The short answer: if your must-keep list is a fridge, Wi-Fi, lights, phones and a CPAP, buy the Jackery HomePower 3000. If you have a well pump, central air or a hardwired circuit, you need 240V and the answer changes. Three questions below sort you in a minute.
Check the current price of the HomePower 3000
Question 1: Is anything on your must-keep list 240V?
Open the breaker panel. A double breaker feeds a 240V appliance. The usual ones are a well pump, central air conditioning, an electric water heater and an electric dryer.
- Yes, one of those matters to me: you need a 120V/240V unit. Go to Result B.
- No, my list is ordinary plug-in things: go to Question 2.
Question 2: How long must it last without the grid?
Count what you must keep running, then multiply by the hours. Our sizing guide shows the arithmetic, and the HomePower 3000 page shows what a full charge runs, appliance by appliance.
- One to two days, or the grid usually comes back fast: Result A.
- Three days or more, or heat from a furnace blower or a window AC: Result C.
Question 3: Is budget the deciding factor?
If you need 240V but the price of a whole-home system is the sticking point, read Result B for the lowest-priced route we know of. If you do not need 240V, the lowest cost way to cover the essentials is Result A.
Your result
Result A: Jackery HomePower 3000
3,072Wh, 3,600W, 120V, panels included. It carries the fridge, Wi-Fi, lights, phones and a CPAP for one to two days and refills from its panels while the grid is still down. Read the full HomePower 3000 review before you order.
Result B: a 120V/240V system
Two routes, and both need a transfer switch fitted by a licensed electrician for hardwired loads like a well pump:
- The Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus gives 5,040Wh and 7,200W at 120V/240V, expandable to 60kWh.
- The Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus kit is the lowest-priced route into 240V we have found. Our review covers what it runs and what it lacks.
On a well? Start with our well pump guide.
Result C: Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus
3,584Wh and 3,600W at 120V, expandable to 21kWh. It is the pick for long outages and for cold-climate homes that want a furnace blower running. The 3600 Plus has its own review, and the three-way comparison lays the Jackery models side by side.
Before you click buy
- Write down the three things you cannot lose in an outage.
- Check the breaker for any double breakers.
- Read the price on the retailer’s page; prices change, so we do not quote one here.
- Decide where it will live, and plan to charge it once a month.
Still unsure? Our main buying guide compares all five units on one page.