Glossary
Portable power station
A rechargeable battery with AC outlets, USB ports, and often a 12V socket for running camp gear.
A portable power station is a rechargeable battery pack built into a case with household AC outlets, USB ports, and usually a 12V car-style socket, designed to run fridges, lights, fans, and small electronics away from a wall outlet. Capacities range from small units that top off phones to large ones that can run a fridge for days.
Unlike a car battery, a power station is meant to be drained and recharged repeatedly without risking your vehicle's ability to start, and most include a built-in inverter so they can power standard household plugs directly. They recharge from a wall outlet, a car's 12V socket while driving, or a portable solar panel at camp.
When buying, size the battery to your planned devices using its watt-hour rating rather than its price or physical size, and check the continuous and peak wattage the built-in inverter can handle, since a fridge's startup surge can exceed its running wattage. A common mistake is buying based on battery capacity alone and then finding the unit cannot start a device with a high surge draw.