Which power station comparisons do people ask about?

Which pair are you deciding between?

How were these comparison pairs chosen?

Each pair is one that buyers name together in the questions we collected. We didn't pick pairs to favor a brand or to fill out a grid. If people ask about two models in the same breath, the pair gets a page.

That rule keeps the list short. There are 4 comparison pages today, out of the many pairs you could make from 56 models. Most possible pairs never came up in those questions, so they have no page. A head-to-head helps most when two models sit close together in capacity and price, because that is where a quick look at the specs settles the least.

A pair is not a recommendation. Sometimes neither model is the best fit for your job. If a use you need appears in neither model's "only one meets" line and neither model page shows a check for it, both may miss it. In that case the best-for lists are a better place to look, since they check every model against your job at once.

How should you read a comparison page?

Read the verdict at the top first, then the spec table, then the runtime table. The verdict tells you which model wins on what. The tables show you the numbers behind it so you can decide which wins matter to you.

• The verdict. The first paragraph says what each model is better at and which uses only one of them meets. It is generated from the spec table, so it never says more than the specs show.
• Where to buy. Links to each maker's store and to Amazon, so you can check current prices.
• The spec table. Capacity, AC output, surge, weight, solar input, rated cycles, AC charging, UPS switchover, list price, watt-hours per list dollar, chemistry, expansion and outlet count, side by side.
• The runtime table. Calculated hours for common appliances on each model from a full charge, at 85% inverter efficiency.
• Related pages. The use lists and guides that matter most for that pair.

What does the 5% rule mean?

A dot marks the better figure only when the two models differ by 5% or more on that spec. Smaller gaps are left unmarked, because a gap under 5% in a spec moves runtime or output by under 5% too.

Here is why the line sits there. Two batteries a few percent apart in capacity give runtimes a few percent apart, which is smaller than the effect of battery age, cold weather or the idle draw a calculation can't see. Marking every tiny gap would make a near tie look like a win. If a spec has no dot, treat the two models as equal on it and decide on something else.

The rule doesn't make every marked gap important. A large gap in solar input means nothing if you will never use panels. A small but marked gap in surge rating can decide whether your fridge starts. Look at the dots for the specs your job depends on and ignore the rest.

What does watt-hours per dollar tell you?

Watt-hours per list dollar is the battery capacity divided by the list price. It shows how much stored energy each dollar buys. A 1,000 Wh model listed at $500 works out to 2 Wh per dollar, and the same capacity listed at $1,000 works out to 1 Wh per dollar.

It is a useful first look at value, but it has limits. It ignores inverter size, surge, weight, solar input and expansion, which can be worth paying for. It also uses the maker's list price, and a sale moves the figure in proportion: at 20% off, the same battery gives a quarter more watt-hours per dollar. Recompute it with the price you see on the day you buy. Use it to break a tie between two models that both pass your hard limits, not to pick a winner on its own.

Which specs should decide a head-to-head?

The specs your job depends on should decide it, in this order: hard limits first, then hours, then comfort. Hard limits are AC output and surge, because no amount of battery fixes an inverter that can't start your load.

1. Hard limits. Check that both models can carry your running watts and start any motor. If one can't, the comparison is over. The guide to surge and running watts explains how to find those numbers.
2. Hours. Compare runtimes for the appliances you actually own. A capacity gap with a dot means a runtime gap of about the same share.
3. Job-specific specs. Weight for camping, solar input for off-grid use, switchover time for computers, expansion for home backup.
4. Value. Watt-hours per dollar and the current sale price.

The "only one meets our requirements" lines in the verdict are the quickest place to start. They tell you which uses one model clears and the other doesn't, using the same thresholds as the best-for lists.

How do you compare two models that don't have a page here?

Open both model pages in separate tabs and read them section by section, then run both through the runtime calculator with your own loads. Every model page uses the same layout and the same 14 spec fields, so a side-by-side read is straightforward.

1. Find both models. Start from all power stations. If they are close in capacity, the size band page puts them in one table, such as 2,000–2,999 Wh power stations.
2. Compare fit checklists. Each model page lists the uses it meets and the ones it misses by one requirement. Differences there are the same differences a comparison page would flag.
3. Apply the 5% rule yourself. For each spec, divide the gap by the smaller figure. Under 5%, call it a tie.
4. Run your own loads. Enter your appliances in the power station runtime calculator and switch between the two models to see both runtimes.
5. Check solar if you will use it. The solar recharge calculator shows how fast each one refills from your panels.
6. Check prices on the day. Compare both retailers for each model and recompute watt-hours per dollar.

If you are torn between two brands rather than two models, the brand pages show each lineup in full.

When is a comparison close enough to call a tie?

Call it a tie when no dot falls on a spec your job depends on and both models meet the same uses. At that point the specs have done their work, and the choice comes down to price on the day, weight you can live with, or a brand you already use.

Ties are common between models in the same size band, because makers aim at the same buyers. Don't keep hunting for a spec winner that isn't there. Pick the one that is cheaper today, or the one whose extra batteries or panels you already own. If the tie is between two models that both fall short of your needs, step up a size band instead and start a new comparison there. The guide to sizing a power station helps you check that the band is right before you compare again.

What can't a spec comparison tell you?

A spec comparison can't tell you how two models compare in noise, build quality, app reliability or support, because none of that is in the published specs. We compared published specifications and suitability criteria. We didn't use the units.

It also can't fill gaps the makers leave. If one model shows "Not published" for a spec, the comparison can't mark a winner on it. Check the maker's manual or ask the brand directly if that spec matters to you. Lists and verdicts never depend on commissions. The how we research page explains the full method.