RIVER 3 vs Explorer 500

EcoFlow

RIVER 3

Check on Amazon Official Site

Jackery

Explorer 500

Check on Amazon Official Site

300W

Running power

500W

245 Wh

Battery

518.4 Wh

7.7 lbs

Weight

13.2 lbs

At a Glance

This comparison targets buyers shopping for a compact, entry-level power station for light loads like phones, laptops, and small appliances. The Explorer 500 from Jackery delivers 500W of running power and 518.4 Wh of capacity, roughly double the RIVER 3's 300W output and 245 Wh battery.

That extra headroom lets it power 20 out of 53 tested devices versus 17 for the RIVER 3, and every device the EcoFlow handles, the Jackery handles too. On the flip side, the RIVER 3 weighs just 7.7 lbs compared to 13.2 lbs for the Explorer 500, and its LFP battery is rated for 3,000 cycles versus only 800.

Solar input is nearly identical at 110W and 112.5W, but the smaller EcoFlow battery fills in about 3.2 hours while the Jackery needs roughly 6.6 hours. The tradeoff is straightforward: more power and capacity or a lighter, longer-lasting battery.

Overall Winner

Explorer 500

Powers 20 of 53 tested devices vs 17 for RIVER 3

Home backup: Explorer 500 RV / mobile: Explorer 500 Solar: RIVER 3

Explorer 500 wins overall, but the best pick depends on your use case.

Choose RIVER 3 if...

+ Portability matters for your setup
+ You value battery longevity (LFP, 3,000 cycles)
+ You want faster solar recharging

Choose Explorer 500 if...

+ You want broader device compatibility
+ You need all-day runtime headroom

Spec Snapshot

Absolute values shown. Bars are scaled within this comparison for readability.

Each metric is independent. Bar lengths are not comparable across different compare pages.

Capacity

Higher is better | Scale max: 518 Wh | Explorer 500 leads

RIVER 3 245 Wh

Explorer 500 518.4 Wh

Explorer 500: +273 Wh (+111.6%).

Running Power

Higher is better | Scale max: 500 W | Explorer 500 leads

RIVER 3 300 W

Explorer 500 500 W

Explorer 500: +200 W (+66.7%).

Surge Power

Higher is better | Scale max: 1,000 W | Explorer 500 leads

RIVER 3 600 W

Explorer 500 1,000 W

Explorer 500: +400 W (+66.7%).

Weight

Lower is better | Scale best: 7.7 lbs | RIVER 3 leads

RIVER 3 7.7 lbs (3.5 kg)

Explorer 500 13.2 lbs (6.0 kg)

RIVER 3: -5.5 lbs (41.7% lighter).

Battery Life

Higher is better | Scale max: 3,000 cycles | RIVER 3 leads

RIVER 3 3,000 cycles

Explorer 500 800 cycles

RIVER 3: +2,200 cycles (+275.0%).

Where Compatibility Actually Differs

Out of 53 devices tested, 3 show a different result between these two stations.

Same result: 94%

Both can run: 17 · Differences: 6% (3/53) · Neither can run: 33

Only Explorer 500 can run 3

Electric Wheelchair Charger RIVER 3: Running shortfall

View pairing →

Portable Oxygen Concentrator RIVER 3: Running shortfall

View pairing →

Laptop RIVER 3: Running shortfall

View pairing →

Neither can run · 33 devices

These devices exceed both stations on running power and surge.

Laser Printer

Sump Pump (1/2 HP)

Desktop PC (Gaming/Workstation)

EV Charger (Level 1, 120V)

Central AC (3-Ton)

Dehumidifier (70 Pint)

Gas Furnace Fan (Blower)

Portable AC (12,000 BTU)

Space Heater (1,500W)

Window AC (8,000 BTU)

Electric Water Heater (50 Gal)

Well Pump (1 HP)

2-Slice Bread Toaster

Coffee Maker

Digital Air Fryer

Electric Skillet

Electric Stove (Single Burner)

Electric Water Kettle

Instant Pot (6 Qt)

Microwave Oven (1000W)

Rice Cooker

Toaster Oven

Electric Clothes Dryer

Dishwasher

Washing Machine

Portable Ice Maker (Countertop)

RV Rooftop AC (13,500 BTU)

Professional Hair Dryer

Circular Saw (Corded)

Corded Drill / Hammer Drill

Electric Chainsaw (14-inch)

Pancake Air Compressor (6-Gallon)

Shop Vac (Wet/Dry, 5-6 HP Peak)

Full Specs Comparison

Spec	RIVER 3	Explorer 500
Capacity	245 Wh	518.4 Wh ✓
Running Power	300 W	500 W ✓
Surge Power	600 W	1,000 W ✓
Weight	7.7 lbs (3.5 kg) ✓	13.2 lbs (6.0 kg)
Energy Density	70.0 Wh/kg	86.4 Wh/kg ✓
Portability Tier	ultralight	ultralight
Chemistry	LFP	Other
Cycle Life	3,000 ✓	800
Expandable	No	No
UPS	No	No
AC Voltage	120V	120V

Solar Charging

Best-case charging profile using compatible solar panels.

RIVER 3

Faster

Max solar input 110 W

Connector XT60i

Full charge time ~3.2h

Compatible panels 12/20

MPPT: 11-30V

Explorer 500

Max solar input 112.5 W

Connector DC7909

Full charge time ~6.6h

Compatible panels 12/20

MPPT: 12-30V

Charge speed comparison

~3.2h

~6.6h

Longer bar = faster charge (inverted scale)

Device Compatibility

All tested devices grouped by category. Click a category to expand.

RIVER 3Explorer 500

Emergency(2)

1/2

Device	RIVER 3	Runtime	Explorer 500	Runtime
Full-Size Freezer (15-17 Cu. Ft.)	Safe	1.1h	Safe	2.3h
Sump Pump (1/2 HP)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A

Entertainment(2)

1/2

Device	RIVER 3	Runtime	Explorer 500	Runtime
Desktop PC (Gaming/Workstation)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Television	Safe	1h	Safe	2.1h

EV & Transportation(2)

1/2

Device	RIVER 3	Runtime	Explorer 500	Runtime
E-Bike Battery Charger	Safe	0.9h	Safe	1.8h
EV Charger (Level 1, 120V)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A

Heating & Cooling(7)

1/7

Device	RIVER 3	Runtime	Explorer 500	Runtime
Box Fan (20-inch)	Safe	2.1h	Safe	4.4h
Central AC (3-Ton)	Voltage Fail	N/A	Voltage Fail	N/A
Dehumidifier (70 Pint)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Gas Furnace Fan (Blower)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Portable AC (12,000 BTU)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Space Heater (1,500W)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Window AC (8,000 BTU)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A

Home Infrastructure(3)

1/3

Device	RIVER 3	Runtime	Explorer 500	Runtime
Electric Water Heater (50 Gal)	Voltage Fail	N/A	Voltage Fail	N/A
Garage Door Opener (Residential)	Safe	1h	Safe	2h
Well Pump (1 HP)	Voltage Fail	N/A	Voltage Fail	N/A

Kitchen Appliances(11)

1/11

Device	RIVER 3	Runtime	Explorer 500	Runtime
2-Slice Bread Toaster	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Coffee Maker	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Digital Air Fryer	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Electric Skillet	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Electric Stove (Single Burner)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Electric Water Kettle	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Instant Pot (6 Qt)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Microwave Oven (1000W)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Rice Cooker	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Slow Cooker	Tight	0.6h	Safe	1.2h
Toaster Oven	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A

Large Appliances(4)

1/4

Device	RIVER 3	Runtime	Explorer 500	Runtime
Dishwasher	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Electric Clothes Dryer	Voltage Fail	N/A	Voltage Fail	N/A
French Door Refrigerator	Safe	0.8h	Safe	1.8h
Washing Machine	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A

Medical(4)

2/4

4/4

Device	RIVER 3	Runtime	Explorer 500	Runtime
CPAP Machine	Safe	3.1h	Safe	6.5h
Electric Wheelchair Charger	Fail	N/A	Safe	1.1h
Medical Nebulizer Machine	Safe	1.6h	Safe	3.3h
Portable Oxygen Concentrator	Fail	N/A	Safe	1h

Outdoor & RV(6)

4/6

Device	RIVER 3	Runtime	Explorer 500	Runtime
Pellet Grill	Safe	1.8h	Safe	3.8h
Portable Electric Cooler	Safe	2.9h	Safe	6h
Portable Fan	Safe	2.8h	Safe	5.9h
Portable Ice Maker (Countertop)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Portable Projector	Safe	0.9h	Safe	1.8h
RV Rooftop AC (13,500 BTU)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A

Personal Care(2)

1/2

Device	RIVER 3	Runtime	Explorer 500	Runtime
Electric Blanket	Safe	1h	Safe	2h
Professional Hair Dryer	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A

Power Tools(5)

0/5

Device	RIVER 3	Runtime	Explorer 500	Runtime
Circular Saw (Corded)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Corded Drill / Hammer Drill	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Electric Chainsaw (14-inch)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Pancake Air Compressor (6-Gallon)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Shop Vac (Wet/Dry, 5-6 HP Peak)	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A

Work from Home(5)

3/5

4/5

Device	RIVER 3	Runtime	Explorer 500	Runtime
Laptop	Fail	N/A	Safe	1h
Laser Printer	Fail	N/A	Fail	N/A
Monitor (27-inch LCD)	Safe	3.1h	Safe	6.6h
Starlink System	Safe	1.7h	Safe	3.6h
WiFi Router	Safe	2.3h	Safe	4.8h

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Our methodology

The Bottom Line

Pick the RIVER 3 if portability and long-term battery life matter most; at 7.7 lbs with 3,000 cycles, it suits hikers and frequent travelers who run only low-draw gear. Choose the Explorer 500 if you need to cover more devices and want double the stored energy for car camping or small appliances. With a higher device-compatibility score of 40 versus 33 and broader wattage support, the Explorer 500 earns the overall recommendation here.

RIVER 3 vs Explorer 500 FAQ

Q Which is better for home backup, RIVER 3 or Explorer 500?

Explorer 500 is the stronger overall choice in this matchup based on weighted compatibility across 53 tested devices.

Q Which has longer runtime, RIVER 3 or Explorer 500?

Explorer 500 has higher battery capacity (518.4 Wh), which generally supports longer runtime on the same load.

Q Which charges faster with solar panels?

RIVER 3 has the faster best-case solar recharge profile in our panel compatibility test set.

Q Which is more portable, RIVER 3 or Explorer 500?

RIVER 3 is lighter at 7.7 lbs vs 13.2 lbs. RIVER 3 is rated ultralight for portability.

Q How many devices can each power station run?

Explorer 500 powers 20 of 53 tested devices, compared to 17 for RIVER 3.