Best Camping Power Pack UK – 5 Top Battery Generator Choices (2024)

If you plan on spending a decent amount of time camping without a mains hookup, you may want to invest in a camping power pack. These are essentially large lithium batteries which can store electricity and generate AC and/or DC power to power your electrical camping gear.

The best camping power packs can be trickle charged using solar panels and therefore allow you to essentially live off-grid for many days and weeks at a time if the sun is shining reasonably brightly. Of course you can also charge a power pack directly from the mains or your car battery if required.

Camping power packs are useful in a tent or awning to drive equipment such as fridges, electric grills and lights. You can even boil water if the power pack can output 300 Watts or more, but it may take up to 20 minutes – for faster results, we recommend at least 1000W capability.

Smaller camping power packs are also available which are more suited to recharging less power-hungry devices such as phones, GPS, smartwatches, or even rechargeable hand warmers. These are fairly familiar to most people and can be bought quite cheaply. Owing to their small and portable size, these camping power packs are very useful and easy to travel with.

This is quite an important distinction and should be borne in mind when looking at the specifications of these camping power packs.

W or Watts is the power or oomph which a camping battery can supply to a gadget or appliance. For instance, if your hair dryer runs at 1800W AC, it means you need a power supply capable of supplying at least 1800W (1.8kW) of alternating current (i.e. like a regular mains supply). Typically it’s also worth having a bit of headroom above this value too – we would therefore recommend a 2000W battery pack for the above case.

On the other hand Wh is shorthand for Watt Hours. This is a completely different unit and refers to how much storage or capacity the camping power pack has – i.e. how long will the power pack last from a fully charged state to empty whilst running an appliance. For instance if you have a power pack of 30Wh capacity this means that you could run or charge a 30 watt (W) gadget for 1 hour before the power pack is out of juice.

The larger power stations can have high capacity – for example the EcoFlow Delta 1300 has a whopping 1260Wh and can supply a maximum power of 1800W to an appliance. This means that if you were running an 1800W hair dryer continuously using this power pack, it would last ~1260/1800 = 0.7 hours or 42 minutes before it was empty. Not that long, but then again you would normally only use a hairdryer or kettle in short 2-3 minute bursts.

The Bluetti EB70 power station is our new favourite camping power pack. It slots in at a great ‘intermediate’ price point whereby it offers a decent amount of storage (700 watt hours) whilst also delivering enough power (1000W) to drive toasters, cool boxes, kettles and induction hobs – i.e. just the sort of gear you’re likely to want to spark up at the campsite. Yes you can pay less for a smaller inverter and less power (e.g. the Jackery Explorer 500, or Bluetti AC50S – see below), but we think you will miss the ability to drive higher power items for not much extra financial outlay.

Before we get into details, it’s worth pointing out that Bluetti are a well known and reputable manufacturer of portable power stations and solar panels who also own the UK brand name Poweroak. Sometimes you may see the same product advertised with either of brand name, depending on which country you’re in.

We’ve owned the EB70 for several months now and have used it extensively in our Mercedes Marco Polo campervan. One advantage that Bluetti have over other power pack manufacturers is the cell technology used for the electrical storage. Bluetti use LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) cells which allow almost four times as many charge/decharge cycles as standard lithium-ion cells. This means it will last much longer in terms of lifetime of the battery if you are going to be using it alot. For occasional camping use then the advantage of LiFePO4 is lessened.

LiFePO4 is also much safer in terms of fire risk, and due to the battery not containing nickel and cobalt (which are difficult to mine), is better for the environment. A downside of the LiFePO4 tech is that it doesn’t contain quite as high energy density for the same weight as standard lithium-ion. The packs are either bigger, or have less capacity than their standard Li-ion equivalents.

Key Features

So what features do you get with the EB70 power pack? Well there are a plethora of outputs for starters. You’ve got 2 x 240V AC outputs (3-pin sockets) which allow you to drive your bigger electrical items. There are four USB sockets (2 x USB-C high power 100W sockets and 2 x USB-A), two regulated 5.5mm 12V outputs and also a car cigarette 12V output. The USB-C sockets are excellent because at 100W they are perfect for charging modern laptops. You also have wireless charging for your phone on top of the EB70 in conjunction with a robust folding carry handle

Design

In terms of design, it’s one of the best looking power stations on the market in our view. You can buy it with rather natty green, blue or grey trim (we went for the blue) and there is a gorgeous colour LCD screen in the middle of the front face which tells you how much battery you have left by showing 5 slices of a battery. The slices are all blue when full but then they gradually disappear as you deplete the stored energy. We would have preferred to see a percentage level on the display as well, but ultimately the battery indicator works well.

The display also shows how much power is coming in from the mains or solar panel, and also how much is going out to your devices. We tested the accuracy of this reading with a power meter, and it was accurate to about 1% (i.e. very good).

Dimensions

Dimensions and weight are where the EB70 shines against the competition in our opinion – it’s at a very nice sweet spot between being too big and bulky versus being so small that it cannot supply or store enough power. The EB70 measures only 32 x 21.6 x 22.1cm and weighs just under 10kg. With the folding carry handle on top, it’s a doddle to pick up by anyone.

Charging the Bluetti EB70

We found that charging via the mains power pack takes around four hours from flat which is ok, if not groundbreaking compared with the new ‘fast-charge’ offerings from Ecoflow and Jackery (see below). The AC mains power supply for the EB70 is also a bit of a brick itself, but when camping you’re unlikely to take this with you – if you’ve got power at the site then why would you need a power pack?

The EB70 comes with standard connectors to take a range of solar panels. We tested with the Bluetti PV200 solar panel which is a foldable four panel product, supplying up to 200W in full sunshine. Together, the EB70 with the PV200 make a great solar generator combination.

In conclusion, the Bluetti EB70 is our current favourite power pack for camping on the UK market when you take price into the equation. It covers a wide range of camping requirements for devices requiring up to 1000W of power with an ample amount of storage in a reasonably sized package. We’ve boiled kettles, charged phones, laptops and even made toast with it – check out our video review below or our in depth Bluetti EB70 review.

The EcoFlow Delta 2 is a fantastically capable mid-range power station, which is able to drive all your power-hungry appliances. In our view it has more than enough power for any camping trip with an 1800W onboard inverter – meaty!

The original Delta 1300 was crowd-funded by Ecoflow back in 2019 to great success, having an insanely fast charging capability via mains. The Delta 2 continues this tradition and is a fantastic option if charge time is a major consideration for you.

Check out our full length reviews of the original Ecoflow Delta and the updated Ecoflow Delta 2.

What’s the Difference Between The Original Delta and the new Delta 2?

The form factor (case size) is exactly the same between the Delta and the Delta 2, and so is the 1800W of power which can be supplied to your gear. The main change to the newer model is the battery technology which moves from standard lithium-ion to the safer and much longer lasting lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries. The new batteries in the Delta 2 can take at least 3000 cycles before dropping to 80% of their original capacity, whereas those in the original Delta would only need ~500 for the same drop.

The Delta 2 is also cheaper, 2kg lighter at 12kg and has 2 x 100W USB-C ports instead of 2 x 60W on the original. The only negative change with the Delta 2 is that actual storage capacity has dropped slightly from 1260Wh to 1024Wh owing to reduced energy density of LiFePO4. However, bear in mind that the Delta 2 has an expansion port to add on more EcoFlow battery packs if you need more storage, whereas the original Delta didn’t.

We think that overall, the Delta 2 makes more sense as a long term investment, but if you see a deal on the original Delta 1300, then it could certainly be worth a purchase!

Jackery are based in Silicon Valley, and are a great US success story in the world of clean energy generation and power storage. We’ve viewed many of their power packs in detail (Explorer 500, Explorer 1000, and the new Pro series), and have seen how they have evolved class leading features over time. In terms of ruggedness and simplicity of use, Jackery products are second to none.

Our favourite range is the new Pro series primarily because they offer much faster charge times over the previous Explorer packs for both mains and solar charging. The Pro range comes in a variety of capacities (1000Wh, 1500Wh, 2000Wh and 3000Wh), and you will need to choose the one for your needs. Jackery tend to also increase the maximum output power of the pack as the capacity of it goes up (along with the price).

Our pick of the bunch for camping is the Jackery 1000 Pro which isaptly named – it does exactly what it says on the box! It has a 1002Wh capacity and is able to power items with a combined average draw of 1000W. Under surge conditions (i.e. when switching on a high current appliance), the power can momentarily rise to 2000W. This opens the options up to appliances like kettles and electric stoves.

Dimensions are quite compact at 34 x 26 x 25.5 cm, and the weight is a fairly reasonable 11.5kg. Jackery are one of the few power station manufacturers who use standard lithium-ion batteries (known as ‘NMC’) which enables them to pack more energy in a tighter volume – Jackery products are very compact for the amount of power you get. Some people may offer criticism about NMC vs LiPo technology, but for occasional camping use, the increased number of charge/discharge cycles for LiPo is not of a concern – we would say the advantages of smaller weight and volume for the same power with Jackery is an advantage.

Charging the 1000 Pro

Charging is simple and can be achieved via the usual 12V car adapter, 240V mains or solar panels (the 200W SolarSaga panels are our recommendation for this pack). Charging is incredibly speedy for a 1000Wh battery on mains power, at well under two hours (108 minutes). There is no external power brick for the 1000 Pro – you just plug a standard kettle lead directly into it – we like this simplicity.

On solar, you can get similar charge times with the max input of 800W, but you need alot of panels which can get expensive. We love that you can mix the AC charging with solar for combined charging. This is great in the UK where the sun is a temperamental beast!

Output Power – Unleash The Force

Outputs are numerous and include 2 x 240V AC outputs, 4 x USB ports (2 x 100W USB-C and 2 x 18W USB-A). The USB-C sockets in particular are useful and I’m glad to see that Jackery have put the high power quick charge varieties in the Pro series. There is also a standard 10 amp, 12V cigarette lighter style output for powering familiar camping products like cool boxes and tent lights etc.

In Use

We love the fact that you can power devices and charge the Jackery 1000 Pro at the same time – this is a really useful feature which adds to the flexibility. In particular, using solar power to charge the pack is a blast. There’s nothing quite like generating your own power for free and creating what feels like perpetual motion – you use the power and the sun provides you with more power at the same time. I had a great 8 hour workday in my campervan whilst using the Jackery to keep my laptop and coolbox running, without draining the power down at all – this was in the winter months and so with full sunlight it should be even more impressive.

If your budget is a little larger, the Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station is a perfect device for supplying all the power you need at a campsite. It’s expensive, but we think it’s worth the price.

Bluetti have recently increased the battery capacity of the AC200P to a massive 2000Wh and it can supply both AC and DC power to a maximum level of 2000W! This is immense power and means that you can run cookers, stoves, kettles, hair dryers or power tools from the AC200P. Incredible.

Bluetti have incorporated new LiFePO4 battery technology into the AC200P which allows more than 3500 charge/recharge cycles. They say that this will lead to an enhanced service life ~3x longer than other portable power stations on the market. It’s also quicker to charge up.

If that’s not enough for you then you could also try their flagship AC200Max model which we recently reviewed – it has a 2.2kW inverter and 2048Wh of capacity!

Dimensions

The AC200P measures 42 x 28 x 39cm and will therefore take up a bit of space in your setup, but nothing compared with a petrol generator. The weight is also substantial at 27.5kg – you’ll get a good workout carrying it for any distance, and so it is not really suited for lugging to a picnic for example. This is a ‘stick it in the corner of your tent’ device which will then power your entire gear for days on end.

The AC200P can have its charge topped up in multiple ways. You can plug it into a mains outlet, a solar panel, a 12V cigarette lighter socket, a petrol generator, or a lead-acid leisure battery. We found that the charging time was very fast using the mains – around 2 hours to get fully charged.

Outputs

For running your appliances, the world is your oyster in terms of outputs. The power station features thirteen (!) DC and AC outlets in total which can all be used simultaneously. For the UK units there are 2 x 240V AC 3-pin sockets (see photo above) as well as a 12V DC output, 4 x USB-A and 1 x USB-C outputs. There is wireless charging on the top of the unit which is great to chuck your mobile phones on for a quick blast of power.

In Use

We were blown away by the performance of the AC200P after a weekend of testing. My wife Ali was able to dry her hair after a shower using her 1875W hair dryer on maximum power. This was while staying in a tiny campsite in the middle of nowhere with no mains electricity available – a total godsend. I was able to keep my laptop, phones and camera charged as well as topping up my ebike battery. We did not have chance to check the solar charging functionality, but it seems extremely straightforward. Just plug in your solar panel of choice (e.g. the Bluetti SP120) via the MC4 connector and it will start trickle charging the Bluetti. In full sunlight you can be fully recharged in 4 hours.

Overall we can highly recommend the new and improved Bluetti AC200P Power Station. It is an excellent workhorse and in conjunction with solar panels it can keep you fully supported for cooking, lighting and heating almost indefinitely. Expensive but very good value and we recommend it highly.

Incorporating a 500Wh lithium battery reservoir, the Bluetti AC50S is an excellent mid-range camping power pack which will cater to a high proportion of your on-site needs. This is not a device which you can carry solo in a backpack. Instead you should consider it as a portable power station for camping after travelling to your destination in a vehicle – i.e. a car or a campervan or motorhome – and you don’t have access to mains electricity.

The maximum power the AC50S can deliver is 300W. This is enough to power a TV, an electric cool box, a laptop and even a very low power electric camping kettle, although it would take about 20 minutes for water to boil. With the AC50S, you can power multiple items at once, but remember that the combined power of your gear cannot exceed 300W.

Out of the box, the AC50S measures only 26 cm x 19.1 cm x 19.6 cm and weighs 6.2kg. This is a very manageable size and weight for even the smallest of tents or campervans.

And boy does it look great. Available with either blue, orange or dark gray edging, the AC50S really made an impression on us and I was immediately looking around for items to run off it in the garden. In the end I plugged in a mini fridge which worked really well for several hours, and barely dented the capacity.

The AC50S power pack features a total of 11 outputs – you’re very well covered! These include two 12V, 3 amp DC ports, one car cigarette lighter port (12V), a PD 45W Type C port for modern laptops, four standard USB-A ports, and two 230V mains sockets of the three pin variety. There is also a clear display to show how much juice is left in the battery.

In addition, the AC50S offers wireless charging – you simply place your mobile phone on top of the power pack and it will charge it for you – as long as your phone supports wireless charging of course!. This is really useful when you can’t be faffed finding a charging cable, and certainly helps differentiate Bluetti camping power packs against the competition.

A robust pair of carrying handles are also included on the top of the AC50S which enable you to move it around with ease – when they’re not required, they simply fold away neatly into the top of the unit.

Camping Lantern

The AC50S can operate as a light source of its own – there is a switch on the side which fires up a broad light beam. It’s not going to replace a dedicated camping lantern, but is a useful feature and we found that it worked well in a tent.

Recharging the AC50S

The AC50S can be recharged via solar power – we recommend the Bluetti PV120 solar panel for this job – it’s expensive, but will charge the AC50S up in around 4 hours of full sunlight by supplying 120W to the power pack. This is the real strength of camping power packs – being able to naturally recharge them using the sun’s rays and live off-grid. In a time of high energy prices, this is doubly important!

Overall, the AC50S finds that great balance point between providing enough power to genuinely be useful on a campsite without having to pay the high price of the EcoFlow Delta or the Bluetti AC200P. Highly recommended.

If you’re after a small camping power pack which is waterproof, the Goal Zero Venture 35 Recharger stores a decent 9600mAh of power which can be accessed by two fast-charge 15W USB-A ports or an 18W USB-C socket.

If you want more power then Goal Zero do larger packs in the range such as the Goal Zero Venture 75. To my mind these are the best waterproof power packs on the market.

If we concentrate on the Goal Zero 35, this pack is ideal for charging smaller gadgets such as smartphones, tablets, and cameras. In fact, on a full charge, the power pack can fully recharge your smartphone up to 3 times.

The USB ports allow three devices to be charged simultaneously which we found useful. Furthermore, the Venture 30 is extremely rugged and has a rubber cover for the sockets to protect against dust, dirt and water.

Rugged waterproof design

Weight is quite reasonable at only 287 grams, and we found the design of the power pack excellent. It looks very stylish and has a fully waterproof casing (IP67) – perfect for hiking adventures where you may need to use the power pack out in the elements.

The Venture 30 can be recharged via either solar power (panels not included) or USB – the latter takes around 3 hours.

It might be considered an expensive option for what it delivers, but we feel that it delivers it very well.

If you just need a laptop and some USB gadgets charging then we recommend the Powertraveller Condor 100. With a 27,000 mAh battery giving around 100Wh of storage, it can recharge a laptop twice and a smartphone up to ten times on a single charge. Fantastic!

The Condor 100 power bank is useful because it offers both an AC outlet for laptop charging (as well as other sub-60W appliances) and two standard USB-A ports. There is also a USB-C port to charge the latest smartphones, laptops and other electrical gadgets. Great flexibility on offer.

The tough exterior of the Condor 100 makes it a perfect option for the rugged outdoors when camping or hiking and this should definitely be borne in mind when purchasing. In addition, the power bank is both dustproof and fully waterproof, thanks to its IP65 rating.

Dimensions are 17.2 x 8.6 x 8.6cm which is not much bigger than can of baked beans. It weighs 800g though which is fairly hefty if it’s going in your rucksack.

Overall we really like thePowertraveller Condor 100. It charged our devices well, and we liked the flexibility of the AC and USB connection points. The LED indicator to display the internal battery status was also useful. Recommended.

Buying Guide – How to Choose the Best Camping Power Pack

When choosing the best camping power pack, you want to establish how you intend to use it. Do you want to charge small devices such as smartphones and MP3 players? Or do you want to run larger appliances such as camping fridges? After deciding how you intend to use the power pack, it is easier to pick the right option. This buying guide shares the key features to look out for after figuring out how you intend to use your power pack.

• Outlet

When shopping for camping packs, you will notice that various models offer various outlets. For example, a low-capacity power pack for devices such as smartphones and cameras only features USB ports. On the other hand, larger capacity power packs feature more options. For example, you can find one designed with both AC (220V) and DC outlets.

In fact, ultra-large capacity power packs can offer a choice of up to 10 or more outlet options. These include AC, DC, USB, and car cigarette lighters, just to mention a few. However, it is also worth remembering that, as the variety of outlet options increases, so does the budget.

This is because, with more outlet options, the battery capacity increases too. Therefore, to power up the AC devices, you need a higher capacity. Additionally, AC power packs also differ in capacity. For example, you can find one with a 300W rating that can power up devices as large as portable fans. You can also find one with a 2000W rating that can power a single-plate stove.

• Battery Capacity

As mentioned above, you want to consider how you intend to use the power pack before choosing an option. The battery capacity is a crucial feature as it determines to what extent you can use your battery. If you intend to be outdoors for a long time or want to use larger devices, you will want a more powerful battery.

You can determine the capacity of your power pack by looking at the watt-hours (Wh) or mAh. The larger the value, the more powerful your battery is. For example, the Goal Zero Venture 30 Recharger is equipped with a 7800mAh battery which translates to 30Wh. This battery capacity is ideal for charging items such as phones and cameras.

The Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station features a 540Ah battery, which translates to about 2000Wh. This powerful battery can power larger devices like televisions, fans, and a single-plate stove. As a general rule of thumb, for an overnight camping trip where you need to charge small devices, a 25 to 30Wh charger is enough. However, if you intend to use bigger items such as DSLR cameras or fans, a battery capacity of about 200 to 300Wh is enough.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How Can I Charge My Camping Power Pack?

Different power packs come with varying designs of charging. Some only have a single option (USB charging), while others offer up to 5 different charging modes. These include wall charging, solar charging, generator charging, lead-acid battery charging, and USB charging. So, you want to go for an option that is much more convenient for you.

2. How Much Power Output DO I Need for My Camping Power Pack?

It all depends on your needs. You can easily compare the power output of the power pack you intend to buy with the devices you wish to carry. Additionally, you have to consider how long you plan to stay outdoors and your power pack charging options.

3. How Do I Increase the Efficiency of My Power Pack?

There are plenty of ways you can increase the efficiency of your power pack. These include:

1. Fully charge your devices before you leave the house
2. Alternatively, make sure your devices are at least 50% charged, as it takes up more energy to charge devices that are below this limit
3. Unplug devices as soon as they are near fully charged as continual topping up will drain power bank energy quickly
4. Use the supplied cables to keep the power bank from draining
5. Use higher-rated outlets (high amps) on the power pack for faster charging
6. Avoid using devices when they are being charged
7. Avoid exposing your power pack to cold air because it slows the discharge of battery energy

Conclusion

With the rise of the best camping power packs, you no longer have to go off-grid if you don’t want to. Nonetheless, you don’t have to struggle with heavy power supply devices. You will still have a relatively portable and lightweight power pack while enjoying an adequate power supply. The best thing about camping power packs is how versatile they are.

You have the freedom to choose the features that work best for you – whether it’s charging methods, outlet options, or battery capacity. So, to keep up with the rest of the world or simply power up your essential items during your next camping trip, invest in a power pack. Our recommended list of the five best power packs for camping above is an excellent place to begin your search.