Anker 757 Powerhouse (1229Wh) Portable Power Station – (off-grid review)

The Anker 757 Powerhouse is a 1229Wh portable power station – part of the Anker Powerhouse range, including 521 (256Wh), 535 (512Wh), 767 (2048Wh) and an expansion battery (2048Wh).

Portable Power stations are a relatively new category. It is incredible how many people realise they could use one after they read our reviews and our Portable Power Stations – power on the go (Guide).

Why? The dream of one box to provide both 240V pure sine wave at a relatively affordable price has only recently been possible. Before that, it was a bank of lead-acid batteries, a 240V to DC charger, and a 240V inverter – three things to go wrong.

Consumer Advice: We are asked to review many brands of portable power stations, but we limit that to those using LiFePO4 batteries. If you see a power station using Lithium-Ion, forget it. Read Large-capacity Lithium-ion batteries will end in death.

The Anker Range (all LiFePO4)

	521	535	757	767 (TBA)	Expansion battery for 767
Price	$799.95	$1299.95	$2699.95	$3699.95	$2799.95
Warranty	5-years ACL	5-years ACL	5-years ACL	5-years ACL	5-years ACL
Wh	256	512	1229	2048	2048
Peak AC Watts	200	500	1500	2300
Surge AC Watts	450	750	2400	3200
AC Charge	Yes	Yes	HyperFlash	GaNPrime	GaNPrime
DC Charge	11-28V/5.5A	11-28V/10A	12-30V/10A/30W	??
12V Car out	12V/10A/120W	12V/10A/120W	12V/10A/120W	2 x 12V/10A/120W
240V AC Out	2	4	2	3
USB-C	60W in or out	60W in or out	1 x 100W out 1 x 60W out	3 x 100W out
USB-A	2 ports 2.4A max 5V/3.6A	3 ports 2.4A max 5V/7.2A	4 ports 2.4A max 5V/7.2A	2 ports 2.4A max 5V/3.6A
Size	21.6 x 21.14 x 14.4 cm x 4.34kg	29.16 x 25.1 x 18.8 cm x 7.46kg	46.3 x 28.8 x 23.7 cm x 19.9kg	52.5 x 39.5 x 25 cm x 30.5kg
Recharge hours to 80%	2.5 240V USB-C TBA Solar TBA 12V TBA	2.5 240V USB-C TBA Solar TBA 12V TBA	1.5 240V AC 4.5 300W solar 6.7 200W solar 13.3 100W solar 13.8 hours 12V car	1.4 240V AC
UPS			20ms	20ms
Accessories	AC cable Light	Ac Cable Light	AC cable DC cable Solar XT-60 cable Light	AC cable DC cable Solar XT-60 cable Light
Charge Cycles	3000+	3000+	3000+	3000+	3000+
Capital cost per charge cycle*	.27	.43	.90	$1.23	.93
Cost per Wh **	$3.12	$2.54	$2.20	$1.81	$1.37

* LiFePO4 batteries are rated at a minimum of 3000 full recharge cycles before reaching an 80% holding capacity. Many manufacturers are finding far higher limits between 5000-6000 cycles, so this measurement is less critical.

** The smaller the capacity, the higher the cost per Wh because only the batteries have a variable cost.

First impression – heavy little beast – Pass+

Now that we have the range specs out of the way, we can focus on the Anker 757 Powerhouse. It has:

• 1229 Wh capacity battery (how long it lasts – 102Ah)
• 1500W total of 240V AC power from 2 sockets (note the US version has 4 x 110V sockets).
• 2400W surge capacity
• Four USB-A 5V/2.4A/12W.
• Two USB-C 100W and 60W.
• One 12V/10A/120W DC car socket.

This is our fourth review (NRG Vault 1228Wh, EcoFlow 256Wh, and Bluetti 403Wh), and we learn a little more each time. For example, turn off the inverter (power saving mode) if you are not using it (it has a standing 30W load otherwise). Or disconnecting devices when not in use (some have power-saving modes) and setting sleep mode (if there is an App).

We have learned that you must correctly size the power station for the job. It is OK to over-spec, but you will be disappointed if you don’t get enough Wh or surge wattage to handle your load.

Charging – Pass+

The fastest charge is via 240V/4.17A/1000W. Anker claims 1.5 hours to 80% (why it chose 80% when you charge to 100% is beyond me. A full charge is around 2 hours.

Solar Charge – Passable

The Anker 757 Powerhouse can use up to 300W of solar panels, and the claimed time (to 80%) is:

• 4.5 hours 300W
• 6.7 hours 200W
• 13.3 hours 100W

The marketing material says it has a solar panel MPPT charge controller (Maximum Power Point Tracking) that optimises the match between the solar panels and the battery bank. It allows for direct connection to the 757 (without a separate controller) and maximum energy extraction through DC-to-AC-to-DC conversion. Simply put, the Anker 757 gets a stable voltage and variable amperage regardless of the panel’s delivery.

The XT-60 socket is rated 10-30V/10A/300W but it is for one, two or three 100W panels in serial – 10, 20 or 30V/10A/100, 200 or 300W. To be clear, the maximum input is 10A regardless of the number of panels. So you need a panel that operates at 30V/10A/300W, or the best you will get is around 200W. Anker does not list a suitable panel on its site.

We tested with a 200W Bluetti solar panel in full sunlight (20V/10A maximum), and charging took closer to ten hours – although the Central Coast where I live is not as sunny as the Sahara, where these test figures obviously come from 😂. The caveat here is that we never saw 200W – our tests showed a maximum of 160W, and most of the time, it was around 70-100W.

If solar charging is important, please do some more homework – our expertise is limited to the panels we have.

Car Charge – Pass

The claim is 13.8 hours 12V/10A/120W DC. Most car utility sockets deliver 12V/10A/120W, even more while driving. Some brands of power stations can accept 25V and higher wattages – you should consider that if car charging is important.

Note that the typical car battery has 40Ah/600Wh, and the Anker 757 can only be charged from the alternator while driving.

USB-C – IQ3 Pass+

These are IQ3 ports (marketing term). These are PD/QC compatible insofar as they will provide stepped Volts/Amps, not 3-11 and 11-20V variable PPS power.

USB-C port 1 5V/3A/15W, 9V/3A/27W, 15V/3A/45W, 20v/3A/60W and 20V/5A/100W. This will charge a 100W MacBook Pro or Surface Studio Windows laptop – provided the laptop accepts 20V/5A, you get 100W.

USB-C port 1 does not have 20V/5A/100W topping at 60W. This handled a Surface Pro 9 nicely.

USB-A IQ – Pass+

Each of the four USB can deliver 5V/2.4A/12W. Under full load, they share 7.2A, so they average at 5V/2A/10W each.

12V Socket – Pass with caveats

While we did not experience issues, numerous customer reviews say to ensure that the load is less than 10A or it bricks the socket. This relates to using power tools or motors with high startup loads.

UPS – Fail with caveats

This and the 767 have a 20ms cutover time for use as a UPS or EPS (emergency power system) for laptops, routers, CPAP, and medical equipment. Any cutover <30ms is acceptable. It only provides 240AC power – not USB or 12V.

But if the unit depletes all power, it switches off and needs to be manually turned on – defeating the purpose of an always-on UPS.

7” LED readout – Exceed

It shows the power draw on USB-C, USB-A, 240V, battery status and more. It is all you need.

Light – Pass

The white stripe across the front is an LED light strip (low 100 lumens, medium 200 lumens, high 500 lumens) and SOS modes.

Safety – Exceed

It has every safety circuit you need – Under/Over Voltage, Over Current, Short Circuit, Overcharging Voltage, Over Temperature, and Overload Protection, including a ‘no-go’ if you try to connect a higher-wattage device to a port. The Anker 757 will handle a static load of up to 1500W and a microsecond surge to 2400W.

Noise – Pass+

For most of the test, it was <30db, but when the fan cut in, it was up to 50dB.

Practical examples

1229 Wh is like fuel in a tank. That means:

• 100W 240V incandescent lamp (no longer legal in Australia) for over 12 hours. Our test gave 11 hours, which is consistent with inverter efficiency.
• A 1200W heater (most bar or radiant) for one hour
• Electric grill 1000W for one hour
• 55” TV 200W (max) for 5 hours

Warranty – 5 years replacement – Exceed

The 5-year warranty is excellent and supported locally by Anker Australia (based in Sydney). The 757 has a mean time between failure of over 50,000 hours (5.71 years 365/24) of continuous use.

The replacement warranty is good, but there is no advance replacement, so it can take several days. Anker pays the freight both ways unless your unit is not faulty.

As noted earlier, LiFePO4 batteries are rated at a minimum of 3000 full recharge cycles, but current tests show nearly twice that. This effectively halves the Capital cost per charge.

Durability/Design – Pass+

The Anker 757 has an aluminium frame inside an impact-resistant ABS casing. The frame protects the batteries and electronics better from rough handling. I like the dual handles and flat top design, although these make it larger.

I don’t like that rear flap that covers the 240V and XT-60 sockets. First, it looks easy to break, and second, you can’t place it flat against a wall.

It has no IP rating, so keep it dry and under cover.

App – none

While an App can give you statistics and monitoring, it is unnecessary.

CyberShack’s view – the Anker 757 Powerhouse has won me

Any of the four we have reviewed are great for their intended use. It would be hard for me to recommend one brand over another.

• $2699.95 Anker 757 Powerhouse 1229Wh, 1500/2400W is larger, heavier, has a longer warranty and a higher surge wattage. The price seems uncompetitive, but we have seen it for $1999, including delivery from AusPCMarket.  
• $1800 NRG Vault 1228Wh, 1500/2000W from Laser. 12-month warranty.
• $1499 Bluetti AC180 1152Wh, 1800/2700W has a 6-year warranty.
• EcoFlow is releasing the new Delta 2 range; a similar capacity will cost about $2500.

We repeat our warning – if it uses Lithium-Ion batteries, avoid it like the plague.

Rating

We now have a good baseline from our four reviews.

• Features: 90 – It has everything you need.
• Value: 90 – it is a tad expensive, but you get what you pay for – shop around
• Performance: 95, although if solar charging is important, look to a vendor that can provide the correct panels.
• Ease of Use: 95 – plug and play, but the manual is sketchy
• Design: 90 – Well designed, but the rear flap and top handles make it larger than most.