The Best Solar Generator for Home Backup (2025 Guide)

With climate disasters on the rise, the need for a solar generator for home backup is more acute than ever. But, for most of us, this is new territory and it can be difficult to unpack what your power needs are and how much budget you need to build an effective emergency setup. I’ve been testing portable power stations and solar generators for years, putting units from different brands through a rigorous testing protocol to assess their potential in a variety of situations. Here are my picks for the power stations and the solar generators for home backup based to fit a variety of needs.

• Best Overall
• Best for Small Electronics
• Best for CPAP Machines
• Best for Refrigerators
• Best for Whole Home

Power Station versus Solar Generator for Home Backup

Before purchasing a solar generator for home backup, it’s important to first assess if you want a full solar generator setup (power station + solar panels), or if it would be more cost effective to purchase a standalone portable power station. 

A standalone power station is essentially a giant battery pack. It contains a set amount of power, and once you’ve used it up, you’ll need to recharge it before you can use it again. 

The benefit of a solar generator is that you can use the power of the sun to recharge your power station — depending on your home setup, you may even be able to recharge your power station at the same time that you are using the unit to power an appliance or two. 

Read Next: The Best Solar Generators

After testing solar panels in a variety of conditions in the Pacific Northwest, from full sun on a hot summer’s day to the deepest maritime gloom of winter, it’s clear to me that where you live in the United States and the season you are most likely to experience an extended power outage should weigh heavily in your decision-making.

Solar panels only operate at a fraction of their potential in heavy clouds — expect only 25 percent of the power generation, at best, that you would get in full sun. Given that portable solar panels themselves are expensive (and a pain to set up), it may be more cost effective to purchase a larger power station compared to a true solar generator for home backup. 

Read Next: The Best Portable Solar Panels

If the primary cause of power outages where you live are wildfires or hurricanes, or other summer events,I would recommend looking at solar generators. If the primary cause of power outages where you live are winter storms, then you will likely be better off with a larger power station.

Read Next: What Can a Solar Generator Power

If you live in the sunbelt or another part of the country with reliably clear skies, then a solar generator may be your best bet, even in the winter months. If you live in a perpetually cloudy place, like the Pacific Northwest, go with a larger power station. 

Best for Home Backup: General Needs and Product Recommendations 

If you’ve never used a power station or solar generator during a surprise power outage, then it could be hard to assess what you would even use it for. Some people move it from room to room to keep the lights on, while others choose to plug it straight into their fridge for peace of mind. I’ve tested a number of the top power station and solar generator brands and these are the units I recommend to get you started on your journey. 

Solar Generator: Anker SOLIX C1000 Solar Generator

If you aren’t exactly sure what you’d use a solar generator for, but know you want to have one hand in case of emergency, then this is a great unit to get you started. It’s easy to use, reliable, and with enough oomph to keep your refrigerator going for a few hours (assuming it can handle the startup power needs)  or charge your phone for the better part of a week. It’s also nice and compact, easy to store on a shelf in your utility closet. Along with Jackery’s solar panels, I’ve been impressed by the functionality and power potential of Anker’s solar panels. In full sun conditions, this panel will achieve its claimed 200 watts. That means you could completely recharge this power station in less than six hours. In the summer months, when it’s easy to leave a solar generator on my patio soaking up the summer sun to keep my laptop and phone going, this is the setup I use. 

Read Next: The Best Portable Power Stations 

Power Station: EcoFlow Delta 2 Max

The EcoFlow Delta 2 was my top pick for a portable power station due to its power potential, price, and long-term storage retention. But doubling the watt hours is a better bet if you are planning to have this as your sole power station during a home emergency. In my testing, the Delta 3 is a very nice unit with some small tweaks at the margins (a higher watt output for instance) that may be useful for some individuals, but the vast majority of people won’t notice. Save your money and go with the Delta 2 series. 

My only complaint with EcoFlow is that their solar panels warp when stored long-term. If you expect to upgrade to a solar generator setup in the future, go with the Anker SOLIX C1000 instead. 

Best for Small Electronics: General Needs and Product Recommendations 

Keeping your phone charged during a power outage is an essential for emergency preparedness in the twenty-first century, especially if you anticipate needing to evacuate your location in a hurry. Look for units that have USB-C and USB-A charging ports, as these will be most useful — AC charging ports add both expense and bulk to portable power stations. It’s also smart to prioritize light weight and a small packed size as this will make it easier to move from place to place. 

• Average Daily Power Needs: 300 watt hours
• Ports Needed: USB-C
• Minimum Watts Needed: 200 watts

Solar Generator: Bluetti Pioneer 50 + 100W Solar Kit

There is a fundamental contradiction at the heart of most solar generators. They are designed to be used in indoor spaces, and can be quite sensitive to wind, rain, and even sun. But to recharge them with a solar panel, you’ll need to leave them sitting outside for a few hours. The Bluetti Pioneer 50 has been one of my favorite solar generators for camping because, with an IP65 rating, it’s designed to handle just about any weather situation up to being left at the bottom of a lake for an hour. That kind of peace of mind is helpful if you don’t know where or when you’ll be evacuating or what the weather will be like when you get there.

While I have not yet tested Bluetti’s new 100-watt solar panel, their previous version of this unit was one of my favorite solar panels. I’ll update this story with additional information after I’m able to complete testing. 

Portable Power Station: Anker SOLIX C300 DC

I’ve been testing a sample of the Anker SOLIX C300 DC for about six months now and it’s already one of my favorite power stations. Its size and weight is closer to a handheld power bank, but the amount of oomph it’s got is comparable to a full-size power station. You could recharge your phone and your laptop (and your spouse’s phone and laptop) for several days and not run out of juice. The only problem I’ve run into is that you can fry the electronics if you plug a too-powerful solar panel into it. With other power stations I’ve tested, either the cords for larger solar panels simply aren’t compatible or the machine will shut off automatically if it detects a too-massive power surge coming into it. 

Best for CPAP Machines: General Needs and Product Recommendations 

If you use a CPAP machine at night, then a power station or solar generator for home backup is a must. Be sure you understand your machine’s power use (I recommend a Kill-a-Watt if you are unsure) before making a purchase and err on the side of caution when determining the number of days it could potentially be in use for. 

• Average Daily Power Needs: 600 watt hours (8 hours)
• Ports Needed: AC
• Minimum Watts Needed: 60 watts (without a humidifier)

Solar Generator: Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus Portable Power Station + SolarSaga 200W Solar Panel

The Jackery SolarSaga 200W is, hands-down, the best solar panel I’ve tested. It’s easy to use, you can easily link up an array of four panels if you want to, and it’s tops at generating power. While I like the Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus a little less — it’s not as efficient as I would like and, in my testing, a little delicate — it still gets the job done with plenty of power to spare. If you’re a snowbird or sunbelt retiree looking for dependable, continuous power in case of a blackout, then this is a combo that will get the job done with room to spare. 

Portable Power Station: Goal Zero Yeti 1500X

While Goal Zero power stations are a little spendy compared to others I’ve tested, they are absolute aces when it comes to the mechanics of a power station. Their onboard computer always reliably shows how much power is left. You can toggle back and forth between a number of settings to see how many amps or volts are being used. And, impressively, they are one of the few power stations to show a draw on the unit’s power when the AC port is turned on. (Most like to pretend like this isn’t happening, even though it absolutely is.) In my experience, this is an essential reminder to actually turn the port off so that your battery doesn’t drain to nothing when it’s not in use. 

Best for Refrigerators: General Needs and Product Recommendations 

One of the most common reasons people purchase a power station or solar generator for home backup is to ensure everything in their refrigerator stays cool. However, refrigerators have unique power needs compared to other electronics, so it’s essential you double-check your unit’s requirements before making a final purchase. 

• Average Daily Power Needs: 2,000 watt hours (for a full day)
• Ports Needed: AC
• Minimum Watts Needed: 2000 startup power needs, about 500 watts thereafter

Solar Generator: Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus Kit

For most people, a whole solar generator setup to power their fridge won’t be worth it. More cost effective to just buy your perishables again on the other side of the outage. But if the contents of your refrigerator are precious to you — perhaps some bespoke culinary experiments, breast milk for your baby, or an entire cow — then it may be worth it to invest in a proper solar generator setup that will keep your fridge running as long as the sun shines in the sky. That’s what this is. What I like about this setup in particular is that you can decouple the expandable battery from the power station. What that means is that the power station proper can live in your home, powering your refrigerator, while the expandable battery is outside recharging via the solar panels. Every so often, you’ll bring in the expandable battery, drain its contents to the power station proper and then take it back outside again. If that sounds like a lot of work, it does to me too, but there are times when it will be worth it. The type of setup can be especially powerful for long-term power outages, such as experienced by New York with Hurricane Sandy or North Carolina with Hurricane Helene. 

Portable Power Station: Goal Zero Yeti Pro 4000

Like with CPAP machines, a Goal Zero portable power station for your fridge is an excellent choice. While I haven’t tested this exact machine, my experience with this brand has been that they are some of the most reliable in the business with excellent energy efficiency and a top-notch on-board computer. 

Best for Whole Home Backup: General Needs and Product Recommendations

Whole home backup is a different kettle of tea than the other options listed above. These units are massive, expensive and complicated to purchase and install, and can plug directly into your electrical grid to power your entire house. While once eschewed in favor of gas generators, the price of these units is (relatively) coming down. While I have not personally tested the units I’m recommending below, I have tested other products from both these brands and am confident recommending these. I’m looking into testing whole home backup power stations and will update these recommendations once this testing is complete.  

• Minimum Daily Power Needs: 10 kilowatt hours, yours may be more
• Ports Needed: Transfer Switch
• Minimum Watts Needed: Depends on your electrical needs and transfer switch setup

Solar Generator: Anker SOLIX F3800 Solar Generator Kit

Anker has consistently had some of the most reliable power stations and powerful solar panels in my tests, so I was glad to see here that they had bundled the whole package that you would need to create a home backup solar generator setup. While the oomph in this power station is not enough to power your house like normal, you’ll be able to at least keep the lights on and the heat running. I will say 400-watt solar panels have not been my favorite to test in the past, due to their unwieldy size, here they are the right choice. If you live in a part of the country with reliable sun and are committed to ensuring you adjust the angle of your panels throughout the day, these three panels will absolutely recharge this power station. 

A true whole-home emergency solar generator is a pretty hefty investment, but if you’re going all out one benefit is that you may be able to claim a pretty significant tax rebate. 

Portable Power Station: Goal Zero 16kWh Haven Home Backup

There aren’t many power station setups with enough oomph to actually run your house — your whole house — for an entire day, but the Goal Zero 16kWh HAven Home Backup gets closets. While this unit comes with the major caveat that it won’t run your air conditioning (those things use more power than just about anything else in your home), it’s got enough juice in it that you could go through a 24-hour power outage and not even need to be particularly thoughtful about your power usage. The Haven 10 circuit board can support up to 10 120-volt circuits, which for most single-family homes, ought to be plenty. I also like that it’s a modular setup, so that you can continue to add to your setup as time goes on. 

What to Consider Before Buying a Solar Generator for Home Backup

Your Power Needs

It’s difficult to estimate what your power needs will be during an extended blackout. How many days are you likely to be without power? What will the weather conditions be like? Will there be community centers available for recharging smaller electronic devices? If you are unsure where to start, look for emergency preparedness resources put out by local organizations. 

Price

Power stations are expensive. While my look at the best portable power stations goes into the nuances of how to understand whether something is a good deal or not, the reality is that you are likely to be out of pocket up to four figures for a quality power station. However, it’s important that you not underestimate your power needs to justify a less spendy unit, especially if you need it for a medical reason, such as a CPAP machine. 

Battery Chemistry

LiFePO4 batteries are less likely to catch fire, have a longer lifespan, and are associated with fewer human rights abuses than NCM batteries. The choice is clear. 

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Solar generators for home home backup are becoming increasingly popular. Due to the expense of these units, it’s important to do your research to understand your own electrical needs and local environmental factors that may impact your decision-making. This is not a one-size fits all product category. The below recommendations are a useful starting point for anyone looking to dive into this topic.