REASONS TO BUY
Compact
Built-in light
LiFePO4 battery chemistry
REASONS TO AVOID
Small inverter
Only one USB-C port
Anker 521 Review
A budget-friendly portable power station aimed at charging devices and running low-wattage appliances
Credit: Natalie Kafader
By Kenji Mowrey ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ May 18, 2025
Contributions From: Sentry Kelly
RELATED: The Best Power Stations of 2026
Our Verdict
If you're heading out of the house and need to keep essentials charged up and accessories turned on, a small portable power station can be incredibly useful. The Anker 521 is a budget-friendly option that is both highly portable and reliable. The 521 has two AC sockets, multiple USB-A ports, one USB-C port, and a 12V car socket. It also utilizes LiFePO4 batteries for increased safety and longer lifespan. Features like a built-in light and a well-designed LED display are extra appreciated on this budget-friendly model. Its lower battery capacity and small inverter may lack the ability to power up larger, more power-intensive electronics and appliances, but for keeping phones and laptops charged or running air purifiers and projectors, this little power station offers plenty of utility at a great price point.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Anker 521 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best for Off-grid Camping |  Best Value for Most People | Best Buy for Phones and Laptops | ||
| Price | $230 List Check Price at Amazon | $1,499 List Check Amazon (on sale!) | $799 List Check Amazon (on sale!) | $289 List Check Amazon (on sale!) | $300 List Check Price at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A budget-friendly portable power station aimed at charging devices and running low-wattage appliances | This is the power station most people should buy. It strikes a compelling balance between price and power output | A top of the line portable power station that excels for camping and short off-grid travel | An ultra-portable power station that is well suited to recharging phones and laptop devices | A compact, value oriented power station intended for device charging and small appliance use |
| Rating Categories | Anker 521 | Jackery Explorer 200... | Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 | Jackery Explorer 300 | Anker Solix C300 |
| Power Output (60%) | |||||
| Portability (25%) | |||||
| Charging Speed (10%) | |||||
| Features (5%) | |||||
| Specifications | Anker 521 | Jackery Explorer 200... | Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 | Jackery Explorer 300 | Anker Solix C300 |
| Measured Energy Output | 192 Wh | 1,710 Wh | 890 Wh | 260 Wh | 230 Wh |
| Max AC Watts | 200 watts | 2,200 watts | 1,800 watts | 300 watts | 300 watts |
| Max AC Amps | 1.7 amps | 18 amps | 15 amps | 2.5 amps | 2.5 amps |
| Measured Weight | 8.4 lbs | 38.9 lbs | 25.2 lbs | 7.1 lbs | 9.1 lbs |
| Power Outlets | (2) AC (2) USB-A (1) USB-C (1) Car Outlet (12V) |
(3) AC (1) USB-A (2) USB-C (1) Car Outlet (12V) |
(6) AC (2) USB-A (2) USB-C (1) Car Outlet (12V) |
(2) AC (4) USB-A (1) USB-C (1) Car Outlet (12V) |
(3) AC (1) USB-A (3) USB-C (1) Car Outlet (12V) |
| Claimed Capacity | 256 Wh | 2,042 Wh | 1,056 Wh | 293 Wh | 288 Wh |
| Usable Capacity | 75% | 84% | 80% | 89% | 80% |
| Dimensions | 8.5"L x 5.7"W x 8.3"H | 13.2"L x 10.4"W x 11.5"H | 14.8L x 8.07W x 10.5H in | 9.1"L x 5.2"W x 7.8"H | 6.5L x 6.3W x 9.5H in |
| Max AC Surge Wattage | n/a | 4,400 watts | 2,400 watts | 500 watts | 600 watts |
| Time to Charge | 4.1 hr | 2.5 hr | 0.8 hr | 4.0 hr | 1.1 hr |
| Measured Charging Speed | 62 Wh/hr | 817 Wh/hr | 1,097 Wh/hr | 74 Wh/hr | 274 Wh/hr |
| Solar Compatible | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Max Solar Panel Watts | 100 watts | 400 watts | 600 watts | 100 watts | 100 watts |
| Battery Chemistry | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 | Lithium-ion | LiFePO4 |
| Claimed Cycle Life | 3,000 cycles | 4,000 cycles | 4,000 cycles | 800 cycles | 3,000 cycles |
| AC Output Power (Bypass Mode) | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| App | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Expandable Battery Capacity | No | No | No | No | No |
| Uninteruptible Power Supply (UPS) | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Emergency Power Supply (EPS) | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Built in Light | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Warranty | 5 year | 2 year | 5 years | 2 year | 5 years |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Anker's smallest power station offering, the 521, is designed to supplement your devices and electronics while away from a power source. Its durable design, LED display, and built-in light make this model a surprisingly good value.
The 521 is a solid budget-friendly choice. Credit: Kenji Mowrey
Power Output
This unit delivered 192 watt hours of AC output compared to the 256 advertised watt hours.
It includes multiple USB-A ports but only one USB-C port. With the prevalence of USB-C, it would have been better to see another port there. The 521 is equipped with two AC ports, which is a good tradeoff for only having one USB-C.
The 521 does not possess the best power output characteristics, but its LiFePO4 battery chemistry and durable design are worthy tradeoffs. Credit: Natalie Kafader
Portability
To test mobility, we weigh and measure the dimensions of each power station against the manufacturer's stated specifications. We then spend plenty of time tossing each power station into cars, campers, and garages, noting how they feel to move and lift. Our mobility metric combines the quantifiable data of each power station and the more objective data from our testers, which takes into account the overall feel and portability.
Thanks to its ultra-portable size, the Anker 521 was one of our most portable power stations tested. Aside from its weight of just 8.4 lbs, the design of the 521 is sleek, with a built-in handle and unibody outer. Its small form makes it one of our first choices when heading out and wanting to stash it in your bag or backpack for the day.
Highly portable and easy to stash are the standout characteristics of the 521. Credit: Kenji Mowrey
Charge Speed
With a charge time of 248 minutes, the 521 was one of our slowest models tested relative to its size. It charges at a very slow speed of 62 Wh/hr, which is a fraction of the pace of many larger batteries. While 4 hours for a full charge isn't unbearable, that is a considerable amount of time for a unit that only possesses 192 usable watt-hours.
Outside of its AC charging cord, it can also be charged through solar with input up to 65 watts and has an included DC car port charger.
A faster charge time would have been ideal on the 521, but adding 60 additional watts through USB-C is a nice bonus. Credit: Natalie Kafader
Features
Where the 521 separates itself from other similarly priced options is in its display. A bright, informative LED display tells you everything you need to know about charge time and input/output. It also has custom charge settings, which are nice even for smaller power stations. Additionally, the Anker app is one of the more dialed apps we've used and can be connected to the 521 to control power functions and monitor battery status remotely.
We were big fans of the LED display on the 521, along with its built-in light. Credit: Kenji Mowrey
Should You Buy the Anker 521?
If you're on a tighter budget and looking to try out a portable power station, the Anker 521 is a solid option. It will reliably keep electronics charged and run small appliances smoothly. Despite its limited power performance, Anker's reputation and 5-year warranty on the 521 is a tradeoff worth considering.
We gravitated towards the 521 when working on our laptops away from the house. Credit: Kenji Mowrey
What Other Portable Power Station Should You Consider?
If you're set on a small form power station, our favorite is the Jackery 300. It's similarly sized but has a slightly larger battery with substantially better efficiency. Anker also offers a mid-sized power station, the Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2, which is one of our favorite options for camping and traveling. Although it costs about $200 more, it will set you up far better long term as your power needs grow.
—Kenji Mowrey and Sentry Kelly
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