The Ampace Andes 1500 Power Station is my go-to portable power station for picnics and camping

Power stations are quickly becoming a big trend in lifestyle tech, which I can’t say I’m surprised by; they are a reliable source of power when most needed. They are great for outages and emergencies, and can also be handy when you simply want to go camping or are partying it up at a picnic. The problem is picking the right one, as there are so many options. I’ve been testing one of the most popular options out there — the Ampace Andes 1500 Portable Power Station— and am ready to tell you all about it. Let’s go over its pros, cons, and who it’s for.

Before checking out the Ampace Andes 1500, I was used to dealing with two types of power stations: the huge, super-powerful ones and the small, ultra-portable ones. After unboxing this one, I was happy to find one that falls right in the middle. It’s small enough to easily carry around and throw in a trunk, but it’s not tiny and has more power than the smaller stations.

To give you a better idea, it measures 17.2 x 7.7 x 13.2 in and weighs 36.8 lbs. You still need some muscle to carry it, but it’s easy to take it to your car or the campsite. Don’t expect to take it on long hikes, though. I mean, you could, but you’ll definitely break a sweat.

That said, it is built very nicely. It’s made of plastic, but nothing feels cheap or flimsy. The buttons have a satisfying click, and the design is nothing short of premium. I am kind of ashamed to mention it, but it actually slipped out of my hand once, and I dropped it from about half a foot. Thankfully, it still works perfectly and I can’t even find a scratch on it, so I know from experience that it’s a durable unit.

This all made sense when I learned it was built to be tough — not only in terms of build quality but also in operation. It was made to work in extreme temperatures ranging from -4 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit. I’ve used it extensively in the heavy snow in California, so I can tell you it will be just fine in lower temperatures. Ampace also mentions that it has tested the Andes 1500 at over 7,000 meters of altitude on Mount Everest, which is quite the feat!

Smaller power stations tend to be pretty limited in terms of power. This is something I really liked about testing the Ampace Andes 1500; it’s quite powerful. I immediately thought about that saying, “good things come in small packages.”

Let’s talk specs. This guy has a 1,462Wh capacity, which is quite a bit considering the size. According to Ampace, this should be enough to charge a smartphone nearly 100 times. I had no time to verify that, but I can tell you it can definitely last. I was able to power a 200W TV for about six hours. And while using the Extra Battery, I was able to extend that to 12 hours (more on that in a bit). I also used it to power my kitchen appliances for nearly a full day of mixed usage. This means it’s also enough juice to take you through a one-day outage, if you need to keep some essentials running.

While we’re on the topic of kitchen appliances, let me tell you that it can handle most electronics. The Ampace Andes 1500 has a 2,400W max output and supports 3,600W peaks. The most powerful electronics most people have are things like microwave ovens, air fryers, kettles, and such. These mostly use somewhere between 1,000W and 2,000W.

I was able to power everything in my home with it, including a portable AC unit. Of course, the battery won’t last long when you’re running these power-hungry appliances. Additionally, you have to keep the max output in mind. Sure, I could run all my appliances, but in some cases, I could only run one at a time. When I tried to use my air fryer and microwave simultaneously, the power station maxed out and cut off the power.

If the 1,462Wh capacity just isn’t enough for you, though, you can double it by getting an expansion pack. The Extra Battery has the same specs, but no ports, other than the one used to connect to the main battery. It also has no built-in light. It’s nice that it has a power button and a screen, though, which essentially gives you another option for controlling the main battery.

You can use the extra battery’s button to power all connected units on or off, and the screen gives you a status update of the Extra Battery. And you don’t have to stop with just one expansion; you can connect up to seven extra batteries to a single Ampace Andes 1500, so you could really go nuts here. Each one costs an extra $599, though at the time of writing Ampace has them down to $499.

Another really cool thing about the Extra Battery is that it has a storage compartment on top! It’s supposed to be mainly for storing the needed cables, but I actually use it for my snacks.

The Andes 1500 is also designed as a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) system. When plugged in and also running your electronics, if the grid power goes out, the unit will switch to battery power within 20 ms. Your electronics will continue working without a hiccup. I tested it, and it works just fine. I am not sure if the transfer happened in under 20 ms, but considering there was no obvious outage, I can believe it’s accurate.

Honestly, I have seen more powerful and larger power stations with fewer ports than the Ampace Andes 1500. It has four AC outlets, and these are the ones that can reach the maximum wattage. These make it easy to plug in four appliances at once, which is usually more than enough for your essential home electronics or camping needs.

I wish it had more than two USB-C ports, but both can reach 100W, which means I can fast charge my smartphone, and these can even power tablets, laptops, and more. If you’re not in a rush, though, you do get four 18W USB-A ports. There’s also a car socket.

There are also a couple of DC5521 output ports in there, which I still haven’t used because I have nothing that uses these. Maybe you do, though! And these can handle 120W of power.

While 1,462Wh is a nice battery capacity for this size, it isn’t exactly huge. It will need recharging more often than the big ones, especially if you’re powering those high-wattage appliances (which I usually do). When it comes time to recharge, you want to know it can be done as quickly as possible.

The fastest way to recharge the Ampace Andes 1500 Portable Power Station is by using the AC cable. If you just plug it in and don’t mess with it, it will charge at about 800W-1,000W. You can go into the app and enable A-Boost, which takes recharging up to 1,800W max. This can recharge the battery completely in under an hour.

If you can’t plug in, it also supports up to 600W in solar panel charging, which should take about 3-5 hours under optimal conditions. If the sun is hiding, there’s also car charging, but that takes much longer. It maxes out at 96W, and should take about 12 hours to charge the power station fully.

The most reliable recharging method is definitely using the AC plug, and it is very reliable, nearly as good as many of the bigger guys. I do wish solar panel and car recharging were faster, but we can’t ask too much considering it’s such a small unit. Sacrifices had to be made somewhere, and at least you get some reliable options.

There is rarely such a thing as a product that is the best at everything. It’s all relative, and you must always find something that fits your specific needs. So, who is the Ampace Andes 1500 Portable Power Station for?

Let me start by telling you who it’s not for. This is not a complete home power backup solution for larger homes. It’s also not really for those who want a battery they can carry for long distances, such as hikes. Instead, it’s somewhere in the middle. It’s portable enough for outdoor use, and also powerful enough for use around the home.

I find it to be the ultimate battery for those who want to go on camping trips or picnics. You can easily carry it short distances, but it will power most high-wattage electronics easily. This means you can use it to cook using an electric stove, run a fridge or electric cooler, power a kettle, and more. You could even go all out and run a TV, projector, gaming console, etc.

Of course, it can also run as a backup solution to power essentials during a blackout. I often use it to run my fridge, modem, computer, or charge my main devices. Just know that it won’t take you through an extended outage like bigger batteries do, and it won’t cover larger households in a way like the Anker SOLIX F3800 series would.

Let’s go over the main factor, though: price. The Ampace Andes 1500 Portable Power Station has an MSRP of $1,399, but it is very often on sale. I’ve seen it go for about $799 multiple times. If you want an Extra Battery (or multiple), that one costs $599, but again, I have seen it on sale for $499, so expanding the battery capacity won’t cost nearly as much.

All things considered, the Ampace Andes 1500 Portable Power Station is definitely a worthy acquisition if you want a powerful battery in a more portable package. At $1,399, though, it is a bit expensive. I would wait for the right deal to get it well under $1,000.