Jackery Explorer 1000 Power Review: Almost Unlimited Power
Jackery Explorer 1000 portable power plant
"The Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station is a solar-powered powerhouse that will keep you charged and ready to go for days."
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Massive power bank
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Solar panels are legitimate
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Offers every type of outlet
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Potentially unlimited performance
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Expensive costs
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Ridiculously difficult
When I first sat down to check out the Jackery Solar Generator 1000, I was initially – and wrongly – disappointed and it was entirely my fault. When Jackery wanted to measure interest in a product review, I took the opportunity. I thought about getting some kind of battery backup for my home if the power went out. Moreover, I had been looking for a good way to generate electricity while camping, and that seemed a good fit too. So before we get to my false disappointment, let's talk about what this device is.
The Jackery Solar Generator is a portable 1000W power plant with a capacity of 1002 Wh. It has three pure sine wave AC sockets, 2 USB-C ports, 1 USB-A port that supports Quick Charge 3.0, and a DC port. In short, you can plug basically anything from the phone to the fridge with this bad boy and it will be fine. All power connections are on the front, along with an LCD display that shows you the current charge level, incoming power and outgoing power. Both the AC and DC sections have power switches so you can turn them off when not in use. There is a single flashlight on the side with its own power button, and on the left is a large opening that takes in the airflow for the fans inside.
Power from the sun
Adam Doud / Digital Trends
Together with the Explorer 1000 you can buy two SolarSaga 100 solar modules that charge the Explorer. The cells run at 23% efficiency, which is quite decent in the field. They can generate up to 100W of peak power on a sunny day. Each of these panels weighs just over 10 pounds each. The Explorer 1000's battery weighs over 22 pounds. The panels fold up to 24 x 21 x 1.4 inches; Simply put, none of these packages are very portable or small.
That, along with large and obvious warnings to protect all components from rain, questioned the suitability of this product as a "camping device". Carrying around 40 pounds of gear isn't exactly my idea of portable. But we'll discuss that later.
I used the jackery to power a couple of different portable setups for work. In one case, my son used it on his Windows laptop, Chromebook at school, iPad, Android phone, and wireless headphones for two and a half days. I also set up a mobile workstation with a Windows laptop, an iPad, a portable monitor, and two wireless chargers that lasted me two days in a row. During that time I drew around 40-60W of power. I admittedly forgot to turn off the sockets overnight, which could probably have kept me going for half a day or so.
Such a device ensures that you can work or stay connected even if you lose power at home, even if you have days of power outage.
Using the battery is very easy. Just plug in whatever you need to power it and turn on the outlets you want. You turn them on in groups – AC and DC. As you work, you will notice when the fan starts up as it is quite loud. It is not loud, but it can safely cover a person speaking softly. Really, the fan is my only complaint about the device. It's really noticeable.
When charging, I tried two different methods. First I put the Explorer 1000 in the wall. It took about eight hours to fully charge. It's not that bad at all. Next, I blew up the two solar panels and that's when the fun began.
Power from the sun
Adam Doud / Digital Trends
On the first day I tried to leave the battery and solar panels in my conservatory because I was paranoid about rain. It was a cloudy day, but the battery still managed to take a 41% charge. The second day I was lucky enough to catch a sunny day so I set up the panels on the back deck facing the sun. I rotated the plates twice throughout the day for maximum exposure and was able to fill the rest of the battery with ease. But the most interesting part of the experience was the numbers.
In bright sunlight, both solar modules began to consume more than 100 W. If you recall, my portable productivity device used between 40 and 60 watts of power. Math is hard, but that suggests that I could theoretically work indefinitely with this battery. If I set up my workspace near a window and put the panels outside, I charge more than I use. Of course, under ideal conditions. But the possibility is still fascinating.
But let's get back to the "portable camping device" I talked about earlier. When I think of "camping" I think of a tent and out in the elements. But camping can also involve a trailer, and that's the use case I think this device is designed for. In a camper you need strength and the ability to generate more electricity. You are also much better protected from the elements in a camper than in a tent and you don't have to take the battery anywhere with you. Just keep it in the motorhome.
But also, a device like this ensures that you can work or stay connected even if you lose power at home, even if you have days of power outage. This is a very important use case. Since it is a solar generator, this electricity is also cleaner and quieter than a gas-powered generator. If you are looking for a backup power supply for your home or a portable power generator for a trailer camping trip, this is a solid piece of equipment. It even has a flashlight if you're looking for a 20 pound flashlight.
Our opinion
Overall, this is a great power generator / battery that does exactly what it says on the tin. The battery pack and solar panel combination adds up to an expensive $ 1,300 with the solar panels included (or $ 1,000 without them), but honestly, many backup generators are about the same or even more expensive. The wide variety of ports available, including USB-A, USB-C, AC, and DC, means you can power anything. The two solar panels are huge – ridiculously huge – but they can charge the entire 1000 Wh battery in less than two days. This is impressive.
Is there a better alternative?
Certainly there are other power supplies and portable batteries of this size, but there aren't many of these sizes with this ability to generate power and with so many outlets. It's pretty hard to beat on all of these points. If you want to save some money, you can use a gas generator, but over time a gas generator takes gas while the jackery only needs the sun. The last time I checked, the sun is still clear.
If you're looking for something that is easier to haul, this is this RAVPower portable power plant is a 7.7 pound alternative that delivers 250W when using a single outlet – or a total of 300W when using both sockets. It's also much cheaper and perfect for those weekend camping trips. It is enough to power a peloton bike for your next workout too!
Will it take?
The Jackery Explorer is made of thick, durable plastic. I don't expect any problems on this front, but it's insanely heavy so I could see that a faulty drop would do some damage. It would take extraordinary circumstances to break this thing. My only concern is the lack of water resistance on both the Explorer 1000 and the solar panels. Not only is there a lack of water resistance; There are warnings on the packaging to keep these devices away from water. The Jackery also comes with a two-year guarantee.
Should I buy it?
Yes, if you fall into either of the two categories I have outlined. If you're looking for a reliable backup power supply that can run some vital equipment in the event of a power outage, or if you're a RV owner looking for power in the great outdoors, this is a great facility. It sure is expensive, but the value it offers is top notch.
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