Skip to content
Introduction
Portable power stations have become increasingly popular for providing electricity on the go. With powerful lithium batteries and outlets for AC, USB, and DC power, these stations can keep your devices powered up wherever you take them. But when it comes to portable power, wattage capabilities make a big difference in what you can run. In this article, we'll take a close look at what a 1800 watt portable power station can and can't handle in terms of powering appliances, tools, medical devices, and more.
What can a 1800 watt portable power station run?
A 1800 watt portable power station packs quite a punch for its compact size. To understand what it can power, let's break down some estimates:
- Small kitchen appliances: A 1800 watt power station can effectively run smaller kitchen appliances like blenders, stand mixers, electric kettles, rice cookers, slow cookers, and coffee makers. Most of these appliances require 1000 watts or less.
- Hand tools: Power drills, saws, sanders, weed trimmers, and more hand tools typically draw 500-1000 watts, which a 1800 watt station can handle with room to spare. Even a circular saw that temporarily peaks at 1500+ watts can run thanks to the 1800 watt power buffer.
- Medical devices: A 1800 watt portable station provides reliable electricity for medical devices, including CPAP machines and oxygen concentrators for sleep apnea, nebulizers, patient lifts, and other higher-wattage medical equipment. Most require under 1000 watts.
- Phone/laptop charging: Phones, tablets, laptops, and other personal electronics can charge over 100 times on a single charge from a quality 1800 watt portable station. Charging small devices uses minimal energy from the station.
- Camp lighting/fans: Running compact LED lights and small electric fans uses little power, allowing a 1800 watt station to light up tents and keep people comfortable for hours of camping.
What can't a 1800 watt portable power station run?
While 1800 watts gives reasonable power for many situations, larger appliances exceed the capabilities of most portable stations. Appliances 1800+ watts likely won't run at full capacity or for very long, though items drawing under 1800 watts can potentially operate with limitations:
- Full-size refrigerators or freezers: While a 1800 watt station may temporarily power up a compact unit, most full-size refrigerators require over 1200 running watts to stay cold 24/7. The startup surge also exceeds 1800 watts.
- Air conditioners/large space heaters: Any cooling unit over 5000 BTU, along with large electric heaters for whole rooms, require over 1800 watts and cannot be powered by a standard 1800 watt portable station. Fans/small heaters may work.
- Microwaves: The power needed to run most full-size microwaves exceeds what a 1800 watt station outputs. Smaller units under 1000 watts may work for brief periods.
- CPAP therapy machines: While some can operate from a portable station, CPAP machines used for sleep disorders may have higher electricity needs that prevent all-night operation off of 1800 watts without recharging.
- Power-hungry tools: Certain high-drain tools like pressure washers, large table saws, or high-speed grinders won't reliably run from a standard 1800 watt portable station.
- Treadmills and other exercise equipment: With peak power demands of around 4000+ watts, treadmills, along with other motorized exercise machines, cannot operate properly from a 1800 watt portable power supply.
Can a 1800-watt portable power station run a whole house?
No-a single 1800 watt portable station does not provide nearly enough power for a whole home. Essential household circuits and appliances can demand 15,000+ watts. Still, a 1800 watt station may be useful in a blackout by powering LED lights, a small window AC unit on low, and charging devices when not much else is running. For whole-home backup, combining portable stations into larger systems with 10000+ watts or standby generators is more practical.
Conclusion
The versatility of 1800 watt portable power stations makes them incredibly useful for camping, medical needs, emergencies, and more. You can safely rely on a quality 1800 watt station to handle essential devices like fans, lights, small kitchen appliances, and lifesaving medical devices when traditional grid power is inaccessible. But operation of large household appliances like refrigerators or central AC units will require upgrading to larger capacities. Understanding what your real energy needs are makes it easier to decide whether a standard 1800 watt portable station meets your power requirements or if extra capacity is beneficial for running high-demand electronics over extended time periods.
