Head-to-head test
Anker 535 PowerHouse vs Jackery Explorer 300
For $41 more, the Anker 535 PowerHouse beats the Jackery Explorer 300 on capacity, output, lifespan, and cost per kilowatt-hour; the one column Jackery wins is weight, and only a backpack makes that the deciding one.
Full profiles: Anker 535 PowerHouse → · Jackery Explorer 300 →
Written by Wenny ZhengUpdated
Portable Power Tester, Station Arena Test Desk
$299.99 · direct from Anker
Last checked 1 day ago. Prices move — check before you buy.
$289.00 · direct from Jackery
Last checked 1 day ago. Prices move — check before you buy.
Spec deltas
Twenty-one dollars is the whole price gap between these two, and it's the most consequential $41 in the comparison: it takes you from the Jackery Explorer 300 at $1.19 per lifetime kilowatt-hour to the Anker 535 PowerHouse at $0.20. That single line settles most of the page. The 535 is the one to buy unless a very specific constraint says otherwise.
That constraint is weight. The Explorer 300 is 7.1 pounds to the Anker's 16.7, less than half, a true one-hand grab where the 535 is a two-hand carry. If your power has to ride in a backpack or move with you often, that gap is real and it's the Jackery's to win.
For everyone whose unit lives in a trunk, a garage, or beside the bed, those pounds never come up, and the 535 is simply more machine: more battery, a stronger inverter, and a pack built to outlast the Jackery several times over. The question was never which is better. It's whether you carry it far enough to want less of it.
What the Numbers Reveal
Each conclusion stated first — the numbers behind it on one line, the full analysis below.
rated cycles
The split isn't capacity, it's chemistry and cycle count: LFP at 3,000 cycles against lithium-ion at 800. By the time the Jackery has worn to 80% and you're eyeing a replacement, the Anker is barely broken in, and that replacement costs another $259, which is the entire saving plus a whole unit.
Anker 535: $300, 512Wh, LFP rated 3,000 cycles, 1,536 lifetime kWhJackery Explorer 300: $259, 293Wh, lithium-ion rated 800 cycles, 234 lifetime kWh
Why it mattersIf you'll keep this past a couple of camping seasons, the 535 is the cheaper box to own, full stop; the sticker gap is a rounding error against a second battery.
continuous output
But you're carrying half the weight because you're carrying a smaller machine: just over half the battery (293 against 512Wh) and a 300W inverter instead of 500W. The pounds you save are pounds of capability, not clever engineering.
Explorer 300: 7.1 lbs, 293Wh, 300W inverter535 PowerHouse: 16.7 lbs, 512Wh, 500W inverter
Why it mattersBuy the Explorer only if carry weight is the binding constraint, a hike from the car, a spot you'll move it often. If it lives in a trunk or a closet, you've paid in capacity for a weight you never lift.
Capacity
The 535 clears the same night with 115Wh to spare. For a run-till-morning medical load the spec that decides it isn't weight or a quiet rating, it's whether the unit is still on at 5 a.m., and only the Anker is.
CPAP overnight needs about 320WhExplorer 300: 293Wh, about 249 usable after the 15% derate535 PowerHouse: 512Wh, about 435 usable
Why it mattersCPAP and overnight-oxygen buyers should take the 535; if you're a light sleeper, check a hands-on noise report first, since Anker doesn't publish a figure.
The specific dimensions that decide these two units — everything else is a tie.
Lifetime Value
Selected because: Same sticker price, wildly different cost to own over a full lifespan, this is where the decision is really made.
cost / lifetime kWh
Same money today, very different money over a decade. At twice-a-week use the 535 is rated to keep going for about 29 years before it slips to 80% capacity; the Explorer 300 gets there in roughly 8. You'd be buying your third Explorer while the Anker was still on its first tour, and 'worn out' here just means 80%, not a brick, so the 535 keeps soldiering well past that. The upfront tie is an illusion the cycle counter erases.
Portability & Form Factor
Selected because: The Explorer 300's one genuine advantage lives here: it's less than half the Anker's weight, the only reason to prefer it.
weight
9.6 pounds is the entire spread between them, and it's the only figure that reads in the Jackery's favor. In the hand it's the difference between a one-arm grab off the shelf and a two-hand, mind-your-back lift onto a tailgate. That matters enormously if the unit walks with you, a campsite past the parking lot, a boat, a third-floor walk-up, and not at all if it lives where you set it down. Decide which of those two people you are, because it's the only question on which the Explorer 300 has the better answer.
Your Life, Your Pick
Selected because: What these small units actually cover in real use, where the extra capacity earns out and where both simply fold.
These are evening units, not weekend ones. The one overnight either might carry is a CPAP, and only the 535 finishes it. Point them at anything bigger and both fold: a 670Wh tailgate has the Explorer starting a 400W load on its 500W surge, then handing off to a 300W continuous rating that can't hold it, while the 535's 500W is continuous and holds the load, but at 670Wh neither has the capacity to see it through, the Anker still 235Wh short. The takeaway isn't which wins the tailgate. It's that the 535 is the bigger of two small units, and past a CPAP night, 'bigger' still isn't 'big enough.'
What the Specs Don't Tell You
Selected because: The fine print that tilts the call: warranty length, solar speed, and a missing noise spec.
rated cycles
The fine print splits evenly and changes nothing. In the Anker's favor: five years of warranty against two, about $60 a year of coverage versus $140, cheap insurance on a unit you mean to keep. Against it: solar. The 535's 120W input means a full refill is around 4.3 hours of strong sun, and the Explorer's smaller 293Wh pack tops up quicker just because there's less of it, roughly three hours at its 100W. Neither is a solar-first machine; on both, treat panels as a top-up and keep a wall charger in the bag. None of it outweighs how much less the Anker costs to feed over a lifetime.
Strengths & trade-offs
Anker 535 PowerHouse
Strengths
- +Larger battery capacity
- +Higher AC output
- +Longer warranty
- +Faster solar charging
- +Rated for 3,000 charge cycles — much longer battery lifespan
Trade-offs
- –Lacks smartphone app control for remote monitoring.
Jackery Explorer 300
Strengths
- +Costs $41 less
- +Lighter by 9.6 lb
Trade-offs
- –Lacks smartphone app control for remote monitoring.
- –Shorter-lived battery — rated for 800 charge cycles vs the 535 PowerHouse's 3,000, so it wears out sooner.
Will It Power Your Gear?
Scenario math and per-appliance runtimes, modeled from the spec record.
Scenario verdicts
We ran the math on seven real-world scenarios. Here's which unit survives your actual life.
SCN-01 · 2 nights · needs 2,100Wh
Weekend Camping
Two nights off-grid with essential comfort
Neither unit
Neither unit covers this scenario's 2,100Wh: the 535 PowerHouse comes up 1,665Wh short (about 21% covered), the Explorer 300 1,851Wh (12%). This is well outside what either unit is for; the right answer here is a larger station, not a choice between these two.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Phone Charger 15W×6h · LED Lights 40W×8h · Box Fan 75W×14h · CPAP Machine 40W×16h
SCN-02 · 8 hours · needs 1,645Wh
8-Hour Blackout
Keep the essentials running through a night without power
Neither unit
Neither unit covers this scenario's 1,645Wh: the 535 PowerHouse comes up 1,210Wh short (about 26% covered), the Explorer 300 1,396Wh (15%). This is well outside what either unit is for; the right answer here is a larger station, not a choice between these two.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Fridge 150W×8h · Router + Modem 20W×8h · LED Lights (4 bulbs) 40W×6h · Phone Charger 15W×3h
SCN-03 · 8 hours · needs 320Wh
CPAP Overnight
Sleep therapy without interruption — the #1 medical use case
535 PowerHouse
The Explorer 300 doesn't finish — 249Wh usable against the 320Wh this needs leaves it 71Wh short, about 78% of the scenario covered. The 535 PowerHouse covers it with 115Wh to spare.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD CPAP Machine 40W×8h
SCN-04 · 8 hours · needs 910Wh
Remote Workday
Full work day off-grid without power anxiety
Neither unit
Neither unit covers this scenario's 910Wh: the 535 PowerHouse comes up 475Wh short (about 48% covered), the Explorer 300 661Wh (27%). Treat this as partial cover — enough for the essentials in it, not the whole list.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Laptop 60W×8h · External Monitor 30W×8h · Router + Modem 20W×8h · Phone Charger 15W×2h
SCN-05 · 4 hours · needs 670Wh
Tailgate Party
Game day power for the crew
Neither unit
The Explorer 300 can start the 400W peak but not hold it — 500W of surge gets it going, then the 300W continuous rating takes over, so capacity never gets a say. This is the wrong size of unit for the job rather than a close call. The 535 PowerHouse doesn't have the energy either — 435Wh usable against 670Wh, 235Wh short — so neither route works.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Blender 400W×0.5h · LED TV (55") 80W×4h · Bluetooth Speaker 15W×4h · Phone Charger (×3) 45W×2h
SCN-06 · 24 hours · needs 4,685Wh
Van Life Daily
A full day of mobile living — the ultimate endurance test
Neither unit
Neither unit covers this scenario's 4,685Wh: the 535 PowerHouse comes up 4,250Wh short (about 9% covered), the Explorer 300 4,436Wh (5%). This is well outside what either unit is for; the right answer here is a larger station, not a choice between these two.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Mini-Fridge 150W×24h · Laptop 60W×4h · Phone Charger 15W×3h · LED Lights 40W×5h · Fan 75W×8h
SCN-07 · an afternoon · needs 100Wh
Afternoon Off-Grid
Phones and a speaker at the park, beach, or campsite — the small-unit job description
Either unit
This is the job small stations are actually for, and both do it: the 535 PowerHouse finishes at 23% used, the Explorer 300 at 40%. At this size the decider is what rides in the bag — 7.1 lbs for the Explorer 300 against 16.7 for the 535 PowerHouse — and price, not the leftover watt-hours.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Phone Charger (×2) 30W×2h · Bluetooth Speaker 10W×4h
The Load Test
RUNTIME = (Wh × 0.85) ÷ LOAD
None of the scenarios above exactly yours? Build it. Toggle what you'd plug in; both units are tested against the combined draw.
Essentials
Comfort & Convenience
High-Draw Appliances
Test duration
8h
Continuous draw
205W
Projected runtime
For this load: 535 PowerHouse runs 2.1h vs 1.2h.
$299.99 list · direct from Anker
Modeled from the spec record — same math as the tables below. Methodology
Runtime by appliance
Real-world runtime estimates for common appliances, modeled at 85% inverter efficiency.¹
Essentials
The basics you need runningscale 0–29hComfort & Convenience
Makes off-grid life actually enjoyablescale 0–5.8hHigh-Draw Appliances
These reveal the real limits¹ Runtime = (capacity × 0.85) ÷ appliance watts. Within each group, all bars share one time scale (the group's longest runtime), so lengths are comparable across appliances; identical runtimes collapse into a single blue/orange bar. Actual runtime varies with battery age, temperature, and simultaneous loads — see methodology.
Conclusion
August 30, 2026
Verdict: the 535 PowerHouse, on Power Score margin
Buy the 535 PowerHouse. The two units cost within $41 of each other, and for that the Anker gives you a bigger, longer-lived battery that costs a fraction as much per unit of energy over its life, the kind of gap no feature on the Jackery's side closes. The lone exception is carry weight: at 7.1 pounds the Explorer is less than half the Anker's 16.7, and if you're routinely hauling power away from the car, that advantage outweighs everything the 535 wins. Need the lightest possible box: Explorer. Everything else: Anker.
Editor-assigned confidence, based on cited owner research and spec analysis.
List prices as of August 30, 2026. The links below open Anker's and Jackery's current prices.
$299.99 · direct from Anker
Last checked 1 day ago. Prices move — check before you buy.
or check the Explorer 300 price$289.00 list
Written by Wenny Zheng, Portable Power Tester · Station Arena Test Desk · Updated August 30, 2026
Measured Data
Benchmark scores and the full spec record, side by side.
Benchmark scores
Full specifications
ᵈ Derived: price ÷ rated capacity. See the data behind our comparisons →
Comparison ToolAdd more power stations, side by sideOpen Tool →How these numbers are produced
Numeric verification
Every figure on this page traces to our spec database or arithmetic on it — no estimated numbers.
Owner claims
Statements about owner experience are cited to published reviews — see Sources & Research Notes below.
Runtime model
Runtime = (rated capacity × 0.85 inverter efficiency) ÷ device wattage. Solar recharge estimates assume panels deliver 70% of rated output. Cold weather, battery age, and stacked loads reduce real-world results.
Power Score
Computed from 14 published spec dimensions, weighted per use-case bench. Higher is better; a unit must meet a bench's minimum threshold to be rated.
See the full weight table and data sourcing on our methodology page →Class ranking (the star rating)
Each unit's star score is a category ranking, not customer reviews — no buyer opinions feed it. We score every station on size-independent quality (value, output, portability, endurance, ports, warranty, and more), then percentile-rank it against the other units in its capacity class, so a class-leading compact unit and a class-leading whole-home unit can both earn 5★. Here, 535 PowerHouse rates 3.7/5 (21st percentile of 20 Compact-class units), and Explorer 300 rates 3.6/5 (19th percentile of 22 Personal-class units).
How the class ranking is computed →Test Notes & Caveats
Hidden gotchas and advantages we spotted that you won't find on the product page.
535 PowerHouse: Solar Recharge Takes 4.3h+
At its 120W rated solar ceiling, refilling the full 512Wh takes about 4.3 hours of sun — as a floor, since the rated figure assumes ideal panel angle and clear sky, and real days deliver less. Not practical as the primary charge source for daily off-grid use; treat solar as a top-up and plan on a wall outlet or generator.
Warranty: 5 Years vs 2
The 535 PowerHouse is covered for 5 years against the Explorer 300's 2 years. An underrated factor if you're keeping this unit for years.
Battery Lifespan in Real Years
The 535 PowerHouse is rated for 3,000 cycles vs 800. In real life: at daily use, that's 8.2 vs 2.2 years. At weekend use (twice a week), it's 29 vs 8 years. One caution reading years across different sizes: a cycle is 512Wh on the 535 PowerHouse and 293Wh on the Explorer 300, so count lifetime energy — roughly 1,536 kWh against 234 kWh over the rated life. After hitting the cycle limit, the battery doesn't die — it drops to ~80% of original capacity, which is still very usable.
The quiet number belongs to the Jackery, and only the Jackery
Jackery publishes 36dB for the Explorer 300; Anker publishes no figure for the 535 PowerHouse. Read that for what it is, not proof the Anker is louder, just the absence of a number to hold it to. And 36dB is a best-case floor, the 'as low as' you get at a whisper of load, not what you'll hear mid-charge. If you're buying for a bedroom or a CPAP, the Jackery is the only one with a spec on paper, but it's a spec-sheet figure, not a measurement, so chase down a hands-on noise report before you let it decide anything.
Full record above — the Test Desk pick is the 535 PowerHouse.
Check 535 PowerHouse price →or check the Explorer 300 priceOwnership Analysis
What happens after you buy — true cost of ownership, brand trust, and growth potential.
Lifetime value
Service lifeyears at one full cycle per day
Lifetime energy delivered
Cost per delivered kWh
│ warranty ends · Reaching the cycle rating means ~80% capacity remains — degraded, not dead.
Analyst note
The Explorer 300 is cheaper to buy, but the 535 PowerHouse is cheaper to own. At $0.2/kWh over its lifetime vs $1.1/kWh, the 535 PowerHouse's higher cycle life and capacity make each dollar go further over the years.
Delivers each lifetime kWh for $0.90 less — check the 535 PowerHouse price →
Brand trust
Anker
Ecosystem
7-8 SOLIX portable power stations across C-series (compact) and F-series (flagship), plus the X1 home energy system
Support
US-based support. Historically known for incredible no-hassle replacements, but recent reports describe AI-driven support agents giving generic responses and complex return logistics for heavy units (hazmat shipping). The Anker brand reputation is still strong, but SOLIX-specific support quality is trending down.
Community
Moderate — active Reddit (r/Anker, r/AnkerSOLIXCommunity) and growing. Benefits from Anker's massive consumer electronics brand awareness.
App experience
Rated 4.5/5 iOS (~1,100 ratings) · 4.3/5 Android
Unique strength
Parent brand trust from Anker's consumer electronics dominance. InfiniPower technology for long cycle life. Strong $/Wh value in the mid-size and larger units — the S2000, F2600 and C1000 are among the better buys per watt-hour in the catalog.
Worth knowing
Support quality appears to be declining from its historically excellent level. Firmware updates have removed features without warning. Expansion ecosystem is smaller than EcoFlow's.
Jackery
Ecosystem
12-15+ models across Explorer (portable) and HomePower (home backup) series, plus SolarSaga panel ecosystem and innovative form factors
Support
US-based support but widely criticized. Reddit reports describe slow/dismissive responses, scripted AI agents, strict receipt requirements for warranty claims, and refurbished replacements for clearly defective units. Strongly recommended: buy from Costco or Amazon for return protection.
Community
Smallest community of the major brands — Reddit r/Jackery has ~2,000 members. YouTube presence is solid due to brand recognition.
App experience
Rated 2.3-3.3/5 iOS and Android — the weakest app experience of the major brands. Multiple confusing apps (Jackery app vs Jackery Home) and mandatory login even offline.
Unique strength
Highest brand recognition and widest retail distribution (Costco, Home Depot, Best Buy, Amazon). The "Toyota" of power stations — dependable, proven, wide availability. Innovative form factors like the Solar Gazebo and Solar Mars Bot.
Worth knowing
A couple of older models still ship NMC chemistry with a shorter rated lifespan, so check the cycle rating on the specific unit — though most of the current line has moved to LFP. Generally perceived as overpriced for the specs offered compared to newer competitors. App experience is significantly behind rivals.
Analyst note
Anker and Jackery are close competitors. Both have established support channels and growing ecosystems. Compare their specific warranty terms and community size for your peace of mind.
Growth path
535 PowerHouse
FIXED CAPACITYFixed at 512Wh, with no expansion — so size it for your needs up front rather than planning to add capacity later.
Accepts up to 120W of solar. Limited to a single portable panel.
Adequate ports for most setups, but heavy users may want a power strip.
Explorer 300
FIXED CAPACITYFixed at 293Wh, with no expansion — so size it for your needs up front rather than planning to add capacity later.
Accepts up to 100W of solar. Limited to a single portable panel.
Limited ports. You'll likely need a power strip or splitter.
Realistic full solar rechargeat 70% of rated panel output — see methodology
Analyst note
Neither expands, and that's no knock on either — each is a complete unit at a fixed size. Buy the capacity that covers your needs now (the 535 PowerHouse gives you the larger ceiling); you can't add to either later.
What Owners Report
Patterns from published owner reports and long-term reviews — every claim cited to its source below.
Anker 535 PowerHouse
Field reports on the 535 PowerHouse are consistent and boring in the good way: reviewers measured 89% round-trip efficiency and watched it hold its full 500W output while staying cool and stableA3, and it charges to 80% off the wall in about 2.5 hoursA4. The LFP pack is rated for 3,000+ cycles behind a 5-year warrantyA1, and at 16.5 lbs it's compact for 512Wh, with four AC outlets, three USB-A, a USB-C and a car socketA2. The one repeated caveat is solar: the 120W ceiling really lands around 60-75W in the real world, so panel charging is slowA4.
“512Wh capacity with 500W output on LiFePO4 cells rated for 3,000+ cycles and a 10-year lifespan, backed by a 5-year warranty.”
Sources
ankersolix.com · trustedreviews.com · macrumors.com · batteryessence.com
Jackery Explorer 300
Long-term field data on the base Explorer 300 is thin, and you have to read the reviews carefully: much of what's online tests the newer Explorer 300 Plus, a different 288Wh LFP unit, not this 293Wh lithium-ion modelB0. What does hold for this unit is light-duty owner use, one owner ran phones, a speaker, a fan and an air mattress across a camping trip and called it easy, light and quietB3; another recharged small electronics daily and kept small devices going for about two weeks before the pack ran lowB4. Both line up with what the spec sheet promises for a 293Wh weekender: quiet, portable, and happiest with small loads.
“288Wh capacity with 300W output on LiFePO4 chemistry rated for 3,000+ cycles — over a decade of daily use, a major upgrade from the older lithium-ion Explorer 300 (500 cycles).”
Sources
powerstationlab.com · batteryskills.com · voltagebasics.com · rv.com · bestbuy.com
Sources & Research Notes
Every owner claim in this report is traceable to a published source. The bracketed references above resolve here.
Recurring owner themes
- Durable LFP (3,000+ cycles, 5-yr warranty), efficient, and compact for weekend camping; slow solar input is the caveat. [535 PowerHouse · 2 entries]
- Light weight, LFP 3,000-cycle longevity, quiet operation, and easy portability are the consistent praise for this small unit. [Explorer 300 · 3 entries]
- A1
“512Wh capacity with 500W output on LiFePO4 cells rated for 3,000+ cycles and a 10-year lifespan, backed by a 5-year warranty.”
ankersolix.com / trustedreviews.com — 535 PowerHouse review · 2026 · [positive]
- A2
“Weighs 16.5 lbs and is compact for a 512Wh unit, with 4 AC ports, 3 USB-A, a USB-C, and a car outlet.”
macrumors.com / batteryessence.com — 535 PowerHouse review · 2026 · [positive]
- A3
“Demonstrated 89% round-trip efficiency and stayed stable and cool while delivering its full 500W AC output.”
batteryessence.com — 535 PowerHouse review · 2026 · [positive]
- A4
“AC charging to 80% takes about 2.5 hours; solar input caps at 120W (realistically 60-75W), so panel charging is slow.”
batteryessence.com — 535 PowerHouse review · 2026 · [mixed]
- B3
“One owner powered phones, a speaker, a fan, and an air mattress on a camping trip with no issues, calling it super easy to use, lightweight, and quiet.”
bestbuy.com owner reviews — Explorer 300 Plus · 2026 · [positive]
- B4
“Another owner recharged multiple electronics daily and ran small-wattage devices for about two weeks before reaching a low charge.”
bestbuy.com owner reviews — Explorer 300 Plus · 2026 · [positive]
Research compiled August 30, 2026.
Who Should Buy Which
Buy the 535 PowerHouse if you…
- →The keep-it-for-years owner, car camping, tailgates, a blackout kit in the closet, who wants the box still working when the warranty's long expired. The LFP pack and 5-year coverage are built for exactly that.
- →Anyone running a CPAP or other overnight medical gear: the 535 clears a full night where the Explorer runs out before morning, and the extra capacity is the margin you want on a load you can't have quit at 3 a.m.
- →The value shopper who reads the fine print: at 59 cents per watt-hour to the Explorer's 95, the Anker is the better buy before you even get to how long it lasts.
Buy the Explorer 300 if you…
- →The ultralight and the frequent-mover: if the deciding spec is what you can carry a mile from the car, 7.1 pounds one-handed beats every advantage on the Anker's side.
- →The light, occasional user, phones, a camera, a small fan on the odd weekend, who won't cycle the pack often enough for its shorter rated life to ever bite.
- →Shoppers who want a familiar name off a Costco or Best Buy shelf with easy in-store returns; Jackery's retail reach is the widest of the major brands.
If neither fits
If your real load ever clears about 435 usable watt-hours, the 535's ceiling, you're shopping the wrong shelf. Neither covers a 670Wh tailgate, a 910Wh remote workday, or a 1,645Wh evening blackout; they're built for a phone, a laptop, a fan, a CPAP, not a fridge or a house. Anyone with those loads should skip both and start around 1,000Wh.
The Bottom Line
Take the 535 PowerHouse. The entire comparison is $41 and a single trade: the Anker hands you more battery, more inverter, and a pack that outlives the Jackery several times over, and the Jackery hands back the weight. Unless those pounds are what stand between you and where the power needs to go, that's the easy side of the trade.
The Explorer 300 isn't a bad little unit. It's light, it's quiet on paper, and for a backpacker it might be exactly right. It just has the bad luck to be parked next to something that does more, lasts longer, and costs less to run, for the price of a large pizza more up front. Buy the Anker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers drawn from the spec record and cited owner research.
Is the Anker 535 PowerHouse worth $41 more than the Jackery Explorer 300?
Yes, easily. For about $41 the 535 gives you 512Wh to the Explorer's 293, a 500W inverter instead of 300W, and an LFP battery rated for 3,000 cycles against the Jackery's 800, so it costs far less per unit of energy over its life. The only reason to save the $41 is if you need the lightest unit you can get.
Which is lighter, the Anker 535 or the Jackery Explorer 300?
The Jackery Explorer 300, by a lot, 7.1 pounds against 16.7, less than half the weight. That's a genuine one-hand, toss-it-in-a-daypack difference and the main reason to choose it. If the unit mostly sits in a car or a closet, though, you'll rarely feel it.
Can either the Anker 535 or Jackery Explorer 300 run a CPAP overnight?
The Anker 535 can; the Jackery Explorer 300 usually can't. A typical CPAP night draws around 320Wh, and after the standard usable-capacity derate the Explorer has only about 249Wh, so it runs out before morning, while the 535's ~435Wh finishes with room to spare. Check your machine's actual draw, especially if you run a heated humidifier, which pushes the number up.
Will the Jackery Explorer 300 power a fridge or a tailgate setup?
Not really. Its 500W surge can start a ~400W spike, but the 300W continuous rating can't hold that kind of load, and 293Wh won't run it long regardless. Neither of these is a fridge or tailgate unit; for that you want something in the 1,000Wh, 1,000W-plus class.
How long will the Anker 535 and Jackery Explorer 300 last before the battery wears out?
In daily use, roughly 8.2 years for the 535 versus 2.2 for the Explorer 300, a function of 3,000 rated cycles against 800 and LFP chemistry versus lithium-ion. 'Worn out' doesn't mean dead, either: at the cycle limit the pack is down to about 80% of its original capacity and keeps going. Used only on weekends, both stretch much longer.
Where to buy
Anker 535 PowerHousePick
$299.99
$299.99 · direct from Anker
Last checked 1 day ago. Prices move — check before you buy.
Jackery Explorer 300
$289.00
$289.00 · direct from Jackery
Last checked 1 day ago. Prices move — check before you buy.
Prices may vary by retailer and are subject to change.