Review Summary: Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro
Every once in a while you find such a well-rounded product that it can hardly get any better. That was just the case with the Jackery Explorer 1000. It was light enough for one person to carry, packed plenty of power, and had a durable lithium battery.
Then I guess the engineers in Jackery gathered around and said “Let’s see how we can make the 1000 series even better.” And that’s how the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro was born.
One glance at the spec sheet and we see that there’s a lot to be happy about. But does it solve all the major 1000 series drawbacks? Let’s take a look.
Key Features
- 1000W (2000W Surge) Pure Sine Inverter
- Full Charge in 1.8 Hours With Solar Panels
- 1,000 Battery Cycles
- 368 Days Standby
- Smart Screen
- Compact and Portable
As a big fan of zero-impact camping, I’m constantly on the lookout for advanced solar generators that give me more bang for the buck.
I’ve taken the versatile Jackery Explorer 1000 on countless camping trips while the Bluetti AC200P helped me bridge a number of power outages caused by bad weather.
Now I present to you the next great all-rounder — the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro.
So what’s so special about the Pro version?
Read my unbiased and unsponsored Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro review and find out why this solar generator has blown my mind.
Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro Review: Analyzing the Key Features
What is the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro?
Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro is a portable power station that takes all the best feats of the Explorer 1000 model and takes them one horse length ahead into the finish line.
It can power your camping or RV appliances and take charge of solar panels, the AC grid, and your car’s 12V outlet.
The Explorer 1000 Pro has a standby time of 368 days, which makes it perfect as a backup power source in case of power outages.
In case you need to take shelter, you can pick it up and deploy it anywhere you need. In an emergency, it can power your essential devices such as the CPAP, phone, and radio, as well as provide lighting in your shelter.
Other than that, it’s an incredibly versatile solar generator that is perfect for camping weekends and outdoor cabins.
It is also ideal for beach parties and boats, thanks to its IP68 water and dust resistance.
And if one of your buddies knocks it down, don’t worry. This solar powerbox is shock resistant to reasonable limits.
Following Jackery’s practice of putting input ports on the backside and output ports on the front, the 1000 Pro gives you a total of 8 outlets:
| Outlet Type | Number of Outlets |
|---|---|
| AC 120V Pure Sine Wave (1000/2000W) | 3 |
| DC 12V 120W Car Port | 1 |
| USB-C (100W) | 2 |
| USB-A (18W) | 2 |
How Long Does the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro Last?
The Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro solar generator has a lifespan of 1,000 charge cycles. After that, you can still use it normally, but the manufacturer guarantees that the capacity will remain above 80%.
This is great news, especially if we know that the EcoFlow Delta 1300 and Explorer 1000 guarantee 800 and 500 recharge cycles to 80%, respectively.
Still, the 1000 Pro can’t compete with the lithium-iron technology of the Bluetti AC200P and EcoFlow Delta Pro. Both of those generators deliver more than 3,500 cycles.
How Powerful is the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro?
The Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro gives 1,000 watts of AC power with a peak power rated at 2,000 watts. This means this solar generator can start and run even appliances with electric motors, which need more power to kickstart.
This is great news for you all DIYers and home renovators.
Not everyone has a cordless drill or angle grinder. With the Explorer 1000 Pro, you can use your regular corded power tools even on sites where the original wiring has been removed or not installed yet.
What Can the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro Power?
The Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro can power a variety of appliances. Thanks to the pure sine wave inverter, you can safely plug in sensitive electronics.
When compared to AC200P’s 17 outlets, the Explorer 1000 Pro doesn’t seem very promising.
But again, honestly, do you need to power/charge all of those devices at once?
Three AC outlets will power everything I can think of on a typical camping day, with USB ports and the 12V ready to jump in an emergency.
Let’s take a look at a couple of appliances and gadgets I tested at home:
| Appliances | Wattage | Running Time |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee Maker | 550W | 1.5 Hours |
| Microwave | 700W | 1.2 Hours |
| TV | 60W | 13 Hours |
| Standing Fan | 45W | 17 Hours |
In the outdoors, the results were nothing short of amazing:
| Appliances | Wattage | Running Time |
|---|---|---|
| Electric Heater | 350W | 2.5 Hours |
| Electric Kettle | 850W | 1 Hour |
| MacBook | 65W | 17 Charges |
| iPhone 11 | 18W | 56 Charges |
For the record, I didn’t stay in the woods long enough to charge my phone 56 times. It’s an estimate based on the remaining battery level.
How Fast Can You Charge the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro?
If you ask me, the biggest selling point for the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro is the charging speed.
By now we’re used to super-fast AC charging speeds. I mean there you have the EcoFlow Delta 1300 with a 1,260Wh battery that can take full charge in about 1.6 hours.
The Explorer 1000 Pro has three modes of charging.
When I plug it into the AC grid, it goes from 0-100% in about 1.8 hours — just as the manufacturer claims.
Even by today’s standards, that’s super fast.
But check this out — I managed to fully charge the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro with solar power in 1.8 hours as well!
How?
Thanks to the 800-watt solar charging provided by 4 SolarSaga 200W panels.
The best part is that SolarSaga and Explorer power stations work pretty much on a plug-and-play basis.
You can set up the whole system in less than 60 seconds and start harnessing the power of the sun wherever you go.
And if you can’t wait to get there or are driving to another campsite, you’d be thrilled to hear that you can charge the Explorer 1000 Pro from your car’s 12V DC outlet.
Still, keep in mind that charging with your car adapter can take up to 12 hours.
Should I Ask About the Price?
You’d be amazed to hear that the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro costs just 10% more than the basic 1000 model. Currently, the MSRP is $1,099.
If we know that the regular Explorer 1000 costs $999, in my opinion, the upgrade’s definitely worth it.
Its main competitor in this price range is the EcoFlow Delta 1300. The Delta 1300 costs exactly the same but has better wattage (1,800W and 3,300W peak).
The Explorer 1000 Pro, however, beats it in solar charging speed and the number of charge cycles.
The warranty that Jackery offers for the Explorer 1000 Pro is the best one I’ve seen in the world of solar generators.
Check this out: You get a total of 5 years — 3 years for every purchase of Solar Generator 1000 Pro and an extra 2-year extended warranty if purchased from their official website.
If you purchase from a third-party supplier, you can also get the extended warranty but you need to fill out a form to claim it.
Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro Benefits
Ultra Fast Solar Charging
This is what I’ve been talking about all the time.
You have a solar generator that charges in a couple of hours on AC.
And that’s great for backup home power.
But when you take the same solar generator off the grid — where the charging speed really matters — you discover that it takes between 6 and 8 hours with solar panels.
That’s way optimistic for most regions of the world, even if you camp in full sunshine all day.
But I don’t have the same problem with the Explorer 1000 Pro.
Plug in four SolarSaga 200W solar panels, and you’ll fully charge it 3 times faster than the Explorer 1000.
This is made possible by the amazing solar charging power of 800W.
Battery Twice as Durable
The Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro comes with a new lithium-ion battery that gives it an unbelievable lifespan of 1,000 charge cycles. After that, the rated capacity drops to above 80% and you can still use it for years.
That’s double the boost from the Explorer 1000, which guarantees 500 charge cycles to 80%.
So the battery must be twice the size, right?
Wrong.
The new Explorer 1000 Pro weighs just three pounds more and fits about the same package as the Explorer 1000.
Finally, the new battery gives this solar generator an ultra-long standby of more than a year.
The way I use them, I’ll probably never get to test that LOL.
Smart Screen
When I reviewed the Explorer 1000, I praised how simple and practical the display was. It provided the there most essential figures for an average user:
- Input Wattage
- Output Wattage
- Battery Charge in Percentage
And I say it again, for most users who will take this power station camping or fishing that’s all they need to know.
But here we’re talking about the Pro version for Pro users — people who want more info about what their solar generator is up to.
The Explorer 1000 Pro comes with an advanced screen that displays every kind of information you need when using a solar generator.
- Input Wattage
- Output Wattage
- Battery Charge in Percentage
- Remaining Charge time
- Type of Charging Indicator — AC, Solar, or Car
- Low- and High-Temperature Warning
- Low Power Mode
- Error Code Indicator
At the very top, you can see the available WiFi and Bluetooth connections for hooking up your Explorer 1000 Pro to a dedicated phone app.
A clear upgrade from the LCD display that the Explorer 1000 comes with.
Flashlight
As every Jackery solar station to this day, the Explorer 1000 Pro has a powerful LED light.
This onboard LED light has in a way become a trademark of Jackery power stations. This one always comes in handy when you hear some rustling in the night.
Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro Shortfalls
A Bit Underpowered
Now it’s time to say hello to a 1,000W elephant in the room. I’m not far from confessing that the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro would be my favorite all-time portable solar generator — if only it had more power to it.
I realize that it’s an upgrade from their best-selling Jackery Explorer 1000 model and it really has a lot to offer.
But in the last few years, we’ve seen some really high-performing models, and the rated power of 2,000W and 2,000Wh capacity have become somewhat of a gold standard for solar generators of this size and tech level.
But then again, this is my Jackery 1000 Pro review. Someone else would rather take a less powerful but still decent power station that can fully charge in the sun in less than 2 hours.
Branded Solar Panels Only
Another pet peeve I have with the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro is that it can use only SolarSaga panels.
So what’s the deal?
Jackery is something of a closed ecosystem of beautifully designed and high-performing products which are compatible only with each other.
It’s like Apple in the world of solar power gadgets.
SolarSaga is Jackery’s line of portable solar panels that work only with Jackery products.
This might be annoying for some users, especially those with already installed flexible solar panels fixed on their RV roofs.
If they want to buy the Explorer 1000 Pro, they’d have to invest in new panels as well.
But then, Jackery has its loyal fans. Chances are that someone who owns a Jackery solar generator already has a pair of SolarSagas.
Also, with Jackery, you don’t need any electrical knowledge to set up your portable solar system.
Just plug in the SolarSaga panels in your Jackery Explorer solar generator and you’re all set.
As they say, it’s been optimized for your comfort.
Pros and Cons Summary of the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro
Pros
Cons
- Compact and portable
- Long lifespan
- Great stand-by time
- 3 charging modes
- Super-fast solar charging
- Smart screen
- App control
- LED light
- IP68 dust and water resistant
- Average power and capacity
- Works only with SolarSaga panels
Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro Alternatives
| Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro | Jackery Explorer 1000 | Bluetti AC200P | EcoFlow Delta 1300 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Capacity | 1002Wh | 1002Wh | 2000Wh | 1260Wh |
| Battery Cell Type | Lithium-ion | Li-ion NMC | LiFePo4 | Li-ion 18650 |
| Life Cycles | 1000 Cycles to 80%+ Capacity | 500 Cycles to 80%+ Capacity | 3500 Cycles to 80%+ Capacity | 800 Cycles to 80%+ Capacity |
| Rated Power (PSW Inverter) | 1000W | 1000W | 2000W | 1800W |
| Surge Power | 2000W | 2000W | 4800W | 3300W |
| Charging Time | 1.8 hrs (AC) 1.8 hrs (Solar) | 7 hrs (AC) 8 hrs (Solar) | 4 hrs (AC) <3 hrs (Solar) | 1.6 hrs (AC) 3.5 - 8 hrs (Solar) |
| Car Charging Availability | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Solar Input | 800W | 200W | 700W | 400W |
| Weight (Approx.) | 25.4 lbs | 22 lbs. | 60.6 lbs. | 31 lbs. |
| Portability | High | Very High | Average | High |
| Price | $1,099 | $1,099 | $1,699 | $1,399 |
Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro: Should You Buy It?
Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro builds on the stellar reputation of the standard 1000 model and brings a few very attractive upgrades.
It’s a portable solar generator with ultrafast solar charging and a very competitive price. On top of it, it has an outstanding standby time which makes it a great home backup and emergency supply.
The 1,000 watts of AC power and 1,002-watt-hour battery are enough to power smaller camping or RV appliances and will handle a power outage in a pinch.
For these reasons and more, I highly recommend the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro.
