When Jackery launched officially in Canada back in July with the HomePower 1000 v2 and 2000 Plus v2, the company said they would send us some units to go hands-on with and to test. Jackery was always available in Canada before, but the official launch means it’s now easier to get warranty support.
Both Jackery units are now here, and after getting them out of the box and spending some time with them, one thing immediately stood out: they’re surprisingly easy to move around, like ones we’ve tested in the past.
Portable power stations can get awkward fast once you move into larger battery capacities, but Jackery has built a proper folding handle into the top of both units. It sits flush when you’re not using it and has a comfortable, grippy bar when you are. This allows you to carry it with one hand and not two.
The HomePower 1000 v2 weighs 23.37 lbs, and I can easily carry it one-handed around the house or out to the car. The bigger 2000 Plus v2 weighs 40.57 lbs, so you’re definitely going to notice it, but the handle still makes it manageable for one person (do you even lift?).
Jackery says the 2000 Plus v2 is 21 pounds lighter than the previous generation, and that weight reduction is noticeable.
Most of what you’ll use is right on the front. There are separate controls for AC and DC/USB power, along with the main power button and a built-in round LED light on the right side.
That light sounds like a small feature, but during an actual outage it makes sense. You don’t want to be searching around for a flashlight just to see the power station sitting in front of you.
The HomePower 2000 Plus v2 has four AC outlets with 2400W of continuous pure sine wave output, along with 140W and 30W USB-C ports, an 18W USB-A port and a 12V car outlet.
The smaller 1000 v2 has three AC outlets with 1500W output, 100W and 30W USB-C ports, plus USB-A and 12V.
That 140W USB-C port on the larger unit is especially handy if you’re using it as backup power for a MacBook Pro or home-office setup.
My biggest complaint so far is the display. The LCD shows the important information, including battery percentage, power going in and power going out, but the screen itself is fairly low resolution, like the calculator you had in elementary school.
It works, but next to newer competitors it looks dated. The Anker SOLIX S2000 we recently tested, for example, has a noticeably sharper display.
This isn’t going to change how the Jackery performs, but it’s something you look at every time you use the unit. At these prices, I’d like to see a better screen in the next generation.
Both HomePower models use LiFePO4 battery cells rated for 6,000 cycles. Jackery says that works out to roughly 16 years of use.
The 1000 v2 has 1024Wh of capacity and can recharge from a wall outlet in about 50 minutes.
The 2000 Plus v2 doubles that to 2048Wh and can be expanded with additional batteries up to 12kWh. It also supports up to 800W of solar input, with Jackery claiming a full solar recharge in under three hours.
There’s also Jackery’s Priority Routing feature, which lets you decide which connected devices should stay powered as battery levels fall. The 1000 v2 has a sub-10ms switchover as well, making it useful as backup power for things like a desktop computer, modem or router when the grid cuts out.
For portability, I prefer the HomePower 1000 v2. At 23.37 lbs, it’s easy to grab with one hand and move from the garage to the kitchen, home office or car. Its 1024Wh capacity is also plenty for keeping laptops, phones, networking gear and smaller electronics running during an outage.
The 2000 Plus v2 is the more serious backup option. Its 2048Wh battery and 2400W output give you much more room for larger appliances, while the ability to expand up to 12kWh gives it considerably more flexibility for longer outages.
Jackery says the base 2000 Plus v2 can run a typical refrigerator for up to 48 hours or an air conditioner for around 2.5 hours. The trade-off is that you’re dealing with a 40.57 lb unit and a much higher price.
So far, I like both units. The handles are excellent, the controls are straightforward, the built-in light is useful and charging speeds are quick. The screen is the one area that feels behind the competition. But this is still an early hands-on.
I’m also going to lend these units out to friends and family over the coming weeks so they can test them in different homes and real-world situations. I’ll be paying particular attention to ease of use, noise, charging speeds, battery life and how useful they actually are during everyday backup-power scenarios.
The HomePower 1000 v2 currently sells for $649 CAD on sale, while the HomePower 2000 Plus v2 is $1,099 CAD on Amazon.ca.
Jackery also has a Prime Fall event on its website and Amazon.ca that started on September 19 through to October 5, with both models currently discounted and more, with savings up to 65% off.
Want to see more of our stories on Google?
P.S. Want to keep this site truly independent? Support us by buying us a beer, treating us to a coffee, or shopping through Amazon here. Links in this post are affiliate links, so we earn a tiny commission at no charge to you. Thanks for supporting independent Canadian media!
