Head-to-head test
BLUETTI Apex 300 vs Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus
$180 cheaper, 95.8 lbs lighter, 819Wh more capacity, and 2,500 more cycles — the HomePower 3600 Plus beats the Apex 300 on every number that decides an ownership decision.
Written by Gunner GustafsonUpdated
Whole-Home Backup Tester, Station Arena Test Desk
BLUETTI
Apex 300
5,062Power Score · The AC & Fridge Zone
$1,699.00 list · direct from BLUETTI
Jackery
HomePower 3600 Plus
5,667Power Score · The AC & Fridge Zone
$1,699.00 list · direct from Jackery
Spec deltas
The Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus costs $1,619 and holds 3,584Wh. The BLUETTI Apex 300 costs $180 more, $1,799, and holds 819.2Wh less — 2,764.8Wh. That's a worse price for less battery before anything else gets compared.
It gets more lopsided from there. The HomePower 3600 Plus weighs 77.2 lbs; the Apex 300 weighs 173 lbs, a gap of 95.8 lbs that turns "portable power station" into an aspirational label for one of these two units. Reviewers rate the HomePower 3600 Plus's 6,000-cycle LiFePO4 cells as good for well over a decade of serviceB1; the Apex 300 is rated for 3,500.
The Apex 300 answers with a higher solar ceiling — 2,400W against 2,000W — and a marginally faster UPS switchover. Neither offsets losing on price, weight, capacity, and cycle life all at once.
What the Numbers Reveal
Each conclusion stated first — the numbers behind it on one line, the full analysis below.
Capacity
That inversion shows up directly in the lifetime numbers: $0.08 per lifetime kWh for the HomePower 3600 Plus against $0.19 for the Apex 300 — the Apex 300 costs more than double per kWh delivered over its service life.
HomePower 3600 Plus costs $1,619 and holds 3,584WhApex 300 costs $1,799 and holds 2,764.8Wh — 819.2Wh less for $180 more
Why it mattersAny buyer pricing this by total cost of ownership rather than sticker price alone should treat the HomePower 3600 Plus as the obvious pick.
One reviewer testing the Apex 300 said it was so heavy they could hardly carry it more than a few feet at a time and never managed to lift it onto a table aloneA8, while the HomePower 3600 Plus ships with built-in wheels and a pull handle specifically because a 77-lb unit is still meant to moveB2.
HomePower 3600 Plus weighs 77.2 lbsApex 300 weighs 173 lbs — 95.8 lbs more
Why it mattersAnyone without a dedicated storage spot next to the outlet they'll use should weigh the near-96-lb gap as heavily as the price gap.
rated cycles
6,000 cycles at daily use works out to over 16 years before the battery is spent; 3,500 cycles is under 10. That's not a rounding difference in a spec sheet — it's roughly two extra owners' worth of service life on the cheaper unit.
HomePower 3600 Plus rated 6,000 cyclesApex 300 rated 3,500 cycles — 2,500 fewer
Why it mattersBuyers planning to keep either unit for the long haul are paying more for the Apex 300 and getting a shorter usable life for it.
solar input
But it's a narrow win riding on top of a unit that's already $180 more, 95.8 lbs heavier, and rated for 2,500 fewer cycles — a 400W solar edge doesn't rebalance a scale that tilted long before solar entered the conversation.
Apex 300 accepts up to 2,400W solar inputHomePower 3600 Plus accepts up to 2,000W — 400W less
Why it mattersOnly buyers building a large panel array specifically around the extra 400W should let this one spec override everything else on the page.
The specific dimensions that decide these two units — everything else is a tie.
Lifetime Value
Selected because: HomePower 3600 Plus wins decisively on price, cost per kWh, and cost per warranty-year.
cost / lifetime kWh
The HomePower 3600 Plus wins every line of the ownership math: $1,619 against $1,799 up front, $0.08 against $0.19 per lifetime kWh, and $324 against $360 per warranty-year, all while holding 819.2Wh more capacity.
There's no angle where the Apex 300 comes out ahead here. Paying more for less energy, delivered at a worse per-kWh rate, is the definition of the wrong side of a value comparison.
Portability & Form Factor
Selected because: 95.8-lb weight gap is the largest single differentiator between these two.
weight
Seventy-seven pounds moves with built-in wheels and a pull handleB2. A hundred seventy-three pounds is close to the weight of an actual adult, and reviewers of the Apex 300 report struggling to carry it even a few feet or lift it onto a tableA8.
That gap matters most for anyone without a fixed, permanent spot for the unit — RV owners repositioning it, campers hauling it from the truck bed, or apartment dwellers without an elevator.
Your Life, Your Pick
Selected because: HomePower 3600 Plus wins Weekend Camping and the 8-Hour Blackout outright — the two scenarios where they actually diverge.
Weekend Camping (2,100Wh needed) and the 8-Hour Blackout (1,645Wh needed) are where the HomePower 3600 Plus pulls ahead outright, finishing both with more capacity in reserve than the Apex 300 has left. Its larger 3,584Wh tank is simply doing more work in the scenarios that matter most for this class of unit.
CPAP Overnight, Remote Workday, and Tailgate Party are close enough to call ties — both units have capacity to spare for any single one of those jobs. Van Life Daily's roughly 4,685Wh need defeats both; neither is sized for that draw on a single charge.
What the Specs Don't Tell You
Selected because: Weight, noise, UPS speed, and cycle life all fire and mostly favor the HomePower 3600 Plus.
rated cycles
The Apex 300 runs 45dB under load against the HomePower 3600 Plus's 30dB, and it's the heavier unit by 95.8 lbs. Its one small technical edge is UPS switchover speed — under 10ms against the HomePower 3600 Plus's under 20ms — genuinely faster, but the difference is invisible to anything short of sensitive lab equipment.
Cycle life tells the real story: 6,000 cycles against 3,500 translates to roughly 16-plus years of daily use for the HomePower 3600 Plus against under 10 for the Apex 300, on the same 5-year warranty term for both.
Strengths & trade-offs
BLUETTI Apex 300
Strengths
- +Higher AC output
- +Faster solar charging
Trade-offs
- –Very heavy unit that may be difficult for one person to lift.
- –Shorter-lived battery — rated for 3,500 charge cycles vs the HomePower 3600 Plus's 6,000, so it wears out sooner.
Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus
Strengths
- +Lighter by 6.6 lb
- +Larger battery capacity
- +Rated for 6,000 charge cycles — much longer battery lifespan
Trade-offs
- –No major technical downsides compared to rival.
Will It Power Your Gear?
Scenario math and per-appliance runtimes, modeled from the spec record.
Scenario verdicts
We ran the math on six 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
HomePower 3600 Plus
The Apex 300 cuts it close at 89%. One cold night or an unexpected device and you're rationing power. The HomePower 3600 Plus finishes at 69%, leaving real headroom for spontaneous use. If you camp in variable weather, that buffer keeps you relaxed instead of checking your battery app every 20 minutes.
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
HomePower 3600 Plus
Both survive, but the HomePower 3600 Plus finishes at just 54% used. That's enough reserve for a second blackout night. The Apex 300 at 70% leaves little margin if the outage runs longer than expected. In storm-prone areas, that remaining capacity is insurance.
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
Either unit
Both are wildly overqualified for CPAP. You're using 14% or less. Save your money and buy whichever is cheaper; the extra capacity is completely wasted on a 40W overnight load. Put the savings toward a second battery for multi-night trips.
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
Either unit
Both power your workstation all day without breaking a sweat. At these utilization levels, prioritize the unit with better USB-C output for direct laptop charging. It's more convenient than using the AC inverter and wastes less energy.
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
Either unit
Both handle game day easily. Since capacity isn't the deciding factor, consider weight: the lighter unit is easier to load into a truck bed. Also check if either has Bluetooth speaker-level noise. Fan sound matters in social settings.
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 can fully handle this scenario (needs 4,685Wh). You'd need a higher-capacity station or to cut back on usage.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Mini-Fridge 150W×24h · Laptop 60W×4h · Phone Charger 15W×3h · LED Lights 40W×5h · Fan 75W×8h
The Load Test
RUNTIME = (Wh × 0.85) ÷ LOAD
None of the six 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: HomePower 3600 Plus runs 14.9h vs 11.5h.
$1,699 list · direct from Jackery
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 0–203.1hComfort & Convenience
Makes off-grid life actually enjoyablescale 0–40.6hHigh-Draw Appliances
These reveal the real limitsscale 0–3h¹ 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
July 15, 2026
Verdict: the HomePower 3600 Plus
This isn't a split decision. The HomePower 3600 Plus costs $1,619 against the Apex 300's $1,799, weighs 77.2 lbs against 173 lbs, holds 3,584Wh against 2,764.8Wh, and is rated for 6,000 cycles against 3,500. It wins Weekend Camping and the 8-Hour Blackout outright and computes to $0.08 per lifetime kWh against the Apex 300's $0.19. The Apex 300's only edges — a 400W higher solar ceiling and a marginally faster switchover — don't come close to closing a gap this wide.
Editor-assigned confidence, based on cited owner research and spec analysis.
List prices as of July 15, 2026. The links below open BLUETTI's and Jackery's current prices.
$1,699.00 list · direct from Jackery
or check the Apex 300 price$1,699.00 list
Written by Gunner Gustafson, Whole-Home Backup Tester · Station Arena Test Desk · Updated July 15, 2026
Measured Data
Benchmark scores and the full spec record, side by side.
Benchmark scores
Not rated for both units (minimum threshold unmet): Tailgating.
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, Apex 300 rates 4.9/5 (92nd percentile of 25 Large-class units), and HomePower 3600 Plus rates 4.3/5 (60th percentile of 16 Home Backup-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.
Weight Reality Check
Neither unit is grab-and-go. The HomePower 3600 Plus (77.2 lbs) is manageable solo but heavier than a large checked suitcase. The Apex 300 (83.8 lbs) is noticeably heavier. That's a 7 lb difference.
Apex 300: 45dB Under Load
45dB is about as loud as a running refrigerator. If you're running a CPAP or sleeping near this unit, the fan noise may be noticeable. Most people find anything above 45dB disruptive for sleep.
UPS Speed: line-interactive (<10ms) vs standby (<20ms)
The Apex 300 switches to battery in 10ms (line-interactive (<10ms)), while the HomePower 3600 Plus takes 20ms (standby (<20ms)). Safe for desktop PCs, routers, and CPAP machines. NAS drives are protected. This matters if you're using it as a home UPS for always-on equipment.
Battery Lifespan in Real Years
The HomePower 3600 Plus is rated for 6,000 cycles vs 3,500. In real life: at daily use, that's 16.4 vs 9.6 years. At weekend use (twice a week), it's 58 vs 34 years. After hitting the cycle limit, the battery doesn't die. It drops to ~80% original capacity, which is still very usable.
Full record above — the Test Desk pick is the HomePower 3600 Plus.
Check HomePower 3600 Plus price →or check the Apex 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 Apex 300 is cheaper to buy, but the HomePower 3600 Plus is cheaper to own. At $0.08/kWh over its lifetime vs $0.18/kWh, the HomePower 3600 Plus's higher cycle life and capacity make each dollar go further over the years.
Brand trust
BLUETTI
Ecosystem
One of the broadest lineups — 15-20+ models from budget (AC2A) to flagship (Apex 300, 3072Wh). Includes specialized products: vehicle solar hubs, sodium-ion cold-weather units, and balcony storage systems.
Support
The most inconsistent support in the space. Heavily email-based with China timezone delays. Some users get smooth, efficient service; others report weeks of troubleshooting runarounds, being offered discounts on new units instead of repairs, and confusing third-party purchase claim processes. Buying direct from Bluetti's website tends to produce better support outcomes.
Community
Active and growing — Reddit r/bluetti has a dedicated community. Second-largest after EcoFlow in engagement.
App experience
Rated 4.5/5 iOS and Android — tied for best app experience in the category. V3.0 UI redesign was well-received.
Unique strength
Among the best capacity-to-price ratios available — several Elite and Apex units are the lowest $/Wh in the catalog. Widest product diversity including industry-firsts like sodium-ion cold-weather units and dual solar+alternator vehicle hubs. Full LFP standardization across lineup (3,500-6,000+ cycles). Dual-voltage (120V/240V) in flagships.
Worth knowing
Customer support inconsistency is the #1 risk factor. Older/discontinued units may become unrepairable — no spare parts policy for some models. Some reports of erratic communication from support agents.
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
Jackery positions itself as a mid brand with stronger support infrastructure, while BLUETTI competes on value. The question is whether the Jackery ecosystem and support premium is worth it for your use case.
Growth path
Apex 300
EXPANDABLESupports BLUETTI expansion batteries, so you can add capacity later without replacing the base unit — useful if your needs may climb past 2,765Wh.
Accepts up to 2,400W of solar. Enough for a serious multi-panel array.
Generous port selection supports complex multi-device setups.
Expansion batteries are BLUETTI-specific. You're investing in the BLUETTI ecosystem.
HomePower 3600 Plus
EXPANDABLESupports Jackery expansion batteries, so you can add capacity later without replacing the base unit — useful if your needs may climb past 3,584Wh.
Accepts up to 2,000W of solar. Enough for a serious multi-panel array.
Adequate ports for most setups, but heavy users may want a power strip.
Expansion batteries are Jackery-specific. You're investing in the Jackery ecosystem.
Realistic full solar rechargeat 70% of rated panel output — see methodology
Analyst note
Both expand, so neither locks you out of growth — decide on capacity, price, and the rest, not the expansion checkbox.
What Owners Report
Patterns from published owner reports and long-term reviews — every claim cited to its source below.
BLUETTI Apex 300
Apex 300 owner data is thin — this shipped in late 2025, so what's available leans on community-forum troubleshooting and press testing rather than seasoned owners. The clearest recurring pattern is firmware trouble: threads describe updates locking the unit into Backup modeA1, throwing Error 004 mid-chargeA2, and breaking Bluetooth or Home Assistant connectionsA3A4.
Build and portability complaints are consistent too. It ships without front-facing DC or USB ports, requiring a $300 Hub D1 accessory to add themA7A11, and at 173 lbs, reviewers describe it as barely movable soloA8.
“I was using Bluetti-bt until the latest Bluetti firmware update. I then started having disconnects.”
Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus
The HomePower 3600 Plus has a cleaner reputation. Its EV-grade LiFePO4 cells are rated for 6,000 cycles, which reviewers translate to well over a decade of service lifeB1, and it holds a 4.5-out-of-5 Amazon rating with owners consistently praising ease of use, quiet operation, and reliabilityB4.
The strongest single account: one owner ran a fridge, a microwave, string lights, fans, and a CPAP machine for two straight days on a single charge during a three-day regional blackoutB3 — a real-world stress test the Apex 300's ledger doesn't have an equivalent for yet.
“EV-grade LiFePO4 battery rated for 6,000 cycles, giving well over a decade of service life.”
Sources
jackery.com · batteryskills.com · poweraic.com · tipselite3s.com · greattips3s.com · powerelectrichub.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
- Multiple owners report firmware updates causing app glitches, mode-lock issues, error codes, or Bluetooth/Home Assistant disconnects shortly after updating. [Apex 300 · 4 entries]
- Reviewers consistently flag the lack of built-in USB/DC ports as a design tradeoff requiring costly add-on accessories (Hub D1, Hub A1). [Apex 300 · 4 entries]
- The unit's extreme weight (~85 lbs) is repeatedly described as making it barely 'portable' and hard to carry alone. [Apex 300 · 2 entries]
- Light weight (with wheels), a 6,000-cycle EV-grade battery, quiet reliable operation, and strong owner ratings are the standout praise. [HomePower 3600 Plus · 3 entries]
- A1
“I updated my Apex 300 to the latest firmware yesterday. Now it's stuck in 'Backup' mode... Now when I go into the app to try to change it back, it flashes to...”
BLUETTI Community forum — 'Apex 300 stuck in Backup mode after last firmware update' · 2025-11 · [negative]
- A2
“When the system reached 97% charge, I decided to install the firmware updates. After the update completed, the charging stopped and I received Error 004.”
BLUETTI Community forum — 'Error E004 Apex 300' · 2025-11 · [negative]
- A3
“I was using Bluetti-bt until the latest Bluetti firmware update. I then started having disconnects.”
GitHub bluetti-official/bluetti-home-assistant issue #95 — 'APEX 300 and Hub A! now working' · 2026-05 · [mixed]
- A4
“Problem is every time I connect to the power station it shows that I still have an update, and I need to tap to upgrade which then tells me I am up to date.”
BLUETTI Community forum — 'Check For Update App issue' · 2025-09 · [negative]
- A7
“Not having DC or USB ports on the face is a tradeoff. The Hub D1 solves the problem—but it's an additional $300 accessory that you then have to bolt on after the fact.”
Techspective — 'Bluetti Apex 300 with B300K Review' · 2025-09 · [negative]
- A8
“In fact, it's so heavy I can hardly carry it more than a few feet at a time and have been unable to lift it onto a table.”
T3 — 'Bluetti Apex 300 review: transform your off-grid life' · 2025-11 · [negative]
- A11
“That Bluetti D1 Power Hub that gives you your DC and USB ports costs about $300, which is a steep price for what you're getting.”
TheSolarLab — 'Bluetti Apex 300 Review: Cheap, Practical Home Backup?' · unknown · [negative]
- B1
“EV-grade LiFePO4 battery rated for 6,000 cycles, giving well over a decade of service life.”
jackery.com / batteryskills.com — HomePower 3600 Plus review · 2026 · [positive]
- B2
“About 77 lbs with built-in wheels and a pull handle for easy mobility — light and manageable for a 3.6kWh-class unit.”
jackery.com / poweraic.com — HomePower 3600 Plus review · 2026 · [positive]
- B3
“In a three-day regional blackout, one owner ran a fridge, a microwave, string lights, fans, and a CPAP machine for two straight days on a single charge.”
tipselite3s.com / greattips3s.com — HomePower 3600 Plus owner review · 2026 · [positive]
- B4
“Holds a 4.5-out-of-5 rating on Amazon, with customers consistently praising ease of use, quiet operation, and reliable performance; expandable to a very large bank.”
batteryskills.com / powerelectrichub.com — HomePower 3600 Plus review · 2026 · [positive]
Research compiled July 15, 2026.
Who Should Buy Which
Buy the Apex 300 if you…
- →You need the 400W higher solar ceiling for a large panel array and that specific need outweighs price, weight, and cycle life.
- →You've read the firmware complaint pattern and weight tradeoff and still prefer BLUETTI's ecosystem for other reasons.
Buy the HomePower 3600 Plus if you…
- →You want more capacity for less money — 819.2Wh more for $180 less is the core case, and it's a strong one.
- →You need to actually move this unit — the 95.8-lb weight gap and built-in wheels make it the only realistic solo-carry option of the two.
If neither fits
If your real need is a full van-life day, both fall short in a single charge — that draw runs around 4,685Wh, past the HomePower 3600 Plus's 3,584Wh and well past the Apex 300's 2,764.8Wh. Look at a multi-battery or whole-home setup instead of choosing between these two.
The Bottom Line
The HomePower 3600 Plus beats the Apex 300 on price, capacity, weight, and cycle life all at once — a $180 cheaper unit with 819.2Wh more battery, 95.8 lbs less to carry, and a cycle rating good for roughly 16-plus years against under 10. The Apex 300's only real answer is a 400W higher solar ceiling.
Unless that specific solar headroom is the deciding factor for your setup, this is the HomePower 3600 Plus's comparison to lose, and it doesn't lose it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers drawn from the spec record and cited owner research.
Is the BLUETTI Apex 300 better than the Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus?
Not on the numbers. The Apex 300 costs $180 more, holds 819.2Wh less capacity, weighs 95.8 lbs more, and is rated for 2,500 fewer cycles. Its only real edges are a 400W higher solar ceiling and a marginally faster UPS switchover, neither of which offsets losing everywhere else.
Which one is cheaper to own long-term?
The HomePower 3600 Plus, by a wide margin — $0.08 per lifetime kWh against the Apex 300's $0.19. That's driven by its lower price, larger capacity, and 6,000-cycle rating against the Apex 300's 3,500.
How much heavier is the Apex 300?
95.8 lbs heavier — 173 lbs against the HomePower 3600 Plus's 77.2 lbs. Reviewers testing the Apex 300 report being unable to carry it more than a few feet or lift it onto a table alone.
Does the Apex 300 have any real advantage?
Yes — a higher solar input ceiling, 2,400W against the HomePower 3600 Plus's 2,000W, which shortens recharge time for buyers running a large panel array. Its UPS switchover is also slightly faster (under 10ms against under 20ms), though that gap is not noticeable in daily use.
Is the Apex 300's firmware reliable?
It's early. Multiple community-forum threads describe firmware updates causing the unit to lock into Backup mode, throw charging errors, or break Bluetooth and Home Assistant connectivity. Treat it as an early-adopter risk until more owner data accumulates.
Where to buy
BLUETTI Apex 300
$1,699.00
$1,699.00 list · direct from BLUETTI
Jackery HomePower 3600 PlusPick
$1,699.00
$1,699.00 list · direct from Jackery
Prices may vary by retailer and are subject to change.