I found one of the fastest-charging portable batteries for home backups - and it's on sale

ZDNET's key takeaways

• The Ampace Andes 1500 is a portable power station that sells for $1,399.
• It features a 1462Wh capacity, which enables it to power essential appliances during an outage.
• While it is a reliable power station, it is expensive, so you can often find better value from competitors.

What's the deal?

The Ampace Andes 1500 portable power station is currently $999, a $400 discount from its original price. 

I rely on a great power station in my home. I live in an area that is sometimes affected by power outages, with my home experiencing at least a handful each year. Whether it's a storm, a maintenance issue, or a fallen tree, I don't like my kids spending winter nights without heat. 

Also: I found the perfect portable power station, and I take it on all my adventures

Aside from full home backup power, a great portable power station also powers individual devices as needed, like a chainsaw to cut down a fallen tree in the backyard, a coffeemaker during an outage, or inflating an air mattress while camping. I used the Ampace Andes 1500 portable power station this summer for these activities and more, and here are my thoughts.

The Andes 1500 is a 1462Wh LiFePO4 portable power station built to provide power wherever needed. It features up to 6,000 charging cycles before degradation is evident, fast charging with an A-Boost function, and 2400W output power. 

LiFePO4 batteries, or lithium iron phosphate batteries, are thermally and chemically stable batteries that provide a long lifespan compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. They use lithium iron phosphate as the cathode material and a graphite carbon electrode as the anode. This makes them more stable than other battery chemistries, like lithium cobalt oxide, often found in smartphones and wearables. 

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Essentially, LiFePO4 is less likely to overheat, even in harsh conditions, and is best suited for high-performance applications. The drawback? LiFePO4 batteries are heavier and bulkier than most lithium-ion batteries. The Ampace Andes 1500 weighs about 35 lbs. 

Also: This EcoFlow power station is strong enough to power my entire home, and it's $1,300 off

While it weighs 35 lbs, the Ampace Andes 1500 has two handles along the top, making it easy to carry from one spot to another. Its portability is a definite plus. The convenience of a power station makes a big difference in something as simple as keeping a fan running in a tent during a hot weekend campout.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

In our tests, the Andes 1500 showed a 1219Wh usable capacity or about 83% of the advertised hourly wattage. This is what you'll actually get to use during a discharge cycle. No manufacturer gives 100% usable capacity, but a minority can get close, like the much smaller Jackery Explorer 240, which scored 99%. 

The Andes 1500 takes just over an hour and 15 minutes to charge from depletion to 100%, making it one of the fastest charging power stations available. If you enable the A-Boost function on the Ampace app for faster charging, you can get it up to 100% in about 55 minutes. 

ZDNET's buying advice

I'd recommend the Ampace Andes 1500 if you're looking for a medium portable power station on the go. It's perfect for camping trips and outdoor activities. It has a built-in camping light and is portable enough to use as a power source for exterior work.

If you're looking for value for money, however, you may do better to look elsewhere, especially during sales events. Right now, you can get a 2,400W EcoFlow Deta 2 Max portable battery for the same price of $999, as it's on sale from its regular $1,899 price. The Bluetti AC200L is also 2,400W and 50% off at $999.