How to read the table
$/Wh is the price-per-watt-hour ratio — how many cents you pay per Wh of usable energy. Below $0.70/Wh is good value (highlighted green); $0.70-1.20 is the typical range for current-generation LiFePO4 stations; above $1.20 you're paying for premium features (fast charging, app integration, brand premium). It's the most useful single number for comparing across capacity tiers.
Capacity (Wh) is the nominal battery capacity. Real usable capacity is slightly lower — most modern stations run an inverter idle draw of 5-15W, and depth-of-discharge is typically 90-95% on LFP versus 80% on legacy NMC chemistries. For practical sizing math, multiply by 0.85 to get realistic output before the inverter shuts down.
AC out is the continuous AC output rating — how much wattage the station can sustain indefinitely. A handful also list a surge or X-Boost figure (briefly handles up to 2× continuous to start motors); we don't show that here because it varies in honesty across brands. For real appliance loads, match continuous AC out to the highest-watt appliance you plan to plug in (microwave, hairdryer, kettle).
Chemistry matters mostly for cycle life and shelf life. LiFePO4 (LFP) typically rates 3000-6000 cycles to 80% capacity — that's 8-15 years of daily use. Older Li-ion (NMC) chemistry rates 500-1000 cycles — fine for occasional camping but not for daily home backup. We highlight LFP rows in green; nearly every model released after 2023 is LFP.
Cycles is the manufacturer-stated rating to 80% remaining capacity at standard discharge depth. A 3000- cycle LFP station used for daily home backup lasts ~8 years before noticeable degradation; for occasional camping use, shelf life (5-10 years) is the limiting factor.
Expand indicates whether the station accepts expansion battery packs that share the same inverter. AC500, Delta Pro Ultra, and Apex 300 are the standout expandable platforms — useful for whole-home backup scenarios where you need 6-15 kWh of usable storage.