Are Portable Solar Panels Legit? I Saved $30 A Month With These (and They're $400 Off)

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The EcoFlow 125W bifacial star panels unit for $899 for a four-pack.
• They're portable panels that you tin return pinch you aliases group up temporarily without construction, pinch easy setup, and lightweight construction
• Though portable, these bifacial star panels consciousness very fragile, truthful they must beryllium weighed down if conditions are windy; their debased 125W input besides limits their capacity.

The EcoFlow 4pcs 125W Solar Panels are now 44% off, a discount of $400 connected Amazon.

I spot much hurricanes successful a twelvemonth than I'd like, truthful I guarantee my location is prepared to upwind each large wind and its imaginable consequences. We get a fistful of powerfulness outages yearly, truthful I person a whole-home artillery backup system and support respective portable batteries astir nan house. I besides return these portable batteries erstwhile camping, truthful I was eager to trial nan EcoFlow 500W modular star sheet system. 

Also: I took this 130-pound powerfulness position connected an off-grid escapade - here's my buying advice

There's a batch to for illustration astir these bifacial star panels. They're portable and lightweight, only 9 pounds each, yet they're rigid, dissimilar different portable panels. These EcoFlow panels person an aluminum framework and a tempered solid layer, truthful they're not nan pliable star panels you're utilized to seeing connected camping trips, though they are suited for camping. 

Since I haven't been camping successful nan past mates of months, I've tested these panels successful different parts of my location to spot really easy they are to usage and relocate. 

The panels' bifacial quality intends they use from a reflective surface, truthful I initially group them up connected nan tile of my sunroom, which is wholly white. The unreserved of harnessing nan sun's power truthful quickly connected nan achromatic tile had maine looking for different portable batteries to recharge nan panels wrong a fewer minutes of afloat charging nan EcoFlow Delta Plus 3.

Later, I moved nan panels to nan backyard to recharge nan Delta Pro Ultra successful my car shed and utilized them to trial respective batteries, including nan caller Anker Solix F3800 Plus. The tech is arsenic successful arsenic you'd expect from 125W star panels and delivered arsenic promised, charging my Delta Pro 3, River 3, and River Plus 3. 

Also: EcoFlow's caller backyard star power strategy starts astatine $599 - nary installation crews aliases permits needed

Even if moving a location backup strategy during an outage relieves immoderate of nan stress, you still person nan added strain of really agelong nan artillery will past amid nan uncertainty of erstwhile powerfulness will beryllium restored. 

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

I person an EcoFlow Smart Home Panel 2 and a Delta Pro Ultra for my location backup system. As powerful arsenic this artillery is, we had to recharge it connected an EV charger during 1 of nan extended powerfulness outages we suffered past year. Knowing you tin whip retired these modular panels to recharge your portable batteries quickly during a powerfulness outage helps relieve uncertainty. 

We're facing unsettled macroeconomic times, truthful I've been looking for ways to prevention arsenic overmuch money arsenic imaginable astatine home, but I'm not prepared to put successful installing a complete star sheet system. 

Also: These compact star panels complaint my devices off-grid, and activity during cloudy days

I strategically utilized these star panels to recharge my DPU pinch star energy. Then, I discharged nan artillery during nan highest hours of nan day, erstwhile our energy rates were highest, which helped maine prevention $7 connected my powerfulness measure successful conscionable 1 week. This redeeming would astir construe into $30 a period utilizing nan panels to complaint a artillery for a fewer hours daily.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

The strategy is modular, meaning you tin link up to 8 EcoFlow star panels successful parallel for a larger capacity. But really overmuch you tin prevention connected your inferior measure will dangle connected usage, sunlight, and position.

While $30 a period whitethorn not sound for illustration a immense magnitude of money compared to nan $900 up-front costs of nan star panels, it's worthy remembering that backyard usage isn't nan main intent of nan EcoFlow 125W bifacial panels. These panels are meant to activity arsenic a portable solution to harness star powerfulness erstwhile you're retired camping aliases RVing, aliases moreover successful an emergency powerfulness outage, to recharge your backup power. 

Also: 12 rules to travel erstwhile utilizing and maintaining powerfulness stations - from an expert

Though nan EcoFlow 125W bifacial panels are rigid capable to enactment extracurricular 24/7, they're not meant to beryllium a imperishable solution. These panels are portable and lightweight, truthful they can't defy powerful winds without falling over. But they're beardown and durable capable to use you much than your mean flexible, portable star panels.

ZDNET's buying advice

The EcoFlow 125W bifacial modular star panels are conscionable correct for campers and moreover for usage successful an emergency. They're not a imperishable location solution, but being built to past while still being lightweight intends you tin support these panels astir successful lawsuit of a powerfulness outage, harnessing star power to substance your location backup battery.

With nary building aliases permits needed to group them up and a built-in stand, you tin bring nan panels retired and put them distant arsenic you please. The 2 included bags, each carrying 2 panels, make proscription easier. The imaginable for getting much usage retired of these EcoFlow star panels than simply taking them on for a camping travel surely makes this acquisition worthwhile.