Are portable solar powered batteries worth buying?

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Solar power can provide power to your home and appliances without needing to connect to the grid. The technology uses energy from the sun which is then used to power the devices you carry with you in your pocket, and they are perfect for a camping trip. You can even find portable solar-powered batteries to provide charging while you’re on the go. However, a solar-powered portable battery is only worth it for outdoor adventurers, anyone who stays away from a power source for long periods of time, or in emergency situations.

As a tool, it’s good to have with you when traveling or on hand in case of an emergency. Their compact size makes them simple to transport, but inefficient for powering larger, more demanding devices such as an appliance. Instead, they power small devices, like cell phones, camping flashlights, or portable fans, just fine through the equipped USB ports.

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

If you absolutely need or want a solar-powered portable battery, there are a few things to keep in mind to make it worth your while. Since they rely on energy from the sun, they need to be left outside in direct sunlight to harness enough energy to charge your devices. This can take hours, especially if you’re hiking. Make sure it stays in the sun as it will be stronger if hit directly.

People who own a solar-powered portable battery recommend purchasing a 25-watt one for emergencies and for easier transportation. Many have flip-up panels to capture more sunlight, making them more capable of collecting energy because the sun can hit a larger area. One owner shared on Reddit that he bought one for around $24 with a 25,000 mAh solar power bank that powered a portable fan for a few hours. A battery with higher mAh can provide power for a longer time.

It’s good to know which devices you can and cannot power with portable solar panels. Phones and tablets may work fine, but things like portable hot plates, hair dryers and air conditioners may not. So, to get the most out of your portable battery, make sure to connect your small devices to it.

You can find many solar batteries online, and they all contain different mAh, watts, and prices. The one key detail is that they all work the same way by collecting sunlight and converting the energy into power for devices via USB ports and connections, so you can plug your device into them to receive a charge. So it depends on what you’re going to use the pack for, which will determine what you buy.

The SOARAISE solar battery has multiple ports so you can charge multiple devices at once. It has 48,000 mAh for long charges, giving you more power to split 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’s quite expensive for a small device though, around $50. There are cheaper options, but they may not have as high a mAh rating.

Portable solar power banks, like the BLAVOR Solar Power Bank, can charge your phone on their own without a separate fold-out panel. It has 10,000 mAh and 20W for fast charging via a USB-C port and costs around $26, but compared to the SOARAISE it has fewer mAh overall. However, it has a flashlight so you can see better in the dark without connecting a separate device or using up your phone’s battery.