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How Much Energy Do Your Gadgets Need? Calculate the Right Power Station and Save With Current Bundles

UUnknown

2026-02-16

9 min read

Learn how to calculate wattage, size the right Jackery or EcoFlow power station, and use bundles to slash your effective cost per Wh in 2026.

Stop guessing—size your power station the smart way and save

Gadgets need power, but spending hours hunting deals and still not sure which power station will actually keep your fridge running through an outage? You're not alone. In 2026 more shoppers want verified savings, faster recharge, and clear math that shows real cost per watt-hour. This guide cuts through the noise: learn how to calculate device wattage, pick the right capacity, compare Jackery vs EcoFlow, and use bundles and flash discounts to lower your effective cost per Wh.

Quick summary: the decision in 60 seconds

If you want the short version:

Calculate total watts for the devices you care about.
Convert to watt-hours (Wh) and add headroom (surge, inefficiency, future needs).
Pick a power station whose usable Wh meets your needs (not just nominal rating).
Compare price divided by usable Wh to get cost per Wh—then apply bundle discounts.

Why this matters in 2026

Late 2025 and early 2026 brought deeper discounts on major units (example: Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus at $1,219 and EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max flash pricing near $749). At the same time, battery chemistry (LFP) and smarter inverters improved usable capacity and cycle life. That means you can get more practical energy per dollar—if you know how to calculate it.

Trends to watch

LFP adoption: Safer, more cycles, higher usable DoD—so usable Wh matters more than nominal Wh.
Faster AC/solar charging: Stations now accept higher input rates so solar bundles matter more.
Flash sales and exclusive bundles: Retailers are bundling panels and accessories to lower effective cost per Wh.

Step-by-step: Calculate how much energy your gadgets need

Follow this simple formula set. We'll show examples right after.

Step 1 — Find device wattage

Look at the device label or power adapter for watts (W). If you only see volts (V) and amps (A), multiply them: W = V × A.
If you know the battery capacity in Wh (phone: ~10–20 Wh per full charge), use that directly.

Step 2 — Convert to watt-hours (Wh)

To estimate run time: Wh needed = device watts × hours of use.

Example: a laptop that draws 60 W for 3 hours needs 60 × 3 = 180 Wh.

Step 3 — Add overhead

Inverter and conversion losses: multiply by ~1.10–1.15 (10–15% loss) for AC devices.
Surge capacity: some devices (microwaves, compressors) need 2–4× starting watts.
Headroom and aging: add 10–20% for future needs and battery degradation.

Step 4 — Compare to usable Wh of the power station

Manufacturers often list nominal capacity (e.g., 3600 Wh). Depending on chemistry and recommended depth-of-discharge, usable Wh may be lower or roughly equal. For LFP-based systems you can assume higher usable DoD; conservative shop math uses 85–90% usable.

Runtime formula (practical)

Estimated runtime (hours) = usable Wh × inverter efficiency ÷ device watts.

Common device examples

Use these quick references to estimate needs and then plug into the formulas above.

Smartphone charge: ~5–20 Wh per full charge.
Laptop (work): 50–100 W → 4 hours ≈ 200–400 Wh.
Mini-fridge (running): 100–200 W, cyclical; plan ~800–1,200 Wh per 24 hours.
CPAP machine: 30–60 W → 8 hours ≈ 240–480 Wh.
Microwave or coffee maker: 800–1,500 W (use for short bursts only—surge capacity needed).

Jackery vs EcoFlow — practical comparison (what really matters)

Don’t be blinded by neat displays and marketing. Focus on:

Usable Wh (not just listed capacity)
Continuous and surge output (can it handle your compressor or microwave?)
Recharge rates (AC and solar input watts)
Expandable ecosystem (extra batteries, app control)
Warranty and real-world support

Example deal context: in early 2026 Jackery's HomePower 3600 Plus showed an exclusive low at $1,219 (bundle option with 500W solar at $1,689). EcoFlow had flash pricing on DELTA 3 Max around $749. Those prices change the math; here’s how to calculate cost per Wh and compare.

How to calculate cost per Wh (and why bundles matter)

Use this straight formula:

Cost per Wh = purchase price ÷ usable Wh

Real example — Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus (deal price)

Assumption: model name implies ~3600 Wh nominal. Use conservative usable Wh of 88% for practical sizing: 3600 × 0.88 = 3168 Wh usable.

Deal price = $1,219
Cost per Wh = 1,219 ÷ 3,168 ≈ $0.385 per Wh (38.5 cents/Wh)

That’s the simple battery-only math. Now consider the bundle: Jackery + 500W solar at $1,689. The extra $470 buys you a solar source that can recharge the unit in good sun—meaning more cycles and lower effective cost per Wh over time.

Example rough logic: if the solar kit lets you fully recharge the station once per day for 100 extra productive days in a year, that increases the useful energy delivered and lowers the effective cost per Wh over the product lifetime. We’ll show a lifetime cycle model below.

Example — EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max flash price (how to analyze)

Deal price = $749. The DELTA 3 Max comes in different capacities depending on configuration. Instead of guessing a single capacity, use this template:

If nominal capacity = 2,048 Wh and usable = 0.88 × 2,048 = 1,802 Wh → cost per Wh = 749 ÷ 1,802 ≈ $0.416/Wh.
If nominal capacity = 3,072 Wh and usable = 0.88 × 3,072 = 2,704 Wh → cost per Wh = 749 ÷ 2,704 ≈ $0.277/Wh.

The point: a flash price of $749 beats many competitors if capacity is large. Always divide price by usable Wh for a fair comparison.

Bundle math and effective cost per Wh over lifetime

Bundles with solar lower your effective cost because each recharge generates useful Wh at near-zero marginal cost. Here’s a simple lifetime model:

Assume usable Wh = U.
Assume you can fully cycle the station N times over its useful life (e.g., LFP rated cycles × usable lifetime fraction).
Total lifetime Wh delivered ≈ U × N.
Effective cost per lifetime Wh = purchase price ÷ (U × N).

Quick example using Jackery 3600 Plus:

Usable Wh U = 3,168 (from earlier)
Assume conservative useful full cycles N = 2,000 (LFP longevity in 2026 makes this realistic)
Total lifetime Wh = 3,168 × 2,000 = 6,336,000 Wh
Effective cost per lifetime Wh = 1,219 ÷ 6,336,000 ≈ $0.000192/Wh or 0.0192 cents/Wh

Now factor in the solar bundle: the panel increases the number of achievable cycles off-grid. If the panel lets you recharge that station an extra 300 fully off-grid cycles over its life (depending on location), attribute more lifetime Wh to the same purchase price, pushing effective per-Wh cost down further.

Real-world case studies (apply this to your situation)

Case 1: Weekend camping and device charging

Needs: charge phones (3 × 15 Wh), run a 60 W speaker for 4 hours = 240 Wh. Total ~285 Wh.

Recommendation: a 500–1,000 Wh usable station. Both Jackery and EcoFlow have lightweight units—buy the smaller one on sale. Rule: don't overpay per Wh if you rarely need large capacity.

Case 2: Overnight power for essentials during outage

Needs: fridge cyclical (~900 Wh/day), modem/router 10 W (240 Wh/day), lights 50 W × 4 h = 200 Wh. Total ~1,340 Wh/day.

Recommendation: a 2,000–4,000 Wh unit for 24–48 hour buffer. In this case, Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus fits well—use the cost-per-Wh math and check surge capacity for compressor starts.

Case 3: Whole-house or extended backup

Needs: Professional transfer switches, multiple stations or expandable systems. For sustained outages, pair multiple stations or choose expandable EcoFlow or Jackery stacks and add a solar array. Consider that bundling panels during a sale reduces your up-front solar cost.

Choosing between Jackery and EcoFlow—practical checklist

Do you need high surge output? Check continuous and peak watt ratings.
How fast do you want it recharged? Compare AC and solar input rates.
Are you planning long-term use? Prefer LFP chemistry and higher cycle warranties.
Does the maker offer expandable batteries or integrated transfer switches for whole-house coupling?
Price check: divide the final sale price (after coupon/bundle) by usable Wh—choose the lower cost per Wh for value purchases.

Advanced strategies to save more in 2026

Timing: flash sales in early 2026 showed deep discounts—watch brand events, seasonal closeouts, and holiday promotions.
Bundle stacking: a battery + panel bundle can be cheaper than buying them separately during promotions—run the numbers per Wh and per recharge cycle.
Refurb & open-box: many outlets sell refurbished units with warranty for significantly lower cost per Wh.
Cashback & store credit: use cards and portals to stack cashbacks on top of sale prices.
Local rebates: some regions offer incentives for energy storage and solar—check 2026 government and utility programs.

Practical buying-play: how I pick a deal

List my minimum usable Wh need for my top 3 devices in an outage.
Set surge requirements and recharge time goals.
Filter models meeting those specs and compute price ÷ usable Wh for current sale prices.
Prefer bundles that add solar if the panel discount is >= 30% of standalone panel price—this improves payback if you plan to recharge off-grid.

Final actionable takeaways

Always calculate usable Wh, not nominal Wh.
Use cost per Wh as your primary comparison metric (price ÷ usable Wh).
Include recharge and lifetime cycles—bundles that add solar can drastically cut effective per-Wh cost.
Match surge and inverter specs to your highest-starting device, not your average draw.
Watch for flash sales—early 2026 deals show big value when you combine price drops with bundle discounts.

Want help now? I can estimate your exact needs—tell me the devices you want to power, how long, and whether you’ll add solar. I’ll run the math and show which deals (Jackery vs EcoFlow) give the lowest real cost per Wh.

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Ready to stop guessing and start saving? Compare current verified bundles and live flash deals now—find the lowest cost per Wh, claim exclusive discounts, and get a tailored recommendation for your backup setup. Click the deals list, or send your device list and I’ll calculate the perfect power station for you.

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Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.