Get to Know Your Solar Brands: Jackery
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Introduction
Portable power stations are all the rage as van life and remote workers mean more people are taking their lives (and their computers) on the road. One company that has become synonymous with portable solar power on the go is Jackery.
Jackery designs, develops and manufactures portable power solutions from its base in California. You can find Jackery power stations and solar panels right here if you want to see what's on offer, but we'll cover the basics in this review.
About Jackery
Jackery was established in 2012 and co-founded by a former Apple senior engineer and a CEO called Z Sun, a pioneer in the field of Li-battery technology. The original founder developed a battery jacket for the Apple iPhone, which is where the name Jackery comes from. They made history in 2016 by launching the world's first Lithium portable power station, known as the Explorer series, which won a German Red Dot and iF Design Award later that year. The company has sold more than 3 million portable power stations and other units to date.
What's Their Signature Product?
Jackery makes portable power stations, solar panels, solar generators, and accessories for the outdoor and mobile market, but they are best known for their portable power stations. The New York Times named the Explorer 1000 the best portable power station in the world in 2023, with good reason.
Jackery Explorer 1000
The Jackery Explorer 1000 portable power station weighs just 22 pounds, which makes it easy for the average adult to carry around safely, but it comes with enough of a punch (1,000 W) to power your appliances, from your laptop to your CPAP machine. In their review, the New York Times said that the Jackery portable power station has "one of the highest battery capacities" among any of the models they tested. It has a ton of output ports so you can keep your gadgets plugged in, and it has a very easy-to-read screen that shows you exactly how much power you have left.
Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels
When most of us think about solar panels, we think about those big and bulky fixtures you see on the roofs of buildings. Jackery's solar panels are different. They are flexible and fully portable but surprisingly strong and efficient. There are 80W, 100W, and 200W versions, all of which are easy to set up and lightweight enough to carry around when you go camping. If you use a Jackery portable power station, you can hook your solar panels directly into the MPPT so you can convert solar energy into usable battery power.
One nifty feature for those of you who love to get away from it all and Instagramming about it at the same time: you can plug mobile phones and other small devices directly into the back of your solar panels. That means you can get away with just packing some solar panels if you don't need to power anything other than your phones.
The only downside is your solar panels won't be able to handle heavy rain and are lightweight enough to blow away if there are strong winds, so keep an eye on them if the weather turns.
Jackery will send you four solar panels if you purchase a 1500W solar generator from them, which means you can charge your unit on the go in less than four hours. If you have a smaller unit, like the Jackery Explorer 500, you can get away with just one 100W solar panel.
What's New From Jackery?
Jackery has launched a few new products, including the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus. It's really great if your power needs have changed or if you want more flexibility from your portable power station setup. It comes with 2-12 kWH of expandable capacity and can power up heavy-duty devices up to 3000W. It's fast charging thanks to IBC technology and comes with a great-quality LiFeP04 battery with a 10-year lifespan and a five-year warranty. The really cool thing about this solar generator is its variable speed charging algorithm, which not only charges the battery in 2 hours but boosts battery life by 50%.
You can find a lot of the same technology and benefits in the 3000W Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station, which is available for less than $2000. It also comes with a LiFeP04 battery, fast charging, and a five-year warranty.
How Does Jackery Stack Up Against the Competition?
Jackery's biggest competitor is probably EcoFlow and their Delta range. The Delta 2000 Max portable power station can charge up to 80% from 0 in just 65 minutes or 100% in less than two hours. Generally speaking, Jackery and Ecoflow are very similar in the 300W-600W range, with more marked differences as the units get more powerful.
Before launching the Explorer 2000 Plus, EcoFlow had Jackery beaten in terms of power capacity. They also have a nifty app and remote control that Jackery doesn't have. The app is a nice touch if you use solar and want to keep an eye on your setup remotely. Jackery can accept the most input at once in terms of solar panels, which is a benefit, but they can be a little pricier than EcoFlow in most cases.
We've also seen reviewers say that Jackery is quieter than EcoFlow units, which can be a plus if you are looking for renewable power in the great outdoors.
Who is Jackery For?
Jackery portable power stations, solar generators, and portable solar panels are a great addition to any camping, cabin, or van setup. With rapid charging, plenty of USB ports, and a lightweight but durable design, Jackery can keep big and small appliances going wherever you are. It's great as an emergency backup solution or as a lightweight source of power when you are camping or traveling.
We would recommend it for any outdoor enthusiasts that need a reliable source of clean power while they are on the go.
If you want to know more about Jackery, you can find their products at ShopSolar.com. You can also speak to one of our solar experts to get their opinion about your next solar purchase from Jackery or any other solar company.
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