The Best Solar Generators : Buying Guide for Solar Powered Generators

Solar generators are unique ; noiseless, odorless backup power, requiring no fuel, for in-home use both indoors and outdoors. The best solar generators are are your solar powered backup; great for Home, RV, Boat or camping in the wilds. Explore the best backup solar generators and solar generator kits here:

• Brands : Goal Zero, Kohler, Inergy, Anker, Renogy, Duracell and more
• Prices : Budget, Mid Range and High End
• Varieties : Portable or Heavy Duty Solar Powered Generators.

The BEST SOLAR POWERED GENERATORS
Small to Mid Sized	Power output in Watts	In-built Battery	Weight (lbs)	Price	Review
Goal Zero Yeti 150	150 watts	14 Ah AGM	12 lbs	from $183.99 Buy@ Amazon	Review
Paxcess 100W	150 watts	40.8 AH Lithium	3.5 lbs	$143.88Buy@ Amazon	Review
LazerVolt Power Pack	168 watts	14 Ah Lead Acid	13.6 lbs	Buy@ Amazon	Review
Renogy Firefly	175 watts	16 Ah Lithium	12 lbs	$530.00Buy@ Amazon	Review
PowerAdd Charge Center	185 watts	18.65 Ah	2.8 lbs	$175.99Buy@ Amazon	Review
Suaoki 200	220 watts	20 Ah AGM	5.5 lbs	$209.86Buy@ Amazon	Review
Aspect 250	250 watts	20 Ah Lithium	25 watts	$2,800.00Buy@ Amazon	Review
ChargeTech Plug	250 watts	54 Ah Lithium	4.8 lbs	$399.00Buy@ Amazon	Review
Chafon 346	346 watts	31 Ah Lithium	7.43 lbs	$399.00Buy@ Amazon	Review
Kalisaya KP401	384 watts	26 Ah Lithium	13 lbs	$499.00Buy@ Amazon	Review
Goal Zero Yeti 400	400 watts	33 Ah AGM	29 lbs	from $449.95Buy@ Amazon	Review
Anker Powerhouse	434 watts	120 AH Lithium	9.26 lbs	$499.99Buy@ Amazon	Review
Suaoki 400	444 watts	20 Ah Li Ion	12.3 lbs	from $9.99Buy@ Amazon	Review
Kalisaya KP601	558 watts	38 Ah Lithium	13 lbs	$599.00Buy@ Amazon	Review
Heavy Duty	Wattage	Battery	Weight (lbs)	Price	Review
Indergy Kodiak 1100	1100 watts	90 AH ,12V Lithium	20 watts	$3,995.00Buy@ Amazon	Review
Goal Zero Yeti 1250	1250 watts	100 Ah AGM	116 lbs	$1,999.95Buy@ Amazon	Review
Kohler enCUBE	1440 watts	100 Ah AGM	109 lbs	$1,094.94Buy@ Amazon	Review
OG 110	1500 watts	100 Ah AGM	83 lbs	$1,899.49Buy@ Amazon	Review
Wagan Power Cube	1500 watts	100 Ah AGM	132 lbs	Buy@ Amazon	Review
Duracell Power Source 1800	1800 watts	51 AH AGM	51 lbs	$414.05Buy@ Amazon	Review
Forty2Max 2000W	2000 watts	83 AH Lithium	75 lbs	$2,999.00Buy@ Amazon	Review
BePrepared 5000	2500 watts	100 Ah AGM	35 lbs (w/o battery)	$1,325.00Buy@ Amazon	Review

Contents Regular Generator vs Solar Generator Solar Generator Reviews How long can I run my devices?  What size should I buy?  See them : Video Reviews

Why should you buy a solar generator ?

FLEXIBLE : Suited for home and outdoors in your kitchen or at camp. Clean silent and pollution free backup power for your mobile devices, small home appliances, home theater, small refrigerator and perhaps a small sump pump during a blackout or storm.

VERSATILE : Smaller and mid sized Solar Generators are great for the the beach, camping or the tailgate party powering computers, phones, an XBox, tablets and a sound system while keeping the drinks cold.

POWERFUL :  Heavy duty, they can run home appliances like a small microwave, a toaster, small heater and even provide backup power for tools like an electric saw, a drill and maybe a sander too.

And if solar power is not your thing, the regular portable gas generator might interest you.

Types of Solar Powered Generators : Reviews n more

Related Pages Inside a Solar Generator Best Small & Mid Sized Solar Generators Best Heavy Duty Solar Powered Generators Best 100W Solar Generators Best 200W Solar Generators Best 400W Solar Generators Best 500W Solar Generators Best 1000W Solar Generators Solar Panel Kits Solar Panel Output Are Solar Panels worth it? Understanding your Electric Bill

Solar Generators are broadly categorized into two varieties : Portable and Heavy Duty  :

Solar Powered Generators : Portable

The smallest solar powered generators have power capacity of 200 watts or less.  These are best for charging phones, laptops, cameras and smaller home appliances. They are typically below the $200 price point unless they come with inbuilt panels.

The mid sized solar powered generators are between 200 watts and 600 watts in output. These can support additional loads in your home such as boomboxes, laptops, desktop computer, a small sump pump and even small power tools and power them for a few hours. These are priced between $200 to$600.

Solar Powered Generators : Heavy Duty

The heavy duty solar generators can power larger home appliances like a microwave, refrigerator, 42″ TV and coffee maker and have run times of up-to 12 hours on a single charge.

They are great for many types of power tools for home DIY projects or as a home backup power solution. The heavy duty units have price tags of  $1000 or more.

Does the sun power your solar generator?

All Solar Generators have built in batteries. You get power for your appliances directly from the batteries. There are 2 types of batteries  : AGM batteries which are bulkier and less expensive or  the new higher powered lighter Lithium batteries.

So where does the sun come in 🙂 ? The batteries need to be recharged. Solar generator kits come with panels for battery recharging.  However many vendors sell stand alone Solar Generators as well, without the panels .

No worries, all solar generators can also be charged directly from the standard 110V  AC wall outlet.  Some models offer the flexibility of charging from a car charger as well, but be warned they take a long time to charge.

Solar Generator Reviews

Here are reviews of the best in class solar powered generators available today. You can use the comparison table above to go to a specific review and get a snapshot of each backup generator.  Some have reviews in separate posts / articles and the links in the comparison table will take you directly to the reviews.

The comparison table is ordered by size – starting with the smallest portable solar powered generators and going up to the largest heavy duty solar  powered generators.

Customer Reviews

All of the featured units  have stellar reviews from customers. You just cant go wrong with any them.

The device charging capacity table will help you decide if the size and output fits with your requirements.

Some of the smaller generators cant charge laptops or run AC appliances, but are great in terms of portability.

Read on for performance specifications of a large selection of the best models in the US market today.

Goal Zero Yeti 150

Devices Charge capacity 
What will this unit power ? The table shows charging capacity for different devices. It can either charge the laptop 3 times OR run the light bulbs for 5 hours OR charge your phone 30 times etc.

All Goal Zero Yeti solar powered generators including the Yeti 150 can be charged from a wall outlet or a car charger or using the solar panel provided in the kit.

The Yeti 150 is the smallest model from the Goal Zero stable producing  150 watts of power from its 12V,  14 Ah AGM battery. An AGM battery is is like a regular car battery.  It requires to be charged and topped up regularly.

If you let the battery drain completely, it will no longer work. Fortunately the Yeti 150 comes with a built in battery charge display indicator with 5 bars to keep you informed of the current charge level of the battery.

A nice safety feature is a chirping sound to indicate low charge level of the battery. You should quickly get the battery charged.  This unit will work just fine without the solar panels since you can charge the generator from a wall plug or a car charger.

That will reduce the kits price substantially – see its price without the panels here. The unit has 3 outputs: a 2Amp USB port, a 12V output which is the traditional car charger type of outlet and an 80W AC socket which is a normal wall AC outlet.

The AC outlet of the Yeti 150 is able to provide 80W on a continuous basis so its good for a laptop but you have to be careful to not to attach heavier loads. The unit will trip and stop working if you put a heavier load, but it will not be damaged.

The car charger outlet providing 12 volt has a little more juice and can produce 120 W of continuous power.  To check out the latest prices on the Yeti – click here.

Renogy Firefly : Solar Generator Kit

Devices Charge capacity

The Renogy Firefly can charge a laptop 3 times OR run a 30 watt light bulbs for 5 hours OR charge your phone 35 times as you can see in the table below.

The Renogy Firefly is compact  and completely integrated into a suitcase form and is ready to go immediately. The superb design makes it an easy entrant to this list of the best solar generators and the inbuilt panels mean you don’t need to buy additional panels.

The 10W panels are do a decent job charging the battery. However, if you are looking for a quicker charge, the unit can be charged directly from a 110V wall socket as well. The Renogy Firefly can also be charged with an external panel with maximum output of 50W at 23V max, using the included  5.5m coaxial power connector (DC to MC4  connector).

At just 12 pounds, its handy to lug around anywhere. The output options include one 110V AC output providing 120W of continuous power. There are two 12V DC outputs producing 5 Amps plus an 8 Amp, 12 V cigarette socket and two 5V – 2 Amp USB sockets.

It has an LCD display with information on battery capacity, errors, and DC/AC load on/off. The unit has a cool LED nighttime flashlight with regular lighting and SOS mode.

Aspect Solar SunSocket : Solar Generator Kit

Devices Charge capacity

The Aspect Solar Sunsocket can charge the laptop 5 times OR run the light bulbs for 8 hours OR charge your phone 50 times.

The Aspect Solar Suntracking generator has some cool in built technology. It is compact and has the panels integrated into the suitcase. The automated slide out and unfolding of the panels as they emerge out of the suitcase is very high tech and reminiscent of a satellites panels opening up.

The 60W mono crystalline solar panels which work at 19% efficiency track the sun and generate power to charge the built in 20AH LiFePO4 lithium ion phosphate battery.

At night you press a button and slide the panels into the suitcase; that really convenient.  Power outputs include four 4 USB ports, a 12V DC outlet and an AC socket. The Aspect Solar Sun tracker  weighs 25 pounds with dimensions of 20.2 x 4.2 x 16.5 inches and a nice futuristic look.

The 250 watt capacity backup power wizard won an innovators award at the 2014 CES show.

Kalisaya KP401 KaliPAK : Solar Generator Kit

Devices Charge capacity

What kind of power backup can the Kalisaya KP401 give your home ?  It can either charge the laptop 7 times OR run the light bulbs for 12 hours OR charge your phone 76 times etc.

This is the mid tier Kalipak solar generator kit. It has an output of 384 WH and weighs 13 pounds. It has a 4 cell solar panel rated at 40W as part of the kit.

The Kalipak KP 401 has a Bluetooth transmitter and the KaliAPP allows you to monitor consumption levels, ensuring that you will never be suddenly left without power.

This solar generator kit comes with a mini powerkit—an AC/DC Wall Charger and Car-Lighter Adapter and the foldable 40 W Panel.  The whole unit packs up nicely into its case.

The Kalisaya KP401 is ready to go for your next hiking or camping trip in a jiffy.

Goal Zero Yeti 400 : Solar Generator Kit

Devices Charge capacity

What will the Goal Zero Yeti 400 power ? It can either charge the laptop 8 times OR run the light bulbs for 13 hours OR charge your phone 80 times etc.

Goal Zero’s Yeti 400 is a medium capacity unit in the impressive Goal Zero stable of solar generators. The unit has an impressive arsenal of power output: two 1.5 Amp USB ports, a 12V output traditional car charger outlet and two AC outlets providing  300 watts of AC power between them.

The Yeti 400 can be charged from a wall outlet or a car charger or with the solar panel provided in the kit.  The included 33 AH AGM battery is akin to a regular car battery and needs proper care and maintenance.  The battery should not be drained completely. The built in battery charge display indicator with the chirping sound indicator for low charge levels is a  great safety feature.

The Yeti 400 will also work just fine without the solar panels since you can charge the generator from a wall plug or a car charger.  The Yeti 400 is substantially cheaper if you buy it standalone, check its price without the panels here.

The AC outlet is good for a laptop and a regular TV with power rating below 300W. The 400 WH capacity is ample for a family vacation or a brief power blip in your home. The Yeti 400 weighs 29 lbs.

Kalisaya KP601 KaliPAK Mid Size Solar Generator Kit

Devices Charge capacity

The Kalisaya KP601 can either charge the laptop 11 times OR run the light bulbs for 18 hours OR charge your phone 111 times etc. etc

The name Kalisaya comes from the Incan language Aymara. The Incas considered the sun to be a divine entity and the Kalisaya brand picks up on this interpretation.

The Kalisaya KP601 comes with an external folding solar module. The main unit has built in battery and charge controllers. At 13 pounds the power pack is compact and is just over a foot across and about half a foot tall. Exact dimensions are 6.7 x 13.5 x 13.5 inches and it weighs at 13 pounds.

A dependable panel with a powerful but light lithium-ion battery gives the Kalisaya generator its signature portability. The Kalisaya KP 601 can charge an average iPhone 93 times.

The inbuilt bluetooth transmitter and KaliAPP app for IOS and Android helps manage energy consumption easily while you are on the go. This product also comes with a mini powerkit—an AC/DC Wall Charger and Car-Lighter Adapter and the foldable 40 W Solar Panel.

This unit makes it to most Best Solar Generator kits because of it compact size, more than adequate power output and solid reliability.

Goal Zero Yeti 1250 Heavy Duty Solar Generator Kit

Devices Charge capacity

The Goals Zero 1250 is a full home backup solution. It can either charge the laptop 25 times OR run the light bulbs for 41 hours OR charge your phone 250 times etc.

This is the largest offering from Goal Zero. The unit is heavy at 116 pounds but the wheels are a blessing. The Solar generator kit comes with two additional Goal Zero Boulder 30 W panels or single 90W panel.

You can order more panels also if you like. That will reduce charging time significantly. The unit has 3 USB outlets each generating 2.1 Amps and thus will charge multiple USB devices like your Apple or Android smart phones very easily.

There is a 12 V charging outlet and you can use this for all devices that connect to the car charger outlet of your vehicles.   The three pure sine wave outlets for AC power gives this solar generator its serious power capability.

You can run a small refrigerator, a laptop and a couple of lights or an oven off these three AC outlets. Power tools are also a cinch and you will see this unit on the pickup’s of many contractors. They can be daisy chained to provide even more backup power for your home.

Be Prepared 5000 Watt Heavy Duty Solar Generator Kit

Devices Charge capacity

Another whole home backup product, the Be Prepared 5000 can either charge the laptop 50 times OR run the light bulbs for 83 hours OR charge your phone 500 times etc.

The BePrepared is a workhorse with a capacity of 2500 WH. Unlike its competitors it ships with two 100W solar panels making this one of the fastest charging units in its class.

It has built in charging option from an AC outlet as well. It is not in the same league of design as some of its competitors, but it gives them a run for their money because of its power and longer lasting panels.

It comes with 30 feet of solar cables and weighs just 30 pounds. The main unit has dimensions of 32 x 18 x 18 inches and it houses the batteries inside it. The batteries ship separately and will need to inserted and connected inside the unit.

If you are looking for a good looking finished product to enhance your home decor, this unit will not make you happy. This is a work horse and it looks like one and its good value for money.

OG Solar 3000W Heavy Duty Solar Generator Kit

Devices Charge capacity

Another workhorse for home backup. The OG 3000 can either charge a laptop 30 times OR run the light bulbs for 50 hours OR charge your phone 300 times etc.

This is a full size unit from OG Solar. This heavy duty unit can provide 3000W if peak power and 1500 watt on a continuous basis. Two our more units can be linked together to make them true whole home backup solutions.

Its got significant power and can keep a small home running for a few hours. It is slightly on the heavier side at 83 pounds but the unit has a small form factor at 10 x 15 x 11 inches.

It has an 110 V AC outlet as output and two 12V DC outlets built in. It boasts of a 20 year warranty for the panels and 5 years for the electronics and the battery.

This unit does not have the design chops of the other units in this review. The output and input options are rather limited given the price tag. However, if you are interested in sustained power to keep your electronics and a few lamps going for over a day and night, this  heavy duty generator will gladly be your beast of burden.

Suaoki 220Wh

     Devices Charge capacity

The Suaoki 220 can either charge the laptop 4 times OR run the light bulbs for 7 hours OR charge your phone 44 times etc. etc.

The Suaoki 220Wh Portable is a small package with a reasonably strong punch. This 5.5 pound  Suaoki 220Wh has a battery management system (BMS) that prevents over-current, over-voltage and over-temperature, giving your devices complete protection.

The Suaoki 220Wh generates 200 watts of running power and 240 watts of starting power. The in-built AC inverter provides 200W of pure sine wave AC power through two 110 volt AC outlets. Additionally there are 2 USB ports (1 amp and 2.1 amp) and 2 DC outlets plus an extra cigarette socket cable.

The Suaoki 220 is stylish has excellent brand reputation and an excellent power to size ratio. There are very few competitors to this small sized power house. For more details read this detailed review.

Paxcess 100W

     Devices Charge capacity

The Paxcess 100W can either charge the laptop 3 times OR run the light bulbs for 5 hours OR charge your phone 30 times etc. etc.

The 3.5 pound Paxcess 100W  with  smart power control to prevent overcharging or over discharging is a good looking solar generator at the lower end of power capacity.

The Paxcess generates 150 watts of continuous power. The in-built AC inverter provides two AC outputs with 100W of modified sine wave power for regular household devices. Additionally there are 2 USB ports (3.5 A each) and three DC outputs providing 12 Volts at 15 amps maximum.

The unit is expandable and you can add additional solar panels and batteries (you will have to buy them separately) to be connected later for even more charging and powering capability.

This portable unit is handy for emergencies or for  your next camping trip or for a tailgate party and more. Its compatible appliances include: laptop, TV, smartphone, lights, etc.

Since it is a relatively low powered portable unit you won’t be able to use it to power your home  fridge or power tools. For more on this generator including additional images, check this post.

Forty2Max 2000W Solar Generator Kit

     Devices Charge capacity

The Forty2Max is another home backup solutions that can either charge a laptop 40 times OR run the light bulbs for 67 hours OR charge your phone 400 times etc. etc.

The 75 pound Forty2Max 2000W  is amongst the most powerful units in the market today and it will serve as a reliable source of clean long lasting power. The Forty2Max is an all in one Heavy Duty package. It is solar generator kit with panels, batteries and inverter all included in the product.

Thise Forty2Max 2000W  generates 2000 watts of continuous DC power. The in-built AC inverter provides two AC outputs with 1000W of modified sine wave power for regular household devices.

Additionally there are 2 USB ports for your electronic devices. The Forty2Max also comes in two additional variants with smaller battery capacities of 500w and 1000w.

You can’t add additional solar panels to this unit as the panels come built in. That is a blessing and a problem as the solar charging takes longer due to the smaller capacity panels, but is a blessing as you don’t have additional baggage to carry around.

This general purpose unit can pretty much be adapted for any kind of use : camping, emergencies, outdoors, tailgating, home movie party, outdoor cabin etc. Its great backup power for : laptop, TV, power tools, microwave, smartphone, lights, etc. For more details, check this post.

Duracell Power Source 1800

The 51 pound Duracell Power Source 1800 is from the Duracell stable lives us to its brand promise of long lasting backup power. But, it is not a traditional solar generator as it cannot be charged with external panels. It is an uninterrupted power supply source or a battery backup which provides AC power from its built in battery.  Thus the Duracell Power Source 1800 is a packaged solution with  batteries and inverter all included in the product.

This Duracell Power Source 1800 solar generates 1800 watts of continuous AC power. The in-built AC inverter provides five AC outputs with 1800W of pure sine wave power for household devices and electronics. There are no DC outputs or USB outputs.

The batteries are AGM and non spill which is standard with most units this size. However, you can replace the batteries when they wear out with 3, 17AH sealed AGM batteries. You will need a qualified battery consultant to carry out the replacement.

Its compatible appliances include: laptop, TV, power tools, refrigerator, smartphone, lights, etc. For more on this home backup generator including additional images, check this post.

     Devices Charge capacity

What will Amsu 500W power ? The table shows charging capacity for different devices. It can either charge the laptop 6 times OR run the light bulbs for 11 hours OR charge your phone 66 times etc.

The 6.7 pound Amsu-500W-Portable-Solar-Generator is a medium power capacity portable unit. The Amsu 500W  has 3 Amp smart charge discharge controller built in to protect its batteries from discharging completely.

The Amsu-500W generates 330 watts of continuous power. The in-built AC inverter provides two AC outputs with 500W of pure sine wave power for regular household devices. Additionally there are 2 USB ports (3.5 A each) and three DC outputs providing 12 Volts at 15 amps maximum.

The Amsu  often serves as an emergency backup unit. It is not necessary to have solar panels to charge the unit. However, if you plan to use it for camping trips stretching to more than a day, then it might be a good idea to consider additional panels. You can read about compatible panels and more specs on this generator here.

Best Solar Generators : Video Reviews

This is a video review of some of the models you have read about in this article.

Solar Generators vs Regular Portable Generators

FAQ’s

When not to buy a solar generator ?

If you want to go off grid or power your homes heating, air conditioning and all your regular home appliances for an extended period during an outage like Sandy, you are better off with a regular whole home generator.

Regular Portable and heavy duty solar generators can provide a few hours of backup for your home without Air Conditioning and minimal or no Heating.

What is a solar generator kit ?

All Solar Generator kits that have solar panels as part of the standard solar generator kit. You might have to buy additional panels for quicker charging.

What about a whole home solar generator ?

A whole home solar generator is another animal. These are referred to as  whole home solar system with panels on your roof or yard that power your whole home with solar.

Such whole home systems are great to reduce your utility bills, but wont work during power outages unless the system has additional batteries as backup. The home solar systems you see advertised on TV by big majors like Solar City all power your homes but don’t come with battery backup.

What about whole home solar generators with battery backup ?

It is possible to design a solar generator to power an entire household and go off the grid completely. You just cant buy that off the shelf. This would have to be custom built and they are expensive.

You can do it build one yourself if you are a serious DIYer with a good grasp of the electricians skills. Typically such a system would involve installing 15 or more large solar panels on your roof top or on the ground.

You would need a shed for your batteries and charging electronics. The best value option for a DIY solar enthusiast is the solar panel kit.

For those who want to spend a few thousand dollars for a larger solar system; check out Wholesale Solar. If you are not a DIYer and want a large system, call a local installer.  I am in New Jersey and I got my solar system installed by Ampericon without spending anything out of pocket. Here is my post about getting a solar system with no out of pocket investment.

Other cool  facts

If you are curious about the insides : read this post “How do they work?”. If you are the visual kind this video reviews will useful. And click here if you want to know how long your appliances will run with your solar generator.

How long can I run my appliances using one of these solar generator kits ?

Enter the power rating in watts for your solar generator,  next select the appliances you plan to use and boom, the calculator will give you the number of hours you can operate your selected appliances before your solar generator runs out of power (Hint : you will need to recharge the unit)

What size of solar generator kit should I buy ?

Select the home appliances you plan to use and the calculator  will suggest the optimum size in watts or watt hours.

If you are done exploring solar generators , you can look for more in my solar home in these other popular posts. Thank you for visiting mysolarhome.us. You might like visiting this Solar Energy Directory too.

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Last update on 2017-10-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API