Keep the fridge cold and the phones charged when the grid dies.
Official EcoFlow photo. DELTA 3 is the overnight pick below.
When the power dies, you do not need the whole house. You need the kitchen cold and the phones alive.
That is what a home-backup solar generator is for. It is a suitcase battery you wheel inside, plug the fridge into, and leave running. No installer. No gas in the garage. Not a rooftop system.
Start with the fridge, so dinner does not become a science project. Charge the phones from the same station.
See the overnight kit Check price on Amazon
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links are affiliate links. You pay the same.
This is not whole-home backup. It will not run central air. It will not run a 240 V well pump. It will not replace a rooftop battery. It will keep the fridge cycling and the phones charged while you wait.
Quick comparison
Numbers are manufacturer claims. No prices here. Check the live listing. None of these is a hardwired house.
| Role | Model | Capacity | AC continuous | Solar max | Weight | Expandable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good for a night | EcoFlow DELTA 3 | 1024 Wh | 1800 W | 500 W | 27.6 lb | Yes (to 5 kWh claimed) |
| Extra battery for that kit | EcoFlow DELTA 3 Series Smart Extra Battery | +1024 Wh (combined 2048 Wh, arithmetic) | Does not add inverter watts (still 1800 W) | Recharges through the station | Not printed on the US page we fetched Aug 28, 2026 — omitted | This is the extra |
| Good for a full day | Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 | 2042 Wh | 2200 W | 400 W | 39.5 lb | No |
| If the outage may last | BLUETTI AC200L | 2048 Wh | 2400 W | 1200 W | 62.4 lb | Yes (to 8192 Wh claimed) |
| Bigger suitcase, still not whole-home | EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 | 4096 Wh | 4000 W | 2600 W total | 113.54 lb | Yes (12 / 36 / 48 kWh footnotes — do not collapse) |
Sources: EcoFlow DELTA 3 specs, DELTA 3 Series Smart Extra Battery, Jackery Explorer 2000 v2, BLUETTI AC200L specs, EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 specs. Extra-battery weight is omitted because the US manufacturer page did not print it on August 28, 2026.
Good for a night: EcoFlow DELTA 3
Good for a night
Overnight storm. You want the fridge still cold at breakfast. You might add a battery later. That is the DELTA 3 lane.
From EcoFlow’s U.S. Specs: 1024 Wh. 1800 W continuous (six outlets). 3600 W surge. X-Boost up to 2200 W. Solar 500 W. LiFePO4. 4000 cycles to 80%+. UPS under 10 ms claimed. Grows toward 5 kWh with EcoFlow extras. About 27.6 lb.
On paper, ~1 kWh is about one efficient-fridge night if nothing else is running. Not 48 hours on a typical older fridge. Still 120 V only — no well pump, no central air.
~1 kWh is one efficient-fridge-day on paper if nothing else is running. That is the 12-hour class for an efficient fridge overnight. Not 48 hours on a typical older fridge. 1800 W / 120 V will not run a 240 V well pump or central air. Pair with EcoFlow NextGen 220W for day-two sun.
Extra battery: EcoFlow DELTA 3 Series Smart Extra Battery
Who it is for: you already know 1024 Wh is a ceiling you will hit. Plug-and-play extra. Combined with DELTA 3 that is 2048 Wh (arithmetic). That combined figure is a 24-hour class for a typical fridge, not 48 hours. The extra does not add inverter watts. Still 1800 W.
Live U.S. /dp/B0DCC1QR9F verified August 28, 2026. Amazon compatibility: Delta 2 / Delta 3 / Delta 3 Plus / Delta 3 1500 only. Do not sell this as a DELTA Pro 3 extra. Cycle figures on the US page conflict (bullets 3000+ to 80%; body 4000). Both cited. Weight not printed on the US fetch — omitted.
Good for a full day: Jackery Explorer 2000 v2
Good for a full day
Who it is for: a typical older fridge plus phones and a few LEDs for a full day. You do not need to grow the pack later.
2042 Wh, 2200 W continuous / 4400 W surge, LiFePO4, about 39.5 lb (AC200L is 62.4 lb). Manufacturer FAQ: not expandable. 4000 cycles to 70%+, not 80%. UPS <20 ms. Dual DC 8 mm solar, 400 W max. First-choice panel: Jackery SolarSaga 200W, one or two. Panels are not in the box.
Paper fit: one typical older-fridge day (ORNL 1.5–2.0 kWh) plus phones and a few LEDs, with little margin after losses. Still 120 V only. Not a well-pump box. Not whole-home. As of September 18, 2026, Jackery.com showed Explorer 2000 v2 available to buy (Add to cart) — not a September 21 pre-order. Stock can flip, and some kits may still show Sold Out, so re-open the listing before you buy.
If the outage may last: BLUETTI AC200L
If the outage may last
Who it is for: you want a 120 V path you can grow toward two fridge-days. Base pack is still a 24-hour kit. The extras are how you get to 48 hours on paper.
2048 Wh and 2400 W now. Claimed expansion: +2×B210 = 6348 Wh; +1×B230 = 4096 Wh; +2×B300 = 8192 Wh (FAQ Q2, live August 28, 2026). Solar in 1200 W, VOC 12–145 VDC, 15 A, native MC4. No 240 V split-phase. Weight 62.4 lb on the Specs table. Surge figures conflict on BLUETTI’s own pages (7200 W vs 4800 W). Both cited. Extra-battery Amazon ASINs for B210 / B230 / B300 are not picks on this page. Waterproof FAQ: No.
BLUETTI’s own runtime formula is not for compressor loads. Do not turn their microwave hours into a fridge runtime.
Bigger suitcase, still not whole-home: EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3
Who it is for: you want one ~4 kWh box for a typical fridge for about two days on paper. You still plug the fridge into 120 V. You do not hardwire the house from this page.
4096 Wh. 4000 W continuous, 6000 W with X-Boost, surge 8000 W. Plug the fridge into the 5-20R / TT-30 bank. 120 V and 240 V are not simultaneous (two AC buttons). Live U.S. Amazon /dp/B0D14FMFZD verified August 27, 2026. Weight 113.54 lb. Battery pack IP65; main unit IP20. Cycle 4000 to 80%. Expandable — do not collapse 12 / 36 / 48 kWh; the bigger numbers need Smart Home Panel 2 and an electrician. Warranty figures conflict (policy table 5 years; PDP also 3+2 upon app registration). Both cited. Not whole-home from one suitcase.
12-hour alts (not the pick)
Same energy class as DELTA 3. Neither grows. The overnight fridge kit that can add a battery later is still DELTA 3.
- Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 — lightest verified ~1 kWh at 23.8 lb, 1070 Wh / 1500 W, not expandable. Full spec card on the generators hub. Check price on Amazon
- Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 — 1024 Wh, 2000 W, 24.9 lb, not expandable. Peak vs SurgePad numbers conflict on Anker’s own pages. Cite both. Full spec on the generators hub. Check price on Amazon
EcoFlow RIVER 3 is not a fridge kit. 245 Wh / 300 W. Do not shop it for this job.
Day-2 solar
Charge from the wall before the outage. Solar is how you recover if the sky is actually usable. Hurricane rain is not a lab day. Pairings already on Best Portable Solar Panels.
| Station | First-choice panel | Do not |
|---|---|---|
| DELTA 3 (500 W, 11–60 V, XT60i) | EcoFlow NextGen 220W — Check price on Amazon | Series three 220 W (Voc ~64.5 V over 60 V) |
| Explorer 2000 v2 (400 W, Jackery DC 8 mm) | Jackery SolarSaga 200W, one or two — Check price on Amazon | MC4 panels without a DC8020 adapter |
| AC200L (1200 W, 12–145 V, MC4) | BLUETTI 350W — Check price on Amazon | Parallel two ~11–12 A panels (Isc sum can exceed 15 A) |
| DELTA Pro 3 | No new panel ASIN on this pass. NextGen 220W sits in the low PV window electrically; confirm the cable | Do not invent a DELTA Pro 3 panel SKU |
More guides
- Best Solar Generators 2026 — six current stations compared
- How much solar generator do I need — fridge kWh/day and measure before you buy
- Best portable solar panels — Voc, connectors, foldables
- Charge the Station Before the Storm — wall-charge checklist before a storm
- Wrong Plug, Right Watts: Power Station Connectors — XT60, MC4, Anderson, brand solar inputs
- Jackery vs EcoFlow vs BLUETTI vs Anker — brand × job, including 240 V workshop
- Best flashlight for a power outage on our sister site
Why the fridge matters first
An unopened refrigerator keeps food cold about 4 hours. Discard perishable food that has been above 40°F for two hours or more. FDA, CDC, and USDA FSIS all print that core rule. The battery’s job is to keep the compressor cycling so the box never sits unpowered for those 4 hours.
Keep the door closed. A full freezer is the 48-hour thermal battery if it stays shut. That is USDA/CDC, not a solar-generator claim. This site has not timed how long any of these packs held 40°F.
Cite: FDA power-outage food safety, CDC keep food safe after an emergency, USDA FSIS emergencies.
Indoor lithium vs outdoor gas
You can run the suitcase inside. You cannot run a fuel generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace, shed, or other enclosed area, even with doors or windows open. CPSC (May 27, 2026): outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the building, exhaust away from openings. CO is colorless and can kill in minutes.
Quiet battery in the kitchen for the fridge and the phones. Gas, if you still want it for night two or a 240 V motor, stays 20 feet out. Indoor-safe is not fire-proof. AC200L FAQ: not waterproof. DELTA Pro 3 main unit is IP20.
Watts vs watt-hours
Watts = can it start right now. Watt-hours = how long. A 40 W bulb × 5 hours = 200 Wh. Inverter losses mean usable AC energy is less than the nameplate. Do not plan as if 1024 Wh of battery is 1024 Wh at the wall. Size up.
Why 150 W × 24 is wrong
A fridge is a motor. Starting watts beat running watts. The compressor is not on for 24 hours — it cycles on and off (that on/off pattern is the duty cycle). BLUETTI says their AC200L runtime formula is not for inductive loads with compressors. If a brand page claims “X hours on a fridge,” that is their claim, not a test from this site. We have not timed a compressor.
Named daily-energy figures in kWh/day (not a compressor test): a DOE FEMP ENERGY STAR example ≈ 1.0 kWh/day. An Oak Ridge (ORNL) representative range is 1.5–2.0 kWh/day (tested Samsung 1.68). Phones and lights are small next to a fridge-day. Measure your fridge. Full calculator: How much solar generator do I need.
Hurricane season
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1–November 30 (NOAA / CPSC). Same kits. Not a separate product class. Charge from the wall before the outage. Keep doors closed. Skip central air, the well pump, and the range. Do not leave foldable panels in standing water. Flooded appliances: do not touch wet gear still plugged in.
Transfer switch later
Tying a station into the house means an electrician. Amazon links on this page stay on the suitcase, the extra battery, and the foldable panel. EnergySage’s “5 levels of home backup” (March 13, 2026): this page is their Level 1 — a portable plug-in station, no installer. If you already know you need hardwired circuits or a 240 V well pump, stop shopping this suitcase page and talk to an electrician.
No 30% tax credit on 2026 portables
The IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. A 2026 portable placed in service in 2026 does not get 30% off. Do not copy a brand’s old tax-credit line onto a 2026 buy button. IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit.
FAQ
Will this run the whole house?
No. Not whole-home. Not a rooftop battery. Not HVAC. Not a 240 V well pump.
Can I use it inside?
The battery, yes. A fuel generator, no. CPSC: gas stays outdoors, 20 feet from the building.
Can the fridge share a cheap power strip with phone chargers?
No. Use rated extension cords and the station’s AC outlets. The fridge is a motor. Phone chargers are a sip.
Will it run the air conditioner?
No. These kits are fridge, phones, lights. Not central air.
Can I add solar the next day?
Yes, if the sky is usable. Pair a foldable from the panels guide. Charge from the wall first.
How we sourced this
This is a spec hub, not a hands-on review. Labeled untested. We have not lab-tested these stations, timed a fridge compressor, or lived through an outage with them. Capacities, outputs, solar limits, weights, and cycle claims come from manufacturer spec pages. 12-hour / 24-hour / 48-hour labels are kit classes from named kWh/day figures, not lab runtimes from this site. Amazon listings checked August 25–28, 2026 as noted. No prices. Re-open any listing before you buy.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links are affiliate links. You pay the same.