Our Favorite Compact Power Station Is on Sale for 33% Off

Here in the In the Pacific Northwest, we’re heading into the cold and windy season, which usually means power outages. One of the best ways to prepare for those cold, dark days is with a portable power station like the Jackery Explorer 300 Plus, which is currently marked down by $100 at Best Buy and the same amount at B&H. It’s compact enough to store in a cabinet on a rainy day, but still has enough power to power small and medium-sized devices.

I actually bought one a few weeks ago, before a big wind storm, and while I luckily didn’t have to use it, I did a few quick tests to make sure everything was working properly. Every device I connected to the Jackery started charging instantly at its fastest rate, and I also plugged in my router, which happily discharged itself from the outlet without a problem. Although I didn’t have a chance to drain the battery, its 288 watt-hour capacity is excellent for many charges of smaller devices like phones and tablets, or for hours of use keeping your small devices awake.

It has numerous ports to charge and power your various devices. There is a standard USB-A port with a maximum power of 15W for incidentals, as well as two USB-C ports with a maximum power of 100W, one of which is also used as an input for charging the power station. There’s also a traditional 120V US outlet, with a 300W limit, in case the low-power USB ports aren’t quite suitable for your most demanding gear. There’s even a charger of the style found in cars, in case you have accessories that need it.

If you’re worried that the Explorer 300 Plus won’t have enough juice to get you through a long outage, or if you’re a frequent traveler, I also spotted several Jackery solar panels offered at Best Buy. The smaller 40W solar panel is reduced to $79 from $130, and the larger 100W version is reduced to $198 from $299. While this smaller model is great for home and occasional use, be sure to check out our other favorite portable power stations for larger batteries.