Once upon a time, most power stations/solar generators were relatively small in their battery storage capacity, but over the years, major players like Bluetti and Jackery have concentrated on bigger and more expensive units.

Bluetti was the first company to offer a large device loaded with the most desirable features, like very rapid charging, an MPPT solar controller, a high wattage AC inverter, and a regulated 12 V power supply in their AC200 unit. I’m a part-time vandweller/traveler, and I use an AC200 to power my house-on-wheels. That unit energizes my house lights, Dometic 12V fridge, Webasto heater, and even an induction cooktop. However, it is big and bulky.

I have always carried a smaller Rockpals 300 WH unit with me for other needs. It sits next to my bed to charge my iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. I also use it to power my WeBoost cellular booster when my car isn’t on and to run my small portable TV/Projector. However, the unit is aging and has limited capabilities. Its display isn’t very useful, and recharging by any method is a slow process.

Enter the Bluetti EB3A with its small size and approximately 270 WH capacity. Bluetti has loaded the EB3A with features found in more expensive units. This makes it not only much more versatile but also more practical. For brevity’s sake, let me expand on some of those features using bullet points:

-The EB3A features a regulated power supply which means that its voltage will never drop as the battery discharges as can be the case in unregulated power supplies. This feature is important as some devices will  shut off when a battery’s voltage drops as they think they are protecting a car’s starter battery from going dead.  

-The EB3A has a 100-watt USB C port that can allow direct charging of higher need devices like a laptop. It also has two standard USB A ports, but for some reason, it does not have quick charge USB A ports.

-The EB3A has a wireless charging pad on top of the unit.

-The EB3A has a 600-watt pure sine wave AC inverter. Most similarly sized battery banks have a pure sine wave inverter, but many will shut off if a load exceeds 300 watts. Six hundred watts open up the possibility of using appliances and devices that have higher power needs. Naturally, running something at 600 watts will quickly deplete the EB3A’s small battery, but this feature could be useful in certain situations. For instance, running a small single-cup coffee maker which may require 500-600 watts but only runs for about 5 minutes to make a cup of coffee.  

-The EB3A also has a feature called “power-lifting,” which employs an electrical trick of dropping voltage and increasing amperage to operate AC devices beyond 600 watts. However, this feature needs to be used with caution as it could damage electronics that utilize sensitive computer chips. However, some may find it useful for powering “dumb devices.” For instance, it could allow you to use a simple soldering iron when fixing something on the road or occasionally run a basic small hot water kettle. 

-The EB3A can connect to the Bluetti App, allowing you to monitor and control the device remotely. 

-The EB3A features an MPPT solar controller and can handle up to 200 watts of solar charging. Similar units may use a less efficient PWM solar controller or will limit their solar charging to a slower rate. For instance, the Jackery 500 will maximally charge at only 65 watts via solar, even if it is connected to a larger solar panel. 

-The EB3A can be recharged for 2500 cycles before its battery capacity drops to 80%.

-The EB3A can very rapidly charge via AC/Mains power. This, by far, is its coolest and most outstanding feature. You can bring the EB3A from zero to full charge in a bit over an hour and even faster if you combine AC plus solar. Many other units take many hours to do the same. If you are a traveler or vandweller this feature alone makes the EB3A a worthwhile purchase. You can take a nearly depleted unit and quickly fully charge it while doing a little work at a coffee shop or the library. If you have an adequate inverter in your car, plus some solar panels, you can very rapidly recharge your battery during a drive or commute.

Obviously, this unit has a small overall capacity compared to 1-3 KW units from Bluetti and other brands. Those units start at $1000 and quickly move upward as they are designed for high-demand operations. However, this smaller unit may be all that you need if you’re more of a minimalist traveler. It should easily recharge your small electronics (like your phone and tablet) and provide power for other needs, like your cabin lights or a USB fan. In a pinch, it could power higher need items like a fridge or vent fan, but only for a limited time due to its smaller watt/hour (WH) capacity. 

The sub-500 WH power station market is now dominated by unproven brands that offer limited capabilities. The brand-name Bluetti EB3A combines a small package with a full set of high-end features, and because of this, I recommend it.