	240-480 Wh
Electric blanket	100W	800 Wh
Coffee maker	1,000W	15 Wh (1 min brew)
Microwave	1,000W	50 Wh (3 min use)
Portable heater	1,500W	12,000 Wh
Full-size fridge	150W	400 Wh (compressor cycles)
WiFi router	15W	120 Wh

Sizing by Use Case

Weekend Camping (2 nights)

Target: 500-1,000Wh

Typical needs: phone charging, LED lights, maybe a small fan or portable speaker. A mini fridge pushes you toward the higher end.

Our picks: Bluetti AC70 (768Wh, $499) or Anker SOLIX C1000 (1,056Wh, $699)

Extended Camping with Solar (5+ days)

Target: 1,000-1,500Wh + solar panels

With solar panels recharging during the day, you don’t need to carry all your energy at once. A 1,000Wh station with 200W of solar panels will replenish about 600-800Wh per sunny day.

Our picks: EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus (1,024Wh, $649) or Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 (1,070Wh, $799)

Home Emergency Backup (12-24 hours)

Target: 1,500-3,000Wh

Running a fridge, WiFi router, phone chargers, and lights for 24 hours requires serious capacity. A 2,000Wh unit handles this comfortably.

Our picks: Bluetti Elite 200 V2 (2,073Wh, $1,099) or EcoFlow Delta 2 Max (2,048Wh, $1,699)

Whole-Home Backup (multi-day)

Target: 4,000Wh+ with expansion

If you want to run AC, washer, dryer, and full kitchen during an extended outage, you need a big system. Expandable units let you scale to your needs.

Our picks: EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 (4,096Wh expandable to 48kWh, $1,999) or Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus (2,042Wh expandable to 24kWh, $1,999)

RV / Van Life (daily use)

Target: 1,000-2,000Wh + solar

You need enough to get through the night, with solar panels to recharge during the day. Focus on units with good solar input and quiet operation.

Our picks: EcoFlow Delta 2 (1,024Wh, $849) or Bluetti AC180 (1,152Wh, $699)

Don’t Forget Output Wattage

Capacity (Wh) tells you how long you can run things. Output (W) tells you what you can run. Make sure the continuous output wattage exceeds the draw of your most demanding device:

• Under 500W devices (phones, laptops, lights): Any power station works
• 500-1,500W devices (blenders, small tools): Need 1,500W+ output
• 1,500-2,000W devices (microwaves, hair dryers): Need 1,800W+ output or Power Lifting/X-Boost
• 2,000W+ devices (space heaters, large tools): Need 2,000W+ output

The Bottom Line

1. List your devices and their wattage
2. Estimate daily hours of use for each
3. Add up total watt-hours
4. Add 20% buffer
5. Choose a power station at or above that number
6. Make sure the output wattage handles your most demanding device

Still unsure? Use our comparison tool to see the specs side-by-side.