Just because you’re off the grid doesn’t mean you have to disconnect. Whether you’re living on the road or camping for the weekend, there are plenty of devices and appliances you might want to power. We put our portable power stations to the test around the campsite, running everything from laptops and camera gear to fridges, blenders, heated blankets, and more. Read on or watch the video to find out how our Yeti power stations fared in a van, a pop-up trailer, and a good-old fashioned tent.

Let's talk about some different things that can be powered anywhere from a caravan or campervan, to a tent or any other off-grid camping scenario. 

Lights

One of the first things that people generally need power for in a caravan or van are lights, and one of the first options that people often reach for are Fairy or Christmas lights.

Christmas lights are an awesome option however they actually are a little bit heavier on the power draw than you might think, pulling 55 watts. Another option for lighting your caravan or tent would be to go with LED lights such as our Goal Zero Light-a-Life 350 which only pull 4 watts. Plus you can bring that down even lower with the built in dimmer to only draw 1 watt. The really neat thing about the Light-a-Life is that they're chainable. That means that even if you want to link  eight of those together to light up your van you're still going to be pulling significantly less power than those Christmas lights.

Electronic Equipment

Whether you are working full-time on the road as a professional photographer, or you simply want to be able to capture your adventures on camera and have the ability to upload them and edit them while you're off-grid, it's important to be able to keep your laptop and camera batteries charged. You also might want to power tablets and charge drone batteries and additional camera equipment.

A good thing to do is make sure that you've got your computer charged ahead of time and that way when do you plug it in you're just keeping it topped up. That way your Portable Power Station will have plenty of power for you to be able to work through the day or even throughout the night if you need to add lights in the mix.

Cooking

Now let's dive into what is one of my favourite parts of camping which is cooking outdoors. A lot of people keep food cold when they're camping just simply by using a Chilly Bin and ice, and that's awesome, but if you do want to venture into the world of portable refrigeration there are plenty of options.

One thing to keep in mind about portable fridges is that the fridge really only requires a bunch of power when the compressor kicks on. So just like in the laptop scenario described above it's super important to get the fridge down to temperature before you leave the comforts of your home. This will help keep that power draw to a minimum and your portable power station will only have to maintain the temperature while you're camping.

As a quick guide, a Yeti 1500X will keep a 50L portable fridge running for about 2 to 3 days, easily keeping your food nice and cold while you're camping over the weekend.

Small Appliances

What if you want to make a delicious fruit smoothie in the morning or a Cocktail in the evening? Can you take a blender camping?

While the short answer is yes, the wise answer might be which blender.

A big blender as you might use in your kitchen at home will draw 450-900 watts. Not the most efficient use of power. Something smaller like the Magic Bullet mini blender will only draw around 180-250 watts. So a small blender is a great way to make a morning smoothie and still have plenty of power left for the rest of your day.

Cooktops

There are a number of different ways to cook food food outside from induction plates to Trager grills. Each work a bit differently and each will draw a different amount of power. 

While there are some examples in the video above, do your research and check the power draw and application you need a cooker for. It may be best to use a gas hob or BBQ as these are often far more efficient than depleting half of your power to boil some water.

Heating

Let's face it, it can get cold at night in New Zealand and while most of the time a heater is not needed, there may be times when you're glad your brought one of those creature comforts.

Again, as with the cooker do some research before you pack that mini fan heater that will burn through your Portable Power Station's energy in 20 minutes then leave you cold for the rest of the night. Perhaps surprisingly, an electric blanket is one of the more efficient ways to stay warm at night. Typically rated at around 180 watts and often only drawing half of that power, a heated blanket is a great option that you can run thought most of the night to help keep you warm.

What's the Best Portable Power Station for Camping?

If you're camping in a tent then a Yeti 1500X might be a bit of an overkill. The Yeti 200X and 500X portable power stations will still blow up your airbed, charge your phones and cameras and run some lights, but don't expect it to keep your electric blanket running all night.

For a van conversion where space is limited, a Yeti 1000X might be a great fit, especially if you pair it with a foldable solar panel.

For those with a retro caravan, then a Yeti 1500X or 3000X will run all your lights, charge your devices, and even let you watch a movie on the iPad at night. Install a solar panel on the roof or store one of the foldable solar panels under a seat or bed and you'll have an unlimited supply of power.

Have an off grid cabin or tiny home? Use a Yeti 3000X or 6000X power station to power the whole place, and then take it with you when you leave.