Portable Power Stations

It can be tricky to know at a glance which size power station you need, especially if you're not sure what wattage you require. Maplin are here to help you select the right portable power station based on your requirements and use cases.

First, you'll need to put together a list of the devices you'll want to power. From smaller gadgets like laptops and phones to larger appliances such as refrigerators and heaters, you'll want to consider both essential and non-essential items that you might want to keep powered up.

Next, work out the total wattage required to run everything at the same time. You can usually find the wattage of each device on a label on the back or bottom of the device. However, if you can't find this info, you can use this handy guide:

Smartphone: 2-6W
Tablet: 10-20W
Laptop: 30-200W
LED Light: 10-30W
Mini Fridge: 40-100W
TV (32" LED): 30-100W
Electric Blanket: 200W
Small Space Heater: 750-1500W

The total wattage can be worked out by adding all the individual wattage requirements together. It's a good idea to add an extra 20% buffer to this total, as some devices have a higher starting wattage.

As a general guide:

Small size power stations (Up to 500Wh) are ideal for short trips or emergencies, powering smaller devices like smartphones, tablets and small portable speakers.

Medium size power stations (500 - 1500Wh) are a good choice for camping and home emergency power supplies. They can power refrigerators, microwaves, televisions and other similar devices.

Large size power stations (1500 - 3000Wh) are suitable for extended camping trips, providing power for grills, power tools, space heaters and more.