Head-to-head test
EcoFlow DELTA 3 1000 Air vs Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC
Real-world runtimes, scenario verdicts, and ownership costs compared — which wins for your use case.
Full profiles: Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC →
Written by Wenny ZhengUpdated
Portable Power Tester, Station Arena Test Desk
Spec deltas
The EcoFlow DELTA 3 1000 Air (960Wh) and Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC (95Wh) sit in different weight classes. The real question: do your power needs justify the larger unit, or would you be overpaying for capacity that sits unused? These two aren't alternatives to each other. The DELTA 3 1000 Air holds 10× the energy, so this comes down to the load you need to cover rather than which unit is better. If the Sherpa 100AC carries your load, the DELTA 3 1000 Air is capacity you pay for and never use; if it doesn't, no amount of saving makes the Sherpa 100AC the answer.
The DELTA 3 1000 Air holds 865Wh more than the Sherpa 100AC — about 5 hours on a fridge against 1 — a real but modest edge that shows up mainly on longer outages. For camping, tailgating, or keeping devices charged, both have the headroom, so price, weight, and longevity lead the decision instead.
Pick the DELTA 3 1000 Air if your primary use is cpap overnight or tailgate party. Go with the Sherpa 100AC if its specific strengths below line up better with your use. Keep scrolling for the full breakdown. The scenario verdicts below hold a few surprises.
Bench Notes
What each unit does well, where it falls short, and the trade-offs that matter.
EcoFlow DELTA 3 1000 Air
At 500W, this unit is strictly for personal electronics (phones, laptops) and small CPAP machines. Do not expect to run kitchen appliances. At only 22 lbs, it is exceptionally portable. You can easily carry it one-handed to a campsite or tailgating party.
Strengths
- +Larger battery capacity
- +Higher AC output
- +Faster solar charging
- +Rated for 3,000 charge cycles — much longer battery lifespan
Trade-offs
- –Significantly heavier (+19.9 lbs), making it harder to move.
Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC
At 100W, this unit is strictly for personal electronics (phones, laptops) and small CPAP machines. Do not expect to run kitchen appliances. At only 2.1 lbs, it is exceptionally portable. You can easily carry it one-handed to a campsite or tailgating party.
Strengths
- +Lighter by 19.9 lb
Trade-offs
- –Lacks smartphone app control for remote monitoring.
- –Shorter-lived battery — rated for 500 charge cycles vs the DELTA 3 1000 Air'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 DELTA 3 1000 Air comes up 1,284Wh short (about 39% covered), the Sherpa 100AC 2,020Wh (4%). 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
The Sherpa 100AC can start the 150W peak but not hold it — 150W of surge gets it going, then the 100W 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 DELTA 3 1000 Air doesn't have the energy either — 816Wh usable against 1,645Wh, 829Wh short — so neither route works.
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
DELTA 3 1000 Air
The Sherpa 100AC doesn't finish — 80Wh usable against the 320Wh this needs leaves it 240Wh short, about 25% of the scenario covered. The DELTA 3 1000 Air covers it with 496Wh 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 DELTA 3 1000 Air comes up 94Wh short (about 89% covered) (its nameplate 960Wh actually clears this — the flat 15% conversion allowance is what tips it under), the Sherpa 100AC 830Wh (9%). 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 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
DELTA 3 1000 Air
The Sherpa 100AC can't run the 400W peak at all — 150W is the most its inverter will pass even momentarily. The DELTA 3 1000 Air handles this scenario with 146Wh to spare.
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
The Sherpa 100AC can start the 150W peak but not hold it — 150W of surge gets it going, then the 100W 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 DELTA 3 1000 Air doesn't have the energy either — 816Wh usable against 4,685Wh, 3,869Wh short — so neither route works.
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
DELTA 3 1000 Air
The Sherpa 100AC doesn't finish — 80Wh usable against the 100Wh this needs leaves it 20Wh short, about 81% of the scenario covered. The DELTA 3 1000 Air covers it with 716Wh to spare.
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
Only the DELTA 3 1000 Air can start this 205W load.
Planning for more than this? Describe your whole setup and get it sized →
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 0–54.4hComfort & Convenience
Makes off-grid life actually enjoyablescale 0–10.9hHigh-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
July 10, 2026
Verdict withdrawn: the DELTA 3 1000 Air is no longer sold
We picked the DELTA 3 1000 Air, but it's been discontinued (EcoFlow now points buyers to the DELTA 3 Classic). The Sherpa 100AC is still on sale, but that alone doesn't make it our pick. The comparison below is still accurate if you own either one.
Overall score margin: 2,915 vs 682 (+327.4%)
Written by Wenny Zheng, Portable Power Tester · Station Arena Test Desk · Updated July 10, 2026
Black Friday · 26 days out
Price to beat:Sherpa 100AC $250
We have never seen it discounted, so any real cut would be a first.
Measured Data
Benchmark scores and the full spec record, side by side.
Benchmark scores
Not rated for both units (minimum threshold unmet): UPS, CPAP, Solar Generator, Apartment Balcony, Camping.
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.
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, DELTA 3 1000 Air rates 5.0/5 (99th percentile of 20 Compact-class units), and Sherpa 100AC rates 3.3/5 (1st percentile of 25 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.
DELTA 3 1000 Air: USB-C Maxes at 18W
The DELTA 3 1000 Air's fastest USB-C port outputs 18W. A MacBook Air needs 30W minimum, a MacBook Pro needs 96W, and most USB-C laptops need at least 60W for full-speed charging. At 18W, your laptop will charge slowly. Under load, it might not charge at all. The Sherpa 100AC handles this at 100W.
Sherpa 100AC: No App Control
Without app control, you have to physically walk to the Sherpa 100AC to check battery level, adjust settings, or monitor power draw. The DELTA 3 1000 Air lets you do all that from your phone, including getting low-battery alerts.
Surge Power: Inverter Quality Indicator
The DELTA 3 1000 Air has a 2× surge-to-continuous ratio vs the Sherpa 100AC's 1.5×, and the higher absolute ceiling with it — 1,000W against 150W. At 2× it clears the 2× rule of thumb for absorbing motor startups — fridges, AC compressors and power tools briefly draw 2-3× their rated wattage. What decides whether a given motor starts is the ceiling, not the ratio: the Sherpa 100AC still surges to 150W, so check the startup draw of the heaviest thing you plan to run against that figure rather than assuming it trips.
Only the DELTA 3 1000 Air Lists a UPS Mode
The DELTA 3 1000 Air can sit between the wall and your gear and hand it to battery when the grid drops — rated ≤10ms — quick enough on paper that desktop PCs and routers should ride through, treating that as the rating it is. Worth it for a router, a desktop PC, or a CPAP. The Sherpa 100AC's spec sheet lists no UPS mode, so anything plugged into it rides an outage only as far as your reaction time.
Warranty: No Difference
Both units carry the same 2-year warranty, so coverage isn't a tiebreaker here.
Battery Lifespan in Real Years
The DELTA 3 1000 Air is rated for 3,000 cycles vs 500. In real life: at daily use, that's 8.2 vs 1.4 years. At weekend use (twice a week), it's 29 vs 5 years. One caution reading years across different sizes: a cycle is 960Wh on the DELTA 3 1000 Air and 95Wh on the Sherpa 100AC, so count lifetime energy — roughly 2,880 kWh against 47 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.
Sherpa 100AC: Noise Level Not Disclosed
The DELTA 3 1000 Air publishes its noise level (39dB); the Sherpa 100AC doesn't publish one. That isn't evidence the Sherpa 100AC is louder — it means there's no figure to hold it to, and no way to compare the two on this without hearing them. If you're buying for a bedroom, a CPAP, or an apartment, treat the DELTA 3 1000 Air's 39dB as the only published number on the table — a spec-sheet figure, not a measurement — and look for hands-on reports of the Sherpa 100AC before deciding.
Ownership 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 DELTA 3 1000 Air is no longer sold, so there is no price to work its cost per kWh from, and this comparison doesn't quote one. On what you can actually buy today, the Sherpa 100AC works out at $5.28/kWh over its rated life. If you already own the DELTA 3 1000 Air, the hardware comparison still holds: over its rated life the DELTA 3 1000 Air delivers about 2,880 kWh and the Sherpa 100AC about 47 kWh.
Brand trust
EcoFlow
Ecosystem
Largest in portable power — 12-15 models across DELTA Pro, DELTA 3, and RIVER 3 series, plus solar panels and smart home panels
Support
US-based phone/email/chat support (1-800-368-8604). Experiences are polarized — many report hassle-free prepaid-label replacements, but others report long waits and refurbished units sent for new claims. Pro tip: buying from Costco or Amazon gives you a stronger return safety net.
Community
Largest community in the space — Reddit r/Ecoflow_community (~31K members), multiple Facebook groups, and an official community forum
App experience
Rated 4.6/5 iOS (~8,400 ratings) · 4.2/5 Android (~17,000 ratings)
Unique strength
Fastest-charging technology (X-Stream), deepest product ecosystem, and most active innovation cadence. At the top of the range sit two whole-home paths: the TITAN line, one 5 kWh unit that grows to 30 kWh, and the DELTA Pro Ultra platform, which stacks batteries and inverters further — flagship paths, not line-wide features.
Worth knowing
Tested subscription paywalls for advanced app features in early 2025 before community backlash paused the plan. No parts or service offered out of warranty.
Goal Zero
Ecosystem
Focused — a compact current line (6th-gen Yeti and Yeti Pro series), the previous-gen X series now out of stock across every model on Goal Zero's own store (checked 2026-09-13: 200X, 500X, 1000X, 1500X, 3000X, 6000X, some listed only as open-box), so buying one new means finding retailer stock, Sherpa power banks for the under-100Wh tier, plus Alta coolers, Nomad/Ranger solar panels, and vehicle integration kits
Support
US-based company (Salt Lake City, owned by NRG Energy). Historically considered premium support, but 2025-2026 reports describe long wait times, unresponsive email communication, and tickets going unaddressed for weeks. The "premium support justifies premium pricing" argument is weakening.
Community
Small but loyal — strong following in overlanding and preparedness communities. Official community forums were recently shuttered, frustrating long-time users.
App experience
Rated 4.4/5 iOS (~1,200 ratings) but recent reviews skew negative — recurring connectivity issues, crashes, and stability problems.
Unique strength
Pioneer of the portable power market — strongest brand heritage. US-based company with ruggedized, weather-resistant designs (IP ratings vary by model). Integrated "Yeti-Ready" ecosystem with coolers, lights, and vehicle kits.
Worth knowing
Typically the priciest brand per watt-hour — though individual pairings vary, and on some pages the Yeti is the cheaper energy. Support quality has declined from its "premium" standard. Perceived as competitively stagnant vs. faster-innovating Chinese competitors. Reliability reports on newer models are concerning.
Analyst note
EcoFlow and Goal Zero 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
DELTA 3 1000 Air
FIXED CAPACITYFixed at 960Wh, with no expansion — so size it for your needs up front rather than planning to add capacity later.
Accepts up to 500W of solar. Suitable for a 1-2 panel setup.
Limited ports. You'll likely need a power strip or splitter.
Sherpa 100AC
FIXED CAPACITYFixed at 95Wh, with no expansion — so size it for your needs up front rather than planning to add capacity later.
Accepts up to 60W 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
Growth only counts if you can still buy in, and the DELTA 3 1000 Air is no longer sold (EcoFlow points owners to the DELTA 3 Classic). That leaves the Sherpa 100AC: it is sealed at 95Wh, so buy the size that covers you now. The DELTA 3 1000 Air's fixed 960Wh still matters if you already own one, but it isn't a reason to pick it over the Sherpa 100AC.
The Bottom Line
The full picture comes down to this. The DELTA 3 1000 Air edges ahead on our overall analysis, but the margin is narrow enough that your specific use case should drive the decision. Review the scenario verdicts above — if the Sherpa 100AC wins in the scenarios that match your life, it's the right choice regardless of aggregate scores.
If neither the DELTA 3 1000 Air nor the Sherpa 100AC feels like the right fit, your power needs probably sit outside what these two target. If you're planning whole-home backup or running power-hungry appliances (electric heaters, window AC), you'll want a larger system in the 3,000–5,000Wh range with expansion battery support. Prices on portable power stations fluctuate frequently. Both EcoFlow and Goal Zero discount regularly, so check the current price before committing. Prime Day and Black Friday pricing typically drops 20-30%.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers drawn from the spec record and cited owner research.
How does the 865.3Wh capacity difference actually affect daily use?
The DELTA 3 1000 Air's 960Wh battery keeps a mini-fridge running for roughly 5 hours vs the Sherpa 100AC's 1 hours. What specs don't mention: runtime drops 20-30% in cold weather (below 32°F/0°C) as battery chemistry slows down. The DELTA 3 1000 Air's extra capacity provides a critical cold-weather buffer. For occasional phone and laptop charging, both are overkill. This gap only matters for sustained, multi-appliance use.
Can I actually carry the DELTA 3 1000 Air, or is the Sherpa 100AC the only portable option?
The Sherpa 100AC at 2.1 lbs is genuinely grab-and-go. Toss it in a backpack, carry it one-handed to a picnic, take it on a boat. The DELTA 3 1000 Air at 22 lbs is a different story. It's like carrying a large suitcase full of books. If you're setting up and breaking down camp frequently, this weight difference will exhaust you by day two.
How fast can each unit recharge from solar panels in real conditions?
On paper, the DELTA 3 1000 Air accepts 500W vs the Sherpa 100AC's 60W of solar input. What the spec sheet won't tell you: solar panels typically deliver only 60-80% of their rated output due to panel angle, cloud cover, and temperature. In realistic conditions, expect full recharge in about 2.7 hours for the DELTA 3 1000 Air and 2.3 hours for the Sherpa 100AC. That gap widens on cloudy days, when the DELTA 3 1000 Air's higher input ceiling captures more of whatever sunlight is available. One more thing: summer gives you ~7 productive solar hours per day. Winter drops to ~4. If solar is your primary recharge method, the DELTA 3 1000 Air's advantage is substantial.
"3,000 vs 500 cycles" — what does that actually mean for me?
In real years: the DELTA 3 1000 Air (3,000 cycles) lasts 8.2 years at daily use, 29 years at weekend use (twice a week), or 125 years at twice-monthly camping trips. The Sherpa 100AC (500 cycles): 1.4 years daily, 5 years weekends, or 21 years twice-monthly. What most people miss: hitting the cycle limit doesn't kill your battery. Capacity drops to about 80%. Your 960Wh unit becomes a ~768Wh unit. Still very usable. For weekend users, both batteries will outlast the warranty by years.
Can I use the DELTA 3 1000 Air as a home UPS to protect my electronics during blackouts?
Yes. The DELTA 3 1000 Air has UPS mode with true 0ms switchover (double-conversion). Even hospital-grade equipment won't notice. Plug in your desktop PC, router, NAS, or CPAP machine and it switches to battery seamlessly when the grid drops. The Sherpa 100AC does not have this feature. Without UPS, a blackout means: your PC reboots (potentially corrupting unsaved work), your NAS may corrupt its drive array, your CPAP alarms and wakes you up, and your security cameras go dark until you manually switch them over. If always-on power protection matters, this is a dealbreaker advantage for the DELTA 3 1000 Air.
Is EcoFlow or Goal Zero more reliable for long-term ownership?
Both brands have strengths and trade-offs. EcoFlow: Mixed. 2-5 years depending on model. Some users report smooth claims; others report runarounds. Register your product to extend coverage. Goal Zero: 5 years on LFP models, 2 years on older NMC models. Battery must be charged within 7 days of purchase and every 6 months to maintain warranty (strict). Product reliability concerns have increased — repeat "Battery Fault" errors reported even on newer Yeti Pro 4000. One piece of advice from the power station community: regardless of brand, buy from Costco or Amazon. Their return policies provide a safety net that manufacturer warranties alone can't match, especially for a product you'll rely on in emergencies. Both brands use LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries in their current lineup, the most proven chemistry for longevity and safety.
Bottom line: should I buy the DELTA 3 1000 Air or the Sherpa 100AC?
We'd have said the DELTA 3 1000 Air, but it is no longer sold. The Sherpa 100AC is still on sale, but that alone doesn't make it our pick. The comparison on this page is still accurate if you own either one.
Where to buy
EcoFlow DELTA 3 1000 Air
No longer sold
Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC
$249.95
$249.95 · direct from Goal Zero
Last checked 28 days ago. Prices move — check before you buy.
Prices may vary by retailer and are subject to change.