While this isn’t the best price ever, Jackery’s station is still worth your consideration at its current hefty discount. At about $350, it has everything you could need for a more enjoyable camping trip. And if you’d like to maximize your investment, consider bundling it with a solar panel.
If this option tickles your fancy, you’d be pleased to know that the Explorer 500 + 100W SolarSaga panel is also on sale at Walmart. This bundle is currently $200 off, landing the two items under the $600 mark.
Right off the bat, we should note that the Explorer 500 relies on a lithium-ion battery pack. In comparison, many competitors from Anker and BLUETTI utilize LiFePO4 batteries. The latter provides a longer cycle life and more reliability. With that in mind, the Jackery option gives you about 800 charging cycles before capacity drops to 80%.
As for ports and output power, the station has a 518Wh capacity, providing you with reliable 500W output power via one AC outlet. Surge power here is 1000W. Aside from the AC outlet, you have three USB-A ports, two DC ports, and a standard Cigarette Lighter outlet. This capacity lets you charge your phone about 18 times, run a 300W blender for up to seven hours, or keep your small-sized space heater working for 0.8 hours.
Like most other portable power stations, the Explorer 500 offers three ways of recharging. You can juice it from your vehicle, opt for solar charging, or connect it to the wall outlet. As per Jackery’s estimates, the station charges via solar power in about 9.5 hours or 7.5 hours using wall or car charging. On the flip side, it supports pass-through charging, meaning you can juice your devices while it’s recharging via your chosen method.
Certainly not the best in class, the Jackery Explorer 500 still gives you reliable and safe power for camping. Its solid and lightweight design makes it a preferred choice for individuals who travel regularly, especially now Walmart sells it at deeply discounted prices.