The 12 best Black Friday portable power station deals 2024: Early sales live now | ZDNET

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Portable power stations are incredibly versatile and useful tools for a variety of situations, making them a must-have for anyone who enjoys outdoor activities or needs backup power at home. These compact devices allow you to charge multiple electronics simultaneously, from smartphones and laptops to appliances, ensuring you stay connected and powered up wherever you are or whatever is happening. Whether you're camping in the wilderness, hosting a backyard barbecue, or facing a sudden and unexpected power outage, a portable power station provides a reliable source of energy that enhances convenience and peace of mind.

Also: Black Friday 2024: Everything you need to know

However, the downside to these handy devices is their price tag, which can often be quite steep. Investing in a quality portable power station can feel like a significant financial commitment, especially when you're looking for one with decent capacity and features. This is why taking advantage of Black Friday deals is such a savvy move. During this shopping extravaganza, you can find substantial discounts on portable power stations, allowing you to secure a high-quality unit at a fraction of the regular price. By planning ahead and shopping smartly on Black Friday, you can enjoy the benefits of a portable power station without breaking the bank.

And I'm here to help you do just that. After reviewing well over 100 power stations this year alone, and having close contact with the big names, I've been able to find you the very best deals live ahead of Black Friday.

This is a truly huge system with a massive 6,128 Wh of combined storage capacity between the main power station and two batteries, two 200W solar panels to capture the free energy raining down on us, and a transfer switch for switching between grid power and your stores.

The system makes use of long-life LiFePO4 automotive grade batteries and comes with a 10-year warranty.

The Solar Generator 5000 Plus includes several standout features that put it head and shoulders over the competition. First, the 5kWh capacity is enough to run a home for a day, and with every Battery Pack 5000 Plus you add, you add an extra day of running, up to a colossal 60kWh.

The unit also supports 120V and 240V voltage output, so it can handle everyday devices like lights and laptops, along with heavy-duty equipment such as dryers, water pumps, and ovens. It can also be used to recharge electric vehicles.

Also: Jackery's giant new solar generator can power your home for up to two weeks

The 0ms response time in UPS mode is also useful for situations where you want the unit to start immediately when the power dips, making it perfect for powering sensitive devices such as routers, backup devices, and medical devices such as CPAP.

And, to top all that off, it's whisper quiet, running at only 30 dB, so the unit won't disturb anyone's slumber.

Featuring 4,085.6 Wh capacity, this is a portable power station that is capable of powering heavy load devices of up to 3,000W, which means that heavy loads such as air conditioners are not off the list. Perfect for RVs, this unit is more than capable of more meeting all your power needs for outdoor exploration or home use. Additionally, it is whisper quiet, producing only 30dB when in operation.

This is the perfect system to choose as a home backup system or if you want to harvest power using solar and use that to power your home. The system can output a whopping 3,500W of power, enough for the heaviest of workloads. But at 90 pounds, this is not something you're going to want to be taking in and out of a car.

Also: This EcoFlow portable battery powered my whole home during recent outages

This is one huge power station -- a massive 3,024Wh of power capacity and hefty 3,000W power output, this is a power station that can handle 99% of home appliances with ease. If you're looking for a whole-house solution, this is a great starting point.

The panels can charge the unit in about 11 hours.

While Jackery's most compact offering yet may resemble a power bank, it's truly a solar generator, built to the rigorous standards of its larger counterparts. The Explorer 100 Plus can even be recharged using solar panels like the SolarSaga 100.

Want to buy kit that includes the solar panel? No problem, Jackery has you covered.

Black Friday is set to dazzle shoppers on Nov. 29, 2024. This exciting day of shopping follows Thanksgiving in the US and kicks off the holiday shopping season with a bang, offering major deals and discounts across a wide array of products.

Cyber Monday is the first Monday following Thanksgiving, and this year it falls on Dec. 2, 2024. This shopping event follows Black Friday and is known for offering fantastic online deals, making it one of the busiest days for e-commerce.

In a word, yes. But as always, vigilance is needed to keep retailers and manufacturers honest. Taking ten bucks off the price of something costing several hundred dollars is not the sort of deal that would make the cut here, so you can always be guaranteed that we'll help you identify the best deals.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the biggest shopping events of the year, but they cater to different shopping preferences and experiences. Black Friday, which occurs the day after Thanksgiving, is traditionally known for its in-store sales and literal doorbuster deals. Cyber Monday takes place the following Monday and is all about online shopping.

Dating back to 2005, Cyber Monday was historically a day when retailers took advantage of people being back at work and having access to the internet, allowing them to do some sneaky shopping while they were supposed to be working.

Over the past year, I've handled and reviewed dozens of power stations, ranging from small handheld units to large, wheeled systems that can power a home for days. I have a solid understanding of what's available, what's worth it, and what constitutes a fair price.

I've also examined customer reviews to understand what matters to real users of the power stations I'm recommending. My personal experiences, whether positive or negative, may not reflect the broader consensus, so it's important to consider the opinions of others.

Historically, I've found that the best power station deals are found on Amazon, but I do keep an eye on the likes of Walmart and Best Buy, as well as the manufacturers themselves.