(Last Updated On: June 3, 2023)

It’s the best time to get a power station because, at this point, a variety of power stations offer different capacities, wattage output, ports, sizes, and, most importantly, a wide range of prices. Just a few years ago, the number of brands selling power stations was slim, and that caused there to be some somewhat overpriced products that consumers were forced to choose from. As a consumer, you have much more freedom to choose what power station fits your budget and your powering needs because of increased competition between brands.

In this review, we’re looking at this Bluetti EB3A 600W portable power station. This product is the exact outcome of the competition that gives a better choice because this EB3A power station has a low price while still delivering incredible powering capabilities.

Power

Power Capacity:

This Bluetti EB3A has a 268Wh power capacity in terms of being a power station; that’s a pretty low capacity. The max output of 600W comes as even more of a surprise, but usually, the output would be lower in this case, but it’s higher than what most similar capacity power stations offer. When it comes to charging devices such as laptops, tablets, or phones, you can still expect many full charges, much more than a regular power bank but less so than power stations with higher capacities.

Most phones can charge to full power about 25 times, while laptops and tablets with similar battery sizes can be recharged 5-6 times with this Bluetti power station. So you’re still looking at days of reliability with the Bluetti EB3A when solely charging from it.

On the capacity side, when it comes to powering appliances, it’s more about the wattage of the appliances you’re powering. With the EB3A power station having a 268Wh power capacity, you can power a 268W device for 1 hour or a 1W appliance for 268 hours. This is why the 600W output paired with a 268Wh capacity is surprising, as most power stations have both specs in the same range. This isn’t a bad thing, though, this is meant to be a capable and budget power station, but you should know that powering an appliance that requires more than 268W will get you about an hour or less of usage time.

One example would be the electric duster that we powered from the EB3A; it used about 500W of power, and the runtime was 30 minutes, so it fits pretty well into the duration you can expect from higher-wattage appliances.

Output Charging:

The port selection of the Bluetti EB3A power station is varied, plentiful, and on par with what you can expect from its capacity and output. The unit has one DC cigarette lighter port, two DC 5521 ports, two USB-A ports, one USB-C port, and two AC outlets. Also, it’s not a port, but you also get wireless charging at the top.

Charging Ports

Charging ports are pretty good, with two USB-A ports sharing a 15W output, and the USB-C port has a 100W Power Delivery output. So there’s no Quick Charge USB-A port, but the 100W PD port makes up for it because you can charge most USB-C laptops at their max speed. The wireless charging pad at the top has a 15W max output.

The USB-C port can also be used to charge most phones at this point fast, and this is true for Android phones and even iPhones. With iPhones, you’ll have to use a USB-C to Lightning cable, but the fast charging option is still there for most phones.

For a budget power station like this, we thought Bluetti would have settled for a 60W PD port, but a 100W port is surprising and exceeds expectations. In our test were able to charge a Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 at its max speed via the USB-C PD port, simultaneously charge a Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy A51 from the two USB-A ports, and fast wirelessly charge an LG G7 from the 15W wireless charging pad at the top of the power station.

DC Ports

The DC cigarette lighter port will likely be more beneficial than the two DC 5521 ports because few appliances are powered via 5521 ports. However, you may charge DC chargeable laptops via the 5521 ports.

In our test, we could power the tire inflator pump from the DC cigarette lighter port, which took about 110W to power and could function optimally. If you have other devices that can be powered from a DC cigarette lighter port, we recommend getting a DC cigarette lighter to DC 5521 connector that you can use with the 5521 ports on the power station; this will expand their reliability, just as we did in our test.

AC Outlets

As we mentioned, the EB3A power station has two AC outlets and a 600W max output. Powering appliances above 270W will make the power station last about an hour or less. This still doesn’t take away just how incredible it is to power appliances up to the 600W range on such an affordable power station.

The appliance we tested was the eclectic duster which pulled about 500W, was pretty close to the power station’s max output, and ran flawlessly. We then moved on to powering an Acekool stand mixer, cranking it up to its highest setting, and it was using 230W; while running the stand mixer, we plugged in a Lasko tower fan, and the overall output went to 260W.

We also powered a crock pot alone, placed it on high, and that was able to use up to 250W.

Moving onto charging devices and powering appliances at the same time, we had a Note 9 and Galaxy A51 charging from the USB-A ports, the Lenovo laptop charging from the USB-C port, and the LG G7 wireless charging, all the while we also powered a 32 inch Samsung TV and a tower fan from the two AC outlets.

All these devices being powered simultaneously came to a 150W output, which shows that this power station is still great at doing multiple things at once and lets you use it for a couple of hours.

One of the most surprising parts of the Bluetti EB3A power station is that you can power appliances that go over 600W power usage. This is done by activating Power Lifting Mode on the Bluetti app, which allows the power station to decrease voltage, increase amperage, and makes the appliances you have plugged in “think” it’s receiving enough power to function.

We did this with a Ninja professional food processor that uses 850W of power, but when we plugged it in, we set the food processor to high, and it only used 210W. Yet, even at a 210W power usage, the food processor was still performing decently, not optimally, but if you were at the park having a cookout and needed to slice up some veggies, you could still do that with this EB3A power station.

We also powered a Lasko heater that goes well into the 1500W output range when placed on its high setting, and with Power Lifting Mode activated, the Lasko heater could run on high with a reading of about 390W. The heater wasn’t exactly working optimally, but it was still blowing out hot air so that Power Lifting Mode can be useful in those needed situations.

Input Charging:

The Bluetti EB3A power station is recharged through the AC or DC recharge port. The box includes the AC recharging cable that can be used to recharge the power station at 250W. You can increase the recharge rate via the Bluetti app and activate Turbo recharging, which can recharge the power station at 350W. That said, as convenient as recharging the power station at 350W is, we recommend not doing it too often as it can wear down the batteries faster and should be used in emergencies. A Silent mode also recharges the power station at 100W, and the fan doesn’t turn on in this mode.

So the lack of a car charging cable or a solar cable doesn’t come as a surprise, as that would have added cost to the power station, so the inclusion of solely the AC cable does have a connection to the lower price of the EB3A.

We were able to test out solar recharging via a Fanttik 100W solar panel, and the EB3A power station was able to recharge at about 88W. So that you know, you’re not locked into using only Bluetti solar panels. The max recharge rate of the EB3A is 200W.

One excellent feature rarely seen with a power station is that this EB3A can act as an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), so you can connect the AC charger to a surge protector where other devices are powered. The power station will continue running your devices if the main power goes out. Of course, you must ensure that the devices connected to the surge protector are within the 600W range, but it’s a rare feature but very useful.

Design

Size and Weight:

This is a relatively small and lightweight power station. Remember, the higher the power capacity and output scale, the larger and heavier the power station will be. This EB3A has a length of 10 inches, a width of 7 inches, and a height of 7 inches. The weight of the power station is 10 pounds.

You can carry the unit with a single handle and move it around quickly. A much better portable experience than one of those mega-power stations that require you to brace yourself every time you have to fit them. Portability is made more accessible with a large foldable handle at the top.

Functional Components:

The power station is easy to use, with nearly all the functional parts at the front, except the wireless charging pad and the handle that can be found at the top.

At the front is where you’ll find all the charging ports, this includes all the output and input ports. The AC section includes two AC outlets, and the DC section consists of the DC and USB charging ports. There is also an LED flashlight in the top right corner.

The LED flashlight, AC, and DC sections have power buttons; press the power button for each section, and it turns on, and the green light on each power button turns on.

The screen is an upgrade compared to some other Bluetti power stations because this one shows you the remaining usage time of the power station and the recharge time. Of course, you also get info such as wattage output/input, battery capacity remaining, and what sections of the power station are currently activated. The cherry on top is that the screen is bright and is easier to see than some other screens on the market that are not nearly as bright.

We did have a hard time capturing the screen on camera in sunlight due to glare, but it’s easy to see otherwise.

Build

Structure and Material:

The build quality of the power station is good, with a solid structure. The entire housing is made of plastic, with rubber pads at the bottom. So it’s not a rugged build, but it can take constant usage; remember not to expose it to water or drop it from a high height. This is not a rugged power station, so you still have to be careful not to damage it.

Tech:

Under high loads, the power station does get warm, but an internal fan does a decent job of keeping the unit cool. Heat is generated with all power stations, and as long as the power station has a way to keep itself cool, then you’re good.

As mentioned, the power station can power appliances above the 600W max output with Power Lifting Mode. It increases amperage to make the appliances you’re powering think it’s receiving enough power. However, if you power appliances far above the max output, the EB3A will automatically turn off.

There is a Power Lifting Mode that you can activate via the app that makes the max output 1200W, which allows you to power a wider range of appliances.

Reliability

This is a capable but still limited power station; at the same time, it’s a very affordable one, too. The 268Wh power capacity doesn’t have a long usage time if you’re powering an appliance within the 300W range. However, the 600W max output and the power station’s ability to run devices over its max output is a great feature that will let you power higher-wattage appliances, albeit temporarily.

Port selection is not lacking, with the EB3A featuring what most other power stations feature. Still, the included accessories lack only an AC charging cable, but once again, this is to cut costs.

Summary:

Power:

The power capacity is still enough to charge phones, tablets, and laptops to full power multiple times. The 268Wh power capacity isn’t doing any favors for runtime when powering appliances in the 250W+ range. Still, the ability to power devices up to 600W and beyond in some cases at this price range can be a good deal if it fits your needs.

Design:

The power station can easily be moved around, and the large handle at the top makes it more accessible. The EB3A is easy to use, with nearly everything being the front.

Build:

The power station has a solid build but is not waterproof or shockproof, so don’t treat it like a rugged build. An internal fan keeps the unit cool and shuts off automatically if you try to power an appliance well over its max output.

Reliability:

The main limiting factor affecting the Bluetti EB3A power station’s reliability is its 268Wh power capacity, which can lessen usage time when powering high-wattage appliances.

	Bluetti EB3A 600W Portable Power Station Specs
Model	EBA3
Power Capacity	268.8Wh (12Ah)
Battery Type	LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate)
Battery Lifecycle	2,500+ Cycles to 80% Original Capacity
AC Outlets	2 x 120V/5A Outlets 600W In Total (Pure Sine Wave)
Surge Power	1,200W
USB-C PD Port	100W
USB-A Ports	5V/3.0A (15W) Shared
DC Ports	1 x 12V/10A (Car Outlet) 2 x 12V/10A DC 5521 (5.5mm Outlets) *All Regulated.
Wireless Charging	15W
AC Recharging	268W (Standard Mode) 350W (Turbo Mode)
Solar Input Recharging	200W
Car input	12/24V from Cigarette Lighter Port
Max Input Possible	430W, with AC and Solar Input Simultaneously
Size	10.04 x 7.09 x 7.20 inches
Weight	10 pounds

Conclusion:

The Bluetti EB3A 600W power station is one of the market’s highest-wattage budget-friendly power stations. It has what most consumers are looking for when it comes to powering their appliances and charging their devices. The one compromise that gets you this low price is the limit 268Wh power capacity, which can heavily affect your usage time, and if you’re okay with that, then the EB3A is an excellent choice.