This portable battery station can power your home for two weeks — and it’s $1,300 off for Cyber ​​Monday

What’s up?

The Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus is currently on sale for $1,899 at Amazon as part of this Cyber ​​Monday deal, down from its usual price of $3,299.

Also: The best Cyber ​​Monday deals now live

Why this offer is recommended by ZDNET

If you regularly see the sun, solar generators are the solution. They allow you to capture and store the free energy that shines down from the sun, convert it into electricity and store it in batteries.

Solar generators consist of two parts: a portable power station (think of a power bank, but larger) and solar panels. The power plants come in all shapes and sizes, from small boxes that you’re happy to carry for a short distance to large boxes on wheels that you don’t want to take too far.

Also: My favorite laptop power bank can fully charge a MacBook in 90 minutes and is on sale

Jackery, a household name in the power industry for over a decade, has a new power plant called Explorer 2000 Plusand this thing completely changes the game. You can expand it from a single unit, good for a day or two of camping, to a set of batteries and solar panels that can power your home for two weeks.

You read that right: two weeks.

Technical data of the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus

• capacity: 2042.8 Wh
• AC output: AC output (×4): 120V ~ 60Hz, 20A max
  AC output (×1): 120V~ 60Hz, 25A max
  AC total power: 3,000W Max, 6,000W Peak Burst
• USB-A output: x2 Quick Charge 3.0, 18W max
• USB-C output: x2 100W Max, (5V, 9V, 12V, 15V, 20V up to 5A)
• Car exit: 12V⎓10A
• AC input: 120V, 60Hz, 15A max
• DC input: 11V-17.5V, 8A max
  17.5V-60V, 12A max
• battery: LFP (LiFePO4 battery)
• Nominal charging cycles: 4,000 cycles to 70%+ capacity
• Weight: 61.5 lbs/ 27.9 kg
• dimension: 14.7 x 18.6 x 14.1 inches/37.36 x 26.90 x 47.3 x 35.94 cm
• Operating temperature: -10~45°C/14~113°F

note: I tested the UK version of the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus, which has different sockets and input and output voltages, but is otherwise the same as the US version.

It’s big.

You may notice something lying on my Explorer 2000 Plus. This is an additional PackPlus E2000 Plus battery that adds 2042.8 Wh of electrical storage capacity to the system.

This is even bigger!

Is 4,000 Wh not enough for you? You can connect up to five PackPlus E2000 Plus batteries to a single Explorer 2000 Plus for 12,000 Wh of storage.

A single PackPlus E2000 Plus weighs 41.9 lbs (19 kg), so the two units combined weigh over 100 lbs (46.9 kg).

Still not enough? No problem!

You can connect two Explorer 2000 Plus devices together, each connected to five PackPlus E2000 Plus batteries, for a whopping 24,000 Wh of power storage capacity – enough to power an average household for two weeks, according to Jackery.

This setup will will cost you a cool $22,500but there is little that compares to the power and flexibility it offers.

Also: The best mobile power plants of 2024: Tested and rated by experts

Okay, let’s switch back and take a look at the Explorer 2000 Plus.

Compared to many power plants, it is a fairly slim unit. On the front there is a compact display, a few buttons and a handful of sockets.

To make moving the gym easier, there are comfortable handles on the side, an extendable suitcase-style handle, and wheels.

Yes, wheels. The extendable handle and wheels make moving the power station easy, especially when using additional batteries.

If you have an additional battery, a cable connects the two units.

There are a few things I look for when testing a power plant.

First, the inputs, outputs, and capacity rating must conform to published specifications (see specifications list above).

The Explorer 2000 Plus passed all of my tests with flying colors.

Plus: This ultraportable power station gives you AC power on the go—and it’s on sale for Prime Day

The outlets easily handled a continuous load of 3,000 W and even surges of 6,000 W. If you push the power station beyond that, the Explorer 2000 Plus shuts down properly and waits for you to reduce the load.

Under heavy load, fans kick in to keep everything cool (and also turn on when the device is charging), but those fans are quiet – just 30 dB, or as loud as a library – and the Explorer 1500 Pro comes along This means it can handle a continuous load of 3,000 W without any problems. It is a very well designed unit.

The USB and 12V outputs also meet the specifications. The 100W USB-C ports are particularly useful for those of us who charge and power our laptops from a wall outlet.

Also: The Best iPhone Power Banks: What Size Do You Need for the Best Charge?

The capacity of 2,000 Wh is huge. It can charge your iPhone over 80 times or run a mini fridge for over 12 hours. It also powers a portable air conditioner for a few hours or a heavy-duty welder for 40 minutes.

It’s a lot of power, and that’s just the Explorer 2000 Plus. A single PackPlus E2000 Plus battery pack (currently $200 off) doubles this.

As for charging, the device takes two hours to charge when plugged in or six hours 200W SolarSaga solar panels (currently over $200 off), seven hours with two 200W SolarSaga solar panels, or 25 hours with a 12V car adapter.

I also like to test durability, and so far the device has been thrown in the back of a truck, dragged around various places, and dropped somewhat roughly more than once without any ill effects. It’s a really sturdy product.

Also: Operate your Raspberry Pi off the grid with solar energy. Here’s what you need

Another thing I like to test is longevity. There’s nothing better than taking it with you into the wild and relying on it for several weeks. I haven’t managed to do this yet, but I’ve used the Explorer 2000 Plus as much as possible and have done about a dozen charge cycles with it and so far it’s holding up well and I’ve had no problems.

Everything is well made and sturdy, you can’t beat it, and it does what it says on the tin without having to rely on extreme, inflated specifications.

ZDNET’s buying guide

The Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus is a solid, expandable portable power station. If you are looking for a power station, be it for home use or for your outdoor adventures, it is an excellent choice that will last you for many years to come. If you still have problems with your device, you can rely on Jackery’s excellent warranty.