EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus vs Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra
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
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus costs $870 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra holds 437% more energy (1536Wh vs 286Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra has 2400W more surge headroom (3600W vs 1200W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
- EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus is 16.6 lb lighter (9.9 lb vs 26.5 lb).
- Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra is rated for 4,000 cycles vs 3,000 — meaningful if you cycle it daily.
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus
Doubles the River 3's output for $90 more, and adds an expansion battery port. The better buy of the two unless weight is everything.
Best for: Campers who want one unit that covers devices plus the occasional small appliance.
Where it falls short:
- 286Wh alone is a single evening of real use
- 220W solar input is modest
Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra
The portability record-holder: 1536Wh at 26.5 lb, lighter than most 1kWh units. You pay $200 over the 1500 v2 for that weight saving.
Best for: Van lifers and overlanders where every pound is negotiated.
Where it falls short:
- 1800W output is lower than the cheaper 1500 v2's 2000W
- $1199 is a premium for weight alone
| Spec | EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus | Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329 | $1199 |
| Capacity | 286 Wh | 1536 Wh |
| Continuous output | 600 W | 1800 W |
| Surge output | 1200 W | 3600 W |
| Battery | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 |
| Rated cycles | 3,000 | 4,000 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 9.9 lb | 26.5 lb |
| Max solar | 220 W | 600 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 1h | 1h 15m |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus | Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 4.1 hrs | 21.8 hrs |
| Mini fridge | 7.7 hrs | 41.4 hrs |
| Chest freezer | 3.0 hrs | 16.3 hrs |
| CPAP machine | 6.1 hrs | 32.6 hrs |
| Sump pump | ❌ | 1.6 hrs |