Electronics rule. Phones and technology are everywhere. Smartphone apps dominate everything. Let’s face it, it’s getting harder to live without technology. Recharging powered devices is not possible everywhere. I love to camp. Love to be outdoors. And I love to work remotely off the grid so having an additional power supply for my devices matters.
A very viable and affordable option is portable power stations. Essentially, it’s like a power bank. Pocket-sized power banks typically use USB power and they’re great for powering your phone for about 5-6 charges, but when you’re away for a handful of days (or even a week), the pocket-size battery banks just don’t cut it. Power stations go beyond USB power. One I’ve had my eye on is the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240. There’s a lot to love about this power station. Let’s take a look at what this power station offers in the review below.
Jackery The Brand
I’ve heard nothing but good things from customers and users of Jackery’s portable power stations. In fact, that’s what originally drew me to their brand in the first place. Yes, I trust reviews. Yes, I love to read about what critics have to say. BUT…word of mouth promotion from people I know and trust matters a lot more. Aside from what friends and family have had to say about I’ve done some digging and Jackery has quite the reputation. In terms of longevity, they’ve only been around for about a decade, but they are one of the early pioneers of portable solar-generated power. That stands for something. They’ve been doing this for a long time in regard to the industry. Their products have also been featured on Forbes, Digital Trends, Tom’s Guide, CNet, and a handful of other reputable publishers so having that endorsement is a good indicator of the quality of their products.
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When you couple word-of-mouth endorsements and other reputable source’s endorsements with a solid warranty (2-year limited warranty on products) plus great service, Jackery is a brand that stands behind its products.
Jackery Explorer 240 Model Design
The Jackery Explorer 240 is roughly rectangular. It’s not so tall, but because of its handle, it kind of feels that way. Durable plastic adorns the exterior of the handle with grooves to provide a better grip. It is primarily black with orange highlights and bears a bold “Jackery” imprint. I dig the colors. Love the design elements of this. When you first pick it up, it just feels like a quality-built product.
Jackery Explorer 240- Power and Performance
Power stations heavily rely on their batteries. A 240Wh battery powers the Jackery Explorer 240. Some of the more popular uses and devices that people use in the Jackery 240 are smartphones, tablets, laptops, lamps, cameras, drones, and tire inflators.
Now…you won’t be able to charge a blender, electric grill, small fridge, or microwave with this model, BUT Jackery has some upgraded models that will give you that kind of power (more on that below). What I really love about the performance of this model is it’s quiet, clean, easy to use, and relatively safe.
Jackery Explorer 240 Safety and Compliance
Jackery Explorer 240 has four charging ports. A pure sinewave AC outlet. The sine wave has smooth waves, not sharp peaks. Therefore, sensitive electronics are safe. There is a maximum current limit of 200 watts. This will lead to the inability to operate heating devices, which will consume 400 watts for a short time. If you want more power, then get the upgrade. There is no automatic shutdown of small coolers when the input is active either. 12-volt DC is standard in cars, and the USB ports deliver 2.4 amps and 12 watts.
The Explorer 240 has power-saving circuitry. The power station shuts down if not fed with 10 watts for 12 hours. Definitely a nice safety feature. This function reduces battery drain.
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Jackery Explorer 240 Notable Highlights
Jackery Explorer 240 has the following features:
- Built-in MPPT. MPPT controllers increase battery current by 30%. A solar panel can quickly recharge the Explorer 240 (you’ll need to purchase this separately)
- Sine wave inverter. A pure sine wave inverter produces similar AV power. Inverters that modify sine waves cannot charge sensitive electronics.
- Smart display. Its backlit display is right in the middle so that nobody will miss it. Input power, remaining battery, and output power appear on the screen.
- On/off switches. A power station generally has a single on/off switch for all outputs. All three outputs of the Explorer 240 have separate on/off switches.
- Pass-through charging. Pass-through charging lets you charge your devices while the Explorer 240 charges.
Specs
- Brand: Jackery
- Wattage: 200 watts
- Frequency: 60 Hz
- Power Source: AC, CarPort, Solar Panel
- Item Weight: 6.83 lbs
- Voltage: 110 Volts (AC)
- Output Wattage: 200 Watts
- Color: Black
- Material: Lithium
Pros
- AC sine wave.
- An ultracompact design
- Noiseless.
Cons
- Not suitable for CPAP (although it will work with it)
- You will not be able to carry on this item due to travel restrictions with lithium batteries and due to FAA restrictions, no more than 100-watt hours capacity is allowed with checked baggage.
- The battery is not replaceable
- The USB Type-A ports don’t support quick charging.
Let’s Talk Jackery Upgrades
There are two reasons why you’d want to get an upgrade: you want the Solar Generator unit or you want more power. Below you can see the extra charges broken down by device type. One advantage of getting a solar generator model is the ability to charge appliances like an electric grill, coffee maker, and microwave. You will not be able to do that with the 240, 300, or 500 models. In my opinion, if I were to opt-in for an upgrade it would be the Jackery Solar Generator 1000. It’ll cost you around $1700, but right now on Amazon, you can get an extra $250 dollars off when you apply the coupon. Now, if that is a too high of a price tag and you really like the 240 models BUT really want the solar option, this Jackery Solar Generator model is what you’ll want.
Image Credit: Amazon.com:
Jackery Portable Power Station 240 User Reviews
This product has an amazing 4.7 rating out of 5 on Amazon. What makes that even more impressive is that the rating is carried across 16K+ reviews. Based on customer ratings by feature, noise level (5.0), portability (4.8), value for money (4.8), lightweight (4.7), and charging power (4.6) are the most important features customers love about the Jackery 240 portable power station. Those ratings are slightly better than Anker’s with each feature rating respectively.
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Final Thoughts On The Jackery Explorer 240
There’s a lot to love about the Jackery Explorer 240. Despite its lightweight, it provides USB, AC, and DC power. With its LCD, it’s easy to use. For entry-level portable power stations, you’re not going to find a better option for portability mixed with power.
