Are you an outdoor adventurer looking to turn your boring campsite into a well-lit glamping ground? The Jackery Explorer 1000 V2 is marked down to $449, almost $350 off its list price, a supercharged price reduction for a product that’s otherwise a little spendy.
Jackery portable power stations have found their way onto multiple WIRED lists, including our roundup of the best power banks, as well as our favorite portable power stations, thanks to their consistent, relatively quiet operation. They’re a great pick for adventurer who don’t want to go too far from their devices, and they can hide in a closet to act as a backup power source during an outage or other emergency. They come loaded with a variety of connections, in this case three AC outlets, two USB-C and one USB-A, plus a DC 12V car outlet just in case.
Photograph: Jackery
The Jackery Explorer 1000 V2 that’s discounted doesn’t have quite the same feature set as the Plus version that WIRED writer Simon Hill reviewed. Most notably, the Plus version is expandable with additional battery packs, while the discounted V2 is stuck at 1000Wh. The Plus also has a slightly higher output power, 3,000W compared to the V2’s 2,200W, so make sure to take that into account if you intend on really putting this battery through its paces.
There are some advantages over the more expensive model, however. Apart from a lower price for the same capacity, the Explorer 1000 V2 is lighter and more portable than its Plus counterpart, making it easier to chuck into your truck for a weekend away. It also charges slightly faster from a wall or car, but probably not by enough to make a huge difference in your life. Both models support Jackery’s app, which lets you track capacity and charging, as well as manage battery and energy settings while in use.
While I don’t have capacity tests for the 1,000Wh version, the larger 2,000Wh Plus model was able to power a portable air conditioner for almost seven hours, so you should be looking at about half that for this smaller model. It’s also compatible with Jackery’s solar panels if you want to keep it topped up while on a trip.
While you can buy the base unit on its own for $449, there are also discounts on bundles with the battery, like a $749 bundle that includes a pair of 100W solar panels, or a $499 bundle with a convenient carrying case. Both are solid deals, and while there are regular discounts on Jackery devices, this one may not last long.
