Portable Power Station (500–1,000 Wh)

How it works

A lithium battery, an inverter and a set of outlets in a case. It runs the things that matter when the grid drops: the Wi-Fi router, phone charging, a CPAP machine, a HEPA purifier, some lights and a laptop. It does not run your house, and understanding that boundary is most of buying one well.

What the market looks like

A crowded and rapidly maturing market — EcoFlow, Jackery, Bluetti, Anker and many others — where capacity per dollar has improved sharply. The useful tiers: 300–600 Wh at CAD $350–$700 for phones, lights and a router; 1,000–2,000 Wh at CAD $900–$2,200, which will also run a purifier, a CPAP for several nights or a fridge intermittently; and 2,000 Wh and up at CAD $2,000–$5,000, approaching generator territory. The chemistry split matters: LiFePO4 cells cost more and last 3,000–6,000 cycles, while older NMC packs last 500–800. For a device you cycle rarely and want to still work in ten years, LiFePO4 is the right answer.

Features that actually matter

Capacity in watt-hours

The honest number. Divide by the wattage of what you want to run for a rough runtime: a 50 W purifier on a 1,000 Wh station is about 18 hours after losses.

Continuous output wattage

Separate from capacity and just as important. A 1,000 Wh station with a 600 W inverter will not start a fridge compressor regardless of how full it is.

LiFePO4 chemistry

Longer life, better heat tolerance, less degradation from sitting at full charge. Worth the premium for an emergency device.

Solar input

Turns it from a battery into a supply. A 200 W panel recharges a 1,000 Wh unit in roughly a clear day — much less in heavy smoke, which is worth knowing before you rely on it.

Pass-through charging

Lets it work as a UPS for the router, which is the single most useful everyday function.

Pure sine wave output

Required for medical devices such as CPAP. Check explicitly.

What it really costs

Up front

CAD $900–$2,200 for the 1,000–2,000 Wh band most households want.

Consumables

None. The battery itself degrades — LiFePO4 to roughly 80% capacity after several thousand cycles, which for emergency use is effectively never.

What else you'll need

Solar panels, CAD $300–$900 for a useful 200–400 W. A car charging cable.

Over five years

Purchase price. Expect to replace the unit at 8–12 years, not 5.

Figures are typical street prices in Canadian and US dollars as of September 2026, gathered from public retail listings. They move with the season and with the exchange rate — treat them as a planning band, not a quote.

How it differs from the alternatives

Versus a petrol generator

A CAD $900 generator produces far more power for far less money and refuels in a minute. It is also loud, cannot run indoors, needs stored fuel, needs starting, and is a fire risk in its own right during a fire event. The power station is silent, indoor-safe and starts by pressing a button. For running a router and a purifier, the station wins; for running a well pump or a whole fridge for a week, the generator does.

Versus a fire pump's needs

It will not run a fire pump. Petrol pumps are petrol for a reason. Do not conflate the two purchases.

The realistic wildfire use

Communications and clean air. Router, phones, a purifier in one bedroom, lights, and any medical device. That is a genuinely valuable list and it fits comfortably in 1,000–2,000 Wh.

Solar in smoke

Dense smoke can cut solar output by half or more. Plan your recharge assumptions accordingly — this is the detail that catches people out in exactly the scenario they bought it for.

If not this, then what

• A petrol generatorMore power, less money, more noise, outdoors only, needs fuel stored on a property you are trying to keep from burning.
• A large USB power bankCAD $60–$150. Runs phones for days. Does not run a purifier or a CPAP, and for many people phones is the whole requirement.