Update: When it is all said and done I still love this unit. However it does have some pitfalls, so here are my nitpicks now that I have been using it for a while. All original comments stand as well though I think Goal Zero has better plug offerings now, and Bluetti has a better option now. As other reviewers have noted you can only get a partial charge with a 12v DC input (like from a car power port in the US (cigarette Lighter)). However, if you have an inverter pushing out 120AC (wall outlet plug) in your car that works just fine. This may have been fixed on newer units but on older units like mine it is definitely annoying. Since I have an inverter outlet it hasn't been a huge issue for me. The biggest single negative for me has been the outputs being on the opposite side from the inputs. I have used this to power a fridge in my car and finding a way to pack this thing with input and output plugged in is damned near impossible without serious risk of torqueing the plugs badly if things shift around... like say getting to off road campsites. Have managed so far but next battery will have a better solution for this, or a better way to pack it sorted out. I haven't done precise testing but the rated capacity is likely a touch generous. If you have it in a tent with you under any real load expect the fans to kick on. Can be surprisingly loud when unexpected in the still of the night :-) Speaking of using it in a tent at night. The green LEDs are BRIGHT. Tape recommended. I really wish the display would stay on longer or perhaps have the option to have it stay on. Very annoying when trying to watch the loads to have it continually turn off after like 5-10 seconds or something. Last nitpick is I wish the light had a mode switch as well as on off. Cycling through the high/low and SOS gets old. Really want a dimmer and a much lower setting ability.... or even RGB for a red night light option.
Have been eyeballing Jackery and Goal Zero options in the 500wh capacity for over a year. The Goal Zero Lithium is just priced way to high, the oh so close 400 lead acid based unit is priced better but is a friggen boat anchor (super heavy) if you can even find it. The Jackery is a nice unit but the molded handle and overall dimensions sucked for packing in my limited space.
Enter this little fella for about $110 less than either of the lithium offerings above, better set of plugs, wireless charger, same capacity, and a better form factor than either. What is the catch then? Throughput. The more expensive units in this capacity typically allow for 500w throughput. This unit only supports 300w continuous with about 450 surge for around 2 minutes.
In my opinion a 500w throughput continuous on a 500wh battery of this nature is mostly useless unless you have a very specific and short duration need for that kind of output. The max you could supply that power would be 1 hour, and due to the way batteries work under heavy discharge you would likely get significantly less than a full hour. Even running at 300w continuous would drain things pretty rapidly (less than 2 hours).
The use case for me is charging up electronics (tablets, switches, cellphones, maybe a laptop) and serving as a secondary battery for running a small compressor fridge (about 60w continuous when compressor is on) to avoid any possibility of draining my car battery. If your needs are similar then 300w throughput vs 500w throughput is not an issue for you and the added capacity vs the more affordable options from those other names in the 200-300w range for maybe 50$ more is very worth it.
Lastly.. small thing but the Jackery unit has a flashlight on it that is mostly a joke though I imagine usefull in a situation like changing a tire or something. This unit has a diffuse LED lantern with a super bright (think illuminate a small campsite), low light (think tent illumination) and an exciting sounding but hope you never need it SOS signal generating pattern light on the side opposite the plugs. Nice touch.
I cannot yet speak to overall quality beyond initial impressions getting it out of the box. Fit and finish seems nice. Claims the batteries are good for 1000 cycles. Will update my review in a few months when I have some run time with it.
Lastly, this appears to be a shared design being shipped under a few different labels. there is this one (WattFunn) the Bluetti AC50, Tacklife P50, and MAXOAK Power station 500wh. These all seem to be the same unit with identical specs in terms of the connections, battery capacity and throughput. There may be small variations in the case dimensions and of course they have different coloring, check them out and judge for yourself.
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