Prime Members Can Score This Jackery Power Station for Just $499 This July 4th Weekend [CNET]

This Prime-exclusive deal slashes costs of this power station to the lowest price we’ve ever seen.

If you live in an area with frequent power outages or you just want to be prepared for emergencies, a great portable power station can be a lifesaver. Portable power stations are also super useful if you enjoy camping or spontaneous road trips. But these devices often come with a hefty price tag, unless you catch them on sale. 

Some of our favorite portable power stations on the market are made by Jackery. Even though the Fourth of July has passed, many sales are still going on. Right now Prime members, can snag the Jackery Explorer 1000 for just $499 on Amazon. That’s about $500 in savings and drops it down to a new low price, getting you an incredible deal on a portable power station that normally costs around $1,000. Act fast as we’re not sure how much longer this deal will last. 

The Jackery Explorer 1000 is designed to be portable and easy to use. With its handle and rugged exterior, you should be comfortable taking it wherever you go. It has an impressive capacity of 1,002 watt-hours, which will run something like an electric grill or mini fridge for about 50 minutes. It can also output up to 1,000 watts of electricity combined, which is great for handling appliances that require a bit more power.

Where it really shines is its use as a solar generator in combination with solar panels, which you do have to buy separately. Even so, two of Jackery’s own Solar Saga 100-watt solar panels will charge the Explorer 1000 in about six hours, although if you want to go with a more traditional wall charging, it will be closer to five and a half hours. Besides the solar, wall and car inputs, you also get three AC power outlets, two type-C USB ports, two type-A USB ports and a car auxiliary power outlet, so you have a ton of options for topping off your gear.

Overall, the Jackery Explorer 1000 is an excellent choice if you need some basic backup power for a few smaller devices or a small appliance. That said, if you still need a bit more power, check out some of these other great generator deals. And if you’re looking for even more deals, check out our roundup of the best Fourth of July appliance sales.