There’s no such thing as being over-prepared for life. Life gets ugly and it can happen quickly. Whether it’s a raging fire, hurricane, tornado, or some other natural disaster, Mother Nature has been known to deal us a bad hand from time to time.
One of the worst parts about natural disasters is that they often take out power or force us to flee from our homes. When that happens we run the risk of falling off of the proverbial grid.
In today’s age that can simply mean running out of cell phone battery. That’s why we love portable power banks so much. They’re a great way to ensure our phones can last at least a few more hours (or days) while things calm down.
What happens, though, when a storm takes power out in the middle of the summer? What happens to all of that food in your fridge and/or standalone freezer? What about your laptop or CPAP machine?
Switching things up, how do you handle things when you want to spend some time in the great outdoors? Are you the “rough it” type or do you prefer a little glamping? You know, such as taking a mini fridge, coffee maker, and blender with you?
Jackery, a brand who specializes in portable power solutions for outdoor, has a range of products available for all of the aforementioned situations, plus more. If you’re a tailgate party type of person or someone who likes to spend the weekend hunting and fishing, you’ll appreciate items like the Explorer 1000.
Available for about $999, this cooler-sized unit is all the power you’d need to spend a few days off the grid. It’s a massive battery that lets you charge it in a variety of manners. Moreover, it provides output in a number of ways, too.
You’ll find three main ports sitting from and center with 110V output which pretty much covers all the small appliances you’d plug in. Additionally, there are a pair of USB-A ports and two USB-C ports for your portable gadgets. And then there’s also a 12V car outlet which means an air pump or something else, too.
Considering the number of plugs available we posit that you’d have a tough time using them all at the same time. By day it may be used for a pellet smoker and pressure cooker and by night it’s your power supply for a projector and computer.
When it comes to charging up the Jackery Explorer 1000 there are four methods of input, most of which takes about seven or eight hours. Included are an electric generator, wall outlet, and solar panel. There’s also a car outlet which takes about twice as long, or 14 hours.
We’re fond of the SolarSaga panels from Jackery as they provide a nearly endless supply of energy. If you’re a regular camper, we’d definitely recommend picking them up. Simply place them on the ground and angle them toward the sun and you’ve got power coming in as efficiently as it’s going out. Oh, and they have their own USB-C and USB-A outputs, too.
For what it’s worth, it takes around 17 hours to fully charge the Explorer 1000 when using one SolarSaga panel. Should that be something you’re considering, we suggest picking up two of them because the power block allows for twin inputs and it takes half as long to charge.
Standout Features
- Large capacity 1002Wh (46.4Ah) lithium battery
- Multiple input and output ports
- MPPT built-in for solar power charging
- Portable at only 22lbs
- Easy to read LCD screen with battery life status
Bottom Line
Although it seems like an expensive product, the Jackery Explorer 1000 is a great investment for outdoorsy types. The unit itself isn’t built to withstand the elements, but it’s small enough to keep tucked away in the bed of a truck or tent, or under a canopy.
Your needs may vary based on what sort of outdoors experience you plan on having. If you’re the kind of person to pack laptops, TV’s and other gadgets, you’ll want all the juice you can buy. But, if you’re more of a minimalist or someone who wants an emergency unit on hand for outages, there are other, less expensive options.
We’ve now had the privilege of testing out two Jackery units and simply love what they do and how they do it.
Where to Buy the Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station
As of the time of publishing this review, the Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station can be purchased for about $1,000.
