Power station or power bank? Both are more or less portable batteries, but power stations offer full-fledged Schuko sockets, which can be used to power classic laptop chargers. Power banks, on the other hand, only provide USB ports, which are mainly sufficient for smartphones, tablets, or other accessories.
Most power stations, on the other hand, have more than 100 watts of power, making them suitable for modern laptops, which can now draw over 90 watts. Only a few power banks can achieve this and they usually cost well over 100 euros, such as the Anker Power Bank 737. Portable power stations, such as the Flashfish A101 (87 euros with coupon BGTS6185), score with sufficient power, a compact design, and, above all, a cheaper price.
We have looked at ten models under 300 euros and show you which ones are the best. We now draw on the experience of over 40 individual tests in the field of power stations. The overall best models from the tests are shown in the Top 10 Power Stations: The Best Power Storage for Photovoltaics starting at 235 euros. You can find slightly more expensive models than those listed in this ranking in the Top 10: Power Stations up to 500 Euros – affordable emergency power for blackouts. Before buying a power station, we recommend regularly checking out our overview of the Best Photovoltaic Deals: Power Station, Solar Panels, Balcony Power Plants & Co. For compact solutions for mobile energy for smartphones, tablets, and the like, we present the guide to the Best Power Bank for Laptops & Co. starting at 20,000 mAh: Mobile Batteries starting at 17 euros.
Power Stations under 300 Euros
For less than 300 euros, you can already get power stations with over 500 watts of power and 500 watt-hours of capacity. Of course, such models are not suitable for operating power-hungry devices such as hedge trimmers or household appliances like kettles or hair dryers. However, they offer a better price-performance ratio than some power banks. They are suitable for mobile power supply for everyday devices such as laptops, tablets, or smartphones, but also for operating pumps for SUPs or inflatable boats and air mattresses.
If you want more power and longer-lasting LiFePo4 batteries (lithium iron phosphate), this is not the right place, as you have to spend significantly more money for that. In this case, we recommend our Top 10 Power Stations: The Best Power Storage for Photovoltaics starting at 235 euros, as well as the Top 10: The Best Power Stations with LiFePO4 Battery – Long Battery Life starting at 300 euros. Below, we present ten models with varying power and capacity, priced between 87 and 287 euros. With the exception of one model, all power stations in the comparison use the less durable but cheaper lithium-ion cells.
1st Place: Blackview Oscal Powermax 700
Sleek, powerful & affordable: That’s the Blackview Oscal Powermax 700 (review), which we tested recently. It impresses with a sleek black, high-quality exterior that resembles the significantly more expensive Ugreen Powerroam 1200 (review) and its affordable price of currently 285 euros (select coupon and enter code 4DH3397D in the shopping cart). For that price, you get almost 700 watt-hours of battery capacity, powerful 700 watts of power with a peak output of 1400 watts.
Since the Warmounts CN1000W (review) with 1000 watts of power and 1000 watt-hours of capacity is currently not available, the Powermax 700 takes its place with the highest capacity in this ranking. It offers two AC Schuko sockets (rotated 90 degrees to the side), a 12-volt cigarette lighter socket, and two DC round plugs, four USB-A ports, and two USB-C ports. You can even charge the power station via one of the USB-C ports – a rare find, but quite practical. However, you can only discharge it until the battery level reaches five percent, after which the Powermax 700 shuts off all consumers in general – probably to protect the battery from deep discharge.
Overall, the model impressed us with its high-quality workmanship, solid test results, and its high capacity and power for the price. Of course, there are some trade-offs to be made. The fan is very loud during operation and sometimes reaches over 60 dB on the housing. However, it only starts irregularly, but runs continuously at higher power consumption. But 700 watts and 666 watt-hours for 285 euros are already a really good overall package, which is why the Oscal Powermax 700 receives a clear recommendation from us and comes out on top as the best power station in the comparison.
Note: You can only get this price by activating the coupon on Amazon before purchasing and entering the discount code 4DH3397D in the shopping cart.
2nd Place: Anker Powerhouse 521
The second-place Anker Powerhouse 521 (review) delivers 200 watts (pure sine wave) and has a capacity of 256 watt-hours. It offers a 12-volt cigarette lighter socket, two USB-A ports, and a USB-C port, which can also be used to charge the portable power station, as well as a single AC Schuko socket. This is not uncommon in the affordable price range, but should be noted if you want to power multiple devices with 230 volts.
What is unusual, however, is the battery type used here, namely LiFePo4. They shine with a particularly long service life and still offer 80 percent of their original capacity after 3000 cycles. They are usually reserved for more expensive models – so this is a pleasant surprise and the only power station in the comparison with this battery type. The simple, sleek case also impresses with flawless workmanship – anything else would have been strange since the name Anker has been known for high quality across many product categories for many years.
In addition to its technical specifications, the Anker Powerhouse 521 also impresses with its compact size. It measures just 22 × 14 × 22 cm and weighs only 3.7 kg, making it highly portable and suitable for transport. With 191 euros, the small power station has also dropped in price significantly, as it used to cost 370 euros just 13 months ago. It receives a clear recommendation from us.
3rd Place: Grecell T500
The Grecell T500 (review) was also recently tested by us. We had not heard of the manufacturer before, but the test device impressed us with 500 watts and 519 watt-hours, as well as its well-crafted black plastic case. There are orange rubber applications at all corners to protect against damage and enable gentle placement. The handle on the top can be folded down, providing space to place connected devices. It is also good that the display shows the battery level in percentage.
In addition to two AC Schuko sockets, the Grecell T500 offers four USB ports with Quickcharge 3.0, a USB-C port with 60 watts (Power Delivery), and three DC ports, two of which are round plugs and one is a cigarette lighter socket.
In the test, the efficiency also impressed us, with over 91 percent. In comparison, the Flasfish E200 (review), ranked 9th, achieved a dismal efficiency of 49 percent – which means you get less than half of the stated capacity. The noise level was also acceptable, with the fans only rarely turning on. However, if you draw a lot of power, it does get relatively loud, but it does not reach the enormous noise level of other power stations like the Warmounts CN1000W. Here too, the power station shuts off all consumers when the battery level reaches 5 percent, so you can no longer draw power. This is probably to protect the battery from harmful deep discharge.
Overall, we have an appealing overall package here, which is also available at a good price. If it weren’t for the regular price of 438 euros, we would advise against buying it. However, with the Amazon coupon activated, it is currently available for an attractive 238 euros. This is even cheaper than the price at the time of testing on July 28, 2023, when it was still 250 euros.
However, if you search for this portable power station on Amazon, you will also find a variant with 999 watt-hours in addition to the 500 watt-hour version. With the Amazon coupon, this version is currently only 259 euros instead of 509 euros. For double the capacity, that is a very small surcharge, which is why we would go for the larger variant.
4th Place: Cosmobattery UA551
Cosmobattery was not a familiar name to us, unlike Flashfish, Anker, or Blackview. The UA551 is the first power station from the manufacturer that we have received. The device has already arrived at our office, and a detailed review will follow shortly. However, we can already say that the metal case is flawlessly crafted.
Despite its technical specifications of 500 watts and 551 watt-hours, the cubic case is very compact. It even appears smaller in size than the also very compact Warmounts G600 (review) – although the G600 is no longer being produced and is therefore no longer an option. It is interesting that the power station does not have fan vents.
The UA551 features two Schuko sockets, four USB ports (including two USB-C ports with 45 and 60 watts), and a DC round plug. There is also a hidden cigarette lighter socket on the back. The display shows the activated ports and also reminds us of the Warmounts G600, which provides similar information in a similar way.
The attractive price is what really makes the Cosmobattery UA551 stand out. Currently, the portable power station is available for 307 euros, and with the coupon BGTS6189, it is even reduced to just 288 euros. This makes it a stylish overall package worthy of this ranking.
5th Place: Flashfish P66
At the time of testing, the Flashfish P66 (review) was our smallest power station – so small that we couldn’t help but put it in the accessory compartment of a 2-kilowatt power station. It measures 29 × 20 × 21 centimeters and weighs only 3.2 kilograms. It offers a capacity of 288 watt-hours and a total power output of 300 watts, which can only be utilized when using both direct current and alternating current in parallel. The gray-orange plastic case is well-crafted, but otherwise unspectacular. On the top, there is a foldable handle and also a surface for wireless charging. The display shows activated ports, power consumption or charging power, and the battery level in percentage as well as a graphic representation.
Below the screen, there are four USB ports. In addition to 2x USB-A with 2.1A, there is a USB-A slot with QC up to 18 watts. The USB-C output next to it provides the same power. Furthermore, there are two DC round plugs with contact pins and a 12-volt car plug (cigarette lighter socket). A single Schuko socket and a round plug for charging (solar or power adapter) complete the range of connections.
In practical testing, we were impressed by the mostly silent operation of the power station and its good efficiency, which was over 80 percent. While it cost 228 euros at the time of testing, the price has now dropped to 186 euros (with coupon code BGCGHD084) on Banggood. However, it is advisable to act quickly, as the offer is limited to 28 units and valid until September 30.
6th Place: Novoo Omni
The Novoo Omni (review) power station has a power output of 300 watts and a capacity of 296 watt-hours. We tested it over a year ago. It is one of the more compact models with its 23 × 20 × 15 cm black and orange plastic case. The overall workmanship is decent, although the transitions are not well-crafted.
On the connection side, there is an AC Schuko socket, three 12-volt outputs (1x car, 2x round plug at 10 amperes each), and a total of four USB slots (2x USB-A with 2.4 amperes, 1x USB-A with 18 watts, 1x USB-C-PD with 45 watts). The display shows the active connections but is otherwise very basic and only provides graphic bars instead of the battery level in percentage, making it difficult to read in sunlight.
The Novoo Omni power station has also dropped significantly in price. Instead of 332 euros at the time of testing on June 19, 2022, it now costs only 160 euros on Amazon. However, if you are interested, you should act quickly, as other platforms no longer list the model, and it is likely no longer being produced.
7th Place: EBL MP330
The EBL MP330 offers exactly what its name suggests: 330 watts and a battery capacity of 288 watt-hours. We tested the larger model, the EBL MP500 (review), which mainly differs in size, a higher capacity of 519 watt-hours, and 500 watts of output power. At 309 euros (select coupon), the MP550 costs 9 euros too much to make it onto this ranking. However, given the performance, workmanship, efficiency, and accessories, the MP500 is always a good solution that you can’t go wrong with.
The MP330 features a solid and compact power station with an AC Schuko plug, two DC round plugs, a cigarette lighter socket, and four USB ports, including 3 USB-A and 1 USB-C. The power station is powered by a slim DC plug, which is incompatible with many solar panels.
In practical testing, the compact power station disappointed us because of its poor efficiency, setting a negative record among the over 40 power stations we tested. In a test scenario, we only got 49 percent of the stated capacity. The usual efficiency is around 80 percent.
It is also not possible to charge and discharge at the same time. As soon as we connect a charging cable or a solar panel, the outputs are deactivated. The power station charges at a maximum of 38 watts, which is still fast enough given the 288 watt-hour battery capacity – it takes less than four hours in testing. The noise level is also a small downside – the fans can reach up to 50 decibels right next to the housing. This is not excessively loud, but it is no longer pleasantly quiet.
8th Place: Flashfish A301
The Flashfish A301 (review) is one of the smaller power stations in comparison and weighs less than the Oscal Powermax 700 at around 4 kg. In addition to a decent 320 watts, it even offers 100 watts via USB-C PD and a wireless charging pad with 10 watts – although charging a smartphone via wireless charging is likely to be a time-consuming process. The A301 has a capacity of 292 watt-hours.
In our test on June 22, 2022, we received a version of the device with a universal AC socket, which combines multiple plug types and largely eliminates the need for travel adapters. However, such sockets have the disadvantage that plugs of type C, F, or CEE-7/7 fit quite loosely and can easily be accidentally detached. Banggood now also offers the power station with a full-fledged EU Schuko plug, as shown by a new test device.
The simple status display performed below average in testing. Not only is it difficult to read in sunlight, but it also provides very limited information. At least it shows the battery level in percentage, allowing for an accurate reading of the current battery level.
There is also the limitation that you cannot simultaneously charge and output 230 volts. However, the DC outputs work during the charging process. Thanks to its good price-performance ratio, the Flashfish A301 also receives a recommendation despite the mentioned limitations. While 320 watts may not be enough for power-hungry devices, it is still significantly more powerful than a power bank, making the A301 a suitable alternative for charging laptops, which often require 90 watts or more. It is also excellent for operating an SUP pump (guide), as a companion for RC flying (guide), and other similar applications.
