Seeking out the cheapest portable solar generator today (under $500) or looking for an inexpensive portable power station is almost second nature and can today, be equated to basic reflex.
It works this way: imagine yourself at the edge of the world on holiday (or work) with a plethora of gadgets to charge and keep on but no reliable source of power except the scorching sun!
Or, look at this this way: you sleep soundly the night before only to be awaken by the sad news that a natural disaster (like the recent Hurricanes Harvey and Irma) is headed your way and you need to evacuate – IMMEDIATELY.
In both scenarios, you will need to leave the grid behind or even if the wires still pass over your head, they are likely to be dead – without any power to keep the juice flowing in your power hungry gadgets.
Your first instinct, if you truly need power round the clock, will be to consider a solar generator of the portable variant.
However, most of the traditional options in this respect, cost just under a $1,000 with some carrying a MSRP that is twice or thrice $1000.
If you do not have deep pockets – or would not appreciate spending much on a portable solar generator, you’ll be disappointed and stuck, to say the least.
So, if you land in such a scenario, what is the way out?
Simple: follow this article religiously to the end and see as we suggest 5 smart inexpensive and very affordable portable solar generators that will serve your basic power needs without boring a large hole right into your pocket, purse or wallet – whichever applies.
Before we begin however, first things first.
Inexpensive Portable Solar Generators: What You Should Know
Before we proceed with this article, it is important that you grasp the following points about the low-cost portable solar generators under $500 that we have dedicated time to write about today.
Grasping the points below will help you fully appreciate the solar generators mentioned and reviewed below and ultimately, help you make a better choice that will serve you in the years to come.
Here:
- The portable solar generators mentioned below are cheap (less than $500). This does not in any way imply that they are inferior (especially when compared to more expensive models/brands).
- Most of the generators mentioned below have high end specs with same features that can handle heavier loads. If you don’t like the main units suggested, you are welcomed to kindly check on the higher end variants.
- The portable solar generators mentioned below can satisfactorily power medium-low end gadgets/electronics only. This means your laptops, cameras, smartphones, tablets and any other light to medium load.
- If you’re interested in powering full time medium loads like the TV, kindly take a look at these options instead.
Now that we’ve cleared the air, let’s get busy with our inexpensive portable solar generators for the money.
We start with out most preferred affordable solar generator at #1.
Cheap/Inexpensive Portable Solar Generators Under $500
1. Kalisaya KP201 Portable Solar Generator
Most users of portable solar power are always on the lookout for a solar power station that is light and has enough power to easily juice up their gadgets on the go.
Great chances are that you’re such a solar energy user too – and believe that the most important feature of a solar generator remains portability and a nice blend of power.
If this is what you sincerely believe (as you rightly should), the Kalisaya KP201 Portable Solar Generator remains one of the cheapest solar generators currently on sale in the market that brilliantly meets this criteria.
Weighing only 18.8 lbs with a lithium ion battery that is rated at a reasonable 13Ah, this solar generator churns out an impressive 192Wh of power – enough to charge an Apple iPad up to 8 times, a traditional digital camera up to 20 times and a regular laptop, 5 times before running out of juice and needing a recharge itself.
Designed to be completely waterproof by means of a dedicated weatherproof coat that is sold separately, the KP201 can be brilliantly deployed in places where a waterproof solar generator is needed or where the elements prove tricky and are largely uncertain.
To conclude, the fact that the KP201 is currently the best solar power station when it comes to the energy-power ratio game and the only solar generator that can be operated remotely via Bluetooth by means of a dedicated App makes it the perfect option for users who are considering life outdoors especially hiking or camping.
What Makes The KP201 An Awesome Choice?
- Best in class energy-weight ratio.
- Standard solar panel included with every purchase.
- Waterproof reality (by means of a separately sold rain coat).
- Remote controlled Bluetooth operation by means of the KaliAPP.
- Lithium ion battery reality.
- Ability to store small electronics and gadgets like tablets and smartphones in the in-built pouch of the generator for easy mobility.
2. Goal Zero Yeti 150 Portable Solar Generator
There is a certain joy and satisfaction that comes from the fact of buying and using a brand that has been tested and trusted by thousands – possibly, millions before you.
When you consider such a product, it is with all assurance that you go ahead and purchase it: afterall, those before you cannot all be wrong.
As a matter of fact, it is on the basis of the numbers that you hinge your purchasing decision.
This is exactly what happens when you decide to buy the Toyota Corolla or the Ford F150 truck: all best sellers in their respective segments here in the US.
The Goal Zero company, accordingly, makes awesome and trustworthy portable solar generators in its right and the Goal Zero Yeti 150 Portable Solar Generator is not an exception neither does it fail to carry on the signature quality and reliability all Goal Zero solar generators are famous for.
A junior sibling to the best selling solar generator of all time (the Yeti 400) and the recently introduced Yeti 400 Lithium, the Yeti 150 certainly has the credentials of a market authority so far as solar generators under $500 are concerned.
Despite the fact that this solar power station is priced well under $500, it has some amazing specs and features that would tackle your solar energy needs in the smartest of manners and make you fall in love faster than you ever anticipated.
Powered by a 14Ah lead acid battery that is capable of outputting a fair 168Wh at 12V, this affordable solar generator can charge a laptop between 1-2 times, a tablet about 6 times, a smartphone about 15 times and a traditional digital camera about 12 times before needing a recharge itself.
If you’re a user who appreciates options and flexibility, you’ll be pleased to understand that this inexpensive portable solar generator is truly a hybrid: it is rechargeable by means of a solar panel, your regular wall socket (powered by the grid) and the 12V cigarette lighter port of your car.
Now, who doesn’t appreciate more options – especially if they make life way easier?
What Makes The Yeti 150 An Awesome Choice?
- Manufactured by the pioneer brand of portable solar generator, Goal Zero.
- Portable design that can be carried anywhere in the world and is ‘flight accepted’.
- Smart LCD display that bares all the workings of the generator on a smart screen for the user (to ensure planning and intelligent decisions).
- Hybrid reality: charges with solar, AC and DC – via the cigarette port of a conventional vehicle.
MORE: Goal Zero Lithium Ion Portable Solar Generators: Why You Should Buy One
3. Suaoki 220Wh/20,000mAh Portable Solar Generator
The grand dream of anyone who is in the business of purchasing portable solar power is to be able to carry his or her portable solar generator like it is nothing from point ‘A’ to ‘B’ and only remember that he/she is actually carrying a power source when the need to juice up a gadget or an accessory arise.
For many, this remains a dream – that never comes to pass.
However, when you take a bold step and purchase the Suaoki 220Wh/20,000mAh Portable Solar Generator, you actually take a step closer to making this dream come absolutely true for you.
As a matter of fact, when you buy and use this affordable solar generator, your friends will absolutely be forgiven for thinking that what you’re carrying around is a radio set, ready to tune into an AM or FM station on the slightly ‘provocation’ 🙂
Powered by a 20Ah lithium ion battery that is capable of spitting out an impressive 220Wh of power, this reasonably priced portable solar station can brilliantly power laptops, smartphones, cameras, tablets and any other small – medium gadget that is plugged to it and needs to stay up and running.
Further, its Pure Sine Wave output ensures that the unit produces only the purest energy – same with the variant that runs from the traditional grid that powers your house and power sockets.
With this Pure Sine Wave output, it is completely impossible to have your power sensitive devices damaged as a result of the power that the generator produces, especially given its Battery Management System (BMS) that overall, improves battery utilization, prevents over-current, over-voltage and ensures a longer battery life on the whole.
Since this unit is super portable and would be accompanying you on most of your outings (if you eventually buy it), it is further designed with an aluminium shell that is tolerant of abuses more than the conventional plastic some of its close competitor deploy.
What Makes The Suaoki 220Wh/20,000mAh Portable Solar Generator An Awesome Choice?
- Super portable size what is perfect as a journey companion.
- This generator deploys a lithium ion battery.
- Smart battery management via the dedicated Battery Management System (BMS).
- Aluminium allow shell that is more tolerant of abuses and rough handling (especially when compared to the more common plastic finishings common in the market today).
- Pure sine wave power output.
- Hybrid reality: the generator can be recharged via a plethora of options which includes the sun, AC and DC (via the cigarette lighter port of a conventional car).
4. Paxcess 100-Watt Portable Generator
Not every solar generator user is interested in an elaborate portable generator that is complex and even with the manual, will take some time to read or understand.
For some users, they simply need need a low cost solar generator that is easy to understand and importantly, a unit that that will not task their brains when it comes to its usage or actual charging.
This is especially true for Seniors, the elderly or very busy professionals who are simply interested in the fact that their unit works and nothing else on the fancy note.
If the above describes your reality and indicates the type of portable power user that you are, no cheap solar generator compares to the Paxcess 100-Watt Portable Generator.
Designed to be very easy to handle, the Paxcess 100 Watt Portable Solar Generator sports an impressive 40.8Ah battery that churns out a fair 150Wh – enough to keep the juice flowing in your laptops, cameras, smartphones, tablets and importantly, all that you need powered, as the need actually arises.
The lightweight and legendary portability of this solar generator is also well known and equally appreciated by other users who have had the privilege of using it and seeing its magic firsthand.
The deal closer so far as this portable generator is concerned remains the fact that it is just a little taller than a can but is damn powerful for its clearly diminutive size 🙂
The icing on the cake? The unit is rechargeable by solar, the grid and the traditional cigarette lighter port of a regular car. It thus qualifies as truly hybrid!
What Makes The Paxcess 100-Watt Portable Generator Portable Solar Generator An Awesome Choice?
- Smart size that makes the unit super portable.
- Impressive batter capacity.
- Modern lithium ion battery.
- Hybrid charging reality.
- Simple, straightforward operation that makes operation and recharging a breeze.
5. Webetop 100W Portable Solar Generator
Here’s our last suggestion for those who are interested in an affordable portable solar generator.
Please, note however that this generator is not listed here at the position it occupies because it is inferior to the others above it: it is here rather because we personally prefer the other models more and importantly, the (other) options it cannot all be on a certain ranking point 🙂
Let’s now take a detailed and interesting look…
There are always those who are interested in a portable clean energy generator that can do a little more than power their super hungry gadgets (say, provide illumination for house chores, for example) while maintaining an attractiveness that would make visitors and the neighbors jealous 🙂
If the above describes you, you need not look further than the Webetop 100W Portable Solar Generator – it is the perfect option for you and your general/specific power needs.
Engineered with a dedicated flashlight that can last well over about 120 good hours on a single charge, the Webetop 100W Portable Solar Generator comes standard with a lithium ion battery that is rated at an impressive 42Ah, churning out a fair 155Wh of power.
However, the sleek design of this Webetop solar generator is not all it has to offer: the generator deploys an intelligent manner of managing the battery called BMS (Battery Management System) that ensures that the unit is not over charged, short-circuited or that the power going to it does not damage the devices plugged to it.
Like the other models mentioned and reviewed before it, this affordable portable solar generator also deploys the hybrid charging reality, ensuring that it is easily rechargeable via solar, AC or DC (via the cigarette lighter port of your car) – whichever happens to be available at the moment.
What Makes The Webetop 100W Portable Solar Generator An Awesome Choice?
- This generator is super fashionable.
- The reasonably priced portable solar generator comes with a powerful flashlight that can remained powered for 125 hours at a stretch, on a single charge of battery.
- This solar power station also comes powered with a lithium ion battery.
- Hybrid charging reality.
MORE: Best Lithium Ion Portable Solar Generators Today
Confused? Here’s A Quick Guide To Help You Pick The Right Low Cost Portable Solar Generator For You NOW
At just under 3,000 words and 5 smart, inexpensive portable solar generators (all under $500), it is easy to get overwhelmed or, to be more direct, confused 🙂
If you are, we’ll love to help out. All you need do is to pay close attention to the bulleted points below:
- Kindly consider the Kalisaya KP201 Portable Solar Generator and give it priority if you’re looking for a hiking or camping cheap portable solar power station. Its light weight and impressive power will certainly not disappoint you.
- Kindly consider the Goal Zero Yeti 150 Portable Solar Generator if you’re looking for a power station that will back you up and keep your gadgets juiced up when something sad like Hurricane Harvey or Irma happens.
- Kindly consider the Suaoki 220Wh/20,000mAh Portable Solar Generator if you’re interested in taking your portable solar power source with you when you go out and would appreciate something that fits that lifestyle. If you’re also up for ‘intimidating’ your friends who have not bothered about a backup solar plan yet, this is clearly also the best option.
- Kindly consider the Paxcess 100-Watt Portable Generator if you’re no longer young or have challenges with tech. If you are a minimalist and always appreciate your things straight to the point, this generator, with its minimalist roots will also impress you both in the long and short run.
- Finally, if your looking for a power generator that can be used around the house on daily basis and a unit that that will also occasionally see ‘action’ in the fields and the great wild, then, the Webetop 100W Portable Solar Generator is your best bet.
Wrap Up
Opting to get something cheap does not necessarily mean you’re broke; it does not also mean that what you’re a cheapskate or worse, that what you’re getting is inferior.
This is because, products are manufactured according to different needs and budgets and the portable solar generator is no exception.
Now that we’ve done an amazing job at helping clear your doubts and assisting you to choose, which affordable portable solar generator will you be considering today?
As usual, do have a solarful day! 🙂