Just go ahead and toss that expensive, dinosaur-burning Honda generator right in the dumpster. These battery-powered power stations have your energy needs covered 100 percent.
As you were! Belay my last. Abort, Control-Z, or however you say it, but don’t heave that stinky pig just yet. I can already hear the collective sigh of relief from my 52 Deltas (that’s 91Deez for you youngsters).
For me to tell you what the “best” power station is for your needs would mean I somehow know you better than you do… yeah, no. But, I’d bet we’re not too different.
We go camping and need power in the middle of nowhere. We’re interested in solar. We worry about keeping the fridge cold during an outage. We use power tools where extension cords can’t reach. Sound about right? Thought so.
If you’re a hardcore off-grid survivalist using a generator as your main power source – this ain’t that review, my guy.
There’s no shortage of battery power stations these days: Jackery, Anker, Bluetti, and plenty of others squaring off against DeWALT, Ryobi, Milwaukee, and the traditional cordless tool giants.
I’ve been in commercial construction for a long time. I’ve gone through more cordless batteries than I can count, and it hurts every time one blinks its last blink. But when that happens, there’s another one sitting on the shelf at the hardware store, ready to get me back to work.
That’s why internal-battery power stations are a non-starter for me. They may perform just as well as a DeWALT or Ryobi, but once that internal battery dies, so does the unit, and there’s no Home Depot quick-fix for that.
This is where DeWALT, Milwaukee, and Ryobi shine.
DeWALT’s 20V and 60V Flex systems, on the other hand, are versatile. You can use the same batteries for your drills, impacts, saws, and even your mower. Ryobi follows the same logic, with an extensive lineup of 40-volt tools, mowers, blowers, weed whackers, and more. The Ryobi 40V Power Station takes four of those batteries, and there’s even an 18V version that takes eight.
If you’re already invested in DeWALT or Milwaukee, their systems makes sense. But if you’re in the Ryobi ecosystem, or just getting started, let me introduce you to a game-changer
Available at Amazon or Home Depot, the Ryobi 40V Power Station is easy to source, as are the batteries. If one fails, toss it in the recycling bin and grab a new one. Sure, the batteries aren’t cheap, but it’s far better than losing the entire unit.
Because the batteries are removable, your runtime is virtually unlimited. Swap depleted batteries for fresh ones without interrupting power. As long as you don’t pull all four at once, the station keeps running.
The 1800-watt 40V model with four 6Ah batteries delivers about the same output as a small Honda gas generator. It can power multiple refrigerators and a freezer simultaneously. I run two fridges and a stand-up freezer for hours on a single charge, swapping batteries once in the early morning to keep food cold through “quiet time.”
The Ryobi runs almost silently and produces zero emissions, meaning you can safely use it indoors or inside a tent. There’s a small cooling fan, but it’s whisper-quiet compared to a gas generator.
Need more juice? You can run two Ryobi stations in tandem. Add solar panels during the day, and you’ve got a silent, sustainable loop.
With pure sine wave output, it’s safe for sensitive electronics, and Bluetooth monitoring lets you check its status remotely.
Now, don’t toss that gas or diesel generator yet. You’ll still need it to recharge the batteries occasionally… ideally during the day when nobody’s trying to sleep.
To be clear, the Ryobi 40V or 18V power stations aren’t complete replacements for fossil-fuel units. But for camping, running tools, or powering a fridge overnight, they’re phenomenal.
Here’s another angle for my preppers: my elderly mom lives 15 miles away. She’s not dragging a Honda 2200i outside and pull-starting it in the dark. But she can handle a Ryobi 40V Power Station. Hers sits charged in a closet, an extension cord ready to plug into her refrigerator. It gives me peace of mind knowing she’s got hours of power, self-sufficiency, and a can of bear spray until I get there.
I’ve been using my Ryobi 40V Power Station for years now, and I’m in love with it. It makes my circular saw, grinder, and other corded tools effectively cordless.
Yes, I still run and maintain my big gas generator once a year, but the Ryobi is what I reach for almost daily. Between my 40V mower, trimmer, and blower, those batteries stay busy, and the power station ties it all together.
