Are you ready to harness the sun’s energy? My personal ranking of the best portable solar panels will surely help you make the switch to sustainable electricity. Here are hands-on reviews.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. Jackery SolarSaga - 100W Portable Solar Panel for Explorer Power Stations
Highlight: This offers two kickstands for stable support.
Helpful review: I’m in my early seventies and I’ve been an avid outdoorsman most of my life. Growing up, the only technology I brought with me was a fishing pole haha. But the older I got, the more comfort became important to me, too. I like to car and tent camp and I enjoy bringing whatever electronics I can haul with me! I have a lot of toys I like to bring along on my adventures across America! I knew I needed a good power source, but I also wanted it to be portable and rechargeable, and that’s how I ended up deciding to go forward with these portable solar panels.
I have a longer road trip planned for next summer so I wanted to plan this ahead of time and try out the solar panels I planned to bring on the trip to make sure that they worked well. I’m so happy I chose this brand. The delivery was immediate, and came with perfect timing.
I live on the Oregon coast and often lose power when there’s bad storms, and I managed to have just enough time to charge these before giving them a try. And I’m so happy I had them. I didn’t have power for four days and these things were a lifesaver! I had so much left over energy that I even managed to help my neighbors charge up their toys as well. We could watch TV on our iPad and computer and all of our macbooks, bluetooth speakers, flashlights, and phone stayed charged!
It’s a fairly compact unit and I love how rugged it is. It also comes with a protective bag to store it, which is super nice, and I love the pouches that it comes with to store the cable and manual. The support legs/kickstands are awesome and I can tell they’re well made. You use them to hold the angle of the solar panel to make them easier to use to catch the light of the sun.
My first dry run on these panels was better than I expected and so far I really like these over other brands. I always like to purchase the best I can afford because there’s usually a reason things are the way they are, if you do the research on them at least. Essentially what I’m trying to say is that this is constructed properly and well made, and you end up getting what you paid for for it. On top of it, the customer service is just awesome and I definitely recommend this company as a brand to give it a solid go! You won’t regret it.
A FEW WORDS FROM A NEIGHBOR:
Gone are the days where I have to use an annoying, loud, gas guzzling generator to have power. I can literally use these solar panels to get me by. The customer service is top of the line, the products are really well made, and I just know that I’ll have this for as long as I live. The power lasts super long, there’s a variety of panel options, you can recharge it through your car, connect it to the wall, or even use the sun (obviously!). To summarize everything on the box, this company is awesome, this product is great, and you’re going to love adding this to your life if you’re looking for an affordable, powerful power alternative! Go for it!
Get it from Amazon now: $299.00 & FREE Returns
2. Renogy 100 - 100W 12V 2-Piece Monocrystalline Kit
Highlight: Output averages 500 watts of electricity per day.
Helpful review: I waited zero time to figure out if these puppies worked. I put them out in the sun as soon as I got them, that’s how excited I was! And so far, from first impressions, I have to say that I can immediately tell how well these are built. I also ordered 12 volt panels and they sent me 24 volt for some reason, but I’m not complaining there haha. I have twenty two of them now and they’re all producing 100W unfocused. Pretty good deal if you ask me!
When they’re in direct sunlight, I get a reading of 24.5 volts, which is more than I expected. I will say that this all could change depending on how they work in the long run, but right now I’m super happy with them!
UPDATE:
After a few months of using these things, I can officially say I’m using them off grid. I’m so happy. Sure, I could have gotten fewer panels that give off more wattage, but I was trying to save money here, so I’m pretty happy with how I ended up doing this.
They each produce more than the listed wattage when they’re directly under full sunlight so that’s really what I wanted. Eventually I’m going to end up adding more panels so I can reach a total input potential of 450V 6.5 amps per set up. But other than that, I’m using battery power when we’re under the full sun light of I’m using extra equipment in the house, like using the laundry, watching TV, or keeping the fridge running.
The panels are running most everything in the house for us, so that’s pretty cold, and I think that when I add more panels, I’ll be able to use more battery power during a summer day.
Either way I can admit that I’m finally reaching my bucket list goal of getting solar panels! Oh, and one last thing to mention. The power production depends on how much light is streaming through clouds, but you're going to power even on an overcast day. Even with some rain clouds it still worked. So yeah, I’ll definitely give this five stars hands down!
A FEW WORDS FROM A NEIGHBOR:
I would do your research before you do anything. That way you’ll at least get your expectations in check. The most important thing to recognize is that solar panels have to be angled at different times to various degrees. They’re not permanently mounted, and the reason for this is to maximize efficiency. Sure, you can mount them horizontally but depending on the angle of the sun this could direct the wattage you harvest. Also keep in mind the landscape you’re using for the installation. There are drawbacks to folding solar panels so you have to make sure you really do your research when figuring out where to set everything up. They really didn’t disappoint!
Get it from Amazon now: $238.99 & FREE Returns
3. Renogy Starter - 100W Panel with 30A PWM Charge Controller
Highlight: Controller works with four different types of batteries.
Helpful review: One of my clients wanted off grid power for their sawmill, as it's in a pretty rural area, so I ended up helping them get this solar panel option and I was so impressed by how it worked, I ended up buying myself a pair!
I have a small fridge that runs about 300 watts per day, so I tested it out with one 100 watt panel hoping that it would work if there was good enough sunlight. I didn’t take into consideration that the fridge is going to work harder when there’s a bunch of stuff inside because then it works harder. We’re in south Oregon and there’s usually a fair amount of sunlight to play around with, and man was I pleased to find that the panel ended up working just as I hoped! It provided enough energy, but I think I’m gonna get another one just so it can supply my extra battery sources as well, mainly because there is a fair amount of morning fog that can be a little bit of a pain.
As for installation, it was super easy to install and it came with everything I needed, including mountain brackets and a good amount of cable to connect it all.
The charge controlling wasn’t outputting any energy when I first tried to use it, and I did see that it had two soldered in fuses which I wasn’t sure about. Essentially I just reached back out to Amazon and now they’re sending me a replacement charger controller, although I should mention that I did purchase the Asurion Warranty for this thing.
My favorite thing about this kit is that it comes with the charge controller, and it’s rated for thirty amps, which also makes it expandable too, up to four panels So it's easily expandable. I definitely recommend this panel set up for smaller or introductory set ups and I plan to use it to power my water pump and my cistern, I would just make sure that you add external fuses. Personally I think that they should just start an extra ten dollars and add it in their included, but that’s just my thoughts.
MY FRIEND’S REVIEW:
I definitely recommend this solar panel kit and pretty much anything from the manufacturer Renogy. You can just tell right from the outset that the panels are really solidly built and you can just see that they’re really reliable, specifically with how the tilt mount works, so that’s awesome!
I’ve tried a lot of solar panels out there, and I can honestly say that if you’re looking to use these to charge a cabin or an RV, then this is definitely what you should start with.
My boyfriend was a newbie to the solar panel world when he first tried these out, but even he is super comfortable with it now. The learning curve is pretty easy and flexible to roll with, mainly because Renogy offers so many good quality videos and instruction manuals that are super well done. Did I mention that their customer service is just freaking amazing? The first controller that came in was a dud, and it didn’t take very long to call them and explain the situation and what it was doing and they offered to fix it immediately.
We ended up getting a new controller that was delivered with second day shipping. The rep even followed up with us through email to make sure it was all working properly. He was a super nice guy and honestly was very knowledgeable and helpful to use. It’s been a year now and these things are just awesome, I honestly couldn’t be happier about these things! It’s super easy to change the panel angles for the summer so they work even better. Love the tilt mounts so much!
Get it from Amazon now: $225.99 & FREE Returns
4. GRECELL 100 - 100W 20V Foldable Solar Charger
Highlight: Built in chip maximizes charging speed and protects overcharging.
Helpful review: Really like this Grecell solar panel unit, although the design is pretty similar to Jackery’s designs in terms of how it folds, the color, and magnetic handles.
IN A NUTSHELL:
There’s a built-in pouch with a connector cable all ready for plugging into a power station as long as you have the right extension cord. On the first day I tested it out, it was pretty overcast out and got about 59 watts of output, and on a sunny day it got about 84! Most monocrystalline panels lose like twenty five percent because of power conversation, so it’s nice how well this one works. There’s also a built-in kickstand which is super convenient and helps me set it up at a perfect forty five degree angle to get the most out of the sun exposure. I also love how there are built in pockets so I can store cables.
It should be noted that this isn’t waterproof, so keep that in mind. It comes with multiple adapters and the connectivity works with different types of power stations. You just need to make sure that the power can accept 20V output and if so you’re good to go! Personally, I connected it to my other panels and that doubled my output to 102. If you’re going to do that just keep in mind that they need to be hooked up parallel and that you should use a combiner cable or a y-split.
OVERALL:
I would say these are pretty great. They look beautiful, they feel sturdy, they’re efficient, and they’re really portable. They also worked awesome with different battery power stations which is what I was hoping for. TIPS/NOTES:
- In general, solar panels have a lifespan of about twenty five to thirty years.
- There’s a chance that they will last longer than that, but they ultimately end up producing less energy the older they get.
- They work best outside with full sunlight.
- Charging efficiency is diminished in the shade or behind any windows.
- Yes, they still work in overcast/cloudy weather
- Make sure that all your panels are uncovered otherwise you won’t be able to generate a charge
- Make sure they stay clean to get the most out of them
- Keep the panels away from fire and rain
CHARGING TIMES:
When you’re using the solar panels to charge things like battery power stations, you should throttle the amount of energy the battery accepts in order to prevent overcharging.
HOW MANY WATTS DOES A DEVICE USE?
- To calculate this, multiply voltage x Amperage
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SOLAR CHARGE A BATTERY POWER STATION?
- To calculate the amount of house it takes to charge the battery follow this equation: Battery capacity / (Panel Watt x 0.5 or 0.75)
- While in a perfect world they garner exactly what is listed, you should expect to receive about fifty to seventy percent on a sunny day taking into consideration the environment, how old the panels are, and the quality of the components.
- Tip: Even in overcast weather, they will still collect solar energy so keep charging even when it's cloudy out!
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
I’ve had these solar panels for just over a month now and so far I really like them. In fact, I liked them so much I ended up buying a second one. They’re really lightweight and only weigh about ten pounds. They are constructed super well and I love how they fold up for easy storage. I mainly bought these to supplement my RV setup. And I’m really happy with my decision to do that! The roof on my RV is on the smaller side so I wanted portable panels so they would fit there. I have no issue charging my power station and I love that I can turn the panels to adjust the angle and that they come with legs that make it easy to prop them up. I did it with twenty feet extension cords just so I could have some extra room between the panels and the power station, and although they’re not listed as waterproof, they’re definitely water resistant.
Get it from Amazon now: $189.99 & FREE Returns
5. Renogy 200 - 200W 12V Portable Solar Kit
Highlight: Kit comes with a 200 Watt solar suitcase.
Helpful review: Our camper needs at least 12 volt to run properly as we have a refrigerator, hot water, furnace, water pump, lights…you get the idea. We like to camp without hookups until the batteries die on us, so that’s why we wanted a solar set up to make sure we can keep our batteries charged when we go to campgrounds, music festivals, etc.
I did a fair amount of research online to make sure this was a good pick, and I have to admit that I’m pretty happy with this choice.
This suitcase setup is definitely on the heavy side, so definitely be careful getting it all set up. It does come with a big case with a spring loaded handle. Definitely make sure they’re tight.
The power output connects into the controller and then it goes back out to your batteries. The controller attaches into the back of one of the panels. I’d say it’s a pretty good controller over all.
You will need to connect the batteries to the controller before you hook it up to the solar panels so just keep that in mind.
Make sure that you connect the red wire to the positive controller, and the black one goes to the negative side.
You definitely need to pay attention to the wires and where each of them go. Make sure you get extension cords that are at least eight or ten gauge. The ones that come included are on the shorter side. If you’re planning on hooking everything up directly to the battery, then I recommend using the alligator clips that come included. They’re really big, like jumper cables. Just make sure you hook up the positive to the positive.
When it comes to built in solar ports, specifically for campers, it gets a little tricky. You need to use an adapter cable, but keep in mind that some of the solar ports are wired backwards. Just make sure you’re following the positive wire as it connects from the controller to the adapter and back to the input port. You might need a polarity reverser, but that’s wholly dependent on your set up. The colors of the wires may switch, so make sure you’re paying attention. Oh, also make sure that you’re selecting the proper battery type.
UPDATE:
I would say that this works pretty darn well with our smaller camper. Amazon gave us free overnight shipping too and that was super nice. Our power went on during a hurricane, and once the storm passed this setup allowed us to keep our fridge working! Definitely happy we had it considering our power ended up being out for almost a week.
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
Setup was super easy. All you have to do is hook up the alligator clips and connect them to the battery. Then you just plug in the controller where it connects to the panel. And wah lah! You're done. When you’re setting up for the first time, you will have to select the battery chemistry. And obviously you’ll need to make sure the panels have the right angle to maximize exposure to the sun. After setup, everything works really well. It’s not the most high end unit out there, but I really like how the controller attaches on the inside of the suitcase. It’s a super self contained system, and for that reason I really like it.
Get it from Amazon now: $469.99 & FREE Returns
6. EF ECOFLOW - 160W Foldable Off-Grid System
Highlight: Provides extra protection against UV light.
Helpful review: It’s been about a year since I first purchased the EF Ecoflow solar panel, and I can officially say I’m still in love with it. I wanted it originally because it’s four panes and it folds down to a quarter of its size. It was compact but just over twenty pounds so not light weight either and still output 200 watts. It’s also a bifacial panel, which essentially means that it has cells on both sides of it, whereas most solar panels are monofacial, or only power up on one side.
ANALYSIS:
EcoFlow's Bifacial Panel amazed me. The front side produces up to 220 watts and the back side offers up to 155 watts, meaning it’s a total of 375 wattage. Although reality didn’t always equal that depending on how cloudy it was, I found I was able to get an average of 200W on most days! The back of the solar panel could product about fourteen percent of its capacity, although I will say that for the back side of the panel to consistently add to the energetic output, it will depend where you put it, what kind of surface its on, and the surrounding area, though I found it never got the seventy five, eighty percent efficiency the front had.
CAUTION:
Whatever you do, don’t leave the power station outside in the sun! I recommend keeping it shaded so it doesn’t get overheated and make sure you use a long cable that you can connect it to the solar panel. The EcoFlow really excels in its water rating as compared to other models. It can be underwater for up to half an hour, or things can be spilled on it without damaging it, and that means it can get rained on, but I’d be careful about that. Either way the waterproofing is a nice extra benefit.
Another warning: Don’t ever connect multiple panels back to a battery that are part of a series. I recommend plugging them in parallel.
The EcoFlow also came with kickstands which was just a super nice benefit and let the panels be propped at a perfect forty five degree angle. Overall, I’d say that if you’re seeking to maximize input capability this is the best option out there.
PROS:
- Bifacial panel allow an additional five to twenty five percent energy
- Monocrystalline panels allow efficient affordable charging
- Most panels get to an average of 75 percent charging of stated wattage
- Can last for up to thirty years
- Saves on space
- Faster set up than if you had multiple solar panels
- Foldable design makes it portable and compact
- Excellent pricing and value
- Comes with kickstand for a better angle towards the sun
- Multiple mounting configurations
- Waterproof rating is IP68
- Tempered glass
CONS:
- Back side panels depend on how much sunlight is reflected from the surrounding area
- A dark, non-reflective surface or environment will hardly add any extra power, for example
- Can be difficult to set up on beaches
- At twenty one pounds, a little on the heavy side
- Body is flexible and panels could snap
- On the pricey side
- No built in USB-C charging port (but that’s what makes them waterproof so it’s a give and take on that)
- No built in battery
TIPS AND NOTES:
- Will need to be replaced after thirty years
- Work best with full sun exposure
- Charging is diminished in shade or behind windows, especially the back side
- Panels still charge when its overcast
- Operates best in a temperature range of 14 F to 149 F (-10 C to 65 C)
- When you’re charging a battery power station make sure that only the solar panels are exposed to the sun–not the power station!
- To get a full charge, all of the panels need to be uncovered (it will stop if you cover even one panel)
- For best potential charge, make sure they still clean
- To clean safely, use a soft brush and damp cloth (not wet)
- Tree sap is bad for panels so make sure you get rid of that ASAP
- Even though it’s listed as waterproof, don’t put it underwater–they work best without that risk
- If you bend them more than thirty degrees, you can risk breaking them.
- Keep away from fire
WARNING:
If you want to charge your power stations with multiple panels, make sure that you don’t exceed the maximum voltage or amperage of that power station's charging port, otherwise you risk damage to battery life.
CONCLUSION:
Overall, I’d say that the EcoFlow Bifacial panel is just a great product. Having a second set of built in panels really makes a huge difference. It increased the solar output without having to buy extra panels, which ultimately made this more affordable than other products like the Nomad 200 from Goal Zero, which is the main one that I’d tried out.
Because this is considered a high capacity solar panel, it’s capable of charging larger power stations that other products couldn’t get. The foldable design means it’s compact, and that it can also be put away a lot easier. Not only does this safe space, but it also means you can keep it cleaner and prolong the life of it. Just be careful you don’t over bend the panels when you put them away!
Overall, I’m super impressed with this product! And I definitely recommend it to anyone trying to get into the solar power game!
Get it from Amazon now: $449.00 & FREE Returns
7. ALLPOWERS 200 - 200W 18V Solar Charger with MC-4 Output
Highlight: Comes with a year and a half unlimited warranty.
Helpful review: Folding panels are usually never as good as I think they will be, but that changed when I discovered the rather power is different than the actual output. I would say that they come with some nice accessories and I like the design a lot. Overall, the quality is really good for the price. Personally, the kickstand is my favorite. It helps get the angle just right. And yeah, the power cables are on the shorter side but that’s so they can fit inside the pocket. I would recommend keeping them because they’re really high quality, but I did get extension cords so I can keep my devices in the shade while leaving the panels in the sun.
RATED POWER:
When it comes to power, it just really depends on how you aim the panel to the sunlight and what the panel is connected to. Also what you’re trying to charge. There’s a difference between charging a battery or charging a power station and a battery, and not every controller comes with the right connector. You also need to make sure that the controllers are optimized for the right type of solar panel brand.I will say that the power meets its 200W rating, but I only ended up pulling about 125.
In order to measure the rated power, you’ll want to put it out in full sunlight and aim the panels directly at the sun and use a voltmeter so you can check the open voltage. This is without any devices connected. Then you’ll need to check the shorted amps, and do that by using an Amp meter. Just be careful because you short the positive and negative, it can cause a spark. I honestly can’t say whether it's not an eight hundred dollar panel with a rate much better than that.
I use a 500 watt power station to run my 12V fridge when I’m out camping. It usually can run about twenty four hours on the power station or 24W an hour. I find that anything under twenty volts and the charging drops
TIP:
I like to use a boost converter to get the voltage up to 24. And I find that the panels go below the open voltage, and usually hover in the 15v to the 17v range. More expensive power stations could have more flexibility but this still gets the job done. I will say that the panel drops and you won’t charge as well in cloudy weather, and I find that early morning or even late afternoon are the best.
NOTE:
I will say that there’s one advantage of having two 1 panels is that you can put them in double voltage and cut the Amps in half, which essentially equals to less loss over the extension cable. I can’t run the 2 panels in a series directly, though, so I use a boost converter, but you can run all powers in parallel to get double the power.
SIZE MATTERS:
They’re on the thin side and are about twenty five by twenty inches folded and about twenty five by eighty or 2000 square inches when spread out. They’re on the thin side, but I would say they’re still not floppy or anything. I think they’re still pretty easy to move around, but they are big when they’re completely folded out, and I really like that it comes with a kickstand. They’re pretty durable even on windy days. You’re not going to get the rated power, it’s more likely you’ll get fifty to seventy five percent, but obviously the environment will affect the final outcome. I need to create about 500W per day in order to keep my portable 12v refrigerator running and I do this by charging the battery station fully before sunset. I easily get that on a sunny day, and with cloudy days, I would say that extra panels make a difference, just make sure to keep them angled at the sun!
Get it from Amazon now: $299.00 & FREE Returns