Refrigerator backup
Power stations that can run a refrigerator
Every unit below has enough inverter output and stored energy, by its own Amazon listing, to keep a standard fridge cold through an outage. They're ordered by our Bench Rating, with the estimated runtime worked out from each unit's capacity.
- Average fridge draw
- 120 W
- While the compressor runs
- 200 W
- Start-up surge
- ~1,200 W
Runtime estimates assume 85% inverter efficiency and a fridge left closed. A full-size fridge uses roughly 1–1.5 kWh a day.
Ranked by Bench Rating
Fridge-capable power stations
Capacity and output figures come from each live listing.
- #1EF ECOFLOW
EF ECOFLOW Delta 3 Portable Power Station
4.7(1,358 ratings)~7.3 hours of fridge runtime
1,024 Wh · 2,600 W continuous · $599
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
$599 at Amazon(paid link) - #2BLUETTI
BLUETTI Elite 200 V2 Portable Power Station 2073.6Wh 2600W Solar…
4.7(925 ratings)~15 hours of fridge runtime
2,074 Wh · 2,600 W continuous · $899
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
$899 at Amazon(paid link) - #3BLUETTI
BLUETTI Elite 100 V2 Portable Power Station for Camping 1024Wh 1800W
4.6(1,782 ratings)~7.3 hours of fridge runtime
1,024 Wh · 1,800 W continuous · $499
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
$499 at Amazon(paid link) - #4EF ECOFLOW
EF ECOFLOW Portable Power Station 3600Wh DELTA Pro
4.6(657 ratings)~1.1 days of fridge runtime
3,600 Wh · 3,600 W continuous · $1,899
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
$1,899 at Amazon(paid link) - #5Jackery
Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus Power Station
4.6(194 ratings)~1.1 days of fridge runtime
3,584 Wh · 3,600 W continuous · $1,709
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
$1,709 at Amazon(paid link) - #6ABOK
ABOK Ark3600 Portable Power Station 3600W
4.6(143 ratings)~1.1 days of fridge runtime
3,840 Wh · 3,600 W continuous · $1,299
Surge rating of 4,500 W covers a compressor start.
$1,299 at Amazon(paid link) - #7AFERIY
AFERIY Portable Power Station 1024Wh Solar Generator 1800W
4.6(122 ratings)~7.3 hours of fridge runtime
1,024 Wh · 1,800 W continuous · $499
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
$499 at Amazon(paid link) - #8BROWEY
BROWEY 1600W (3200W Peak) Portable Power Station with Built-in Solar…
4.8(109 ratings)~7.3 hours of fridge runtime
1,024 Wh · 1,600 W continuous · $799
Surge rating of 3,200 W covers a compressor start.
$799 at Amazon(paid link) - #9BLUETTI
BLUETTI Portable Power Station AC180
4.6(2,622 ratings)~8.2 hours of fridge runtime
1,152 Wh · 1,800 W continuous · $449
Surge rating of 2,700 W covers a compressor start.
$449 at Amazon(paid link) - #10BLUETTI
BLUETTI AC200PL Portable Power Station 2304Wh 2400W LiFePO4 Solar…
4.6(2,622 ratings)~16 hours of fridge runtime
2,304 Wh · 2,400 W continuous · $950
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
$950 at Amazon(paid link) - #11Jackery
Jackery Solar Generator 1000 v2 and 200W Solar Panel
4.5(1,417 ratings)~7.6 hours of fridge runtime
1,070 Wh · 500 W continuous · $699
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
$699 at Amazon(paid link) - #12GRECELL
Portable Power Station 500W
4.5(246 ratings)~3.7 hours of fridge runtime
519 Wh · 500 W continuous
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
Check price on Amazon(paid link) - #13BLUETTI
BLUETTI Solar Generator Elite 100 V2 with 200W Solar Panel Included
4.6(1,782 ratings)~7.3 hours of fridge runtime
1,024 Wh · 1,800 W continuous · $699
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
$699 at Amazon(paid link) - #14Jackery
Jackery Explorer 500 v2 Portable Power Station
4.7(8,844 ratings)~3.6 hours of fridge runtime
512 Wh · 500 W continuous · $359
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
$359 at Amazon(paid link) - #15OUPES
OUPES Mega 1 Portable Power Station 1024Wh 2000W
4.5(1,489 ratings)~7.3 hours of fridge runtime
1,024 Wh · 2,000 W continuous · $490
Surge rating of 4,500 W covers a compressor start.
$490 at Amazon(paid link) - #16pecron
PECRON Portable Power Station F3000LFP
4.5(145 ratings)~22 hours of fridge runtime
3,072 Wh · 3,600 W continuous · $899
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
$899 at Amazon(paid link) - #17GRECELL
Portable Power Station 500W
4.3(2,905 ratings)~3.7 hours of fridge runtime
519 Wh · 500 W continuous · $200
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
$200 at Amazon(paid link) - #18OUPES
OUPES Mega 1 Solar Generator with 100W Panel Included
4.5(1,489 ratings)~7.3 hours of fridge runtime
1,024 Wh · 4,500 W continuous · $649
Surge rating of 4,500 W covers a compressor start.
$649 at Amazon(paid link) - #19Jackery
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station
4.7(3,623 ratings)~7.6 hours of fridge runtime
1,070 Wh · 500 W continuous · $499
Surge rating not stated on the listing.
$499 at Amazon(paid link)
Before you buy
What it takes to run a fridge
The numbers that decide whether a unit keeps your food cold.
What size power station do I need to run a refrigerator?
A full-size US refrigerator averages about 120 watts over a day of compressor cycling, draws roughly 200 watts while the compressor runs, and can spike to about 1200 watts on start-up. Look for at least 400 Wh of capacity for a short outage, 1,000 Wh or more for overnight, and an inverter rated at 400 watts continuous or higher so the start-up surge is comfortably covered.
How long will a power station run my fridge?
Divide usable capacity by the average draw: a 1,000 Wh unit at about 85% inverter efficiency runs a 120-watt fridge for roughly 7 hours. Keeping the door shut stretches that considerably, because the compressor cycles on less often.
Will the compressor's start-up surge trip the inverter?
Compressors briefly pull several times their running watts. Units that publish a surge rating at or above 1,200 watts handle a standard fridge without tripping; where a listing doesn't state a surge figure, we say so rather than assume it.
Can I recharge the power station during a long outage?
Yes — most units accept solar panels or a car 12V socket, so a daytime solar top-up can keep a fridge cold indefinitely. Check each product page for its stated solar input.