A Tech expert from CNET tested a portable power station with the question of how it stacked up next to a Tesla Powerwall. CNET's Adam Doud tested the Anker Solix F3800 Plus and came to the conclusion that how it compares to the Powerwall just depends on your needs.
The F3800 Plus provides up to 6,000 watts of AC output and has a capacity of 3,800 watt-hours, and it comes with over a dozen outlets that should fit just about anything you're looking to plug in. The new Tesla Powerwall 3, on the other hand, provides 11,500 watts per unit and up to 13,500 watt-hours.
But again, it comes down to usage, and in this case, necessity versus cost. The F3800 Plus starts at around $4,800, while a single Powerwall 3 battery will run a homeowner roughly $17,000.
If connected to solar panels, each could provide limitless energy, and both come with a built-in inverter to convert solar power to usable energy.
While the Powerwall 3 is obviously more powerful, the F3800 Plus can do enough to get you through an outage lasting several hours. Doud tested appliances individually to see how they held up. It kept his refrigerator running for 12 hours, his office functional for eight hours with
plenty of juice to spare, and a cycle in his dryer only drained 12% of the battery, just to name a few of the tests. It didn't do so well with a space heater, which drained the battery in just under three hours.
"Basically, as long as you're frugal with what you want to power and it's not winter," Doud writes, "this power station can easily back up your home for several hours."
Doud wasn't able to test the optional smart panel, but like with the Powerwall 3, it would likely automatically kick in if the power goes out. And unlike the Powerwall, the F3800 Plus doesn't require a costly installation.
You can move the F3800 Plus to wherever it's most needed, and it can be used inside because it doesn't produce the same planet-warming pollution as a gas-powered generator.
Going through the pros of the F3800 Plus, Doud writes, "Using a portable power station to back up your entire home allows you to keep everything plugged in, ready for when the power goes out."
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