EcoFlow River 2 range of portable power stations – see the light (off-grid review)

The EcoFlow River 2 is part of the new 2023 range covering from 256 to 768Wh. Even better, they use the new LiFePO4 battery for increased recharge cycle life and greater safety.

Portable power stations are the ‘next big thing’. You will surely find a place in your life if you don’t yet have one. They are perfect for off-grid power for tradies, campers, RVs and boaties. We have comprehensively researched comprehensive Portable Power Stations – power on the go (Guide) to help us review this category. You should read it first.

We have written about EcoFlow, the company  EcoFlow – power for blackouts, campers and more and given an overview of its 2022 product range. We were impressed that it has portable power stations, solar recharge panels, and a range of accessories that can even help you stay off-grid.

EcoFlow River 2 models

• $649 Portable, 256Wh, 300/600W inverter/surge*, 1 x AC, 3 x USB and 1 x DC output, 3.5kg.
• $1099 Max, 512Wh, 500/1000W inverter/surge, 2 x AC, 4 x USB and 1 x DC output, 6kg.
• $1299 Pro, 768Wh, 800/1600W inverter/surge, 3 x AC, 3 x USV and 1 x DC output, 7.8kg

The larger Delta series includes 882, 1260, 2106 and 3600Wh.

Australian review: EcoFlow River 2 portable power station

Website	Home Page
Price	As above
Warranty	Five years ACL Warranty
From	EcoFlow online, Harvey Norman and Joyce Mayne, specialist camping and off-road retailers
Made in	China
Company	The EcoFlow mantra is to create the world’s most innovative, eco-friendly power solutions that enable you to live, dream, and explore without limits. In other words, a range of solar generators and panels, portable power banks, portable air conditioners and power kits.
More	CyberShack EcoFlow news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impression – nicely done – Pass+

While we are only reviewing the baby 256Wh model, the principals are the same for all the River 2 range.

For example,

• All are rated for sustained use (Watts) but have a 100% surge rating to allow for spikes from start-up devices.
• Inverters are Pure Sine Wave, perfect for sensitive electronic equipment.
• Have 240V, DC, USB and Solar charge capability.
• A Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-capable App for diagnostics and control
• Use LIFEPO4 batteries for 3000+ charge cycles – usable life over nine years and still will hold 80% charge.

Capital Cost per Wh and Capital; Cost per charge – Pass+

• Portable $2.54/22 cents
• Max $2.15/37 cents
• Pro $1.62/43 cents

These present excellent value.

Charge Times (not fully tested – using estimates)

AC – Tested – Pass+

All take about 1 hour because they draw sufficient Amps to cover the Watt-hour rating minus any charging losses.

• Portable – 240V/1.5A/360W
• Max – 240V/2.75A/660W
• Pro – 240V/4A/940W

DC (Not tested)

Most Car Utility sockets have a 12V (nominal) and up to 10A socket. These all charge at 100W to stay within the car charge system.

• Portable – approx. 3 hours
• Max – approx. 5.5 hours
• Pro – approx. 8 hours

Solar (not tested)

Solar depends entirely on the wattage the panels can produce. Assuming 100W panels, the time would be similar to DC car charging, although solar is less efficient, so add 10-20%.

The Max and Pro can take 220W solar charging, which takes about 3 to 5 hours, respectively.

USB-C charge – Pass+

You can use any 60-100W GaN PD/PPS charger.,

Portable is limited to a maximum of 20V/3A/60W, which takes about 5 hours. Max and Pro are limited to a maximum of 20V/5A/100W, which takes about 5.5 and 8.5 hours, respectively.

X-Boost – surge* – Pass+

This means the inverter can handle a 100% Wattage over power startup surge for a millisecond. Surges occur in most power tools and compressors.

Outputs – Pass

Each unit has a specific Wh (watts x time). For example, a 100W AC light bulb would last 2.5, 5 and 7 hours on the Portable, Max and Pro. A 100W MacBook Pro would last a similar time.

But each must share the inverter capacity across all ports. The portable has 300W, and its one AC socket can output that. But it has 2 x USB-A that can output 5V/2.4A/12W each and one USB-C that can output up to 20V/3A/60W (MacBook or Microsoft Surface and should get around 4 hours of use), and these are shared with the 300W.

The maximum load is 300W with a 600W millisecond surge. That precludes things like trade tools, portable fridges, water kettles, etc. – some of which can take up to 240V/10A/2400W at startup.

The Max maximum load is 500W with a 1000W millisecond startup surge. Again more for smaller items but may support a portable fridge. Remember, the more Watts you draw, the shorter time you have.

The Pro maximum load is 800W with a 1600W millisecond surge. This is suitable for laptops, monitors, routers, and some lighting. You might squeeze a hairdryer into that 1600W surge!

According to our retail spies, the biggest dissatisfaction and cause for return is that people constantly underestimate the load and peak load. The River 2 series is for light work.

If in doubt, buy the Delta Series. Its Mini has an 882Wh/1400W/2100W surge, but you would be better with the Delta Max 1260Wh/1800W/3300W surge or Delta Pro that runs most household and camping items.

Noise – Pass

It is mostly silent, but fan noise can reach 70dB when charging and under load.

Warranty – 5 years – Exceed

EcoFlow provides a 5-year swap warranty (maximum 15-day turnaround) and pays freight both ways. It claims the batteries last at least 3000+ charges which is ten years at six times a week.

Safety – Exceed

LiFePO4 batteries are the safest rechargeable, although we recommend recharging in the garage or similar. The Battery Management System includes over-voltage, overloading, over-temperature, short circuit, low-temperature, low voltage, and overcurrent.

Additional features

App – Pass

All devices can use the EcoFlow App for Android or iOS. It is not mandatory, and it requires you to establish an account. You will need it for firmware updates. That means you accept its privacy policy and terms of use.

While the policies appear benign, it does collect your data (ID, geolocation, internet history) for targeted advertising, service providers, social networks, government (does not state which) and law enforcement.  It does not state where the data is stored but comes under the Governing Law of Hong Kong. You can assume China as this is a Chinese company.

EPS – emergency power supply – Pass

You can leave these connected to 240V (or other power sources) and run devices through it. If power is disrupted to the unit, it has a 30ms cutover. This should work with most electronic devices and not cause a reboot.

Accessories – Pass

Solar panels, charging cables, extender batteries (not all models) and even off-grid ecosystems for the Delta series. They even have portable camping air conditioners.

CyberShack’s view – EcoFlow River 2 portable power stations are handy off-grid devices

Portable Power Stations are the next big thing. EcoFlow is well placed with a comprehensive range of Watt Hour and Inverter capacity models. It also has the accessories for a boat, caravan, tradies, and more.

The EcoFlow River 2 series are new for 2023. They are well made, have decent performance specs, good startup surge overheads and fast/multiple charging. Add LiFePO4 batteries, 3000+ charge cycles and a 5-year warranty, and this is a compelling offer.

Rating Explanation (94/100)

The River 2 series is mainly for consumer electronics and low-draw household electronics. Ratings use that as a reference.

• Features: 95 All models have similar features, an app and a pedigree. Make sure you buy one large enough for your needs.
• Value: 95 -they fall well within the range of $/Wh and charge cycle costs.
• Performance: 95 – we only tested the portable model, and it exceeded manufacturer specs.
• Ease of Use – 95 – speedy charging, good readout and backed by the App.
• Design: 90 – it is utilitarian