Review: I tested the Jackery Explorer 240 V2 portable power station and it left me in a quandary
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One of the pieces of tech I’ve always carried with me on a very regular basis is the Jackery Explorer 300 Plus. It just about squeezes into a backpack, but it can power pretty much everything I can carry alongside it.
Laptops, drones, e-bikes, projectors, cameras, speakers and lights can all plug into its USB ports, and its AC socket can power fridges, basic power tools, or even a desktop PC.
With a 300w inverter it has more than enough power to keep my pet lizard's 100w vivarium powered for a couple of hours, and it will still top up my phone afterwards. It will even recharge off solar, or through its USB port. It's incredibly versatile.
I was very intrigued to hear Jackery was launching a new compact power station, the Explorer 240 V2. Intrigued, and a little confused. It's a huge leap in technology over previous compact units, but it doesn't really seem all that different to the 300 Plus. Physically, it's about the same size. A little lighter, but there are just as many ports, and the same LCD display. Even the fold-down carry handle is the same.
It has a slightly less powerful battery, but you probably wouldn't notice the difference, and it now has a faster charging function. Although you can't charge it through USB now, oddly.
Other than this, it's got the same 300w inverter, the same single AC socket, the same LiFePO4 battery technology, and the same app to control and monitor it with.
There is a price difference. The slightly more powerful Explorer 300 Plus costs £319, while the 240 V2 costs £259. Only there's a Christmas offer on at the moment, bringing the ever-so-slightly bulkier 300 Plus to £219.
It leaves me wondering which one I'd choose, if I was to invest in one now. The 300 Plus can accept more solar input, but the 240 V2 charges slightly more quickly from a car's power supply. And then there's that faster AC charging.
Disregarding the special offer, the price would make the 240 V2 more attractive, but perhaps the 300 Plus is worth the extra money for that bigger battery and the USB charging capability.
The truth is, they're both brilliant. And I can't really choose between them. In some respects, I don't have to. They both look pretty much the same, so I can just grab the one that's nearest to me, or the one that has the most charge.
But I'm still puzzled by the fact there are two products from the same stable that are so similar.
If I had to part with one, I don't know which I'd say goodbye to. But you'd have to take my right arm with it, because they're so incredibly useful. Whichever one it is I'm clinging on to, it's one of the best pieces of tech I own.