Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station Generator Review

The Jackery Explorer 1000 is a large capacity portable generator/power station that can use solar charging as well as an AC Adapter to fill its battery so you can then power various devices simultaneously when away from home or the office. The Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 1000 is priced at £1099.99 over on Amazon or you can purchase it as a kit with two SolarSaga 100W Solar Panels for £1559.99, also available on Amazon, which makes it a rather big investment so we're putting it to the test to see if it's worth it. 

Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station Features

The Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station is a compact but pretty powerful generator that will charge most electrical appliances. It features a lithium battery with a 1002wh capacity so will generate 1000W of power (2000W surge power) to charge devices such as smartphones and cameras via the various output ports that are built-in which includes USB-C, USB, a DC carport and AC outlets. There's also an LCD screen that features charge/discharge data and battery life status.

Away from home/the office, you can keep the Jackery Explorer 1000 topped up with power via solar panels (sold separately unless bought as a kit) which fold and feature deep handles for easy carrying. 

Other features include a carry case with detachable strap, car charger cable, AC & DC Cable, SolarSaga Parallel Adapter Cable (for solar charging), User Manual and a small bag to keep the cables secure. 

Key Features

• 1000 wattage output
• 1002Wh(46.4Ah) lithium battery
• 2 standard PURE SINE WAVE AC outlets
• 2 USB-C ports with PD, 1 USB-A port, 1 quick charge 3.0 port
• 12V Car Outlet
• LCD Display
• 3-ways to recharge the generator
• Weight: 10KG
• Dimensions: 33.3x23.3x28.3cm
• Operating Temps: 14-104F (-10-40 degrees C)
• Recharge Times (from 0% to 100%): 300W AC Adapter - 6 hours 35 min, Car Adapter -15 hours, 2 SolarSaga 100 solar panels -10 hours

Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station Handling & Performance

The first thing you notice about the Jackery Explorer 1000 is how compact it is and, in comparison to other generators, is lighter (it weighs 10KG) but it's still not something we'd describe as 'light weight' so some may struggle to carry it over long distances. You do get a great bag to carry it in, though, which does help with the load and makes it more comfortable to carry. It's worth mentioning that the bag is built really well with a thermal layer on the inside, solid zips, carry handles and a detachable strap. There's also an additional pocket which is great for storing cables and the manual in. You do get a pouch with these in, too, for times when you might not need the bag. The bag actually reminds us of a really great cool bag in its style/material it's constructed from and it looks great.

After commenting on its size, the next thing you'll probably notice about the Jackery Explorer 1000 is how well it's made and how strong the construction feels. It's a solid bit of kit that feels ready for adventures and, not that we'd recommend it, it does seem like it would stand a knock or two. The colour scheme is black and orange with contrasting vents, lines and logo standing out against the black body. Plastic feet keep the generator off the floor and a deep, large handle gives you a good grip when moving the generator around. 

On the front are the various ports which include the input ports for charging the Jackery Explorer 1000, 4 USB ports (2 USB-C ports with PD, 1 USB-A port, 1 quick charge 3.0 port), a car outlet and 2 standard AC outlets. There's also an LCD display that shows you the power left in the generator's battery and how much power it's consuming or gaining. You will also see various symbols which indicate when the battery is completely empty, if the battery is overcharged, when operating temperatures aren't right and, most importantly, if the generator is overloaded. There's a button you can press which illuminates the display and buttons for turning on the DC and AC outputs. You do need to remember to press these buttons again once you've finished charging your devices as they do stay on and will continue to drain the generator's power. Above the vent on the side is a torch you can switch on/off should you need it. 

Jackery suggests that you don't let the generator power drop below 15% with them preferring you re-charge the device when it reaches around 20% capacity and before use or storage, you should fully charge the device via a wall unit. The LCD display flickers around 10 times when the battery capacity is between 10-20%. 

You can use the Jackery Explorer 1000 within a -10-40-degree C temperature range and it uses intelligent temperature control to kick the fan in when it's needed. 

If, for whatever reason, you find you need to reset the Jackery Explorer 1000 you can press the display power button for 8-seconds. 

To keep the generator operational, you need to ensure that the power output is less than 1000W which is why the LCD display is useful as this will inform you what load is currently applied. The unit will shut off if the value is higher than 1000W so do keep an eye on the output figure. 

Before use, we fully charged the Jackery Explorer 1000 as instructed which took around 3 hours from 38% full. If you're charging from an almost empty battery via a wall charger it can take up to 7.5 hours so you will need to think to charge the generator well in advance of any planned trips. You can also use an electrical generator to charge the device which will take around the same amount of time or if you happen to be out when the generator is low on power, you can use a car charger but as it'll take 14-hours to charge, we don't really recommend you do this unless you enjoy spending money on fuel or draining your car's battery. It's good for quick power boosts, though. 

For those who want to be a bit greener, you can purchase SolarSaga solar panels with the Jackery Explorer 1000 as a kit or separately which you can use to charge the generator to full capacity but it will take 8 hours, weather permitting, with 2 panels or 17-hours with just one panel. 

Personally, we recommend plugging the Jackery Explorer 1000 into a wall before heading out with it as this is the quickest and easiest method of charging then you can use the optional solar panels to just keep the generator ticking over when out rather than relying on them to charge the device to 100%. 

Using the SolarSaga solar panels is really straightforward as you simply use the supplied cables to connect the panels to the generator via the input port. The CD interface is tucked away in a zipped pocket on the back of the solar panel which keeps everything tidy and there's also a fold-out support so the panels can be stood up in the direction of the sun to soak up the rays. When not in use, the support folds and velcros to the back of the solar panel. Magnets hold the SolarSaga solar panels together when not in use which makes them easier to transport and prevents them from dropping open. There's also a really well-made handle that allows you to get a good grip of the panels in one hand. 

With solar charging, recharging times vary wildly depending on your location, the temperature, if it's cloudy, time of day etc. so do keep this in mind when using them. The weather in the UK hasn't been that glorious so when we put the SolarSaga solar panels outside connected to the Jackery Explorer 1000, we only generated 2% power in around 4-hours but we can imagine that in Summer, we'd get a much better result. However, it was useful for keeping the power level of the generator just ticking over without dropping away too much so we'd recommend you use the solar panels as backup power generation rather than a sole source of power. 

Before taking a look at some numbers, it's worth mentioning that by charging the device fully at home then switching to solar energy means that the generator is really quiet when in use with only the fan making a low hum when the device reaches a certain temperature. There are also no fumes as you find with diesel generators and you don't have to pay for additional fuel to keep it ticking over. It doesn't get hot either so there's less chance of it overheating (just remember to keep an eye on the output value so it stays below 1000W).

When plugged into the mains, the Jackery Explorer 1000 charged two smartphones (batteries at 30% and 26%) along with a MacBook Pro (battery at 20%) to full in just over an hour which is great. For those wondering how long you can keep a device plugged into the Jackery Explorer 1000 before it will deplete of power, we worked out that the MacBook Pro we own would be powered for around 11 hours before the generator would be empty and then you'd just have to use the MacBook Pro's battery (which doesn't last that long). It's a decent run time for someone working from home who wants to take their office set-up outside in the garden for the afternoon as well as for someone who'll be out in the field, on assignment for a few days. 

Jackery has provided the following information on the run-time of other devices for reference: 

• Drone - around 20 rechrages
• Camera - around 50 charges
• Action camera - around 180 recharges
• Smartphone - around 100 recharges

Overall, the Jackery Explorer 1000 is a fab little but powerful generator but the price makes it a device that the photography hobbyist simply won't be able to justify using. However, those who regularly head off on assignments or simply enjoy the outdoor lifestyle and camp a lot while taking photos probably will find a multitude of uses for it. 

Value For Money

Power generators vary wildly in price depending on the wattage, what powers them etc. but doing a search over on Amazon for 1000W portable generators gave us results that ranged from £379 to over £2000 which the Jackery Explorer 1000 sits comfortably between. Some examples are the EcoFlow DELTA mini 882Wh Portable Power Station (£999), SSCYHT Portable Power Station (£1,138) and the MSG ZY Portable Power Station (£666). Less expensive models include the EF ECOFLOW Portable Power Station (£379) and Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240 (£259.99). 

Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station Verdict

The Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station is a great device for those who need reliable, portable power on the road as well as at home. Plus, the fact that it can be charged at home via a normal plug socket then powered with carbon-free energy (solar panels) when out makes it a little bit greener, extremely quiet and no fumes are produced. For those who head off on photography trips in the wilderness, the Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station is compact and even though it weighs 10KG (generator only), when you put it in the carry bag, the weight is distributed better and is easier to carry than some other generators available. Plus, the solar panels have deep handles making them easy to carry while walking to your shoot location. It's also really simple to use and offers various output ports so you can charge smartphones, cameras, laptops and more simultaneously. 

Is it a device every photographer will need/buy? No, it's not, as the cost isn't something the everyday photographer will be able to justify but those who enjoy an outdoor lifestyle or work professionally capturing outdoor-style shots will probably find a use for the Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station.

The Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station provides power wherever you want to go, charging various devices and also harnessing solar energy on sunny days.

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Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station Specifications

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