The short answer: a washer, an induction burner, a kettle and a microwave all run happily from a home battery. A full electric dryer and an electric range do not, unless the battery has a 240V outlet. Of the Jackery home units, only the Solar Generator 5000 Plus does, with 5,040Wh and 7,200W. The HomePower 3000 and the HomePower 3600 Plus are 120V only.
That sorts the kitchen and laundry into two groups: the things worth powering from a battery, and the things worth working around.
What these appliances draw
These are typical ranges. The label on the appliance gives the real figure.
| Appliance | Voltage | Typical draw | Typical energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washing machine | 120V | 300 to 500W | 300 to 500Wh a cycle |
| Electric dryer | 240V | about 5,000W | 2,500 to 4,000Wh a load |
| Heat pump dryer | 120V or 240V | 800 to 1,000W | 1,500Wh a load |
| Electric range, one large burner | 240V | 1,500 to 2,500W | varies with use |
| Electric oven | 240V | 2,000 to 5,000W while heating | 1,500 to 2,500Wh an hour at 350F |
| Induction burner (portable) | 120V | up to 1,800W | 150 to 300Wh to boil a pot |
| Microwave | 120V | 1,000 to 1,200W | 50 to 100Wh a few minutes |
| Electric kettle | 120V | about 1,500W | about 100Wh a litre |
| Toaster oven | 120V | 1,200 to 1,500W | 300 to 600Wh a meal |
An oven cycles its element on and off to hold temperature, so its hourly energy is less than the full draw times 60 minutes. It is still the most expensive way to cook an hour on a battery.
How much you get
The table assumes the battery alone, no sun, and ignores conversion losses, which make real figures about 10 to 15 percent lower.
| Job | HomePower 3000 (3,072Wh) | HomePower 3600 Plus (3,584Wh) | 5000 Plus (5,040Wh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washer loads at 400Wh | about 7 | about 8 | about 12 |
| Dinners boiled on an induction burner at 300Wh | about 10 | about 11 | about 16 |
| Electric dryer loads at 3,000Wh | not possible (120V only) | not possible (120V only) | about 1 to 2 |
| Oven hour at 2,000Wh | not possible (120V only) | not possible (120V only) | about 2 |
That is the whole story in four rows. The washer and the burner come out of a normal home battery with energy to spare. The dryer and the oven are where the energy bill goes up and where 240V is required.
The sensible plan for each
Laundry. Run the washer, then hang the clothes. A rack in a warm room, or a line outside, dries a load in a few hours for nothing. If you must use a dryer, a heat pump dryer uses about a third of the energy of a standard electric one and runs on a normal outlet in many models. A gas dryer needs only 200 to 400W for its drum motor and controls, so it runs from any of the three units.
Cooking. Do not try to replace the range. Buy a single induction burner and use it for what a burner does best, which is boiling water and heating a pan. Add a kettle for tea, instant meals and thermoses, and use the microwave for reheating. A day of cooking this way costs about 600 to 1,000Wh, a third of what a HomePower 3000 holds.
Both together. A washer cycle, a pot of water twice a day and a few microwave minutes come to roughly 1,500Wh in a day. Add a fridge at 1,000 to 1,500Wh a day and a router and lights, and you are near 3,000Wh, which is why a two-day outage wants the panels or a larger battery. Our sizing guide shows how to total your own list, and the refrigerator runtime page gives the fridge number.
If you really want the dryer or the range
Both are 240V loads. The route is a battery with a 240V outlet, and the Solar Generator 5000 Plus is the Jackery that has one. At 7,200W it can start a 5,000W dryer, and the same outlet runs a well pump or an electric water heater. Our HomePower comparison sets the three side by side, and the 240V backup guide compares the other ways to get 240V.
Be honest about the arithmetic before spending on it. At 5,040Wh, the 5000 Plus gives you one to two dryer loads before it needs sun or an expansion pack. It is the right unit if the dryer or range is also the way you run a well pump or central air. It is a poor purchase if the only reason is to dry clothes, because a clothes rack costs $20.
Safety notes
- Plug the washer and burner straight into the battery or through a short, heavy-gauge cord, since both draw enough to overheat a thin extension.
- Keep the induction burner on a flat, heat-resistant surface, and never leave it on unattended.
- A battery produces no exhaust, so cooking on it indoors carries none of the carbon monoxide risk that comes with a gas camping stove or a generator.
- Wet laundry and electric appliances do not mix with a wet floor. Keep the battery off the ground, in a dry spot.
Battery generator or gas generator?
A gas generator can run a dryer or a range for as long as it has fuel, which is its strength in a long outage. It must run outdoors, away from windows, is loud, and fuel is hard to find after a storm. A solar generator is silent, sits indoors and recharges from the sun, but its limit is hours of high-draw heat, which is why it suits a washer and a burner better than a dryer and an oven. Our solar generator versus gas generator page covers the trade-offs in full.
Check the current price of the Solar Generator 5000 Plus at Jackery
Which unit to buy
For a washer, an induction burner, a kettle and a microwave, the HomePower 3000 is enough, and it ships with panels so the next day’s charge is covered. For longer outages with the same appliances, the HomePower 3600 Plus adds capacity and can expand. For a real dryer, range or oven, the 5000 Plus is the one to look at, because it is the only one with 240V.
Jackery's full lineup and current prices
Keep reading: Best solar generators for home backup · Can a solar generator run a space heater? · Can a solar generator run an air conditioner? · Can a solar generator power a whole house? · Best solar generator for a well pump