Anker 555 PowerHouse vs Jackery Explorer 500
Side-by-side on the specs that decide it — surge, capacity, runtime and price.
Both models' specs verified against manufacturer listings · Last updated
The short answer
Jackery Explorer 500 costs $200 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- Anker 555 PowerHouse holds 98% more energy (1024Wh vs 518Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- Anker 555 PowerHouse has 500W more surge headroom (1500W vs 1000W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
- Jackery Explorer 500 is 16.6 lb lighter (13.3 lb vs 29.9 lb).
- Anker 555 PowerHouse uses LiFePO4 while the other uses NMC — roughly double the usable cycle life.
- Anker 555 PowerHouse is rated for 3,000 cycles vs 500 — meaningful if you cycle it daily.
If you plan to cycle the battery daily, think twice about the Jackery Explorer 500. Its NMC cells are rated for 500 cycles against the LiFePO4 rival's longer life — over years of regular use that's the more expensive unit, whatever the sticker says.
A 1kWh unit whose 1,000W output and slow charging show its age — the newer, cheaper Anker C1000 beats it on nearly every axis.
Best for: Only worth it steeply discounted against the C1000.
Where it falls short:
- 1,500W surge is low
- 200W solar input and a slow 138-minute recharge
A long-running compact that's now firmly dated: one AC outlet, no USB-C, Li-ion cells and a very slow recharge. Only its ubiquity keeps it around.
Best for: Light, occasional device charging when found cheap.
Where it falls short:
- ~500 cycles
- One AC outlet, no USB-C
- 7.5-hour recharge
| Spec | Anker 555 PowerHouse | Jackery Explorer 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $699 | $499 |
| Capacity | 1024 Wh | 518 Wh |
| Continuous output | 1000 W | 500 W |
| Surge output | 1500 W | 1000 W |
| Battery | LiFePO4 | NMC |
| Rated cycles | 3,000 | 500 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 29.9 lb | 13.3 lb |
| Max solar | 200 W | 100 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 2h 18m | 7h 30m |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | Anker 555 PowerHouse | Jackery Explorer 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 14.5 hrs | 7.3 hrs |
| Mini fridge | 27.6 hrs | 14.0 hrs |
| Chest freezer | 10.9 hrs | 5.5 hrs |
| CPAP machine | 21.8 hrs | 11.0 hrs |
| Sump pump | ❌ | ❌ |