EF ECOFLOW Portable Power Station RIVER 2, 256Wh LiFePO4 Battery/ 1 Hour Fast Charging, 2 Up to 600W AC Outlets, Solar Generator (Solar Panel Optional) for Outdoor Camping/RVs/Home UseClimatePartner certified

We all crawl, then walk before we run. I figured I'd ease into this whole portable battery-powered electricity thing, so I started with this unit after reading dozens of reviews and inspecting almost as many similar products. I'm very glad I did because I obviously made a good choice, and so will you if you buy Ecoflow. Believe me, I was very skeptical and poised to return this if it even blinked at exaggerating its features or reliability. After months of extensive use, I can tell you my unit does not. There are certainly a lot of things to look for when buying one of these portable power stations. Probably the most important one is how many watts you'll need. It should be obvious then that the more watts needed, the more expensive these become. This one, the River 2, is a good entry value, especially if you manage to catch it on a Prime Day, or other type of sale. With the better-known competitors, I found you pay for their "brand awareness," rather than the valuable features when comparing price points. What sold me was that this one will run lower-end applications, like small fans, lights, laptops, low-wattage computers and tablets, and a few low-watt appliances, but will also run some higher-watt things as well. It won't run a microwave, a coffee pot, or a hot plate, but because of a feature that boosts its watts to double the base in exchange for shorter operating time, it can supply much greater wattage for, albeit, a shorter period. That's a really good plus. I use mine in remote places to keep my phone charged, and with my Road Pro lunchbox oven, or to power USB devices like lights for photography, and small corded hand tools that start at less than 600 watts and lower. This thing works great and after months of heavy use, is just as reliable as the day I bought it. Be warned though. Once you get started with these things there's no end. Since purchasing this, I've added solar panels to the roof of my truck, added a lithium battery-powered off-grid station in both of my vehicles, and plan to order two Delta 2's with extra batteries, so I can run AC and heat for the wife, and TV for the kids even when we go camping (it's the only way I get to go otherwise.) Be assured, the Ecoflow brand is a very solid choice as far as this technology is concerned, and it's priced competitively. I recommend the River 2 as a starter over similar competitor stations. Once you get it you'll understand why. The only wonky things about its design that could even be improved are the placement of the carrying handle and the fact that the stopper for the DC outlet is easy to lose. Still, neither of those things are deal breakers, and I strongly feel that like me, you'll be satisfied with this purchase.

The media could not be loaded. So I bought this because the company had good reviews and I really liked the idea of having a portable power station to charge things on the go, but also have it serve as a potential POOP-HITS-THE-FAN emergency backup to power a fridge or something for a short time. It's clearly under-powered for that sort of thing, but it still COULD do it. I like that flexibility!Lo and behold, it has started to change my entire life! Suddenly I realized that I could have electric power in that old tool shed that has just served as a storage bin for old toys and mowers. That inspired me to clean up and order the shed, to put in shelving, and more! A few weeks later I also bought my first e-bike, and now I can store it in the shed and recharge the thing without navigating through the garage or removing the battery.This little unit is definitely too small for what I use it for-- it probably has enough juice to recharge 50% of my e-bike in one go, but that's OK! The unit itself is so compact that its easier to charge IT back at the house than move my tools or bike to where the electric is at. That's the beauty of this technology!After a few days of doing that, I realized that there was an even lazier solution I could use: solar! YEP, I could hook up some solar panels on that same shed and it'll recharge the unit automatically and, essentially, my shed is both off-grid and fully electric. I appreciate that it does all of the technical stuff I don't understand, so I just plug in the solar panels and it converts that into sweet, sweet tool juice.The app is also absolutely fantastic- It's fun to see how much it is charging or discharging at any given time. This has inspired me to buy the much bigger brother, a Delta 2, and a 160 watt solar panel to really complete the job. My plans for that are outside the scope of a review of the River 2, but it's worth mentioning that this little device inspired so much madness.So, in conclusion--watch out. This is a gateway device to much larger toys and an increasingly eco-sensitive lifestyle.EDIT: After enjoying this product for about six months now, I wanted to give a quick update. I still LOVE it, especially for the cost and size. It still powers my e-bike on completely solar energy. I use the Delta 2 to recharge this unit on overcast days using USB-C 100watt cables (ends up pulling in about 54watts), and that allows me to reap a little benefit from the Delta 2's 500watt solar input potential (the River 2 can only pull in 110watts max).Another thing to be aware of is that I did have some recent issues with the unit no longer displaying AC charging numbers and no longer pulling a charge through USB-C. This happened after a Firmware update. I contacted support, and the good news is that an updated Firmware update came out three days later that fixed these problems. It was over a weekend, so I didn't get a reply from Support until after it was fixed again, but it is something to be aware of. The Firmware updates sometimes bring new features, but if you have this as backup to a life-saving device, I think you'll want to time those updates to times when the impact would be lessened.

When I opened the box I was a little skeptical due to the small size, BUT after working with the River 2 on a few test runs I can say it does just what they say it does. Charges VERY fast with the AC cord. A charge lasts as many watt hours as the wattage you are pulling. I bought this for light use with radios and as a get-by unit during power outages - something to run a fan and a light or two until I get our large generator going. The Bluetooth feature with the phone app is outstanding. I can monitor what's going on remotely. A GREAT feature. I want to get a protective case for it, but I'm a little concerned about heat build up with a case that allows usage while packed. Another issue for another time. VERY pleased with the River 2.