The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 is my new favorite portable power station for remote work and camping

Are you looking for a capable power station that is actually portable? Let me introduce you to the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 ($799.99 at Amazon). I have been much more mobile lately, so this little guy came to my doorstep just at the right time. It has become my go-to trip and adventure companion. Should it be yours, too?

The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 excels when mobility is important

It has been a hectic past few months, and I have been on the go a lot. Seriously, I have spent so much time moving around that my car trunk now looks like my main storage space. I have been keeping all my necessities in there, including clothes, toiletries, extra shoes, snacks, etc. The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 is also almost always in there.

When mobility matters, you need something you can easily carry around. The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 measures 15.1 x 8.2 x 9.6in and weighs 24.9lbs. I can carry it on my own for a few blocks without breaking a sweat, often using only one hand. It has two handles, so you can definitely carry it with both hands, and this also makes it easier to carry between two people, each grabbing one handle. I have done this when taking it on a small hike to a campsite. As a point of reference, it is about as heavy as three gallons of water.

Sure, there are definitely smaller and lighter power stations out there, such as the Anker SOLIX C300 ($169.99 at Anker); those are usually not enough to run higher-power electronics. The C300 has a 300W output and a 288Wh battery. It’s great for charging mobile devices and small electronics, but it will fall behind if you try to plug in anything half-power-hungry. This takes us to the next topic: power.

How powerful is the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2?

The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 strikes an amazing balance between power and portability. It can run all of my electronics. And I am not just talking about the ones I have when I am out on my adventures. I mean this in general, even the larger ones at home.

This power station has a generous 2,000W output and supports 3,000W peaks. To give you an idea of what this means, higher-power appliances like a kettle, coffee maker, microwave oven, or air fryer usually use anywhere between 1,000W and 1,800W. This can even run my portable air conditioner, which uses about 800W-1200W. Additionally, heavy-duty tools like drills don’t typically exceed 1,000W.

Running such appliances would quickly drain the battery, but at least you know you can run them. People won’t normally use such high-power electronics on the go, though. In a more real-world case scenario, the 1,024Wh battery in the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 will take you pretty far.

My main computer is a MacBook Pro with a 72.4Wh battery. I have used this power station to fully charge it, and it barely moves the needle. Not that I have tried it, but theoretically, you can juice up this laptop over a dozen times with this battery. Of course, something like charging a smartphone will be insignificant to the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2. It can charge your average handset about 50 times! Again, I didn’t test this, but the 1%-2% of juice I lost each time I charged my smartphone with it is proof this is generally true.

By the way, this is also enough power to serve as a home backup in a pinch. It’s not exactly a power station that’s optimized for this, as its main purpose is keeping you powered on the go, but it can definitely run most home appliances. The unit can power my small fridge for nearly a full day, for example. It still has a 10ms UPS function, so I can leave essentials like my fridge, modem, and router plugged into it, and they will keep working uninterrupted in case of a power outage. That said, I mostly used it for its intended purpose while out on my adventures.

The most powerful device I use on the go is my kettle. Yes, I take my kettle with me. Coffee is important, especially while camping! The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 can power my kettle for a bit over half an hour on a full charge. It only takes about five minutes to get the water to my desired 204 degrees Fahrenheit, though, and I only make coffee once a day.

The perfect digital nomad’s power source

Not to get personal, but my dad has been going through some health issues lately. This means I have had to help him and check on him very often, and he lives over two hours away. I often stay there for a few days and work remotely, whether at his place or at a nearby coffee shop.

By the way, these coffee shops don’t always have conveniently available AC ports, or other people often take them over. Thankfully, I have nothing to worry about with the C1000 Gen 2 on hand. This battery is more than enough to charge my laptop, tablet, and smartphone for a regular work day and well beyond.

Needless to say, the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 is a bit overkill for this remote work scenario, but it kept everything powered without a worry. I knew I could work for a few days, no matter what. If I needed to recharge the battery, I either did it at my dad’s home or while driving.

Using a regular AC port, it can fully recharge in under an hour thanks to its 1,600W input support. Using a car socket was much slower, as it can only deliver 100W. Then again, I’ve been spending a lot of time driving lately, and it helps to keep it at least topped off.

If you prefer, you can also use a solar panel with it. This method supports up to 600W of input. With optimal sunlight, the battery can be charged in 1.8 hours.

After things got better with my dad, I needed a bit of an escape. I told my girlfriend to pack up, and we headed for a camping weekend in beautiful Sequoia National Park.

Honestly, we didn’t use the battery much that weekend. The point is to disconnect, after all. Still, we kept our smartphones alive the whole time, and the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 obviously did a perfect job keeping us powered.

The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 was still pretty busy, and it was pretty much on the whole time. This is because I took the Anker SOLIX Everfrost 2 40L electric smart cooler with me. It held our drinks and food for the weekend, and it lived in the back seat of my car for those couple of days, along with the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2.

The thing about the Everfrost 2 ($699.99 at Amazon) is that it has its own battery, and in my experience, it can run the cooler in my preferred settings for about a full day or a bit more. It would have died at some point, and I wasn’t about to risk drinking my Dr. Peppers at room temperature (or, you know, the food spoiling).

So, the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 was keeping the cooler’s battery topped off the whole time. Then I would recharge it at the car’s socket while driving to various spots within Sequoia National Park. The lowest I saw the battery drop to was about 35% during those couple of days.

Again, not to overshare, but I had a very special moment with my girlfriend, and the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 genuinely made it possible. It was a serenade at the beach.

Of course, there are no outlets at the beach, and we needed power for audio gear. While discussing the details with the singer, we realized the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 was more than enough to run the show.

The serenade lasted 45 minutes. The musicians used two small amplifiers, a MIDI controller, and a full electric keyboard. It’s impressive to see that you can pretty much host a small concert with a battery this size. And what’s more impressive is that, at the end of the show, the battery still had 84% of juice left.

The musicians could have kept playing for hours before the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 died!

AC outlets to spare, but some minor complaints

Okay, so I’ve given you a bunch of examples of how much use I got out of this thing. Let’s get back to the hardware.

I like my AC outlets, so I am happy to see that the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 has five of them. These are the ones that can reach the max 2,000W of output, so you’ll have enough ports to power your traditional appliances.

That said, there are also three USB-C ports. Two of these can output 140W, while the third is limited to 15W. There is also a 12W USB-A connection and a 120W car port.

I do wish there were more USB ports available, but the fact that there are five AC ports more than makes up for that. I would take more AC outlets for fewer USB connections, for sure.

Honestly, considering the size, weight, and price, this power station is quite outstanding. Again, it has become my favorite power station for camping and mobility. I am honestly struggling to find downsides, but here are a couple.

Again, four USB ports aren’t always enough. I personally use a smartphone, tablet, laptop, and a hotspot very commonly. That’s all it takes to leave me with no ports left. Now, imagine if I were sharing the ports with other people.

Also, I may be a bit spoiled, but why is there no ambient light in this power station? It seems like common practice for manufacturers to add one nowadays, including Anker itself. I mean, even the cheaper, smaller Anker SOLIX C300 has one.

Also, not much of a complaint, but here’s something to keep in mind. To achieve the fastest charging speeds (1,600W), you need the stock cable. It comes included in the box, but if you lose it, you need to make sure you get the right one from Anker, as third-party options won’t support this. Also, remember to turn on UltraFast Charging in the app. Otherwise, recharging will be limited to 1,200W.

In addition, this battery has no option for battery capacity expansion. This is mainly because it is meant to prioritize portability, though, so it’s excusable. That said, if that is an important feature for you, you might want to look elsewhere.

Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 review verdict: Should you buy it?

Previously, my pick for the best camping power station was the Ampace Andes 1500 ($799 at Amazon). It’s still an awesome option, but it is bigger and heavier (17.2 x 7.7 x 13.2in, 36.8lbs). It’s also more capable, offering a 1,462Wh battery capacity and a 2,400W output (3,600W peak support). It also has more USB ports and four AC outlets.

The thing is, using this Anker battery made me realize the Ampace Andes 1500 was a bit overkill for nomadic use. Not only that, but the Ampace alternative is also much more expensive at $1,399. The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 costs $799. Of course, these are MSRP costs. The Ampace Andes 1500 often goes on sale, and I’ve seen it drop to $499. That said, I have also seen the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 drop to $349 before.

While technically less capable, the C1000 Gen 2 is more than enough for most people’s usage. At least I know it was enough for me. It can still run most appliances, and in a more portable package. The extra AC outlet is definitely a welcome addition, too.

If you want ample power in a smaller package, there is no going wrong with the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2. Especially if you get it on sale. It’s honestly the perfect road trip companion, and it has enough power to actually help during an outage, too. My two complaints are no deal-breakers. Honestly, I am just being nitpicky.