EcoFlow RIVER 3 vs Bluetti AC180P
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 costs $460 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- Bluetti AC180P holds 488% more energy (1440Wh vs 245Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- Bluetti AC180P has 2100W more surge headroom (2700W vs 600W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
- EcoFlow RIVER 3 is 29.2 lb lighter (7.8 lb vs 37 lb).
- Bluetti AC180P is rated for 3,500 cycles vs 3,000 — meaningful if you cycle it daily.
Neither of these will start a sump pump or well pump — both surge below the ~3,400W those motors need. If home backup with pumps is your use case, look at higher-surge models instead of either of these.
A glorified power bank with AC outlets — and that's fine if that's what you need. 245Wh runs devices, not appliances.
Best for: Weekend campers charging phones, cameras and a laptop.
Where it falls short:
- 300W output rules out anything with a heating element
- No expansion path
A higher-capacity take on the AC180, adding 25% more watt-hours for the same 1,800W output — a useful step up if you catch it near the AC180's price.
Best for: Buyers who want more than 1kWh from a mainstream brand on sale.
Where it falls short:
- 37 lb
- 2,700W surge is mid-pack
- Not expandable
| Spec | EcoFlow RIVER 3 | Bluetti AC180P |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $239 | $699 |
| Capacity | 245 Wh | 1440 Wh |
| Continuous output | 300 W | 1800 W |
| Surge output | 600 W | 2700 W |
| Battery | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 |
| Rated cycles | 3,000 | 3,500 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 7.8 lb | 37 lb |
| Max solar | 110 W | 500 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 1h | 1h 30m |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | EcoFlow RIVER 3 | Bluetti AC180P |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | ❌ | 20.4 hrs |
| Mini fridge | 6.6 hrs | 38.9 hrs |
| Chest freezer | ❌ | 15.3 hrs |
| CPAP machine | 5.2 hrs | 30.6 hrs |
| Sump pump | ❌ | ❌ |