Jackery Explorer 1000 Review: Best for Camping?

I love camping and being outdoors, but I also like reading a book at night or watching a movie on my laptop without worrying about the remaining charge while I’m in the middle of nowhere.

Most importantly, I like having emergency backup power whenever there’s a violent storm that brings down power lines and disrupts traffic across my state.

After reading quite a few positive user reviews, I decided to get the Jackery Explorer 1000 Watt Generator.

For me, the selling points were the rugged shape and solar charge options.

But is that all this portable power box has to offer?

Here’s my sincere and unbiased review of the Jackery Explorer 1000.

What Is the Jackery Explorer 1000 Watt Generator?

How Long Does the Jackery 1000 Last?

Jackery does a great job at showing the run time or number of charges for different appliances.

With the Jackery Explorer 1000 generator, you can run:

In my own test, this generator has lived up to expectations.

On a 4-day camping trip a few months back, four of us barely made a dent in the battery, with two solar panels charging all day.

Even my bread maker with 450 watts power rating took the battery only down to 73%. And as the solar panels kept taking charge, the battery went back to 100% by lunch. 

What Can a Jackery 1000 Power?

You can charge your gadgets directly through two USB-A and two USB-C ports. You can even charge your car’s GPS using the 12V outlet.

Is Jackery the Best?

No, Jackery is not the best portable solar generator you can buy, but it’s a top-shelf choice.

When it comes to generators like this, the differences really come down to personal preferences. The Explorer 1000 has a good capacity battery and advanced inverter, which together give it a solid overall performance. 

It definitely needs a more efficient solar battery charger though. If Jackery upgrades their next model with better input and bigger portable panels, they could have a much more capable product.

There are better generators than the Jackery 1000, but while other inverter generators outperform in surge wattage or weight, they may underperform in other areas.

If you need a reliable generator for weekends out of town or as a backup power supply at home, you can’t go wrong with Jackery in that price range.

Can You Use Jackery While Charging?

Jackery Explorer 1000 Benefits

1. Power Output

The Explorer 1000 is a compact powerhouse that can power even your refrigerator in a pinch, as long as it runs below the 1000-watt mark.

This feature makes this generator a reasonable choice as a backup power supply in case of emergency.

In case of a statewide blackout, it’s good to know that the Jackery 1000 can pull its weight — in this case, keep my food from spoiling.

What’s more, when the power to my stove goes down, I can simply plug a slow cooker or a similar appliance, and get my meal underway.

For example, when I use my 300-watt rice cooker for 15 minutes, the generator’s battery loses only 4% power.

The two USB-C ports deliver 18 watts of power, which is enough for most smartphones and tablets. For your laptop, it’s best that you charge it using the three AC outlets.

2. Pure Sine Wave Inverter

The Jackery Explorer 1000 comes with a 1000-watt pure sine wave inverter that allows me to safely plug equipment with delicate electronics.

My power tools and appliances with an electric motor also run more efficiently with generators that come with pure sine wave inverters like this.

3. Decent Ports Option

The Jackery 1000 is bristling with ports of all types, which means you can really make the most out of this generator in a blackout.

Even when I use the three 110V ports for food preparation and lighting, there are still plenty of low-voltage ports for charging my family’s phones.

The Jackery 1000 gives you:

You can also charge your Jackery 1000 from your car’s 12V outlet.

While you may never use this feature in normal situations, imagine a scenario when you need to relocate because of a flood, hurricane, or another extreme weather event.

It’s good to know you can top up your generator on the road, so you have it 100% charged when you reach the higher ground. 

4. Clean and Quiet

If you’ve ever used gasoline generators, you know how noisy they can be, not to mention how smelly.

Now imagine throwing an outdoor event or a romantic camping weekend with a fossil fuel rig rumbling in the background.

The Jackery 1000 is designed to operate quietly even with cooling fans running. It won’t disturb you or the campers next to you.

More importantly, the Jackery 1000 inverter generator can charge on clean solar power that doesn’t require an engine and fuel tank.

This way you won’t have to deal with dangerous fumes or a fire hazard. 

5. Eco-Friendly

You can buy a Jackery 1000 with a pair of SolarSaga 100-watt solar panels which you can use to charge your battery.

Jackery claims you can fully charge the Explorer 1000 in 8 hours, but in my experience, 10 is more realistic.

But that’s not an issue for me, as I can use it and charge it at the same time.

6. Customer Service and Warranty

Jackery provides both a phone number and an email on their website if you have sales questions or you need help with the unit you bought.

Most importantly, the Jackery Explorer 1000 comes with a two-year warranty from the date of purchase.

The warranty also covers free shipping and returns, so you can easily send the generator back if you have any issues.

Jackery Explorer 1000 Shortfalls

Things To Consider Before Buying a Portable Solar Generator

What Power Capacity and Wattage Do You Need?

The capacity of the portable generator is the amount of power load it can take. It is measured in watts (W), which when applied to power usage translates to watt-hours (Wh).

The more watts, the more appliances you can hook to your generator. You can find wattage for any divide on the sticker at the bottom.

What Charging Options Does It Offer?

A good portable generator should give you multiple charging options.

1. Utility grid — You simply plug one end of the cable with the inverter into the wall socket and the other end goes into the AC socket on the generator
2. Car charging is another option worth having. A 12V car adaptor plugs into the cigarette lighter socket so you can charge your generator on the go.
3. Solar panels — Finally, if you really want to be independent of the grid and 100% eco-friendly, look for a generator you can charge with portable solar panels.

Can It Charge Different Devices at Once?

The earliest portable generators had only regular 110V outlets because back in the day, there was little to plug in other than a camping lamp, hot plate, and perhaps a radio.

But now a portable generator features multiple USB-A, USB-C, and AC outlets. Some generators can even charge car devices that use the 12V cigarette lighter plug. 

How Durable Is It?

Although many products are advertised as “portable,” not all generators are sturdy enough for you to haul them with your camping gear.

Look for a product with quality plastic housing that can take some abuse. 

FAQ

The Jackery Explorer 1000: Should You Buy It?

All this considering, I would recommend the Jackery 1000 as a great choice for your next camping trip or home emergency kit.