Are Solar-Powered Portable Battery Packs Worth Buying?

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Solar power can provide energy to your home and devices without the need to connect to the grid. The technology uses energy from the sun that is then used to power devices you carry with you in your pocket, and they are great for having on a camping trip. You can even find solar-powered portable battery packs to provide a top-up when you're on the go. A solar-powered portable battery pack may only be worth it to outdoor adventurists, anyone who's outside away from a power source for long periods of time, or in emergency situations, however. 

As a tool, it's good to have it packed with you on the go or reachable in case of an emergency. Their compact size makes them simple to transport, but inefficient at providing power to larger, more demanding devices such as an appliance. Instead, they boost smaller devices, like cellphones, camping flashlights, or portable fans, through equipped USB ports just fine.

Having access to portable solar power is handy for camping, hiking, or if you find yourself in a power outage or blackout due to a thunderstorm, hurricane, or similar situation. They are convenient to have, but only in certain situations. Otherwise, some solar-powered chargers might just be useless.

If you absolutely need or want a solar-powered portable battery pack, there are a few things to keep in mind to make it worth your while. As they rely on the power of the sun, they need to be left outside in direct sunlight to harness enough power to charge your devices. This can take hours, especially if you're out hiking. Make sure it remains in the sun as it will be at its strongest if hit directly.

People who have owned a solar-powered portable battery pack recommend getting one with 25 watts for emergencies and for easier carrying. Many come with fold-out panels to collect more sunlight, making them more capable of collecting energy as the sun can hit a larger surface area. One owner shared on Reddit that they bought one at around $24 with a 25,000mAh solar power bank that powered a portable fan for a few hours. A battery pack with a higher mAh can provide power for longer.

It's good to know what devices you can and can't power with portable solar panels. Phones and tablets can run fine, but items like portable hot plates, hair dryers, and air conditioners won't. So, to get the most out of your portable battery pack, make sure you connect your smaller devices to it.

You can find plenty of solar-powered battery packs online, and they all contain various mAh, watts, and prices. The one key detail is that they all function the same way by collecting light from the sun and converting the energy into power for devices via USB ports and connections, so you can connect your device to it to receive a charge. So, it depends on what you'll be using the pack for, which will determine what you buy.

The SOARAISE solar-powered battery pack features multiple ports so you can charge several devices at once. It has 48,000mAh for lengthy charges, giving you more power to dish out between devices. Users say it's a great tool for camping, and its multiple USB ports make it more versatile and convenient for anyone who needs to power multiple things at once. It is quite pricey for a small device at around $50, however. There are cheaper options available, but they may not have as high an mAh rating.

Portable solar power banks, like the BLAVOR Solar Power Bank, can charge your phone on its own without a separate foldout panel. It has 10,000mAh and 20W for quick charging through a USB-C port and costs around $26, but compared to the SOARAISE, it has less mAh overall. However, it does have a flashlight so you can see better in the dark without connecting a separate device or using your phone's battery.