Anker SOLIX F3800 vs Anker 521 PowerHouse
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
Anker 521 PowerHouse costs $3750 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- Anker SOLIX F3800 holds 1400% more energy (3840Wh vs 256Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- Anker SOLIX F3800 has 8700W more surge headroom (9000W vs 300W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
- Anker 521 PowerHouse is 124.1 lb lighter (8.2 lb vs 132.3 lb).
- Anker SOLIX F3800 is rated for 4,000 cycles vs 3,000 — meaningful if you cycle it daily.
Anker SOLIX F3800
This is where portable power stops being portable and starts replacing a standby generator. The 240V split-phase output is the headline feature.
Best for: Whole-home backup where you need 240V loads and can't run a gas generator.
Where it falls short:
- 132 lb — this is a wheeled appliance, not something you carry
- $3,999 puts it against real standby generators
Anker 521 PowerHouse
A pocket-scale LiFePO4 unit for keeping devices alive. 200W of output means it's a charger, not an appliance station.
Best for: Travelers and campers topping up phones, cameras and a laptop.
Where it falls short:
- 200W output runs devices only
- 256Wh is small
| Spec | Anker SOLIX F3800 | Anker 521 PowerHouse |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3999 | $249 |
| Capacity | 3840 Wh | 256 Wh |
| Continuous output | 6000 W | 200 W |
| Surge output | 9000 W | 300 W |
| Battery | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 |
| Rated cycles | 4,000 | 3,000 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 132.3 lb | 8.2 lb |
| Max solar | 2400 W | 100 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 1h 30m | 2h 30m |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | Anker SOLIX F3800 | Anker 521 PowerHouse |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 54.4 hrs | ❌ |
| Mini fridge | 103.6 hrs | ❌ |
| Chest freezer | 40.8 hrs | ❌ |
| CPAP machine | 81.6 hrs | 5.4 hrs |
| Sump pump | 4.1 hrs | ❌ |