Goal Zero Yeti 700 Review

Goal Zero is one of the most recognizable names in the power station market. The Yeti 700 is their small-to-medium offering, designed for camping and off-grid travel. While it offers some enticing features, it fails to compete with some of our highest-performing models.

Power Output

The Yeti 700 delivered 560 Wh during our tests. This amounts to 83% of its advertised 677 Wh, which is just below the average efficiency threshold. This measurement is based on its AC outlets, with DC and USB outlets offering higher efficiency.

With only 600 running watts and a surge capacity of 1000 watts, the Yeti 700 struggles to compete with similar-sized units that have higher power output. You can charge phones and laptops and use smaller devices like TVs and projectors, but even running common camping appliances like coffee makers and portable electric stoves will be difficult for the Yeti 700.

Portability

Our favorite feature of the Yeti 700 is its portability. Weighing just 21.2 lbs and about the size of a small toaster oven, it's highly portable for camping and off-grid trips. It includes a collapsible handle that folds flat for easier packing and a plastic cover to shield its display and ports.

Charging Speed

The Yeti 700 fully charges from an AC wall outlet in 2.5 hours, with an average charge rate of 269 Wh/hr. While not the slowest charging power station, similar-sized models can charge nearly twice as fast. It can also accept up to 200 watts of solar, which would take roughly 4 hours to charge fully under ideal conditions.

We used the Yeti 700 with its default charge setting straight out of the box. It can be toggled to charge faster, but changing the speed requires a few steps, reducing the charging time to 2 hours to reach full capacity. A positive step for Yeti is switching to LiFePO4 batteries in the 700, which significantly enhances the battery's lifespan (4000+ life cycles).

Features

This power station was designed with camping and adventure activities in mind. It has an extreme temperature rating (down to -4°F), an IPX4 water-resistance rating, and a plastic door screen to keep dirt and debris out. The plastic screen that covers the interface is helpful in theory, but it doesn't fully close and also blocks the display.

The Yeti 700 is equipped with two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, a 12V cigarette lighter port, a 12V barrel port, and just two AC outlets. Our biggest issue with only two AC outlets is the limited space between them, often restricting you to using only one outlet at a time with larger plugs.

Should You Buy the Yeti 700?

If you're looking for a compact power station that can handle drops and dings and doesn't need to run larger tools and appliances, the Yeti 700 could be a viable option. Our biggest knack on the 700 is the stiff competition from similarly sized products that offer more power and faster charging. For these reasons, unless you already own a Yeti product and prefer to stay within their ecosystem, we'd recommend considering other power stations first.

What Other Power Stations Should You Consider?