Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 vs EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus: light and simple or expandable

These two are the 1kWh stations people most often end up choosing between, and they suit different jobs. The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 is the lighter, smaller one at 10.8kg. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus weighs 12.5kg but takes far more solar, has twice the AC outlets and can add batteries later. For a home blackout kit we'd buy the EcoFlow. For a station that lives in the boot and gets charged at home, the Jackery makes more sense.

We haven't used either unit ourselves. Every figure here comes from Jackery's and EcoFlow's Australian product pages and their user manuals, linked at the bottom, and the runtimes are our arithmetic from those figures.

The numbers that differ

Battery size is close enough not to decide it. Both use the same LiFePO4 chemistry, and both makers rate their cells for 4,000 cycles, though EcoFlow's figure is to 80% capacity and Jackery's is to 70%. Our LiFePO4 vs NMC guide explains why that end point matters more than the headline number.

Size and weight

The Jackery measures 32.7 x 22.4 x 24.7cm according to its Australian manual. EcoFlow lists the DELTA 3 Plus at about 39.8 x 20.2 x 28.4cm. That makes the Jackery noticeably shorter, and 1.7kg is a real difference if you're lifting it in and out of a ute or carrying it from the car park to a campsite a few times a weekend. If the station mostly sits in the hallway waiting for a storm, weight hardly matters.

Outlets and output

This is where the Jackery's size costs you. It has two 230V outlets and 1,500W of rated AC output. The DELTA 3 Plus has four outlets and 1,800W, plus EcoFlow's X-Boost mode, which runs some heating appliances up to 2,400W at reduced power. A 2,000W kettle won't run on the Jackery at all, and on the EcoFlow it'll run slower under X-Boost. Our guide to running a microwave, kettle or air fryer goes through which appliances work.

Two outlets fills up fast in a blackout: fridge, modem plug pack, a lamp. Don't solve it by daisy-chaining powerboards. Use the USB-C ports for phones and lights (the Jackery has a 100W and a 30W USB-C port, the EcoFlow two at 140W each) and keep the AC outlets for things that need them, each on a lead rated for the load.

Solar is the big gap

Jackery's manual gives the Explorer 1000 v2 two DC8020 inputs, each taking a 100W or 200W panel, for 400W total. The DELTA 3 Plus takes up to 500W per input across two XT60 ports, so 1,000W total, at 11 to 60V and up to 15A per port.

Here's what that means for refilling. Usable energy is roughly the battery size times 0.85, allowing 15% for conversion losses. The DELTA 3 Plus is 1,024 x 0.85 = about 870Wh, and the Jackery is 1,070 x 0.85 = about 910Wh. Even if your panels delivered the station's full input limit, which real panels rarely do in Queensland heat, the Jackery would need 910 / 400 = about 2.3 hours of full output to refill, and the EcoFlow 870 / 1,000 = under an hour. On a cloudy day in a long outage, the higher ceiling is the difference between catching up and falling behind. Our solar pairing guide explains how to match panels to each input's voltage and current limits.

Wall charging is close. EcoFlow says the DELTA 3 Plus goes from 0 to 100% in 56 minutes at 1,500W. Jackery quotes 59 minutes, but only in its Emergency Charging Mode, switched on in the Jackery app, and its manual recommends normal speed for regular charging to look after the battery. From a car's 12V socket both are slow: both manuals cap car input at 8A, roughly 100W. Our car charging guide has the drive-time sums.

A blackout worked example

Say your fridge averages 60W (check yours: the yearly kWh on its energy label divided by 8,760 hours gives a rough average) and your modem draws 20W. That's 80W.

The Jackery gives 910Wh / 80W = about 11 hours. The DELTA 3 Plus gives 870Wh / 80W = about 11 hours as well. On battery alone there's nothing in it. The EcoFlow pulls ahead on day two, when solar is your only refill and it can take 1,000W against 400W. It also switches over faster when the grid drops, under 10ms against Jackery's 20ms or less, which matters if you want the modem to stay up without restarting (our NBN blackout guide explains why). If one day isn't enough, the EcoFlow takes extra batteries up to 5kWh. Jackery's own FAQ says the Explorer 1000 v2 doesn't support expansion.

Heat, storage and warranty

Both manuals give the same charging range, 0 to 45°C, and both warn against high heat, so neither belongs in a closed car in the sun. Charge on a hard surface in a ventilated spot, not overnight in a bedroom, as the Queensland Fire Department advises for lithium batteries. Our storage guide has each maker's storage charge.

Read the Jackery warranty terms. The standard term is three years, with two more if you register. Its manual also says the cell warranty only applies if you fully charge the battery within seven days of buying and at least every six months after. EcoFlow gives five years on the DELTA 3 Plus, and its manual says a unit left without charging or discharging for over six months isn't covered. Either way, put a six-monthly charge in the calendar.

If you want to see how both stack up against Bluetti and Anker, our EcoFlow vs Bluetti vs Anker SOLIX comparison covers the rest of the 1kWh field.

Where to buy in Australia

Buying from the brand's Australian store means 230V AU outlets, the local warranty and local support. Prices move around a lot, so check on the day.

• Jackery Explorer 1000 v2Jackery AustraliaSee it at Jackery Australia
• EcoFlow DELTA 3 PlusEcoFlow AustraliaSee it at EcoFlow Australia